Church of Greece under Axis Occupation A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF ...

434 Pages·2009·1.38 MB·English

by  Panteleymon Anastasakis

Church of Greece under Axis Occupation

A DISSERTATION
SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL
OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
BY

Panteleymon E Anastasakis

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS
FOR THE DEGREE OF
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

Adviser: Theofanis G. Stavrou

August 2009
© Panteleymon E Anastasakis, August 2009
Acknowledgements

Completion of this dissertation would not have been possible without the constant
support of teachers, family, and friends, and I am pleased to have the opportunity to thank
them all. Among the several teachers who have contributed substantially to my
“paedeia,” I would like first to thank members of my dissertation committee. My adviser
Professor Theofanis G. Stavrou played a central role in this learning process from the
moment I expressed interest in working with him at the University of Minnesota until I
defended my dissertation. Among other things, it was he who suggested the dissertation
topic of the role of the Church of Greece during the Axis occupation of the country.
Throughout my years at Minnesota, he provided valuable advice and encouragement, and
continued to have faith in me even when I wavered. Professor John Kim Munholland
maintained a deep interest in my work at all times. He encouraged me to view the Greek
experience in the broader European context of the Second World War, occupation, and
resistance. From our first seminar until my dissertation defense, his insightful comments
played a crucial role in shaping me as a scholar. Similarly, Professor Sarah Chambers, a
Latin America expert, contributed her own useful comparative insights to the project. I
especially appreciated her suggestion to explore in greater detail society’s expectations
from institutions like the church as opposed to expectations from state institutions.
Professors Gary Jahn and Ronald Walter advised me wisely on matters of mechanics and
writing style. Two other individuals at Minnesota that I would like to thank are Professor
Eric Weitz and Soterios Stavrou. Through his course on Weimar Germany and many
discussions, Professor Weitz offered many suggestions to improve conceptualization of
the dissertation. Soterios Stavrou’s contribution to my knowledge of the modern Greek
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language and literature has been of inestimable value. His method of teaching and his
patience helped me appreciate the fascinating nuances of language beyond my fondest
dreams. He and I spent many hours in his crowded office discussing questions about
translation of the sources which formed the backbone of the dissertation.
As an undergraduate and graduate student at Florida State University, I had the
pleasure of taking courses from several remarkable individuals who contributed
substantially to my intellectual development. This group of individuals includes
professors Mark O’Neill, Edward Wynot, Robin Sellers, and Jonathan Grant. Courses I
took from Professor O’Neill during my first year at Florida State compelled me to choose
history as a profession. Professor Sellers always demonstrated a genuine interest in my
studies, as well as my professional and personal life. Professor Wynot’s infectious
passion for Eastern European history left its indelible mark on me. He always
encouraged his students to consider history as a life-long profession. So, when I decided
to focus on modern Greek history, it was he who suggested that I contact Professor
Stavrou at the University of Minnesota. Professor Jonathan Grant, a dear friend and
mentor, epitomizes the finest of qualities expected from a university professor. Even
after I began the program at Minnesota, he maintained his interest in my development as
a person and scholar. Frequently, he called me to inquire about my progress and to offer
encouragement.
While researching the dissertation, I was fortunate to enjoy the friendship and
assistance of a number of individuals in Greece. First and foremost, I want to thank
Professor Efthymios Soulogiannis, who proved to be my right-hand person, and indeed
acted as an unofficial adviser. Specifically, he helped me gain access to archives and
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took time to meet and discuss my project with me on numerous occasions over lunch. In
short, he helped me adjust to the pace of Athenian life. I also want to express my
appreciation to the staff at the Academy of Athens, the Archive of the Holy Synod, the
Archive of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Hellenic Literary and Historical Archive,
the Library of the Parliament, the National Library of Greece, the Gennadius Library, and
the Library of the Holy Synod for their splendid cooperation.
Throughout my career at Minnesota, I was fortunate enough to receive a number
of teaching and research appointments. Professor Andrew Odlyzko, the director of the
Digital Technology Center at the Walter Library, kindly selected me to work with him as
a research assistant on several occasions from 2006 to 2008. In addition to the financial
support, Professor Odlyzko’s enthusiasm for his work was most inspiring. The
Department of History provided me with numerous teaching opportunities as a teaching
assistant and instructor. The European Studies Consortium made it possible for me to
continue my study of modern Greek in Thessaloniki with the help of two Summer FLAS
fellowships. The Graduate School International Thesis Research Grant allowed me to
conduct my research in Greece in the fall of 2004. I am especially grateful that twice I
was the recipient of the Basil Laourdas Fellowship, earmarked for graduate students in
European history with an emphasis on modern Greece. The Laourdas Fellowship
allowed me to complete my research in Greece in the spring of 2005 and to write a
substantial part of the dissertation in the fall of 2007.
Finally, I want to thank my friends and family for all of their support over the
years. At the University of Minnesota, I enjoyed the intellectual stimulation and social
interaction of an unusual group of fellow graduate students, among them Angelo
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Georgakis, Erich Lippman, Denis Vovchenko, Thomas Farmer, Christopher Rene,
Çiğdem Çıdam, and Yu Jiang. Two childhood friends, Daniel Ortiz and Ed Sheehy,
continue to provide meaningful support. My wonderful fiancé Ayten Gundogdu has
offered her love and support since becoming part of my life six years ago. She has also
helped me sharpen my understanding of several problems and ideas discussed in the
dissertation. During my numerous trips to Greece, family and friends opened their home
and offered warm hospitality. Uncle Vassili and Aunt Sofia encouraged me to stay with
them in Crete whenever I had a chance. In fact, their house became a second home to
me. Aunt Maria, Uncle Nikos, and Cousin Aris provided a wonderful family atmosphere
during my Sunday visits with them. Special thanks go to two dear friends of my parents,
George Daskal and his wife Romani, for inviting me to stay with them and for their
hospitality in general. Finally, I want to thank my amazing parents Helen and George
Anastasakis and my brother Nick for their endless love and support. This dissertation is a
token of my appreciation for all their sacrifices and abiding faith in me.

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Dedication

This dissertation is dedicated to my parents Helen and George Anastasakis.

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Abstract

This dissertation examines the response of the Church of Greece to enemy occupation
during the Second World War. Historically, in periods of crisis, especially during
Ottoman rule (1453–1821) and the Greek War of Independence (1821–1830), the Greek
people looked to the church to help them preserve faith and culture. In some cases,
church policy played an important role in the very physical survival of the Greek nation.
In the period under consideration, the leadership of Archbishop Damaskinos helped the
Greek church rise to the occasion once more. Education, training, ability, perseverance,
and political acumen made Damaskinos the ideal prelate to lead the nation. In essence he
became an ethnarch, a phenomenon with which Greek society was thoroughly familiar.
Drawing upon contemporary official sources from the Greek Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, the British Foreign Office, the US State Department, and the Archive of the
Greek Holy Synod, as well as pertinent published primary and secondary literature, the
dissertation explores attempts by the church leadership to maintain a precarious balance
between capitalizing on opportunistic moments to gain concessions from the enemy
occupiers and opposing the latter’s policies deemed detrimental to the wellbeing of state
and society. For example, Damaskinos and his colleagues used skillful diplomacy with
the Axis and Greek political power groups ranging from the extreme left to the extreme
right to wrench important concessions for the benefit of the beleaguered population
ravaged by a nationwide famine. Church leadership also utilized more imaginative forms
of passive or active resistance against Axis policies on vital issues such as the Holocaust
and ethnic policies in the Bulgarian-occupied territories of the country. Despite
significant differences between the Greek case and those of other territories in Axis-
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occupied Europe, the response of Damaskinos and his colleagues is instructive in helping
us understand how and why traditional institutions such as the church provide
indispensible service, guidance, and protection in moments of social upheaval and
distress.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgements i-iv
Introduction 1-15
Chapter I: Historical Background: Church-State Relations from
the Ottoman Period to the Eve of World War II (1453–1939) 16-64

Chapter II: The Making of an Ethnarch:
A Biographical Sketch of Archbishop Damaskinos (1891–1949) 65-104

Chapter III: The Ecclesiastical Phoenix: Damaskinos and
the Archiepiscopal Controversy (5 November 1938–10 August 1949) 105-33

Chapter IV: A Prelude of Events to Come: The Expansion of
the Role of the Hierarchy in the Final Days of Freedom (April–May 1941) 134-165

Chapter V: Unattainably High:
Expectations of the Church of Greece during the Axis Occupation 166-210

Chapter VI: The Fruits of Their Labor:
Shielding the Population from Axis Excesses 211-242

Chapter VII: Combating Famine and Destitution (1941–1944) 243-279

Chapter VIII: The Path of Passive Resistance and Protest: The Response of
the Church of Greece to Bulgarian Occupation Policies and the Holocaust 280-330

Chapter IX: In the Spirit of Papaflessas: The Relationship between
EAM and the Clergy during the Axis Occupation 331-380

Epilogue 381-406

Bibliography 407-424

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