50 years since the 1973 Athens Polytechnic uprising against the Greek Junta

This Friday, 17th November 2023, marks the 50th anniversary of the Polytechnic uprising which subsequently led to the fall of the military dictatorial regime in Greece. 

The events at the Athens Polytechnic in 1973 consist one of the most significant moment of class struggle in Greece during the second half of the 20th century. But what was the historical background and the socio-political developments that led to the uprising of the Greek youth?

 

The KKE pays tribute to the 48th anniversary of the Athens Polytechnic Uprising

By Nikos Mottas.

 

"This year's celebration of the Polytechnic uprising can become another link in the workers-people's struggle for education and work with humane conditions, protection measures for the health and life of the people, free time, income for a dignified life, for the rejection of any anti-labor - anti-popular law, for the condemnation of any bourgeois party, which, with the whip or carrot, deprives the workers and their families of the wealth they produce", the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) emphasizes in its statement on the occasion of the 48th anniversary of the uprising of the Athens Polytechnic (read here the statement in Greek).

The legalization of the KKE in 1974

By Nikos Mottas.

It was on 23 September 1974 when the Greek government of “national unity”, under Konstantine Karamanlis, was publicly announcing the legalization of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) after 27 years. Alongside with the legislative decree, the government was repealing the infamous Law 509/1947 which was a source of persecutions, exiles, tortures and executions of thousands of communists during the post-war years. 

On 25 September 1974 the front page of “Rizospastis”, the official organ of the KKE, was dominated by the Greeting Message of the Central Committee to the working class, the peasantry, the whole people. Here is a significant excerpt of the message:

47 years since the Athens Polytechnic Uprising — KKE blasts Greek government's ban on public gatherings

The 17th of November marks the 47th anniversary since the Athens Polytechnic uprising of students against Greece's military dictatorship. Recently, under the pretext of Covid-19 pandemic, government authoritarianism has escalated by banning this year's anti-imperialist march on the U.S. embassy, which is organized every year on 17/11 to commemorate the anniversary of the uprising. 

Trade unions and mass people's organizations have made clear that the anti-imperialist march on Tuesday, November 17 will take place by observing all health protection measures, as it happened on May Day. 

Greeks pay tribute to the heroic 1973 Athens Polytechnic Uprising (PHOTOS)

A toddler lays flowers to the Polytechnic monument.
Photo source: 902.gr.

Thousands of people of every age gathered today at the Athens Polytechnic in order to honour the heroic uprising of 1973 against the military dictatorship. 

The commemoration events which began on Friday will culminate on Sunday 17 November with the annual large anti-imperialist rally towards the U.S. embassy in downtown Athens. 

On the occasion of the Polytechnic uprsing anniversary, a statement by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) points out that "the slogans of the Polytechnic remain timely in the struggle aganst the policy that leads the people to poverty, unemployment, insecurity, against the implication of Greece in the imperialist plans of NATO-USA-EU, against repression and authoritarianism". 

45 years since the 1973 Athens Polytechnic uprising against the Greek Junta

This Saturday, 17th November, marks the 45th anniversary of the Polytechnic uprising which subsequently led to the fall of the military dictatorial regime in Greece. 

The events at the Athens Polytechnic in 1973 consist one of the most significant moments of class struggle in Greece during the second half of the 20th century. 

Like every year, the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) and its youth wing (KNE) will organize a massive, anti-imperialist rally towards the U.S. embassy in Athens on Saturday 17th November. Similar events will take place in Thessaloniki and other major Greek cities. 

"Bread, Education, Liberty": 44 years later, the legacy of the Polytechnic Uprising lives on

Like every year, on November 17th, rallies have been scheduled for today in  Athens and other Greek cities in order to commemorate and honour the 43rd anniversary of the students and workers uprising in Athens, which is historically known as the Polytechnic Uprising. 

The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) and the Communist Youth (KNE), as well as numerous labour organisations, students unions and women's associations, have issued statements calling for mass participation in the march for the Polytechnic. 

43 years since the 1973 Athens Polytechnic Uprising against the military Junta

Mass rallies have been scheduled for today in many Greek cities in order to commemorate and honour the 43rd anniversary of the students and workers uprising in Athens, which is historically known as the Polytechnic Uprising. The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) and the Communist Youth (KNE) have organised a large demonstration-march to the U.S. embassy in downtown Athens, as well as other rallies in major cities, including Thessaloniki, Patra, Larisa, Iraklio etc. This year's anniversary of the 1973 Polytechnic Uprising against the military Junta coincides with the visit of U.S. President Obama (15-16 November) in Greece and the SYRIZA-ANEL policy which involves the country deeper in the imperialist plans. 

What follows is a brief historical review of the 1973 Polytechnic Uprising. 

On the night of the 20th to the 21st of April 1967, the reactionary military circles of the country, which were closely connected to the secret services of the USA and NATO, conducted a military coup. The operation of the surrender of power to the army had been developed at the staff of NATO, under the code name "Prometheus". Colonels G. Papadopoulos and N. Makarezos, who were actively involved in the preparation of the coup, became known as "the black colonels". 

Pattakos: The death of an unrepentant fascist and criminal

Brigadier General Pattakos (left) with Colonel Papadopoulos.

 COMMENT:

One of the major participants in the 1967 military Coup d' etat in Greece, a hardline anticommunist and unrepentant fascist died on Sunday in Athens. His name was Stylianos Pattakos, a former Brigadier General who had a decisive role aside Colonel Georgios Papadopoulos in establishing a military Junta on April 21, 1967. 

The Associated Press reported:

ATHENS, Greece –  Stylianos Pattakos, the last survivor among the leaders of a 1967 coup that ruled Greece for seven years, has died at 103.

The state-run Athens News Agency reported that he died following a stroke Saturday. Pattakos was a brigadier general and commander of the armored forces stationed in Athens when he took a decisive part in the April 21, 1967, coup led by Col. George Papadopoulos.

He served as interior minister and, from 1971, as first deputy prime minister. He was later shunted aside by Papadopoulos who tried to liberalize the regime, which was ultimately halted by military hardliners. Pattakos was condemned to death in 1975 for his role in the coup, but his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. He was discharged in 1990 for health reasons.

Greece's 'Black Anniversary': Announcement of KKE for the Military Coup of 21 April 1967

21 April 1967: Tanks parade in front of the Greek Parliament in Athens.

The 21st of April is a black anniversary for Greece. It was April 21, 1967 when a group of far-right army officers led by Brigadier General Pattakos and Colonels Papadopoulos and Makarezos seized power after a coup d'etat. In the early morning of that day, tanks were already marching in central streets of Athens while small mobile units of the army were arresting politicians, government officials and prominent figures who were regarded as left-wing sympathies. The military dictatorship (Junta) lasted seven years, from 1967 to 1974. 

KKE: Announcement for the military coup of April 21st.

Source: 902.gr / Translation: In Defense of Communism.

Today, 49 years after the military coup of April 21st 1967 we get taught, we honor the fighters, the victims of Junta. We honor the members and staff of KKE and KNE, all those who stood unbending in detention centers, in the EAT-ESA torture rooms, in prison and exile.

The military dictatorshop was supported by parts of the plutocracy, by centers of our country's bourgeoisie, by the USA, which is a proof that the bourgeoisie and its state can even support military and political coups in order to serve their interests, (to serve) the needs of the exploitative system.