Greek politician
Emmanouil Tsouderos
(
Greek
:
Εμμανου?λ Τσουδερ??
, also transliterated as
Emmanuel Tsouderos
; 19 July 1882 ? 10 February 1956) was a political and financial figure of
Greece
. During
World War II
, he was the internationally recognized
Prime Minister of Greece
from 1941 to 1944 as head of the
Greek government in exile
. He resigned in 1944, following a mutiny in the exiled armed forces
[1]
Early life and studies
[
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]
Emmanuel Tsouderos was born in 1882 in
Rethymno
,
Crete
(then part of the
Ottoman Empire
). He studied law at
Athens University
, and economics in Paris and London.
[2]
Career in politics
[
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]
He returned to Crete aged 24, and was elected Member of Parliament of the Cretan Legislature (1906?1912), when Crete had autonomous status under the suzerainty of the Ottoman Empire and was under the protection of Russia, Britain, France and Italy.
After the union of Crete with Greece in December 1913, he was elected to the
Hellenic Parliament
, and served as Minister of Transportation under
Eleftherios Venizelos
, and Minister of Finances under
Themistoklis Sophoulis
.
In 1928, when the Central Bank of Greece was established, Tsouderos was appointed its first vice-Governor, and in 1931 its Governor.
[3]
Prime minister
[
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]
Following the suicide of Prime Minister
Alexandros Koryzis
on 18 April 1941, amidst the
German invasion of Greece
, King
George II of Greece
sought for his successor. Several names, such as
Konstantinos Kotzias
, the former dictator General
Theodoros Pangalos
, and the
Venizelist
general
Alexandros Mazarakis-Ainian
were discussed, but either rejected or turned down the offer.
As the evacuation of the Greek government to Crete was being prepared, Tsouderos, as a Venizelist and Cretan, as well as a known Anglophile, emerged as a prominent choice for the post during the 20th. On the next day, after attending a
seance
in which the spirit of Venizelos urged him to accept, Tsouderos accepted and was sworn in as Prime Minister.
On the 20th, the Greek army in Epirus unilaterally surrendered to the Germans, and on the morning of the 23rd, the Greek government left Athens.
Tsouderos fled again during the
Battle of Crete
. He went to the Middle East and later
Egypt
. Tsouderos headed the Greek government in exile from 29 April 1941 until 13 April 1944. Although he was the internationally recognized as the Prime Minister of Greece (in opposition to the numerous prime ministers who were the figureheads of the collaborationist
Hellenic State
), in practice he had little influence inside Greece's borders. This government was initially located in London, but subsequently moved to
Cairo
. In Spring of 1944, the
Greek Army
and
Navy
mutinied.
[7]
Among their demands was resignation of the
King
and Tsouderos.
[7]
He served in the subsequent government in exile under
Sofoklis Venizelos
.
Post-War Greece
[
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]
Following the Greek Civil War, Tsouderos would go on to lead the Democratic Progressive Party (
Dimokratikon Proodefitikon Komma)
.
[8]
During the 1950 Election, Tsouderos formed a coalition government with
Nikolaos Plasitiras
' Progressive Liberal Center Party (
Komma Proodefitkon Fileleftheron Kentrou)
,
[8]
to form the
National Progressive Center Union
(
Ethniki Proodetiki Enosis Kentrou)
After the end of World War II Tsouderos served in different capacities, until his death at the age of 73 in
Nervi
,
Genoa
, Italy on 10 February 1956.
[2]
Personal life
[
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]
He was married and had three children:
- Ioannes (John) Tsouderos (1923?1997) ? Greek Politician in the 1960s and 1970s
- Athena Tsouderos
- Virginia Tsouderos (1924?2018) ? Served as Secretary of the Foreign Minister of Greece (Aug. 1991 ? Oct. 1993)
Awards
[
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]
References
[
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]
Sources
[
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]
- Koliopoulos, Ioannis S. (1976?1977).
"Η στρατιωτικ? και πολιτικ? κρ?ση στην Ελλ?δα τον Απρ?λιο του 1941"
[The Military and Political Crisis in Greece in April 1941]
(PDF)
.
Μν?μων
(in Greek).
6
: 53?74.
doi
:
10.12681/mnimon.174
.
- See Marguarita Dritsas, Hellenic Open University, for her definitive biography of Tsourderos, based on his personal papers in the Bank of Greece Archives. [Dritsas, Margarita. (2012). Emmanuel Tsouderos, 1882?1956, Central Banker and Politician. Bank of Greece Publications.]
[1]
External links
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