The lyrics of the Hymn reflect the peaceful ends that many tie to the purpose of the modern Olympics — with 'fraternity and friendship' being the core virtues it espouses (via The Sun). The lyrics are very much in line with their author Kostis Palamas, whose goal as a poet was to modernize the genre in Greece and diverge from the confines of traditional works (via Britannica). To this day, he is revered in Greece as a literary pioneer, and his reputation led to a remarkable show of unity in 1943.
By this point, Greece was occupied by Germany — a response to their Italian ally's mismanaged and logically questionable invasion. Although the Germans had strict rules in place for civilian activity, this was when Palamas and his wife passed away. The Greek people were undeterred by the threat of German punishment and gathered into a procession of 100,000 people to honor the revered wordsmith — far too big for the local German soldiers to do anything about (via Greek Reporter).
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