Napoleon Zervas (May 17, 1891 – December 10, 1957)

Napoleon Zervas (May 17, 1891 – December 10, 1957)

From Arta in Epirus, Zervas was a Patriot, General, later a Politician and one of the most important figures of Greece’s Modern History.

He began his military career in 1910 as a volunteer, he fought in the Balkan Wars (1912-13) & WW1 (1914-18), but is best remembered for his service during WW2 (1939-45) and later, the Communist Insurgency of Greece “Greek Civil War” (1946-49).

Napoleon Zervas founded and led the most significant resistance movement in Greece during WW2, simultaneously battling against the Fascist Italian Invasion, Nazi German Occupation as well as the Communist Guerrillas.

Zervas was also responsible for the successful campaign to liberate his home region of Epirus and rid it of Anti-Greek, Nazi German and Fascist Italian murderers, sympathisers and collaborators.

Zervas was one of the main protagonists of post WW2 Greece. His contribution in leading the fight to keep Greece away from the Anti-Hellenic clutches of Communism and Communist Rule post WW2, must never be forgotten. Without his service, Greece would have succumbed to the Communists and much of Northern Greece, including Macedonia and Thrace would have been lost.

After the war, Napoleon Zervas joined the political scene. He founded his own party and was elected member of Parliament several times, representing the district of Ioannina, as well as holding various ministry posts under different governments.