Georgios Kondylis (August 14, 1879 – February 1, 1936)

Georgios Kondylis (August 14, 1879 – February 1, 1936)

Born in Prousos, Evrytania in Sterea Ellada, Kondylis who was given the nickname “ο κεραυνός” or the thunderbolt, was a Greek fighter and Major General of the Greek Army and later Prime Minister of Greece.

He enlisted in the Greek Army as a volunteer in 1896, and fought with the Greek expeditionary force in Crete during the Cretan Revolt (1895-98).

Kondylis was also a significant contributor to the Greek cause during the Macedonian Struggle (1904-08), leading his own guerrilla band in western Macedonia, he also participated in the Balkan Wars (1912-13), where Greece was victorious and which saw much Greek territory and many Greek civilians liberated and re-incorporated back into the Greek state.

He would also serve go on to serve during WW1 (1914-18), as well as the Asia Minor Campaign (1919-22).

Following his military service, he made his intentions clear to run for political office, his patriotism, blunt speaking, forceful leadership style, which married up with his firebrand personality, as well as his passion for the country endeared him to many Greeks.

He had 2 short tenures as Prime Minister, for a few months in 1926 and again in 1935.

He died of a heart attack on this day in 1936.