"Δικτατορία – Πολυτεχνείο – Μεταπολίτευση"

In Greece, the years after the civil war of In Greece, the years after the civil war of 1946-1949 were particularly hard. The 1946-1949 were particularly hard. The countrypassedfromthe influenceofGreat countrypassedfromthe influenceofGreat BritaintotheinfluenceoftheUnitedStates BritaintotheinfluenceoftheUnitedStates and, despite the economic reconstruction and, despite the economic reconstruction that followed, that followed, urgent military courts, urgent military courts, executionsandexiles executionsandexiles continued. continued.

At the same time, more and more Greeks At the same time, more and more Greeks emigrated emigrated, looking for a better life in the , looking for a better life in the factories of Germany factories of Germany during the 40s and during the 40s and 50s, while a little later the 50s, while a little later the mass emigration mass emigration to Australia to Australia began, which lasted until the began, which lasted until the 1970s. 1970s.

Political persecution also forces many Greek Political persecution also forces many Greek people to migrate. The worst thing is that people to migrate. The worst thing is that since the 1950s since the 1950s the political situation had the political situation had been regulated by the palace, Queen been regulated by the palace, Queen

Frederica pre-eminent Frederica pre-eminent, as well as by the , as well as by the CIA. The result of the USA's interventions CIA. The result of the USA's interventions wastheoperationofa wastheoperationofa para-state para-state (ashadow (ashadow government), not always controlled by the government), not always controlled by the officialgovernment. officialgovernment.

The most typical example of this situation The most typical example of this situation was the assassination of the Balkan was the assassination of the Balkan Activist and Activist and Member of Parliament Member of Parliament of the of the Hellenic

Democratic Left Hellenic Democratic Left Grigoris Grigoris

Lambrakis Lambrakis in Thessaloniki, with the direct in Thessaloniki, with the direct involvement of the palace, the CIA and involvement of the palace, the CIA and high-ranking officers of the city's Police high-ranking officers of the city's Police Department Department. .

The 1960s began with a major political The 1960s began with a major political change: in repeated electoral contests, the change: in repeated electoral contests, the Center Union of George Papandreou Center Union of George Papandreou dominated against the dominated against the National Radical National Radical

Union of Konstantinos Karamanlis Union of Konstantinos Karamanlis. In 1965, . In 1965, however, with the intervention of the however, with the intervention of the palace, palace, the elected government was the elected government was overthrown overthrown and a period of intense riots and a period of intense riots followed. followed.

The troubled circumstances allowed the The troubled circumstances allowed the imposition of imposition of the military dictatorship the military dictatorship (junta)inApril1967 (junta)inApril1967 underthefalseexcuse underthefalseexcuse of the danger of the communists gaining of the danger of the communists gaining ground. This was also a case of the CIA ground. This was also a case of the CIA intervention, with which intervention, with which

Papadopoulos Papadopoulos, the main protagonist of the , the main protagonist of the junta,hadaverycloserelationship. junta,hadaverycloserelationship.

George George

George Papadopoulos George

Colonel Nikolaos Makarezos and Brigadier Colonel Nikolaos Makarezos and Brigadier General Stylianos Pattakos were also co- General Stylianos Pattakos were also coleadersoftheregime. leadersoftheregime.

The ‘ The ‘Dictatorship of the Colonels Dictatorship of the Colonels’ lasted ’ lasted 7 7 years years. Parliament was dissolved and all . Parliament was dissolved and all democratic rights were abolished. Many democratic rights were abolished. Many citizens sufferedpersecution,imprisonment, citizens sufferedpersecution,imprisonment, horrible torture, exile. Due to the inhumane horrible torture, exile. Due to the inhumane treatment of prisoners, the country was treatment of prisoners, the country was expelled from the Council of Europe, while expelled from the Council of Europe, while the process of joining the European the process of joining the European EconomicCommunity(EEC)wasstopped. EconomicCommunity(EEC)wasstopped.

Moreover, education and culture suffered a Moreover, education and culture suffered a heavy blow. Democratic professors, artists heavy blow. Democratic professors, artists and intellectuals were persecuted and and intellectuals were persecuted and imprisoned. Books were banned, even the imprisoned. Books were banned, even the works of great Greek and foreign writers, works of great Greek and foreign writers, films, songs, and censorship was imposed films, songs, and censorship was imposed onthepress. onthepress.

Theodorakis was referred to a military Theodorakis was referred to a military court, while all Melina Merkouri and Irini court, while all Melina Merkouri and Irini

Papa films were banned. Each new record Papa films were banned. Each new record had to be approved by the censors in order had to be approved by the censors in order tobereleased. tobereleased.

Anyone who listened to the music of Mikis Anyone who listened to the music of Mikis

The song The song OKoutalianos OKoutalianosrefers to a famous refers to a famous man of that time, Panagis Koutalianos, who man of that time, Panagis Koutalianos, who had superhuman strength. However, the had superhuman strength. However, the

lyricist has stated that he is actually lyricist has stated that he is actually satirizingthedictatorGeorgePapadopoulos satirizingthedictatorGeorgePapadopoulos andhisrelationshipwithhiswife,Despoina. andhisrelationshipwithhiswife,Despoina.

Anyway, this is how the song was approved Anyway, this is how the song was approved bythecensors. bythecensors.

The junta had also interfered with student The junta had also interfered with student unions since 1967, unions since 1967, abolishing student abolishing student elections elections. Students reacted to the methods . Students reacted to the methods rather late. The first rather late. The first resistance act resistance act manifests itself at the Polytechnic at the manifests itself at the Polytechnic at the beginning of beginning of February 1973 February 1973, followed by , followed by the the first uprising first uprising, that of the Law School, , that of the Law School, after the arrest and trial of 11 Polytechnic after the arrest and trial of 11 Polytechnic students. students.

On November 14th, 1973 On November 14th, 1973, the , the students of students of the Polytechnic the Polytechnic decide to decide to stop attending stop attending courses, courses, demonstrate demonstrate against the junta, against the junta, barricade barricade themselves in themselves in the school building the school building on Patision Street and operate their own on Patision Street and operate their own free radio station, the so-called free radio station, the so-called Station of Station of theFreeBesieged theFreeBesieged. .

Marches, rallies and demonstrations Marches, rallies and demonstrations against against the Junta are increasing. Mainly in Athens, the Junta are increasing. Mainly in Athens, but also in parts of the province, conditions but also in parts of the province, conditions of rebellion are created. From November of rebellion are created. From November 14th until November 18th barricades are set 14th until November 18th barricades are set up and up and streetbattlesarefoughtbetween the streetbattlesarefoughtbetween the rebelsandthepolice rebelsandthepolice. .

At 3 a.m. on At 3 a.m. on the 17th of November the 17th of November, and , and while negotiations for the safe evaquation while negotiations for the safe evaquation of the students are in progress, the of the students are in progress, the

government orders army intervention and government orders army intervention and one of the three tanks that were lined up one of the three tanks that were lined up outside the Polytechnic, knocks down the outside the Polytechnic, knocks down the maingate maingate. .

The fall of the gate was followed by the The fall of the gate was followed by the entry of a unit of armed entry of a unit of armed Commando Commando soldiers soldiers, who took the students, without , who took the students, without violence, out of the Polytechnic. violence, out of the Polytechnic. Police Police forces attack the students forces attack the students. Many students . Many students find shelter in neighbouring apartment find shelter in neighbouring apartment buildings. buildings. Police snipers open fire Police snipers open fire from from rooftops, while Secret Services men pursue rooftops, while Secret Services men pursue therebels. therebels.

Soldiers and police shot civilians Soldiers and police shot civilians until the until the nextday,resultinginseveral nextday,resultinginseveral deaths deaths around around the Polytechnic and in the rest of Athens. the Polytechnic and in the rest of Athens.

The first (journalistic) attempts to record The first (journalistic) attempts to record the events spoke of 59 dead or 79 victims, the events spoke of 59 dead or 79 victims, while the official records in the trial that while the official records in the trial that followedreferto24dead. followedreferto24dead.

This was followed by the This was followed by the return of K. return of K. Karamanlis Karamanlis, who succeeded in clearing the , who succeeded in clearing the army of the dictatorial regime radicals and army of the dictatorial regime radicals and inaugurated the inaugurated the political changeover political changeover period. period.

On the On the first first Polytechnic Polytechnic uprising anniversary uprising anniversary, ,

November 17, 1974 November 17, 1974, elections were held, in , elections were held, in which the new parties of which the new parties of Konstantinos Konstantinos

participated. In June 1975, after the negative participated. In June 1975, after the negative result of a referendum for the return of the result of a referendum for the return of the king, the Parliament voted for a new king, the Parliament voted for a new Constitution, which established the Constitution, which established the Presiding Presiding (non-king)ParliamentaryDemocracy (non-king)ParliamentaryDemocracy.

Karamanlis (New Democracy) Karamanlis (New Democracy) and and Andreas Andreas

Papandreou (Panhellenic Socialist Movement Papandreou (Panhellenic Socialist Movement) )

Our obligation today is to remember or to Our obligation today is to remember or to learn that learn that the motto of the students for the motto of the students for "Bread – Education – Freedom "Bread – Education – Freedom" is always " is always relevant. To remember or to learn that relevant. To remember or to learn that nothing is given to us. To realise that nothing is given to us. To realise that political thinking and action secures political thinking and action secures democracy democracy, the quality of our lives and our , the quality of our lives and our future. future.

That democracy is not given, but That democracy is not given, but conquered. Democracy is not a state, it is conquered. Democracy is not a state, it is action action. It is . It is built built with action, with action, maintained, maintained,

completed and realised with action completed and realised with action. And . And not only with the action of the professional not only with the action of the professional politician. politician. Mainly, with the action of the Mainly, with the action of the citizen citizen. .

Anna Papastefanaki (C5): Electric guitar, bass guitar

Historical Narrative Sources :

Eleftheratos, D. (2015). Hustlers in khaki. Athens: Topos.

History of the Greek Nation, vol. IST. Athens Publishing House. Koliopoulos, I., Svolopoulos, K., Chatzivasileiou, E., Nimas, Th., Scholinaki-Helioti, X. (2007). History of the Younger and Modern World. Athens: OEDB. Raphaelidis, B. (2018). History (comedic-tragic) of the modern Greek state. 1830-1974. Athens: Publications of the twenty-first. en.wikipedia.org iospress.gr