Konstantinos Bakopoulos
Encyclopedia
Konstantinos Bakopoulos was a Greek
Army
officer who rose to the rank of Lieutenant General
. He fought in the Balkan Wars
(1912-3), played a crucial conciliatory role in Greek military politics during the 1930s and distinguished himself in the fight against the Nazis during World War II
. In 1943 he was imprisoned in German concentration camps until the end of the war in 1945 (with four other generals, including General Alexander Papagos
, a future Prime Minister).
, Arcadia
. His parents Theodoros and Vassiliki had fourteen children, of whom Konstantinos was the eleventh. His father Theodoros was mayor of Korythion. His grandfather Nikolaos had also been mayor of the same village. On June 26, 1912, Bakopoulos graduated from the Hellenic Army Academy as a Second Lieutenant of the Artillery.
He fought in the Balkan Wars
of 1912-1913. In 1935, he was Military Commander of Athens, and served as presiding judge in the court martial of the leaders of the abortive March coup attempt. Although these officers were found guilty, Bakopoulos was able to avert a split in the army officer corps by resisting heavy political pressure to condemn the accused to death. The Royalists in command disapproved of this act of clemency and summarily relieved him of his responsibilities in Athens by transferring him to a much lesser post at the island of Crete
.
, he had attained the rank of Lt. General and was given command of the Army Section of Eastern Macedonia (TSAM), a crucial post that included the troops facing the country's traditional antagonist, Bulgaria
, and manning the newly built Metaxas Line
, a series of about 20 forts along the Greek-Bulgarian border. During the German invasion of Greece in April 1941, TSAM successfully held off the attacks of the superior German forces (XVIII Mountain Corps
and XXX Corps) in the Battle of Metaxas Line
), until forced to surrender after four days (10 April) due to the rapid German advance beyond TSAM's western flank to Thessaloniki
, which cut Bakopoulos' men off from the rest of the Greek and British forces.
During the German occupation of Greece, Bakopoulos was arrested by the Gestapo
in July 1943, along with four other top-ranking Greek generals including the Greek commander-in-chief Alexander Papagos
(future Field Marshal and Prime Minister, 1952-1955). They were deported to various concentration camps in Germany (including Königstein Fortress
and Dachau concentration camp), where they were interned for two years as hostages until their release at the end of the war in May 1945 by the Fifth US Army.
In 1948, he published a memoir titled The hostageship of the five Lieutenant Generals (Η Ομηρία των πέντε αντιστρατήγων). Bakopoulos died in Paris in 1950, survived by his wife, Titina Christovassili (daughter of the noted Greek poet, writer and M.P. Christos Christovasilis
) and his two children, Alexandros (a university mathematician) and Dora (a concert pianist).
. A street in Psychiko
, Athens now bears his name.
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
Army
Hellenic Army
The Hellenic Army , formed in 1828, is the land force of Greece.The motto of the Hellenic Army is , "Freedom Stems from Valor", from Thucydides's History of the Peloponnesian War...
officer who rose to the rank of Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
. He fought in the Balkan Wars
Balkan Wars
The Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe in 1912 and 1913.By the early 20th century, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia, the countries of the Balkan League, had achieved their independence from the Ottoman Empire, but large parts of their ethnic...
(1912-3), played a crucial conciliatory role in Greek military politics during the 1930s and distinguished himself in the fight against the Nazis 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...
. In 1943 he was imprisoned in German concentration camps until the end of the war in 1945 (with four other generals, including General Alexander Papagos
Alexander Papagos
Field Marshal Alexander Papagos , was a Greek General who led the Greek Army in the Greco-Italian War and the later stages of the Greek Civil War and became the country's Prime Minister...
, a future Prime Minister).
Early life and career
Bakopoulos was born in 1889 in the Greek village of Agioritika, near TripoliTripoli, Greece
Tripoli is a city of about 25,000 inhabitants in the central part of the Peloponnese, in Greece. It is the capital of the prefecture of Arcadia and the centre of the municipality of Tripolis, pop...
, Arcadia
Arcadia
Arcadia is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the administrative region of Peloponnese. It is situated in the central and eastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. It takes its name from the mythological character Arcas. In Greek mythology, it was the home of the god Pan...
. His parents Theodoros and Vassiliki had fourteen children, of whom Konstantinos was the eleventh. His father Theodoros was mayor of Korythion. His grandfather Nikolaos had also been mayor of the same village. On June 26, 1912, Bakopoulos graduated from the Hellenic Army Academy as a Second Lieutenant of the Artillery.
He fought in the Balkan Wars
Balkan Wars
The Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe in 1912 and 1913.By the early 20th century, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia, the countries of the Balkan League, had achieved their independence from the Ottoman Empire, but large parts of their ethnic...
of 1912-1913. In 1935, he was Military Commander of Athens, and served as presiding judge in the court martial of the leaders of the abortive March coup attempt. Although these officers were found guilty, Bakopoulos was able to avert a split in the army officer corps by resisting heavy political pressure to condemn the accused to death. The Royalists in command disapproved of this act of clemency and summarily relieved him of his responsibilities in Athens by transferring him to a much lesser post at the island of Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
.
World War II
By the beginning of World War IIWorld 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...
, he had attained the rank of Lt. General and was given command of the Army Section of Eastern Macedonia (TSAM), a crucial post that included the troops facing the country's traditional antagonist, Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, and manning the newly built Metaxas Line
Metaxas Line
The Metaxas Line was a chain of fortifications constructed along the line of the Greco-Bulgarian border, designed to protect Greece in case of a Bulgarian invasion after the rearmament of Bulgaria. It was named after Ioannis Metaxas, the then Prime Minister of Greece, and chiefly consists of...
, a series of about 20 forts along the Greek-Bulgarian border. During the German invasion of Greece in April 1941, TSAM successfully held off the attacks of the superior German forces (XVIII Mountain Corps
XVIII Corps (Germany)
-History:XVIII. ArmeekorpsThe XVIII. Armeekorps was formed in Salzburg, Austria, on 1 April 1938, following the Anschluss of Austria into the German Reich. During the life of the XVIII. Armeekorps, they took part in the Polish campaign, Fall Weiss, and performed occupation duties in France. On the...
and XXX Corps) in the Battle of Metaxas Line
Battle of Metaxas Line
The Battle of Metaxas Line, also known as Battle of the Forts , or Struggle for the Metaxas Line , was the first battle during the Greek campaign of World War II...
), until forced to surrender after four days (10 April) due to the rapid German advance beyond TSAM's western flank 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...
, which cut Bakopoulos' men off from the rest of the Greek and British forces.
During the German occupation of Greece, Bakopoulos was arrested by the Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
in July 1943, along with four other top-ranking Greek generals including the Greek commander-in-chief Alexander Papagos
Alexander Papagos
Field Marshal Alexander Papagos , was a Greek General who led the Greek Army in the Greco-Italian War and the later stages of the Greek Civil War and became the country's Prime Minister...
(future Field Marshal and Prime Minister, 1952-1955). They were deported to various concentration camps in Germany (including Königstein Fortress
Königstein Fortress
Königstein Fortress , the "Saxon Bastille", is a hilltop fortress near Dresden, in Saxon Switzerland, Germany, above the town of Königstein on the left bank of the River Elbe...
and Dachau concentration camp), where they were interned for two years as hostages until their release at the end of the war in May 1945 by the Fifth US Army.
In 1948, he published a memoir titled The hostageship of the five Lieutenant Generals (Η Ομηρία των πέντε αντιστρατήγων). Bakopoulos died in Paris in 1950, survived by his wife, Titina Christovassili (daughter of the noted Greek poet, writer and M.P. Christos Christovasilis
Christos Christovasilis
Christos Christovasilis was a Greek journalist and author, representative of Greek pastoral literature. He was a collector of rural and folk material and one of the most important figures in the literature of Epirus in late 19th-early 20th century.-Life:...
) and his two children, Alexandros (a university mathematician) and Dora (a concert pianist).
Honours
For his service to Greece, General Bakopoulos was awarded the country's highest award, the Grand Cross of the Order of the RedeemerOrder of the Redeemer
The Order of the Redeemer , also known as the Order of the Savior, is an order of Greece. The Order of the Redeemer is the oldest and highest decoration awarded by the modern Greek state.- History :...
. A street in Psychiko
Psychiko
Psychiko is a suburb of Athens, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Filothei-Psychiko, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit.Psychiko is located to the south of the Olympic stadium...
, Athens now bears his name.
Sources
- Archives of the Hellenic Army General Staff/Army History Directorate, Period of WW II, F.629/A/1, Field report of the Army Section of Eastern Macedonia by Lt. General Konstantinos Bakopoulos, from 2/8/1941 to 4/10/1941
- Archives of the Hellenic Army General Staff/Army History Directorate, Period WW II/F.663/A/1a, Field report on the organization and functioning of Fort Rupel by the Infantry Lt. Colonel George Douratsos, August 19, 1941
- Bakopoulos, Konstantinos. Η Ομηρία των πέντε αντιστρατήγων). Athens, 1948
- Depastas, Nikolaos. Αλέξανδρος Παπάγος, 1883-1955: Ο στρατιώτης, ο πολιτικός, ο άνθρωπος. Athens: General Army Editions, 1980
- Despotopoulos, Alexandros. Greece's Contribution to the Outcome of Two World Wars. Athens, Ekdotike Athenon, 1993
- Hellenic Army General Staff/Army History Directorate, The Greek Army during WW II, Battles in Eastern Macedonia and Western Thrace,1941. Athens (1956)
- Ravassopoulos, Thoukidides. Το κίνημα του 1935 Editions Συλλογές, 2005
- Stassinopoulos, Costas. Greece in World War II. The German Occupation and National Resistance." American Hellenic Institute Foundation.
- Varouhakis, Antonis. Chania 1898-2008 (Βαρουχάκης, Αντώνης Μυρ. Χανιά 1898-2008). Chania, Mayor of Chania, 2009, pp. 72-3
- “The Vima” (Το Βήμα) newspaper article, Sunday 4 October 1998, pp. 2-3
- “Kathimerini – 7 imeres” (Καθημερινή – 7 ημέρες) newspaper article, Sunday 7 April 2002, special issue, pp. 1-20
External links
- http://eistorias.wordpress.com/2011/03/31/%CF%83%CE%B1%CE%BD-%CF%83%CE%B7%CE%BC%CE%B5%CF%81%CE%B1-1-%CE%B1%CF%80%CF%81%CE%B9%CE%BB%CE%B9%CE%BF%CF%85/
- http://www.sansimera.gr/biographies/198