Nikos Ploumpidis
Encyclopedia
Nikos Ploumpidis (31 December 1902–14 August 1954) was a leading cadre of the Greek Communist Party and a famous member of the wartime anti-Nazi resistance.
The son of a poor farming family, he was born in Arcadian Langadia
. As a young man he involved himself in politics and in 1926, as a teacher in the village of Milea
, near Elassona
, he joined the Communist Party of Greece
(KKE). At the time he was a teacher and in 1930 became a member of the Executive Committee of the Central Union of Civil Servants. However, in 1931 he had to leave the position after he was sacked from his teaching position on account of his political activism. He began to work full time for the KKE. In 1937 he was responsible for the party in the Thessaly
region, and in 1938, he was elected to the Politburo of the KKE.
In 1939 he was arrested by the secret police of the regime of General Ioannis Metaxas
, and was imprisoned in Sotiria hospital until his escape in 1942. He then involved himself in the newly formed National Liberation Front (EAM) and in the communist youth organisation
(OKNE).
After the return of Nikos Zachariadis, the pre-war general secretary of the KKE, from his incarceration in Dachau Concentration Camp, tensions developed between him and Ploumpidis.
On account of his poor health (he suffered from TB
), in 1945 Ploumpidis resigned from the Politburo and took over the administration of the party's finances. Unlike many other KKE leaders, Ploumpidis remained in Greece after the Greek Civil War
(1946–1949). He was instrumental in establishing the United Democratic Left
(EDA) party, essentially a proxy party of the now illegal KKE.
In 1952 he was arrested by the secret police. After a three-week trial, he was found guilty on 3 August 1953 and sentenced to death. At the same time, the exiled KKE Central Committee under Zachariadis decided to expel Ploumpidis from the party on the grounds that he was a secret police spy and British agent. These allegations were repeatedly broadcast on the party's Moscow-based radio station, Free Greece.
On 14 August 1954 Ploumpidis was executed by firing squad in Agia Marina, near Dafni. The Greek government released a photo of his execution in the Greek press. Rizospastis
and I Avgi, the two left newspapers didn't publish the photos following KKE's allegations that the execution was fake and Ploumpidis is spending the money he took for his treason.
In 1958, after the de-Stalinisation of the KKE, the party acknowledged the expulsion of Ploumpidis as a grave mistake and rehabilitated him with the following declaration:
"Resolved that the General Meeting of the Central Committee restores the memory of comrades Giorgos Siantos, Nikos Ploumbidis (Barbas) und Kostas Gyftodimos (Karajorgis). There exists no documents to support the claim that the accused were provocateurs or spies, as the former leadership under N. Zachariadis claimed in relation to the above-mentioned comrades."
Just as with Nikos Beloyannis
, Ploumbidis is now considered by the majority of Greek people to be a martyr of the anti-fascist resistance.
The son of a poor farming family, he was born in Arcadian Langadia
Lagkadia, Arcadia
Lagkadia , 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. It is the seat of the municipality of the same name. The village is connected by GR-74...
. As a young man he involved himself in politics and in 1926, as a teacher in the village of Milea
Milea (Larissa), Greece
Milea is a village in Larissa Prefecture, Greece. It is part of the municipal unit Sarantaporo. Population 460 ....
, near Elassona
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...
, he joined the Communist Party of Greece
Communist Party of Greece
Founded in 1918, the Communist Party of Greece , better known by its acronym, ΚΚΕ , is the oldest party on the Greek political scene.- Foundation :...
(KKE). At the time he was a teacher and in 1930 became a member of the Executive Committee of the Central Union of Civil Servants. However, in 1931 he had to leave the position after he was sacked from his teaching position on account of his political activism. He began to work full time for the KKE. In 1937 he was responsible for the party in the Thessaly
Thessaly
Thessaly is a traditional geographical region and an administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, Thessaly was known as Aeolia, and appears thus in Homer's Odyssey....
region, and in 1938, he was elected to the Politburo of the KKE.
In 1939 he was arrested by the secret police of the regime of General Ioannis Metaxas
Ioannis Metaxas
Ioannis Metaxas was a Greek general, politician, and dictator, serving as Prime Minister of Greece from 1936 until his death in 1941...
, and was imprisoned in Sotiria hospital until his escape in 1942. He then involved himself in the newly formed National Liberation Front (EAM) and in the communist youth organisation
Communist Youth of Greece
The Communist Youth of Greece, is the youth wing of the Communist Party of Greece .It publishes the monthly newspaper Odigitis and hosts Odigitis festivals in most of the major towns and cities of Greece....
(OKNE).
After the return of Nikos Zachariadis, the pre-war general secretary of the KKE, from his incarceration in Dachau Concentration Camp, tensions developed between him and Ploumpidis.
On account of his poor health (he suffered from TB
TB
-Music:*Tenor and bass, a score for male chorus*The Beatles, the English rock band, the most lauded and successful group in the history of modern music**The Beatles , the tenth album by the above band, also known as the White Album...
), in 1945 Ploumpidis resigned from the Politburo and took over the administration of the party's finances. Unlike many other KKE leaders, Ploumpidis remained in Greece after 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...
(1946–1949). He was instrumental in establishing the United Democratic Left
United Democratic Left
The United Democratic Left was a political party in Greece, active mostly before the Greek military junta of 1967-1974.-Foundation:...
(EDA) party, essentially a proxy party of the now illegal KKE.
In 1952 he was arrested by the secret police. After a three-week trial, he was found guilty on 3 August 1953 and sentenced to death. At the same time, the exiled KKE Central Committee under Zachariadis decided to expel Ploumpidis from the party on the grounds that he was a secret police spy and British agent. These allegations were repeatedly broadcast on the party's Moscow-based radio station, Free Greece.
On 14 August 1954 Ploumpidis was executed by firing squad in Agia Marina, near Dafni. The Greek government released a photo of his execution in the Greek press. Rizospastis
Rizospastis
Rizospastis is the official newspaper of the Communist Party of Greece. It is published daily. It was first published in 1916. Some of the more prominent editors in it are Nikos Boyiopoulos and Liana Kanelli.-Motto:...
and I Avgi, the two left newspapers didn't publish the photos following KKE's allegations that the execution was fake and Ploumpidis is spending the money he took for his treason.
In 1958, after the de-Stalinisation of the KKE, the party acknowledged the expulsion of Ploumpidis as a grave mistake and rehabilitated him with the following declaration:
"Resolved that the General Meeting of the Central Committee restores the memory of comrades Giorgos Siantos, Nikos Ploumbidis (Barbas) und Kostas Gyftodimos (Karajorgis). There exists no documents to support the claim that the accused were provocateurs or spies, as the former leadership under N. Zachariadis claimed in relation to the above-mentioned comrades."
Just as with Nikos Beloyannis
Nikos Beloyannis
Nikos Beloyannis was a Greek resistance leader and leading cadre of the Greek Communist Party. He was born in Amalias in 1915...
, Ploumbidis is now considered by the majority of Greek people to be a martyr of the anti-fascist resistance.