Evripidis Bakirtzis
Evripidis Bakirtzis (Greek: Ευριπίδης Μπακιρτζής; 16 January 1895 – 9 March 1947), born in Serres, Ottoman Empire, was a Hellenic Army officer and politician. Dismissed from the army twice due to his participation in pro-republican coup attempts and sentenced to death, later during the Axis Occupation of Greece, in World War II he co-founded the National and Social Liberation (EKKA) resistance group along with Dimitrios Psarros and was the military head of the organization. He later joined and was a prominent member of the National Liberation Front (EAM) and its military wing the Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS). He served as head of the Political Committee of National Liberation (PEEA), a government of Greek Resistance-held territories also called the "Mountain Government", from 10 March to 18 April 1944. He was nicknamed "the Red Colonel", from his pen name in the newspaper of the Communist Party of Greece, the Rizospastis.
Evripidis Bakirtzis | |
---|---|
Evripidis Bakirtzis, Chairman of the PEEA, addresses the National Council in Evrytania, May 1944. | |
Native name | Ευριπίδης Μπακιρτζής |
Birth name | Evripidis Bakirtzis |
Nickname(s) | "The Red Colonel" |
Born | 16 January 1895 Serres, Ottoman Empire |
Died | 9 March 1947 Fourni Korseon |
Allegiance | Greece |
Service/ | Hellenic Army |
Rank | Colonel |
Unit | ELAS-Divisional Group of Macedonia (DGM) |
Battles/wars | First Balkan War
World War I World War II |
He was found dead in 1947 in exile, during the later Greek civil war, in Fournoi Korseon.