Yannis Hotzeas
Encyclopedia
Yannis Hotzeas (1930 – 24 October 1994) was a Greek
communist, Marxist theoretician and one of the principal founders of the Greek Marxist-Leninist movement.
, Messenia
, Peloponnese
, in a poor family. In 1941, his elder brothers are already organized in EPON, the youth organization of the National Liberation Front (EAM) fighting the Nazi occupation forces. In 1943 Hotzeas becomes a devoted and extremely active member of EPON in Athens
. The next year, despite his very young age, Hotzeas became a member of the Communist Party of Greece
(KKE), according to an exceptional decision of the Party leadership.
. The liberation in December 1944 was followed by fights against the British Army
that arrived in Athens and opposed the communist-led National Liberation Front forces.
During the following two years Hotzeas was arrested and tortured several times, both by the local police and by the British. In 1947, while the Greek Civil War
was raging, Hotzeas was arrested again and exiled to Makronisos
and then in other islands. Despite the tortures, he refused to declare any repentance for his beliefs. For this reason he was kept in exile until 1958.
after its 20th Congress
. This line was imposed on the Communist Party of Greece
(KKE) after a violent intervention of the Soviet Party in the internal affairs of KKE, which resulted to the unconstitutional replacement and persecution of its legitimate leadership and to the expulsion of thousands of its members. Returning from the exile, Hotzeas becomes one of the main poles of opposition to the changing and more "mild" policies of the Greek Left's new leadership.
and the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
, which marked the Sino-Soviet split
. In 1964, he led the publication of the magazine Renaissance , and then the creation and development of the Organisation of Marxists-Leninists of Greece
(OMLE).
, Hotzeas passed in clandestinity and continued leading the OMLE. He was arrested two years later and started a new period of life in exile, interrupted briefly during the "liberalisation" of the military regime in 1973. He was arrested and exiled once more after his participation in the anti-fascist popular uprising of 17 November 1973 (Athens Polytechnic uprising
), and regained his freedom only after the fall of the military dictatorship in July 1974.
(incomplete)
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
communist, Marxist theoretician and one of the principal founders of the Greek Marxist-Leninist movement.
Early life
Hotzeas was born in KoroniKoroni
Koroni or Coroni is a town and a former municipality in Messenia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Pylos-Nestoras, of which it is a municipal unit. Known as Corone by the Venetians and Ottomans, the town of Koroni Koroni or Coroni is a...
, Messenia
Messenia
Messenia is a regional unit in the southwestern part of the Peloponnese region, one of 13 regions into which Greece has been divided by the Kallikratis plan, implemented 1 January 2011...
, Peloponnese
Peloponnese
The Peloponnese, Peloponnesos or Peloponnesus , is a large peninsula , located in a region of southern Greece, forming the part of the country south of the Gulf of Corinth...
, in a poor family. In 1941, his elder brothers are already organized in EPON, the youth organization of the National Liberation Front (EAM) fighting the Nazi occupation forces. In 1943 Hotzeas becomes a devoted and extremely active member of EPON in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
. The next year, despite his very young age, Hotzeas became a member of 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), according to an exceptional decision of the Party leadership.
Persecutions
Since 1944, Hotzeas took part in the fights against the Nazi forces and their collaboratorsCollaboration during World War II
Within nations occupied by the Axis Powers, some citizens, driven by nationalism, ethnic hatred, anti-communism, anti-Semitism or opportunism, knowingly engaged in collaboration with the Axis Powers during World War II...
. The liberation in December 1944 was followed by fights against the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
that arrived in Athens and opposed the communist-led National Liberation Front forces.
During the following two years Hotzeas was arrested and tortured several times, both by the local police and by the British. In 1947, while 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...
was raging, Hotzeas was arrested again and exiled to Makronisos
Makronisos
Makronisos is an island in the Aegean sea, in Greece and is located close to the coast of Attica, facing the port of Lavrio. It has an elongated shape and its terrain is arid and rocky. In ancient times the island was called Helena. It is part of the prefecture of the Cyclades but it is not part...
and then in other islands. Despite the tortures, he refused to declare any repentance for his beliefs. For this reason he was kept in exile until 1958.
Disagreements
Already in exile, Hotzeas becomes a leading figure in the opposition of the communist rank-and-file to the "new line" promoted by the Communist Party of the Soviet UnionCommunist Party of the Soviet Union
The Communist Party of the Soviet Union was the only legal, ruling political party in the Soviet Union and one of the largest communist organizations in the world...
after its 20th Congress
20th Congress
The 20th Congress may refer to:* 20th United States Congress, the national legislature of the United States of America from March 4, 1827 to March 3, 1829....
. This line was imposed on 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) after a violent intervention of the Soviet Party in the internal affairs of KKE, which resulted to the unconstitutional replacement and persecution of its legitimate leadership and to the expulsion of thousands of its members. Returning from the exile, Hotzeas becomes one of the main poles of opposition to the changing and more "mild" policies of the Greek Left's new leadership.
Building the Greek M-L movement
In the early 1960s Hotzeas started to translate the documents of the international debate between the Communist Party of ChinaCommunist Party of China
The Communist Party of China , also known as the Chinese Communist Party , is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China...
and the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
Communist Party of the Soviet Union
The Communist Party of the Soviet Union was the only legal, ruling political party in the Soviet Union and one of the largest communist organizations in the world...
, which marked the Sino-Soviet split
Sino-Soviet split
In political science, the term Sino–Soviet split denotes the worsening of political and ideologic relations between the People's Republic of China and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics during the Cold War...
. In 1964, he led the publication of the magazine Renaissance , and then the creation and development of the Organisation of Marxists-Leninists of Greece
Organisation of Marxists-Leninists of Greece
The Organisation of Marxist-Leninists of Greece, known by its Greek acronym OMLE, was the original Greek Maoist movement, which split from the Communist Party of Greece in 1964, opposing Soviet revisionism....
(OMLE).
1967-1974 military dictatorship
Right after the military coup of 21 April 1967 which established a Greek military juntaGreek military junta of 1967-1974
The Greek military junta of 1967–1974, alternatively "The Regime of the Colonels" , or in Greece "The Junta", and "The Seven Years" are terms used to refer to a series of right-wing military governments that ruled Greece from 1967 to 1974...
, Hotzeas passed in clandestinity and continued leading the OMLE. He was arrested two years later and started a new period of life in exile, interrupted briefly during the "liberalisation" of the military regime in 1973. He was arrested and exiled once more after his participation in the anti-fascist popular uprising of 17 November 1973 (Athens Polytechnic uprising
Athens Polytechnic uprising
The Athens Polytechnic uprising in 1973 was a massive demonstration of popular rejection of the Greek military junta of 1967-1974. The uprising began on November 14, 1973, escalated to an open anti-junta, anti-US and anti-imperialist revolt and ended in bloodshed in the early morning of November...
), and regained his freedom only after the fall of the military dictatorship in July 1974.
(incomplete)