Dimitrios Psarros (1893 – April 17, 1944)

Dimitrios Psarros (1893 – April 17, 1944)

From the village of Chryso in Fokida, Sterea Ellada, he was a Greek solider and a leading resistance figure, during the triple Italian-German-Bulgarian occupation of Greece during WW2.

He was still a cadet at the Hellenic Military Academy – Evelpidon – when he participated in the Balkan Wars (1912-13). A distinguished fighter, he fought in WW1, in Crimea against the Bolsheviks and in the Asia Minor Campaign (1919-22).

A Venizelist, an old school leftist and self described social-democrat, during WW2, Psarros created his own guerrilla force. After first flirting with joining forces with the KKE communists, he founded – Εθνική και Κοινωνική Απελευθέρωσις “EKKA” – (National and Social Liberation).

The KKE communists, feeling threatened by Psarros and EKKA in an eventual peacetime Greece, its ability to take away popular support from them and the role a respected and influential patriot like Psarros might play in future Greek politics, made him a target of the communists.

The communists who sought to monopolise the political future of Greece after liberation, attempted to disarm Psarros’ EKKA, in a bid to strengthen its military and political position after the anticipated liberation of Greece.

As a result, Psarros was apprehended by the communists and callously executed by them.