Supervisors info:
Λαμπροπούλου Δήμητρα, Λέκτορας Νεότερης Ελληνικής Ιστορίας, Τμήμα Ιστορίας και Αρχαιολογίας, Εθνικό και Καποδιστριακό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών
Καραμανωλάκης Βαγγέλης, Επίκουρος Καθηγητής Νεότερης Ελληνικής Ιστορίας, Τμήμα Ιστορίας και Αρχαιολογίας, Εθνικό και Καποδιστριακό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών
Δορδανάς Στράτος, Επίκουρος Καθηγητής Νεότερης και Σύγχρονης Ευρωπαϊκής και Βαλκανικής Ιστορίας, Τμήμα Βαλκανικών, Σλαβικών και Ανατολικών Σπουδών, Πανεπιστήμιο Μακεδονίας
Summary:
The present dissertation discusses the case of National and Social Students’ Organization [Ethniki kai Koinoniki Organosis Foithton, hereafter EKOF] ∙ the case of a right-wing extremist student’s organization, which acted during the 1960s, leaving its own stamp inside and outside of the academic spaces of Athens and Thessaloniki, due to its violent activism, its beneficial relations with the greek state authorities (Armed Forces, Police, Intelligence Service) and the dominant right party (National Radical Union, ERE).
More specifically, with the help of the existent bibliography the first chapter attempts to present the historical background within EKOF appeared at the very beginning of the year 1960. Thus, in this chapter there is a brief discussion of the ideologies of anticommunism and nation-mindness (ethnikofrosini), the extraordinary legislation that passed during the polarized 1940s second half, while the boundaries of the political Legal and Illegal in post-war Greece were being determined. Furthermore, the same chapter tries to map the activity of the students’ movement and the central political scene developments during the decade of 1950, developments that led to the reestablishment of deep state headquarters of anticommunist struggle, mainly after the results of the 1958 elections.
Additionally, the second chapter sheds light on the procedures that led to the creation of EKOF in Athens (1960) and Thessaloniki (1961) and examines the constitutional principles of the Athenian National and Social Students’ Organization. Moreover, this chapter refers to the student newspapers that supported, mainly with their articles and their reports, the extremist activity of EKOF and reveals the cooperation and support EKOF received from several government agencies until 1963.
Nevertheless, the third and fourth chapter are extensively describing the practices and the violent activism of EKOF. Considering that ‘‘practice produces ideology’’, these chapters focus on the violent activism that characterized the activities of the organization inside and outside of the academic spaces. Furthermore, the chapters examine the public services’ tolerance towards the national and social extremism of EKOF and refer to the propaganda tours that were organized and staffed by its members during the 60s.
In conclusion, the dissertation tries to explore the basic keystones of EKOF ideology, as they are emerging from the leaflets of the organization and the references of the EKOF newspapers.
Besides the existent bibliography, the main sources of the study were EKOF references from 21 newspapers of Athens and Thessaloniki, combined with the Greek Parliamentary Proceedings, the material of three interviews recorded for this research project, and the data about EKOF found at the Contemporary Social History Archives (ASKI), at the Greek Literary and Historical Archive (ELIA), at the Study Company of the History of the Left Youth (EMIAN), and at the Gennadius Library.
Keywords:
EKOF, ERE, deep state, deep state organizations, right-wing extremism, violent activism, anticommunism, nation-mindness (ethnikofrosini), students' movement, University of Athens, University of Thessaloniki
