Germanos Dimakis
Encyclopedia
Hegumenos Germanos Dimakis was a Greek
priest and prominent member of the Greek Resistance
during World War II
, fighting in the ranks of the Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS). He is best known by his sobriquet, Papa-Anypomonos (Παπα-Ανυπόμονος, "Father Impatient").
He was born Georgios Dimakis in 1912, in the village of Agrydio in Gortynia
. He was ordained a deacon
on 29 July 1934, adopting the name Germanos. In 1940, when Greece entered World War II, he was the hegumenos of the monastery of Agathon near Ypati
in Phthiotis
. After the start of the Axis Occupation of Greece, he became a member of the Communist-sponsored National Liberation Front (EAM), and served as chairman of the community of Dadi. On 14 May 1943 at the village of Koukouvista he met Aris Velouchiotis
, the chief captain of ELAS, EAM's guerrilla wing. Henceforth Dimakis became a close associate of Velouchiotis, following him in his tours around Greece. His bravery and zeal earned him the sobriquet Papa-Anypomonos from Velouchiotis himself.
Following the Varkiza agreement of 1945 and the disbandment of ELAS, he returned to the Agathon Monastery. In 1946, during the "White Terror
" preceding the outbreak of the Greek Civil War
, he was kidnapped and tortured by a right-wing band. The Regime of the Colonels also persecuted him as a communist sympathizer, and sent him before the Synodical Court in 1968, where he was acquitted. Only during the last years of his life was his role in the Resistance acknowledged and honoured by the Church. In 2010 the new park of the former municipality of Vytina
was named after him.
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
priest and prominent member of the Greek Resistance
Greek Resistance
The Greek Resistance is the blanket term for a number of armed and unarmed groups from across the political spectrum that resisted the Axis Occupation of Greece in the period 1941–1944, during World War II.-Origins:...
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...
, fighting in the ranks of the Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS). He is best known by his sobriquet, Papa-Anypomonos (Παπα-Ανυπόμονος, "Father Impatient").
He was born Georgios Dimakis in 1912, in the village of Agrydio in Gortynia
Gortynia
Gortynia is a municipality in the Arcadia peripheral unit, Peloponnese Periphery, Greece. The seat of the municipality is the town Dimitsana.-Municipality:...
. He was ordained a deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
on 29 July 1934, adopting the name Germanos. In 1940, when Greece entered World War II, he was the hegumenos of the monastery of Agathon near Ypati
Ypati
Ypati is a village and a former municipality in Phthiotis, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Lamia, of which it is a municipal unit. Its 2002 population was 6,855 for the municipality...
in Phthiotis
Phthiotis
Phthiotis is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the administrative region of Central Greece. The capital is the city of Lamia. It is bordered by the Malian Gulf to the east, Boeotia in the south, Phocis in the south, Aetolia-Acarnania in the southwest, Evrytania in the west,...
. After the start of the Axis Occupation of Greece, he became a member of the Communist-sponsored National Liberation Front (EAM), and served as chairman of the community of Dadi. On 14 May 1943 at the village of Koukouvista he met Aris Velouchiotis
Aris Velouchiotis
Aris Velouchiotis , the nom de guerre of Athanasios Klaras , was the most prominent leader and chief instigator of the Greek People's Liberation Army , the military branch of the National Liberation Front , which was the major resistance organization in occupied Greece from 1942 to 1945...
, the chief captain of ELAS, EAM's guerrilla wing. Henceforth Dimakis became a close associate of Velouchiotis, following him in his tours around Greece. His bravery and zeal earned him the sobriquet Papa-Anypomonos from Velouchiotis himself.
Following the Varkiza agreement of 1945 and the disbandment of ELAS, he returned to the Agathon Monastery. In 1946, during the "White Terror
White Terror
White Terror is the violence carried out by reactionary groups as part of a counter-revolution. In particular, during the 20th century, in several countries the term White Terror was applied to acts of violence against real or suspected socialists and communists.-Historical origin: the French...
" preceding the outbreak of the Greek Civil War
Greek Civil War
The Greek Civil War was fought from 1946 to 1949 between the Greek governmental army, backed by the United Kingdom and United States, and the Democratic Army of Greece , the military branch of the Greek Communist Party , backed by Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Albania...
, he was kidnapped and tortured by a right-wing band. The Regime of the Colonels also persecuted him as a communist sympathizer, and sent him before the Synodical Court in 1968, where he was acquitted. Only during the last years of his life was his role in the Resistance acknowledged and honoured by the Church. In 2010 the new park of the former municipality of Vytina
Vytina
Vytina is a village and a former municipality in Arcadia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Gortynia, of which it is a municipal unit. The seat of the municipality was the village Vytina. Its inhabitants are known as Vytiniots. Greek...
was named after him.