Glezos, Greek Who Tore Swastika From Acropolis In WW2, Dies Age 97

[appalachiablue]

Source: Reuters

ATHENS (Reuters) - Manolis Glezos, a prominent Greek whose act of defiance against Nazi occupation during World War Two was a rallying cry for the country’s resistance movement, died on Monday, authorities said. He was 97.

Revered across Greece’s political spectrum, Glezos was most famous for scaling the steep walls of the Acropolis with a friend in 1941 to take down the swastika and replace it with the Greek flag. It was the first visible act of resistance against the Nazis, who occupied Greece between 1941 and 1944. He was sentenced to death in absentia.

Glezos died of heart failure at a central Athens hospital, where he was admitted on March 18. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis led tributes to Glezos, calling him a “lionheart” and “the sweetest man”. “The death of Manolis Glezos leaves Greeks poorer, but the legacy of his life leaves Greece richer,” he said in a statement.

“His example, that of a true patriot and fighter, is a guiding light for us all. And it gives us the strength to unite to overcome difficulties, like those we are experiencing today,” Mitsotakis said, referring to the coronavirus crisis...


Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-people-greece-glezos/glezos-greek-who-tore-swastika-from-acropolis-in-ww2-dies-aged-97-idUSKBN21H1TO

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- Manolis Glezos giving a speech in Athens in 2015.



- The Nazi flag with swastika and German soldiers on the Acropolis during World War II.



- The Acropolis of Athens, Greece.

More, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manolis_Glezos

[abqtommy]

1. Thank you, Sir...

[appalachiablue]

2. Brave Glezos, rest in peace.

[montana_hazeleyes]

3. Profiles In Courage.

What a great man.

[BComplex]

4. There are a bunch of USA residents who would love to put a swastika up

in our country. It's like nazis are herpes...you can never get rid of it.

[The_REAL_Ecumenist]

5. Safe & joyful journey Home where you'll b reunited wonderful people who became martyrs to the

fight against fascism & genocide so long ago, with loved ones who went before you; the countless souls who were strengthened & saved by the fearless stand you took against evil.
Thank you for the example you set for us & that showed us that determination & bravery will win the day. Enjoy your well earned rest & what has to be an amazing reward for your unforgettable contribution to the advancement of Mankind. It's our turn to pick up the mantle you carried for so long & we'll never forget that we stand on the shoulders of Giants.

[Hekate]

6. The Greek Resistance was fierce. How wonderful he lived far past that evil time...

May your courageous example live forever, Manolis Glezos.

[ck4829]

7. Wow, taking down Nazi history and without a permit at that

... at least from me.

K&R.

[mikeargo]

8. May his memory be eternal

[ChiTownDenny]

9. Winston Churchill: "Heroes fight like Greeks."

[ChiTownDenny]

10. How big of a role did Greece play in WW2?

How big of a role did Greece play in WW2? And specifically, did Mussolini's inability to take Greece quickly, and subsequently Hitler's invasion of Greece have any effect on the outcome of the war?

Greece was poor and war weary by the time WWII rolled along. They had just endured the "Catastrophe", the loss of Asia Minor, and had two million refugees dumped on them between 1923-26 and then endured the Great Depression. Metaxas wanted desperately to keep Greece out of the war. Greece had no navy or air force to speak of and no means to obtain them. Their army was actually quite tenacious, however. Mussolini tried to goad Greece into war. He was already at Greece's doorstep and envied Hitler's conquests. The Italians sank the Greek ship Elli on a Greek high holiday and the Greeks bit their tongues and acted like they didnt know who did it in order to avoid an escalation with the Italians, just to give an example of how far the Greeks went to avoid being drawn into the war. Mussolini finally gave an ultimatum to Metaxas demanding Greek territory to which Metaxas famously said "Ohi" (No in Greek).

The Italians had a modern military including a well armed navy and air force. In spite of this the Greeks were successful at defending their homeland to the point that they actually pushed the Italians back deep into Albania in spite of several major counter-offensives by the Italians. This was a huge embarrassment for Mussolini who had not conferred with Hitler before invading Greece and who now had to ask for his help in defeating them. There is some debate as to whether Hitler would have eventually invaded Greece anyway in order to secure it from the Allies but he probably would not have done so before Operation Barbarossa.

The Greek mainland was defeated in three months by the Germans and Crete in six months. However, the invasion of Russia was delayed by that six months and that's probably the most significant result of Greece's involvement in the war as the delay may have been the difference between the Russians eventually winning versus the Nazis.

In addition, the Greeks' victories over an Axis power were the first significant victories of the war and were cited by Winston Churchill when he said "Hence, we will not say that Greeks fight like heroes, but that heroes fight like Greeks", during the dark days of the war.

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5hl73b/how_big_of_a_role_did_greece_play_in_ww2/

[AnnieBW]

11. A True Patriot

When I was up there, our guide told us that when the Nazis invaded Greece, they made a beeline for Athens and the Acropolis, because Hitler was obsessed with Ancient Greece (especially Sparta). They fought their way up the very steep hill, pointed a gun at the Greek soldier who was guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and told him to lower the Greek flag and put up the Nazi flag. The soldier lowered the Greek flag, wrapped himself in it, and jumped off of the cliff rather than raise the Nazi flag.

The Greeks are a proud, patriotic people.

[appalachiablue]

12. Thank you for telling this amazing story. Bravo