Hellenic State (1941-1944)

Origins

After Germany invaded Greece in April 1941, General Georgios Tsolakoglou surrendered the army and was installed as prime minister of a collaborationist government in Athens, while King George II and the legitimate government fled to Egypt. The country was divided into German, Italian and Bulgarian occupation zones.

Rule and society

The regime had little real authority. Axis requisitions and blockade caused the great famine of 1941-1942, in which tens of thousands died in Athens. Tsolakoglou was succeeded by Konstantinos Logothetopoulos and then Ioannis Rallis, who formed the Security Battalions to fight the communist-led resistance of EAM-ELAS. The Jews of Thessaloniki were deported in 1943 with little resistance from the government.

Decline and legacy

As German forces withdrew in October 1944, the government collapsed and the government-in-exile returned. Its leaders were tried as collaborators in 1945. The bitter divisions of the occupation fed directly into the Greek Civil War.