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Greek history: Axis occupation and civil war
Having already undergone five years under the dictatorship of Ioannis Metaxas until 1941, Greece was then occupied during 1941 to 44 by the Axis powers – military forces from Germany, Italy and Bulgaria. The Occupation imposed enormous suffering on the people. Over 100,000 civilians died in Athens alone from starvation, and tens of thousands more died through reprals. At the same time, resistance groups launched guerrilla attacks against the occupying powers. Two main groups were led by royalists (EDES) and Communists (EAM-ELAS). When Italy surrendered to the Allies in the autumn of 1943, Nazi forces and EDES agreed not to attack each other, thus freeing them both to attack EAM-ELAS.
As the Occupation was ending, British forces attempted to marginalise ELAS by imposing a government led by royalists. The UK sent 40,000 troops to Greece and gave financial aid to the government, which became dependent on the UK’s assistance to stay in power. In the 1946 general election, the Left forces abstained, so royalists gained a majority. Afterwards ‘suspected Communists’ were hunted down, robbed, imprisoned and even killed.
In response, many former ELAS partisans formed the Democratic Army of Greece (DSE): ‘It fights with gun in hand for our national independence and for People's Democracy.’ This intensified a civil war which had already begun. With at least 20,000 guerrillas based in the northern mountains, the DSE fought its way south, nearly to Athens. But US financial aid stabilized the Greek government, and military assistance helped to push the DSE back to the north. The civil war continued until 1949. Thousands of partisans were imprisoned or fled the country.
Often called the Greek Blues, Rembetika originated in 1920s Piraeus as the music of outcasts – including Anatolian refugees, convicts and the poor. With its unique blend of eastern and western rhythms and melodic structures, Rebetiko became the popular music of Greece, despite periods of censorship and persecution by the dictatorships.
Songs Played at the Human Rights Concert in translation in alphabetical order
Haidari
During 1943-44 Haidari was the site of the largest, most notorious concentration camp in wartime Greece. Over 21,000 people passed through – including Jews, Italian POWs and Greek political prisoners. Most were transported to Auschwitz in the case of the Jews, or to forced labour in Germany, while others were detained for questioning by the Gestapo.
Run, mother, as fast as you can. Run to save me, free me from Haidari prison.
Because I am condemned to death. I am a 70-year-old child in iron chains.
From Sekeri Street they take me to Haidari. Any time now Death will take me.
See how he brings his sword, and how he takes everyone’s life.
And when you see me dead, tell the other mothers
Because they too have been hurt, with greater sorrows.
I saw many children in chains, wearing the prisoner’s uniform and unjustly killed.
Kane Ligaki Ypomoni/Min Apelpizesai [Be Patient]
A song from the Greek civil war.
Don’t despair because it won’t take long until the dawn comes near to you, to ask you for new love. Be patient….
Nichtose Horis Fengari [Moonless Night]
From Kevin Andrews, The Flight of Icarus, Chapter 3, Lakonia, 1948:
“The Dark Rains:
Early in the afternoon a wind came up. The three of us remained on deck, while the waves grew big and through the clouds a lurid, silvery light glowed slantwise across the sea. The two fishermen sang lustily against the wind the songs from the slums of Athens and Piraeus, rude rhythmic plaints heavy with the sensation of hot nights full of depravity and craft and yearning.
The fisherman from Yitheion explained that the police had forbidden the singing of this song and any other that might be taken to express sympathy with people in prison or in exile. 'But what does it matter? Nobody can hear us now'. And they went on singing until all one could see was the long black jaw of the Lakonian coast across the water”:
Night has fallen without a moon.
Darkness is thick.
But there is a young man who cannot sleep.
What is it he waits for?
Through the night till morning,
in the narrow window of his prison cell?
The door opens, closes, with a heavy groaning.
If I too could only know your anguish!
O Saltadoros [The Jumper]
For many Greek people, resistance and even survival meant liberating Nazi supplies – in English, ‘goods falling off the back of a lorry’.
They’re jealous, they don’t want to see me dressed up,
They’ll only be happy when they see me broke.
I’ll jump, I’ll jump. I’ll take their jerry-cans.
But I always manage because I jump on a German truck, and I always share it.
I’ll jump, I’ll jump. I’ll take their jerry-cans.
It’s petrol and kerosene we’re after.
They’re worth a fortune and we live it up.
When I sell that jerry can, I’ll drink until I’m stewed.
And when I throw a ‘spare’ from the truck, I’m off to the dealer and it’s cash on the line.
When I snatch the jerry-can, it’s off with me. I’ll hit the road.
Osi Ginoun Prothyporgi [Those who become Prime Minister]
Markos Vamvakaris’ view on what it takes to be a Prime Minister.
Those who become Prime Minister are sure to die of it;
The people hunt them down because of all the good they do.
Our Kondylis died, and Venizelos too,
Demerdzis kicked the bucket before he solved a thing.
I think I’ll be a candidate for Prime Minister,
So I can laze about eating and drinking all day.
I’ll stand up in the parliament and order them about,
And pass around the hookah and make sure they’re all stoned.
Synefiasmeni Kyriaki [Cloudy Sunday]
The song title alludes to persecution by the Nazi occupation. In Greece Sunday is the Lord’s Day, and the sun is nearly always shining. If there are dark clouds on Sunday, it’s an ominous sign – a dark cloud hanging over the Greek people.
Cloudy Sunday, You look like my heart
Which is always cloudy.
Christ and the Virgin.
You’re a day like the one,
When I lost my joy.
Cloudy Sunday,
You make my heart bleed
When I see you rainy,
I can’t find a moment’s peace.
You make my life black.
And I sigh deeply
Ta Pedia tis Amynas [The Boys of the Defence]
Written 1916, a period of great political upheaval called the Great Division. President Venizelos declared a new government supported by the public and the army, against the (foreign) King.
It will be written in history one day.
That he kicked out all the brutes from Athens.
That he kicked out the king and the senators,
the crooks and the clowns.
And in this defence,
with all the officers Venizelos is fighting.
He’s the one who’s going to end it.
And every patriot will bring us equality.
Mother, Mary the one who stands on our side,
Shows the path to our new leader.
The hero of the national defence,
Who fights and kicks out the enemy.
The national defence
chaps threw out the king,
They gave him his sail to do his own business,
To be a glutton,
Along with his foreign family.
Watch swords and scimitars,
Shooting out flames which reach to the skies.
Up there high, at our borders,
The enemies’ blood runs like a river.
The national defence got rid of the king.
The national defence brought Venizelos.
The national defence brought freedom.
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