George Seremetis
Encyclopedia
George Dimitriou Seremetis (Greek: Γεώργιος Σερεμέτης) (1879 in Skamnia Elassona
s - 1950) was a prominent Greek lawyer and the mayor of Thessaloniki during World War II
.
Seremetis was born in 1879 in Skamnia Elassonas, then ruled by the Ottoman Empire
. Shortly after his birth, the city of Larissa
was liberated and his family moved there. In 1897, George Seremetis started his studies at a law school of the University of Athens. He graduated in 1902. He was a lawyer in Larissa for ten years.
He moved to Thessaloniki
in 1913 when the city was liberated from Ottoman rule. From 1914 to 1922, he participated in the administration of the Thessaloniki bar association and from 1922 to 1926 he served as general secretary of the bar association. In 1922, Seremetis married Calliope Tatti
and raised two children.
From 1926 to 1945, he was elected president of the Thessaloniki bar association
by a large majority. He later succeeded with the help of D. Vlachos to establish a "Lawyers' Fund of Welfare" (Greek: Tαμείο Προνοίας Νομικών) in Thessaloniki. In 1943, the mayor Konstantinos Merkouriou of Thessaloniki died. Thessaloniki was at that time occupied by the Axis forces. Bishop Genadios asked for a secret meeting with the representatives of the resistance organizations and they asked Seremetis to become mayor of Thessaloniki. Seremetis with the help of the Red Cross managed to provide the hospitals with medicines. He also managed, with the cooperation of the doctors and the medical staff, to help resistance fighters escape.
In 1944, again with the cooperation of Bishop Genadios and the Red Cross representatives, he managed to convince the German authorities to leave the harbour facilities of Thessaloniki intact during their retreat.
Shortly after the liberation, he served again for a while as the bar association president, but later resigned due to ill health. He died in 1950 of a heart attack.
Elassona
Elassona is a town and a municipality in the Larissa peripheral unit in Greece. During antiquity Elassona was called Oloosson - Ὀλοοσσών and was a town of the ancient "Perrhaebi", known today as Thessaly. It is situated at the foot of Mount Olympus...
s - 1950) was a prominent Greek lawyer and the mayor of Thessaloniki during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Seremetis was born in 1879 in Skamnia Elassonas, then ruled by the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. Shortly after his birth, the city of Larissa
Larissa
Larissa is the capital and biggest city of the Thessaly region of Greece and capital of the Larissa regional unit. It is a principal agricultural centre and a national transportation hub, linked by road and rail with the port of Volos, the city of Thessaloniki and Athens...
was liberated and his family moved there. In 1897, George Seremetis started his studies at a law school of the University of Athens. He graduated in 1902. He was a lawyer in Larissa for ten years.
He moved to Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
in 1913 when the city was liberated from Ottoman rule. From 1914 to 1922, he participated in the administration of the Thessaloniki bar association and from 1922 to 1926 he served as general secretary of the bar association. In 1922, Seremetis married Calliope Tatti
Calliope Tatti
Calliope Tatti was born in Thessaloniki, Ottoman Empire in 1894. Great-granddaughter of Constantine Tattis who was member of the secret Greek society Filiki Eteria which in early 19th century organized the successful Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire. Spouse of the Cretan...
and raised two children.
From 1926 to 1945, he was elected president of the Thessaloniki bar association
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
by a large majority. He later succeeded with the help of D. Vlachos to establish a "Lawyers' Fund of Welfare" (Greek: Tαμείο Προνοίας Νομικών) in Thessaloniki. In 1943, the mayor Konstantinos Merkouriou of Thessaloniki died. Thessaloniki was at that time occupied by the Axis forces. Bishop Genadios asked for a secret meeting with the representatives of the resistance organizations and they asked Seremetis to become mayor of Thessaloniki. Seremetis with the help of the Red Cross managed to provide the hospitals with medicines. He also managed, with the cooperation of the doctors and the medical staff, to help resistance fighters escape.
In 1944, again with the cooperation of Bishop Genadios and the Red Cross representatives, he managed to convince the German authorities to leave the harbour facilities of Thessaloniki intact during their retreat.
Shortly after the liberation, he served again for a while as the bar association president, but later resigned due to ill health. He died in 1950 of a heart attack.