Panagiotis Spiliotopoulos
Encyclopedia
Panagiotis Spiliotopoulos was a Greek
Army
officer who rose to the rank of Lieutenant General
and held the post of Chief of the Hellenic Army General Staff
in 1946–1947, during the first stages of the Greek Civil War
. He also served briefly as Minister of National Defence
, Minister for Northern Greece and Secretary General of the Hellenic Red Cross
.
in 1891. He joined the Hellenic Army
as a volunteer in 1910 and fought in the Balkan Wars
of 1912–1913. He subsequently entered the NCO Academy and graduated as an Infantry Second Lieutenant in April 1914. He also fought in the Macedonian Front of World War I
and participated in the Greco-Turkish War of 1919–1922, being promoted to Lieutenant (1916) and Captain (1918) in the process.
He occupied a series of staff and command posts in the interwar years, rising to Major (1923), Lt Colonel (1930) and Colonel (1934). At the same time, he pursued Law studies in the University of Athens. In 1937–1940, he commanded the Reserve Officers School. During the Greco-Italian War
, he served as Infantry Commander of the 1st Infantry Division and later CO of the 15th Infantry Division.
In 1944, at the eve of the Germans' departure from Greece, Spiliotopoulos was appointed as the representative in Athens and its suburbs of the Allies' Middle East High Command. Following liberation in October 1944, Spiliotopoulos became head of the Athens Military Command, and soon after commander of the new Officers' Training Centre before being appointed as Chief of the Hellenic Army General Staff
on 16 May 1946, a post he held until 19 February 1947. From then until his retirement on 30 March 1948 he served as Inspector-General of the Army.
Following his retirement, he became General Secretary of the Hellenic Red Cross
, and served as Minister of National Defence
under Sofoklis Venizelos between 30 July and 27 October 1951, and as Minister for Northern Greece from 5 March to 17 May 1958 in the interim government of Konstantinos Georgakopoulos
.
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
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...
officer who rose to the rank of Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
and held the post of 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...
in 1946–1947, during the first stages 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 also served briefly as Minister of National Defence
Minister for National Defence (Greece)
The Minister for National Defence of Greece is a government minister responsible for the running of the Ministry of National Defence. The current minister is Dimitris Avramopoulos.-Recent Ministers for National Defence:-External links:*...
, Minister for Northern Greece and Secretary General of the Hellenic Red Cross
Hellenic Red Cross
The Hellenic Red Cross is the Greek national Red Cross Society, founded on 10 June 1877.-External links:...
.
Life
He was born in the village of Mazeika near KalavrytaKalavryta
Kalavryta is a town and a municipality in the eastcentral part of the peripheral unit of Achaea, Greece. It is the southern terminus of the Kalavryta - Diakopto Road and the eastern terminus of the Patras - Kalavryta Road. It is located approx...
in 1891. 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 in 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 subsequently entered the NCO Academy and graduated as an Infantry Second Lieutenant in April 1914. He also fought in the Macedonian Front of 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...
and participated in the Greco-Turkish War of 1919–1922, being promoted to Lieutenant (1916) and Captain (1918) in the process.
He occupied a series of staff and command posts in the interwar years, rising to Major (1923), Lt Colonel (1930) and Colonel (1934). At the same time, he pursued Law studies in the University of Athens. In 1937–1940, he commanded the Reserve Officers School. During the Greco-Italian War
Greco-Italian War
The Greco-Italian War was a conflict between Italy and Greece which lasted from 28 October 1940 to 23 April 1941. It marked the beginning of the Balkans Campaign of World War II...
, he served as Infantry Commander of the 1st Infantry Division and later CO of the 15th Infantry Division.
In 1944, at the eve of the Germans' departure from Greece, Spiliotopoulos was appointed as the representative in Athens and its suburbs of the Allies' Middle East High Command. Following liberation in October 1944, Spiliotopoulos became head of the Athens Military Command, and soon after commander of the new Officers' Training Centre before being appointed 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...
on 16 May 1946, a post he held until 19 February 1947. From then until his retirement on 30 March 1948 he served as Inspector-General of the Army.
Following his retirement, he became General Secretary of the Hellenic Red Cross
Hellenic Red Cross
The Hellenic Red Cross is the Greek national Red Cross Society, founded on 10 June 1877.-External links:...
, and served as Minister of National Defence
Minister for National Defence (Greece)
The Minister for National Defence of Greece is a government minister responsible for the running of the Ministry of National Defence. The current minister is Dimitris Avramopoulos.-Recent Ministers for National Defence:-External links:*...
under Sofoklis Venizelos between 30 July and 27 October 1951, and as Minister for Northern Greece from 5 March to 17 May 1958 in the interim government of Konstantinos Georgakopoulos
Konstantinos Georgakopoulos
Konstantinos Georgakopoulos was a Greek lawyer, politician and Prime Minister.He was born in Tripoli, Greece, he studied law at the University of Athens. In 1915 he became a military court judge. In 1923 he left the military justice system with the rank of colonel...
.