Nikolaos Makarezos facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nikolaos Makarezos
Νικόλαος Μακαρέζος |
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| Deputy Prime Minister of Greece | |
| In office 26 August 1971 – 8 October 1973 Serving with Stylianos Pattakos
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| Prime Minister | Georgios Papadopoulos |
| Preceded by | Grigorios Spandidakis |
| Succeeded by | Charilaos Mitrelias |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1919 Gravia, Phocis, Kingdom of Greece |
| Died | 3 August 2009 Athens |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Greece |
| Branch/service | Hellenic Army |
| Years of service | 1940–1974 |
| Rank |  Colonel |
| Wars | World War II Greek Civil War |
Nikolaos Makarezos (Greek: Νικόλαος Μακαρέζος; 1919 – 3 August 2009) was an officer in the Greek Army. He was one of the main people involved in the military government that ruled Greece from 1967 to 1974.
Early Life and Military Path
Nikolaos Makarezos was born in 1919 in a village called Gravia in Greece. He went to school in his hometown and then in Lamia. In 1937, he joined the Hellenic Military Academy, which is a school for army officers. He finished his training in 1940 as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Artillery.
He took part in World War II, fighting in the Greco-Italian War and the Battle of Greece. After these wars, he continued his military studies in Greece and also in West Germany. He also studied Economics and Political Science, which helped him understand how countries manage their money and how governments work. From 1962 to 1965, he worked at the Greek embassy in Bonn, Germany, as a military attaché. This means he was a military expert who advised the ambassador.
His Role in the Government
In 1967, Nikolaos Makarezos, along with two other officers, Georgios Papadopoulos and Stylianos Pattakos, took control of the Greek government. This event is known as a coup d'état, which is when a small group suddenly takes power. They set up a military government that lasted for seven years.
Makarezos was a very important person in this new government. He was in charge of the country's economy because he was the only one among the leaders who had studied economics. In the first few years, the Greek economy grew a lot. There were more jobs, and prices didn't go up too quickly. This happened because many foreign companies invested money in Greece, and the government built new roads and buildings, especially for tourism.
However, by 1973, the economy started to slow down, and the government faced more challenges. When the leader, Papadopoulos, tried to make the government more democratic, Makarezos lost his role in the government.
Life After the Government
After the military government ended in July 1974, Makarezos was arrested. He was put on trial for serious charges related to taking over the government. He was found guilty and faced severe consequences, including being put in prison for a long time.
From 1990 onwards, Makarezos was allowed to leave prison temporarily for health reasons, but he had to stay at his home. He said he regretted some of his actions, but he was still proud of the economic improvements he made while in power. Nikolaos Makarezos passed away on August 3, 2009.
