The Organization ''X'' ( el, Οργάνωσις Χ; commonly referred to simply as ''X'' ("
Chi
Chi or CHI may refer to:
Greek
*Chi (letter), the Greek letter (uppercase Χ, lowercase χ);
Chinese
*Chi (length), ''Chi'' (length) (尺), a traditional unit of length, about ⅓ meter
*Chi (mythology) (螭), a dragon
*Chi (surname) (池, pin ...
" in Greek), and members as Chites (Χίτες)) was a
paramilitary
A paramilitary is an organization whose structure, tactics, training, subculture, and (often) function are similar to those of a professional military, but is not part of a country's official or legitimate armed forces. Paramilitary units carr ...
right-wing
Right-wing politics describes the range of political ideologies that view certain social orders and hierarchies as inevitable, natural, normal, or desirable, typically supporting this position on the basis of natural law, economics, authorit ...
anti-communist
Anti-communism is Political movement, political and Ideology, ideological opposition to communism. Organized anti-communism developed after the 1917 October Revolution in the Russian Empire, and it reached global dimensions during the Cold War, w ...
royalist
A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of governme ...
organization set up in 1941 during the
Axis occupation of Greece.
Initially an anti-Axis resistance organization, it gradually shifted its focus towards anti-communism. In 1951, ''X'' was officially recognized as a ''National Organization of Internal Resistance'' by the
Greek Ministry of National Defense.
Following the end of the Axis occupation, it played an active role in the persecution of communists during the
White Terror
White Terror is the name of several episodes of mass violence in history, carried out against anarchists, communists, socialists, liberals, revolutionaries, or other opponents by conservative or nationalist groups. It is sometimes contrasted wit ...
and various military operations of the
Greek Civil War
The Greek Civil War ( el, ο Eμφύλιος όλεμος ''o Emfýlios'' 'Pólemos'' "the Civil War") took place from 1946 to 1949. It was mainly fought against the established Kingdom of Greece, which was supported by the United Kingdom ...
, most notably the
Dekemvriana
The ''Dekemvriana'' ( el, Δεκεμβριανά, "December events") refers to a series of clashes fought during World War II in Athens from 3 December 1944 to 11 January 1945. The conflict was the culmination of months of tension between the c ...
.
Foundation and activities during the Occupation
![Georgios Grivas 1967](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/87/Georgios_Grivas_1967.jpg)
Organization ''X'' was founded in 1941 by General Georgios Lavdas with Colonel
Georgios Grivas
Georgios Grivas ( el, Γεώργιος Γρίβας; 6 June 1897 – 27 January 1974), also known by his nickname Digenis ( el, Διγενής), was a Cypriot general in the Hellenic Army and the leader of the Organization X (1942-1949), EOKA ...
acting as his chief of staff. Lavdas soon came into conflict with other members of the group because of his radical monarchist ideology, leading him to depart ''X'' with a small group of officers and create another resistance organization known by the acronym E.E. The remaining members of ''X'' recognized Grivas as their new commander. ''Xs efforts revolved around gathering intelligence for the Allied cause, minor anti-German actions and transport of volunteers to the Middle East. However, with the
EAM's meteoric rise to prominence within the Greek resistance movement, X shifted its attention towards combating EAM and other affiliated communist groups.
Following the Italian
surrender
Surrender may refer to:
* Surrender (law), the early relinquishment of a tenancy
* Surrender (military), the relinquishment of territory, combatants, facilities, or armaments to another power
Film and television
* ''Surrender'' (1927 film), an ...
to the Allies in September 1943, ''X'' began purchasing weapons from the Axis authorities, transforming into a militant anti-communist organization. In November 1943, Organization X, Rumelia-Avlona-Nisoi (RAN), National Committee, National Action and other minor right-wing resistance organizations formed the Panhellenic Liberation Coalition (PAS); with the intention of preventing a communist takeover of the country within the first 20 days following the end of Axis occupation.
In August 1944, members of collaborationist organizations such as the
EEE EEE may refer to:
Business
* ''Electronic Equipment Engineering'', a defunct American trade magazine
* Embrace, extend and extinguish, an anti-competitive Microsoft business strategy
* Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company (trades as EEE)
* Union of ...
and
Security Battalions
The Security Battalions ( el, Τάγματα Ασφαλείας, Tagmata Asfaleias, derisively known as ''Germanotsoliades'' (Γερμανοτσολιάδες) or ''Tagmatasfalites'' (Ταγματασφαλίτες)) were Greek collaborationist ...
began enlisting into ''X'' and
EDES
The National Republican Greek League ( el, Εθνικός Δημοκρατικός Ελληνικός Σύνδεσμος (ΕΔΕΣ), ''Ethnikós Dimokratikós Ellinikós Sýndesmos'' (EDES)) was one of the major resistance groups formed during t ...
en-masse in order to avoid persecution as liberation seemed imminent. Grivas concentrated his efforts in the wealthy districts of Athens and expanded ''X'' to between 2,000 and 3,000 men in 1944. He recruited his men and arms from officers who were retained on the active list by the quisling government. Before the German departure fortified a base near the ancient temple of
Thiseion
Thiseio or Thissio ( el, Θησείο, ) is a traditional neighbourhood in the old city of Athens, Greece, northwest of the Acropolis, and surrounded by the archaeological sites of the Agora, Keramikos and Pnyx. The name refers to the T ...
. Towards the end of the Occupation, ''X'' received British arms and uniforms from
Middle East Command representative in Athens
Panagiotis Spiliotopoulos. ''X'' then enacted armed patrols from the eastern coast of
Attica
Attica ( el, Αττική, Ancient Greek ''Attikḗ'' or , or ), or the Attic Peninsula, is a historical region that encompasses the city of Athens, the capital of Greece and its countryside. It is a peninsula projecting into the Aegean Se ...
to the Athens city center.
The ''Dekemvriana''
In the weeks between the departure of the Germans and the events of December 1944 (the ''Dekemvriana''), ''X'' played an active part in the campaign of provocation of Athenians orchestrated by the British, according to ELAS' members. This commenced in Athens on 12 October, the day that Athens was celebrating liberation, when a mixed gang of
EDES
The National Republican Greek League ( el, Εθνικός Δημοκρατικός Ελληνικός Σύνδεσμος (ΕΔΕΣ), ''Ethnikós Dimokratikós Ellinikós Sýndesmos'' (EDES)) was one of the major resistance groups formed during t ...
and Chites killed the ELAS member Theodoros Tsilikas. In late October the ''X'' of Thiseio, reinforced by Security Battalionists, made an incursion into Petralona and killed 20 locals, including a number of Petralona gypsies.
On 3 December 1944 a 250,000-strong (but unarmed) demonstration was shot at by Greek police under the police chief
Angelos Evert
Angelos Evert ( el, Άγγελος Έβερτ; german: Ewert; 10 April 1894 – 30 December 1970) was a Greek police officer, most notable for serving as head of the Athens branch of the Cities Police during the Axis Occupation of Greece during ...
, with between 22 and 28 people killed and hundreds wounded. In the early morning hours of 4 December, ELAS reservists began operations in the Athens–Piraeus area, attacking Grivas' X forces. In the evening, a peaceful demonstration by EAM members funeral procession took place. This time government forces took no action but the procession was attacked by Chites led by Colonel Grivas, with over 100 dead. This followed the
Dekemvriana
The ''Dekemvriana'' ( el, Δεκεμβριανά, "December events") refers to a series of clashes fought during World War II in Athens from 3 December 1944 to 11 January 1945. The conflict was the culmination of months of tension between the c ...
, in which ''X'' supported the British and Greek government forces.
''X'' during the White Terror
In accordance with the
Treaty of Varkiza
The Treaty of Varkiza ( el, Συμφωνία της Βάρκιζας, also known as the Varkiza Pact or the Varkiza Peace Agreement) was signed in Varkiza (near Athens) on February 12, 1945 between the Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Sec ...
of February 1945, ELAS disarmed, leaving its supporters vulnerable to attacks from right-wing forces, during a period known as the
White Terror
White Terror is the name of several episodes of mass violence in history, carried out against anarchists, communists, socialists, liberals, revolutionaries, or other opponents by conservative or nationalist groups. It is sometimes contrasted wit ...
. The White Terror was conducted by an informal alliance of army officers, National Guards, gendarmes, policemen, armed gangs, political organizations and people from families who had victims during the occupation and Dekemvriana seeking revenge. The majority were determined to prepare the way for a rigged plebiscite and the return of the king. Anyone deemed to be left-wing, or who had supported the communist-led resistance (EAM or ELAS) in any way was subjected to random beatings, repeated arrests, torture, murder or rape. Many people left their villages for safety either in the big towns or in the mountains. Civil war had now appeared to be inevitable.
''X'' played an active role in the White Terror, and even in the weeks before Varkiza, British officials were complaining of police using elements of ''X'' and EDES to make political arrests under warrants issued by a police magistrate who was a member of ''X''. British authorities estimated ''Xs ranks to have swelled to over 200,000 men at the time. One of the significant events involving ''X'' occurred in January 1946 when 1000 Chites under the bandit Constantine Manganas took over the town of
Kalamata
Kalamáta ( el, Καλαμάτα ) is the second most populous city of the Peloponnese peninsula, after Patras, in southern Greece and the largest city of the homonymous administrative region. As the capital and chief port of the Messenia reg ...
in the
Peloponnese
The Peloponnese (), Peloponnesus (; el, Πελοπόννησος, Pelopónnēsos,(), or Morea is a peninsula and geographic regions of Greece, geographic region in southern Greece. It is connected to the central part of the country by the Isthmu ...
. They released 32 right-wing prisoners and terrorized the town during the night killing, raping, and cannibalizing 600 people. In 1948 Manganas resumed a career of butchery in the Olympia region and in Macedonia, founding The Ghouls Of Macedonia.
During 1945 attempts were made to coordinate persecution of the Left. Much of the liaison was conducted by ''X'', which from May 1945 sent agents into the provinces to recruit members, and accepted affiliation from numerous other organizations. The local right-wing organizations rigged the electoral process and compiled lists of people to be arrested in the event of a coup.
As the general election approached early in 1946 the role of ''X'' diminished.
Themistoklis Sophoulis
Themistoklis Sofoulis or Sophoulis (; 24 November 1860 – 24 June 1949) was a prominent centrist and liberal Greek politician from Samos Island, who served three times as Prime Minister of Greece, with the Liberal Party, which he led for many y ...
’s government closed ''X''’s national offices in January, and its successor did not allow them to reopen. Members of the organization formed the "Party of X" and took part in the elections of 1946, without electing any MP. By 1946 ''X'' was regarded as an embarrassment as it discredited the Greek government in international eyes.
In 1951, ''X'' was officially recognized as a ''National Organization of Internal Resistance'' by the
Greek Ministry of National Defense.
(The biggest resistance organization EAM-ELAS was not recognized until 1982.
[Βαγγέλης Τζούκας, Η αναγνώριση της Εθνικής Αντίστασης", στο Β.Βαμβακάς-Π. Παναγιωτόπουλος (επιμ.), Η Ελλάδα στη δεκαετία του 80: κοινωνικό, πολιτικό και πολιτισμικό λεξικό, Αθήνα, Το πέρασμα, 2010])
References
{{Greece during World War II
Athens in World War II
Anti-communism in Greece
Right-wing politics
1941 establishments in Greece
Organizations disestablished in 1949
Monarchism in Greece
Greek Resistance