Georgios Athanasiadis-Novas
Encyclopedia
Georgios Athanasiadis–Novas (February 9, 1893 – August 10, 1987) was a Greek
lawyer, politician and Prime Minister.
Born in Naupactus
, he obtained his law degree from the University of Athens. He was first elected to the Greek Parliament in 1926
representing his native prefecture of Aetolia-Acarnania
, and was repeatedly elected to office until 1964
.
A lawyer by trade, he served as Minister for the Interior in 1945, Minister for Education
in 1950 and Minister for Industry
in 1951.
In 1961, however, he was one of many conservatives who joined the Center Union
(EK), in opposition to the corruption of right-wing governments at the time. In 1964, after EK came into power, he became Speaker
of the Greek Parliament.
On July 15, 1965 he was appointed Prime Minister of Greece by king Constantine
, after the latter dismissed George Papandreou, Sr., a move that is known as Apostasia of 1965
. He was followed by many EK conservatives and with support from conservative National Radical Union
MPs tried to form a government, but failed to get past a vote of confidence in parliament. He was replaced on August 20 of the same year.
In July 1974 he was one of the politicians who brokered the end of the Regime of the Colonels and the appointment of Constantine Karamanlis
as Prime Minister.
Athanasiadis-Novas also wrote some poetry and prose. Literary critics found very little in the way of value in his works, but he found some popularity among his detractors, who used them to ridicule his less-than-distinguished political career. The stanza:
gained him the comical nickname "Gargalatas", Tickler. Only after 40 years has it been proven that the fact that he wrote this stanza was an urban legend
. It all started from an article of Costas Stamatiou at the newspaper Ta Nea
, with the intention to ridicule him. Lefteris Papadopoulos
cleared up the situation with an article at the same newspaper in 2004.
He died in Athens in 1987, aged 94.
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
lawyer, politician and Prime Minister.
Born in Naupactus
Naupactus
Naupactus or Nafpaktos , is a town and a former municipality in Aetolia-Acarnania, West Greece, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Nafpaktia, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit...
, he obtained his law degree from the University of Athens. He was first elected to the Greek Parliament in 1926
Greek legislative election, 1926
The first legislative elections of the Second Hellenic Republic were held on 7 November 1926. At stake were 286 seats in the Greek Parliament, the Vouli....
representing his native prefecture of Aetolia-Acarnania
Aetolia-Acarnania
Aetolia-Acarnania is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of West Greece. It is located in the western part of Greece; the regional unit is a combination of the geographic regions Aetolia and Acarnania. Its capital is Missolonghi for historical reasons, with its biggest...
, and was repeatedly elected to office until 1964
Greek legislative election, 1964
The Greek legislative election of the 19 February 1964 resulted in a clear victory for Georgios Papandreou and his Center Union party.Georgios Papandreou had formed an interim government just after the legislative elections of 1963, in order to carry out new elections, because no party had the...
.
A lawyer by trade, he served as Minister for the Interior in 1945, Minister for Education
Minister for National Education and Religious Affairs (Greece)
The Ministry of Education, Lifelong Learning and Religious Affairs , formerly the Ministry for National Education and Religious Affairs , is a government department of Greece...
in 1950 and Minister for Industry
Minister for Development (Greece)
The Ministry of Development of Greece was created in January 1996 by then Prime Minister Costas Simitis through the merger of three former ministries: the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Technology, the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Tourism)...
in 1951.
In 1961, however, he was one of many conservatives who joined the Center Union
Center Union
The Centre Union was a Greek political party, created in 1961 by George Papandreou, senior.The party was elected to power in 1963, with Papandreou as Prime Minister...
(EK), in opposition to the corruption of right-wing governments at the time. In 1964, after EK came into power, he became Speaker
Speaker of the Hellenic Parliament
The Speaker, properly the President of the Hellenic Parliament . The president's term coincides with the term of the assembly, and he or she is chosen by a vote during the opening session, after each legislative election. Following is a list of Speakers of the Hellenic Parliament, from the Greek...
of the Greek Parliament.
On July 15, 1965 he was appointed Prime Minister of Greece by king Constantine
Constantine II of Greece
|align=right|Constantine II was King of Greece from 1964 until the abolition of the monarchy in 1973, the sixth and last monarch of the Greek Royal Family....
, after the latter dismissed George Papandreou, Sr., a move that is known as Apostasia of 1965
Apostasia of 1965
The terms Apostasia or Iouliana or the Royal Coup are used to describe the political crisis in Greece that centred around the resignation, on 15 July 1965, of Prime Minister Georgios Papandreou and the appointment, by King Constantine II, of successive Prime Ministers from Papandreou's own...
. He was followed by many EK conservatives and with support from conservative National Radical Union
National Radical Union
The National Radical Union was a Greek political party formed in 1955 by Konstantinos Karamanlis out of the Greek Rally party....
MPs tried to form a government, but failed to get past a vote of confidence in parliament. He was replaced on August 20 of the same year.
In July 1974 he was one of the politicians who brokered the end of the Regime of the Colonels and the appointment of Constantine Karamanlis
Constantine Karamanlis
Konstantínos G. Karamanlís , commonly anglicised to Constantine Karamanlis or Caramanlis, was a four-time Prime Minister, the 3rd and 5th President of the Third Hellenic Republic and a towering figure of Greek politics whose political career spanned much of the latter half of the 20th century.-...
as Prime Minister.
Athanasiadis-Novas also wrote some poetry and prose. Literary critics found very little in the way of value in his works, but he found some popularity among his detractors, who used them to ridicule his less-than-distinguished political career. The stanza:
- Itan ta stithia sou
- aspra san galata
- kai mou 'leges:
- gargala ta
-
- Your breasts were
- White as milk
- And you urged me
- "Tickle them!"
gained him the comical nickname "Gargalatas", Tickler. Only after 40 years has it been proven that the fact that he wrote this stanza was an urban legend
Urban legend
An urban legend, urban myth, urban tale, or contemporary legend, is a form of modern folklore consisting of stories that may or may not have been believed by their tellers to be true...
. It all started from an article of Costas Stamatiou at the newspaper Ta Nea
Ta Nea
Ta Nea is a daily newspaper published in Athens, owned by Lambrakis Press Group that also publishes the newspaper To Vima. It is a traditional center-left friendly newspaper and has strongly supported PASOK, the Greek Socialist Party in the 1980s and 1990s...
, with the intention to ridicule him. Lefteris Papadopoulos
Lefteris Papadopoulos
Lefteris Papadopoulos is a Greek lyricist, writer and journalist.Lefteris Papadopoulos was born in Athens, Greece on 14 November 1935. He is the son of Greek refugees from the Asia Minor and Russia. He enrolled at the Law School of the University of Athens but he stopped during the third year in...
cleared up the situation with an article at the same newspaper in 2004.
He died in Athens in 1987, aged 94.