Konstantinos Ventiris
Encyclopedia
Konstantinos Ventiris was a Greek
Army officer who rose to the rank of Lieutenant General. He served twice as Chief of the Hellenic Army General Staff
and was one of the senior government commanders during the Greek Civil War
. He is also one of the few recipients the country's highest wartime decoration, the Commander's Cross of the Cross of Valour
.
in 1892, the second of seven children. His brothers became journalists, and the eldest, Georgios, was an associate of the Liberal leader Eleftherios Venizelos
. After completing his school studies, he joined the Hellenic Army
as a volunteer on 1 April 1910, and fought in the Balkan Wars
of 1912–1913. He entered the NCO Academy and graduated in March 1914 as an Infantry Second Lieutenant. During World War I
, he served in the Macedonian Front, being promoted to Lieutenant in 1917 and acting as a company commander during the 1918 Allied offensive. In 1919 he was promoted to Major, and fought as battalion commander and CO of the 23rd Regiment in the Asia Minor Campaign of 1919–1922.
In late 1922 he was appointed as chief of staff of the 7th Infantry Division, and was promoted to Lt Colonel in 1923. He then served as CO of the 1st and 41st Infantry Regiments. In 1930 he was promoted to full Colonel, serving as military attaché
to Yugoslavia
and Czechoslovakia
, Director of the General Staff's Second Bureau (Intelligence) and as Deputy Commandant of the War College. As a confirmed Venizelist and Republican, he was dismissed from the army in the aftermath of the failed Republican March 1935 coup attempt.
During the Axis Occupation of Greece, he founded the RAN resistance group, but in 1943 he fled to the Middle East
and rejoined the Armed Forces of the Greek government in exile
. He also participated in the spring 1944 Lebanon conference of all Greek resistance and political factions. With the rise of the Communist-controlled National Liberation Front to a dominant position in the Greek Resistance
, Ventiris, like many other Venizelist officers, increasingly moved to right-wing and pro-monarchical views. In the Middle East and later in Greece, he became the leader of the anti-communist "Officers' League", one of the three major political groupings within the Army. In June 1944 he was appointed as Chief of the Army General Staff for the Greek Armed Forces in the Middle East, being promoted to Major General (backdated to 1943) at the same time. He organized the repatriation of the Army, returning to Athens on 12 November.
Thereafter he served as Deputy Chief of the General Staff, and with the outbreak of the Greek Civil War
he was appointed CO of III Army Corps. Promoted to Lieutenant General in 1946, he became again Chief of the Army General Staff in 1947, then served as CO of the First Army
, as Inspector-General of the Army and as CO of the Epirus-West Macedonia
Headquarters until his retirement on 24 March 1951. In the same year, he was awarded with the Commander's Cross of the Cross of Valour
, one of only three career officers to receive it alongside Anastasios Papoulas
and Alexandros Papagos. In August 1951, he was also named General Adjutant to King Paul
.
Ventiris was unmarried, and died in 1960 in Athens.
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
Army officer who rose to the rank of Lieutenant General. He served twice as Chief of the Hellenic Army General Staff
Hellenic Army General Staff
The Hellenic Army General Staff is the general staff of the Hellenic Army, the terrestrial component of the Greek Armed Forces. It was established in 1906 as the Army Staff Service . Since 1950, the HAGS is subordinated to the Hellenic National Defense General Staff...
and was one of the senior government commanders during the Greek Civil War
Greek Civil War
The Greek Civil War was fought from 1946 to 1949 between the Greek governmental army, backed by the United Kingdom and United States, and the Democratic Army of Greece , the military branch of the Greek Communist Party , backed by Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Albania...
. He is also one of the few recipients the country's highest wartime decoration, the Commander's Cross of the Cross of Valour
Cross of Valour (Greece)
The Cross of Valour is the second highest military decoration of the Greek state, awarded for acts of bravery or distinguished leadership on the field of battle...
.
Life
He was born in KalamataKalamata
Kalamata is the second-largest city of the Peloponnese in southern Greece. The capital and chief port of the Messenia prefecture, it lies along the Nedon River at the head of the Messenian Gulf...
in 1892, the second of seven children. His brothers became journalists, and the eldest, Georgios, was an associate of the Liberal leader Eleftherios Venizelos
Eleftherios Venizelos
Eleftherios Venizelos was an eminent Greek revolutionary, a prominent and illustrious statesman as well as a charismatic leader in the early 20th century. Elected several times as Prime Minister of Greece and served from 1910 to 1920 and from 1928 to 1932...
. After completing his school studies, he joined the Hellenic Army
Hellenic Army
The Hellenic Army , formed in 1828, is the land force of Greece.The motto of the Hellenic Army is , "Freedom Stems from Valor", from Thucydides's History of the Peloponnesian War...
as a volunteer on 1 April 1910, and fought in the Balkan Wars
Balkan Wars
The Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe in 1912 and 1913.By the early 20th century, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia, the countries of the Balkan League, had achieved their independence from the Ottoman Empire, but large parts of their ethnic...
of 1912–1913. He entered the NCO Academy and graduated in March 1914 as an Infantry Second Lieutenant. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he served in the Macedonian Front, being promoted to Lieutenant in 1917 and acting as a company commander during the 1918 Allied offensive. In 1919 he was promoted to Major, and fought as battalion commander and CO of the 23rd Regiment in the Asia Minor Campaign of 1919–1922.
In late 1922 he was appointed as chief of staff of the 7th Infantry Division, and was promoted to Lt Colonel in 1923. He then served as CO of the 1st and 41st Infantry Regiments. In 1930 he was promoted to full Colonel, serving as military attaché
Military attaché
A military attaché is a military expert who is attached to a diplomatic mission . This post is normally filled by a high-ranking military officer who retains the commission while serving in an embassy...
to Yugoslavia
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918–1941...
and Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
, Director of the General Staff's Second Bureau (Intelligence) and as Deputy Commandant of the War College. As a confirmed Venizelist and Republican, he was dismissed from the army in the aftermath of the failed Republican March 1935 coup attempt.
During the Axis Occupation of Greece, he founded the RAN resistance group, but in 1943 he fled to the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
and rejoined the Armed Forces of the Greek government in exile
Greek government in exile
The Greek government in exile was the official government of Greece, headed by King George II, which evacuated from Athens in April 1941, after the German invasion of the country, first to the island of Crete and then to Cairo in Egypt. Hence it is also referred to as the "Cairo Government"...
. He also participated in the spring 1944 Lebanon conference of all Greek resistance and political factions. With the rise of the Communist-controlled National Liberation Front to a dominant position in the Greek Resistance
Greek Resistance
The Greek Resistance is the blanket term for a number of armed and unarmed groups from across the political spectrum that resisted the Axis Occupation of Greece in the period 1941–1944, during World War II.-Origins:...
, Ventiris, like many other Venizelist officers, increasingly moved to right-wing and pro-monarchical views. In the Middle East and later in Greece, he became the leader of the anti-communist "Officers' League", one of the three major political groupings within the Army. In June 1944 he was appointed as Chief of the Army General Staff for the Greek Armed Forces in the Middle East, being promoted to Major General (backdated to 1943) at the same time. He organized the repatriation of the Army, returning to Athens on 12 November.
Thereafter he served as Deputy Chief of the General Staff, and with the outbreak of the Greek Civil War
Greek Civil War
The Greek Civil War was fought from 1946 to 1949 between the Greek governmental army, backed by the United Kingdom and United States, and the Democratic Army of Greece , the military branch of the Greek Communist Party , backed by Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Albania...
he was appointed CO of III Army Corps. Promoted to Lieutenant General in 1946, he became again Chief of the Army General Staff in 1947, then served as CO of the First Army
First Army (Greece)
The Greek First Army is the highest formation of the Hellenic Army and its only extant field army.The First Army was created in March 1947, during the Greek Civil War. It controlled the II and III Corps, with Volos as its headquarters. It was abolished on 10 February 1948, and re-established in...
, as Inspector-General of the Army and as CO of the Epirus-West Macedonia
West Macedonia
West Macedonia is one of the thirteen regions of Greece, consisting of the western part of Greek Macedonia. It is divided into the regional units of Florina, Grevena, Kastoria, and Kozani.-Geography:...
Headquarters until his retirement on 24 March 1951. In the same year, he was awarded with the Commander's Cross of the Cross of Valour
Cross of Valour (Greece)
The Cross of Valour is the second highest military decoration of the Greek state, awarded for acts of bravery or distinguished leadership on the field of battle...
, one of only three career officers to receive it alongside Anastasios Papoulas
Anastasios Papoulas
Anastasios Papoulas was a Greek general and commander-in-chief during the Greco-Turkish War of 1919-1922.- Life :Born in Missolonghi in 1859, Anastasios Papoulas entered politics in his early twenties eventually becoming a close friend and confidant of King Constantine. He was appointed commander...
and Alexandros Papagos. In August 1951, he was also named General Adjutant to King Paul
Paul of Greece
Paul reigned as King of Greece from 1947 to 1964.-Family and early life:Paul was born in Athens, the third son of King Constantine I of Greece and his wife, Princess Sophia of Prussia. He was trained as a naval officer....
.
Ventiris was unmarried, and died in 1960 in Athens.