Grigoris Lambrakis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Grigoris Lambrakis
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Γρηγόρης Λαμπράκης
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Grigoris Lambrakis marching alone in the banned Marathon – Athens Peace Rally on Sunday 21 April 1963, one month before his assassination.
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| Member of the Hellenic Parliament | |
| In office 1961–1963 |
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| Constituency | Piraeus |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 3 April 1912 Kerasitsa, Arcadia, Greece |
| Died | 27 May 1963 (aged 51) Thessaloniki, Greece |
| Political party | Independent, elected on the list of the United Democratic Left |
| Spouses | Maro and Roula |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | University of Athens |
| Occupation | Gynecologist |
Grigoris Lambrakis (Greek: Γρηγόρης Λαμπράκης; born April 3, 1912 – died May 27, 1963) was an important Greek politician, doctor, and athlete. He was also a university lecturer. During World War II, he was part of the Greek resistance against the countries that occupied Greece. Later, he became a well-known activist who spoke out against war. Sadly, he was killed by people with extreme political views. This event caused huge protests and a major political crisis in Greece.
Contents
Early Life and Athletic Achievements
Grigoris Lambrakis was born in a small village called Kerasitsa in the Peloponnese region of Greece. After finishing high school, he moved to Athens to study medicine at the University of Athens.
Lambrakis was an amazing athlete throughout his life. He held the Greek record for the long jump for 23 years, from 1936 to 1959. He also won several gold medals in the Balkan Games. These games happened every year and included athletes from Greece, Albania, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey. He even competed in the long jump and triple jump at the 1936 Summer Olympics.
During the Axis occupation of Greece in World War II (1941–1944), Lambrakis was an active member of the Greek Resistance. In 1943, he started the Union of Greek Athletes. He organized sports competitions and used the money raised from these events to create public food banks. These food banks helped feed people who were starving during the war.
Post-War Activism and Political Career
After World War II, Lambrakis finished his medical studies. He became a lecturer in the Department of gynaecology, which focuses on women's health. He continued to help people in need by running a small private clinic. This clinic offered free medical care to patients who could not afford it.
Lambrakis was not a Communist, but his political ideas were generally left-leaning. He was very involved in the pacifist movement of his time. This movement strongly opposed wars, including the First Indochina War and the Vietnam War. Lambrakis was a politician with the United Democratic Left (EDA) party. This was the only legal left-wing political party in Greece after the Greek Civil War (1946–1949) and until a military government took over later. He was elected to the Hellenic Parliament in 1961, representing Piraeus.
In 1961, Lambrakis helped create the Commission for International Détente and Peace (EDYE) in Greece. As the Vice President of EDYE, he attended international peace meetings and protests. He did this even though he often received threats. EDYE was an organization connected to EDA, and Lambrakis became its most important leader. On April 21, 1963, the peace movement in Greece organized the First Pacifist Rally. It was planned to go from Marathon to Athens. However, the police stopped the rally and arrested many people. Lambrakis, protected by his status as a Member of Parliament, marched alone. He reached the end of the rally holding a banner with the peace symbol. He had used this same banner at a protest in the United Kingdom near a nuclear weapons research site. Soon after, he was also arrested by the police.
Assassination and Its Impact
On May 22, 1963, Grigoris Lambrakis gave a speech at an anti-war meeting in Thessaloniki. Shortly after his speech, two men with extreme right-wing views attacked him. They hit him on the head with a club from their three-wheeled vehicle. Many people saw this happen, and some police officers were also reportedly present. Lambrakis suffered serious brain injuries and died five days later, on May 27. The two attackers were arrested because a bystander, Manolis Hatziapostolou, bravely jumped onto their vehicle and fought with them.
The day after his death, Lambrakis's funeral in Athens became a huge protest. More than 500,000 people gathered to show their anger against the government and the Royal Court. Many believed these groups supported the actions of extreme right-wing individuals. Lambrakis's assassination caused a massive public reaction. Soon after, an investigator named Christos Sartzetakis and other legal officials began to uncover connections between the police, the army, and these extreme groups.
Later, during the military dictatorship that ruled Greece from 1967 to 1974, the judges involved in the case lost their jobs. Christos Sartzetakis was even put in prison for a year. The two men who murdered Lambrakis were released, and those involved in the conspiracy were given special treatment. Sartzetakis, despite his own political views, became a symbol of honesty for how he handled the investigation.
The events following Lambrakis's assassination led to quick political changes. Prime Minister Konstantinos Karamanlis resigned and left for Paris in July 1963. Soon after, thousands of young Greeks formed a new political group called the Lambrakis Democratic Youth. Mikis Theodorakis, a friend and fellow activist of Lambrakis, became its first president. This left-leaning youth organization played a very important role in Greece's progressive movements during the 1960s. In 1966, a similar group was formed in Australia by young Greek workers and students.
Lambrakis's Lasting Legacy
The life and death of Grigoris Lambrakis inspired the author Vassilis Vassilikos to write a political novel called "Z". The title "Z" comes from the first letter of the Greek word "Zi," which means "He Lives!" This word became popular graffiti on walls in Greek cities in the 1960s. It showed the growing protest against the conditions that led to Lambrakis's murder. In 1969, the Greek-French film director Costa-Gavras made a successful movie also called Z. Yves Montand played Lambrakis, Jean-Louis Trintignant played investigator Sartzetakis, and Irene Papas played Lambrakis's widow.
In 1962, Mikis Theodorakis created a music piece called To Yelasto Pedi (The Smiling Kid). This song was considered a tribute to Lambrakis and was also used in the film Z.
Grigoris Lambrakis remains a national symbol of democracy in the hearts of the Greek people. He represents the fight against unfair political control, corruption, and outside influence. After the military dictatorship ended in 1974, many places were named in his honor. These include a football stadium in Kallithea and numerous streets and squares across Greece.
The Marathon Peace Rally, which Lambrakis famously marched in, became an annual event held in his memory. Also, the Athens Classic Marathon is run every November to honor Grigoris Lambrakis.
See also
- Internal exile in Greece
- United Democratic Left
- History of Modern Greece
- Christos Sartzetakis
- List of peace activists
- Z (1969 film)
