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“I swear that I will faithfully fulfill my functions as a member of the Political Committee for National Liberation, guided by the interest of my country and the Greek people, that I will fight with self-denial for the liberation of my country from the yoke of the conquerors, which I will defend.” parties and always the freedoms of the people and I will be the representative and leader of the people in the fight for their freedom and sovereign rights. “
The above words are the oath of the members of the Political Committee for National Liberation. And if for many the specific name does not say much, then the name by which PEEA became known in history will surely say: This is the “Mountain Government”.
Two types of resistance movements developed in Nazi-occupied Europe. One was in the form of small groups (saboteurs) who usually with weapons tried to create fissures in the Nazi hordes. The second type gave a greater basis to the development of a popular movement that on the one hand would resist the occupier in many ways and on the other hand would prepare the ground for the next day, showing a special … sympathy in Soviet Union.
This second path is also the one chosen by the Government of the Mountain.
The first people’s Parliament in Greek history
The calendar showed March 10, 1944. The chosen place was Viniani. A mountain town Evritania, between the peaks of Timfristos, at an altitude of 700 meters, a few kilometers from Karpenisi, buried between fir and plane trees.
Party officials belonging to the KKE, the Peasant Party of Greece, the Socialist Party, the Socialist Party, the Democratic Union, the Union of the Democratic Republic, the Left Liberal Party, the Reform Party and many independents gathered at this magnificent scenery.
The president of PEEA was initially Evripidis Bakirtzis, a Venizelist officer, a renegade from the 1935 Movement. He participated in the resistance organization EKKA and later together with Stefanos Sarafis, also a renegade from 35, he joined the EAM-ELAS.
In its founding act, among other things, the PEEA established the following: “The Commission, believing that its power comes from the People and all powers are derived from the People, will convene in the shortest time a National Council composed of representatives of the people freely chosen “.
Later, the PEEA reorganized itself … After many days and exhausting fermentations, the Government of the Mountain, on April 18, acquired its first “cabinet”.
Alexandros Svolos was secretary of Foreign Relations, Education, Religions and Popular Enlightenment (and president of PEEA). Euripides Bakirtzis Secretary of Food (and Vice President of PEEA). Elias Tsirimokos Secretary of Justice. Emmanuel Mandakas Secretary of the Army. Nikolaos Askoutsis Secretary of Transport. Angelos Angelopoulos Secretary of the Treasury. Petros Kokkalis Secretary of Social Welfare. Secretary Gavriilidis Costas of Georgia. Stamatis Hadjimbeis, Secretary of the National Economy.
Elections under Nazi Occupation, Action and Government Work
PEEA during its short “life”, did much and important or less important. The most important thing, however, is that he managed to organize and hold elections under Nazi occupation! You could say that the Germans were indeed already starting to leave, and things were not as difficult as two years ago, yet the holding of elections alone is a unique phenomenon in Europe during that dark period.
What was at stake at the ballot box was the promotion of the PEEA National Council. If we speak of the Government of the Mountain, this would be the … Parliament! The elections took place on April 23, 1944 and it is estimated that around 1,800,000 voters (of which approximately 300,000 in Athens) cast their votes. Elections could not be held in the areas occupied by the Bulgarians of East Macedonia-Thrace due to the great terrorism that prevailed in Crete and the islands – except Evia and Lefkada – because the PEEA circular did not reach there in time.
A total of 184 national councilors were elected. These were joined by 22 deputies of the 1936 Parliament who acquired the right of national councilor by decision of the PEEA.
According to what the … Minister of the Interior of the PEEA, G. Siantos, said in his presentation, the distribution of national councilors by region was as follows:
“Attikoboiotia and Evia 41, Epirus 14, Thessaly 22, Central Greece 23, Macedonia 40, Peloponnese 44. Total 184. Of these 161 are present, 13 are absent and 10 are absent and daily come from those who are missing. Of the deputies of 1936, 22 were declared members, 15 are present and are justifiably absent 7. Thus, a total of 206 national councilors, with 176 present. Of the deputies of 1936, 9 are KKE, 7 from the Liberals, 2 from the ELD, 1 from the Democratic Union, 1 from the Reformist Party, 1 from the Popular Party, 1 from Agrotiko ”.
In the same presentation, G. Siantos gave the social composition of the 176 national councilors present, which was as follows: “4 university professors, 1 from the Commercial Superior, 8 generals, 23 workers, 5 private employees, 20 public and employees of organizations and banks (total of 48 employees), 5 industrialists, 23 farmers, 9 journalists, 15 doctors, 25 lawyers, 6 military personnel, 4 clergymen, 1 engineer, 1 contractor, 2 agronomists, 1 archaeologist, 10 educators, teachers, 4 captains, 3 judges, 3 professionals, 7 pharmacists and 1 notary ” (“National Council – summary record of its first session”, published by the Koryschades Community of Evritania, 1988, pp. 122-123).
In one of its most historic moments, the National Council approved the constitutional charter of a free and democratic Greece. This historical document was titled “Declaration of the Rights of Every Greek Citizen”.
“All powers come from the people and are exercised by the people.” Local government and popular justice are fundamental institutions of the public life of the Greeks, “Article 2 emphasized.
Also in an innovative move, the resolution established gender equality. “All Greeks, men and women, have the same political and civil rights,” Article 5 said, while Article 4 proclaimed that “popular freedoms are sacred and inviolable” and that “the nation in struggle will protect them from any Threat, wherever it comes from
The self-dissolution that was not long in coming
From its foundation until its dissolution, the Government of the Mountain published 27 “Bulletins of Acts and Decisions”, which were something like what we know today as Government Gazette and in which were published: 79 decisions, 64 minutes, 4 resolutions of the National Council, 2 minutes of oath.
Perhaps the most typical example is the adoption in August 1944 of the Local Government Code. This code was a comprehensive plan for the institutions of self-government, which was drawn up by a special legislative committee of the Mountain government.
The fate of PEEA, however, was predetermined. During the National Council meeting, political events (in light of the collapse of the Nazi war machine) were swift.
The infamous Lebanon Pact was signed for the first time. A short time later, EAM joined his government of National Unity. G. Papandreou (PEEA had proposed the involvement of EAM but not with Prime Minister Papandreou), while the Caserta Agreement followed
Despite their disagreements, however, the telegram sent in September by the Mountain Government, signed by Svolos, Partsalidis, Sianto to Cairo, expressed respect for all decisions and, indeed, without conditions.
From mid-September 1944, PEEA activities were limited to November 5, 1944 (approximately one month after the liberation of the country from Nazi occupation, that is, and one month before the damn december, prelude to the civil war) the self-dissolution of PEEA is voted with the signing of Svolos, Siantos, Tsirimokou, Mantaka, Askoutsi, Angelopoulos, Gavriilidis and Hatzimbei. The self-dissolution of the National Council takes place the same day with the presence of the members of the PEEA.
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