In the early morning of April 21, 1967, tanks drive through the streets of Athens. A military coup is ongoing. The supposed reason? To protect the country from communism. The years prior to this event were years of political instability. Left radicals held frequent demonstrations and riots. Because the government was barely able to keep this situation under control, some high-ranking colonels saw their chance to take over power. Politicians and other influential persons who might have prevented the coup were arrested in the night of 20 to 21 April. And so, a few hours later, Athens seemed the decor of a war film. Colonel Papadopoulos proclaimed himself Prime Minister.
Seven years of oppression
What followed were seven years of limited freedom. Free elections were abolished and demonstrations and strikes were forbidden. Only church meetings were allowed. The royal family was exiled to Italy. Despite the fact that most Greeks did not mourn this latter fact, the rest of the measures led to a society full of fear and oppression. Political opponents mysteriously disappeared, were murdered or banished to remote islands in the Aegean Sea. Torture during imprisonment also occurred frequently.
The uprising
Only after years, when Papadopoulos announced a liberalization, did the Greek people dare to revolt. Especially students from Colleges and Universities revolted against the regime. Instead of the elections scheduled for 1974, they wanted them directly. In November 1973 the dictators invaded the Technical College of Athens with tanks. The Greek people were really done with it now. To divert attention from these events, the dictatorship defeated Archbishop Makarios of Cyprus. The Turks immediately invaded the island and since then the north of Cyprus has been occupied by the Turks.
Metapolitefsi
Papadopoulos was then deposed by some other senior officers to prevent a larger massacre. In the spring of 1974 negotiations finally took place and in July Konstantinos Karamanlis was proclaimed prime minister. Thus, on 24 July 1974, the military dictatorship finally officially came to an end and the metapolitefsi began. Metapolitefsi means political change and is the name for the period after the fall of the military junta. A period in which free elections were finally held and democracy was restored. The junta leaders were sentenced to life imprisonment.
Remembering the history
Also in 2018, 44 years after the fall of the military junta, this historical fact is still commemorated. The municipality of Thessaloniki does not ignore this either. Since Sunday, July 15, two temporary exhibitions can be visited in the old Eptapyrgio prison in Ano Poli. Besides the fall of the junta, the second theme is the drama in Cyprus. Interested? Then take the walk upstairs or get in bus 22 or 23. And this way you combine the visit to the exhibition with a beautiful view of the city. A city where nowadays, fortunately, everyone can enjoy their freedom.
