DAMASKINOS (Papandreou, 1891-1949, Regent of Greece, January 1945 - September 1946, from 1941 Archbishop of Athens and All Greece)

Fine Signed Portrait Photograph, by N. Zographos of Athens, showing him standing three quarter length, three quarter face turned to the viewer's right, in clerical dress with his staff in his right hand, signed, dated and inscribed on the mount in Greek to "Commander M. McMullen with warm good wishes, Archbishop of Athens Damaskinos", 9" x 6¾" on photographer's card mount 15¾" x 11¾", Athens, 5th March

Damaskinos was Archbishop during the terrible German Occupation. Fearless, he issued the only protest of any occupied European Country against the deportation of Jews. In October 1944 the Germans withdrew from Greece and the British (now nominally in charge of all armed units in the country) entered Athens, to support the National Government of George Papandreou (no relation). King George II remained in Cairo, pending a plebiscite. This photograph is from the period when British forces under General Scobie were still in Greece to support the Government. A lull in the Civil War that followed the Liberation was achieved in February 1945, when the largest resistance organization, EAM-ELAS, dominated by the communists, was in theory disarmed. Not till the plebiscite of September 1946 was Damaskinos able to recall the King.

Item Date:  1945

Stock No:  66238      £775

             Add to Wish List     Order/Enquire