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Alexandros Panagoulis (Greek Αλέξανδρος Παναγούλης) (2 July 1939 – 1 May 1976), a contemporary Greek politician and poet. He took active role in the fight against the dictatorship of Colonels (1967 – 1974) in Greece. Worldwide famous, especially for his action, the attempt of assassination of dictator G. Papadopoulos in 13 August 1968, but also for his resistance to the horrible tortures that he was subject to during his detention. As from the restoration of democracy he was elected deputy with the Union of Centre (E. K.). Biography Alexandros Panagoulis was born in Glyfada (Athens). Second son of Athena and Vassilios Panagoulis, officer of the Greek army. Brother of Georgios Panagoulis, victim of Colonels’ regime, and Efstathios, later politician. He studied in the National Technical University of Athens (Metsovion Polytechnic) in the Faculty of Mechanicians-Electricians. Politics Man of democratic spirit, Alexandros Panagoulis as a teenager became member of the democratic forces, the Union of Center (E. K.) under the leadership of Georgios Papandreou. More concretely he adhered to the local juvenile organisation of the Party – the Greek Democratic Youth (E.DI.N.), which later became Greek Socialist Democratic Youth (E.S.DI.N.) – in Glyfada. After the return to Democracy he became the President of this same organisation (E.DI.N) in 3 September 1974. Resistance to the Dictatorship
Alexandros Panagoulis during the trial, November 1968 Alexandros Panagoulis participated actively in the fight for the return to democracy and against the military Coup of G. Papadopoulos (1967-1974). He deserted his post in the military service because of his democratic convictions and founded the organisation Hellenic Resistance. He auto-exiled in Cyprus in order to drive up an action plan. He returned to Greece where, with the help of his collaborators, he organised the attempt of assassination against Dictator Papadopoulos in 13 August 1968 close to Varkiza. He failed and was arrested. He was judged by the Military Court in 3 November 1968, condemned to death on the 17th of November 1968 and consequently transported to the island Aegina for the execution. As a result of the intervention of the international community and his close friends the Dictators never dared to execute the sentence and Panagoulis transported from Aegina in the Military Prisons of Bogiati (S. F. B.) on the 25th of November 1968. Alexandros Panagoulis refused collaborating with the dictator and was subject to extraordinary physical and mental tortures. He escaped from the Military Prisons of Bogiati (S.F.B.) where was kept, in 5 June 1969. He was arrested after a while and led provisionally in the camp of Goudi only to be transported once more to the prisons of Bogiati, where he was put to isolation. He tried to escape several times unsuccessfully. He refused being released with the general amnesty that the colonels’ regime as a result of international pressures had offered to the political detainees. Finally he released a couple of months later, the summer of 1973. He was once again auto-exiled, this time in Florence, Italy, in order to give new force to the resistance. Restoration of Democracy
Alekos – President of E.DI.N.After the restoration of Democracy Alexandros Panagoulis was elected as a Member of Parliament from the ticket of the Union of Centre – New Forces (E.K. – N.D.), in 1974. He sought the isolation of politicians that collaborated with the dictators and launched a series of accusations. A bit later he strongly disagreed with the leadership of his party. Disappointed but decided, he resigned from the party. Nevertheless, he remained in the Greek Parliament as an independent deputy. He insisted in the charges and came to open contradiction with the Minister of National Defence, Evangelos Averof and others. He received in his turn pressure and counter-attacks from the establishment. He was killed on the 1st of May 1976 at the age of 38 after a mysterious car accident in Vouliagmenis Av. (Athens), only few days before the revelation of files with regard to Colonels’ Security Forces (File E.S.A.). Hero of Democracy that contributed in the international isolation of Colonels’ regime, Alexandros Panagoulis was finally put aside from the politics thanks to the murderous accident, depriving thus Greece from the truths that knew and that likely could lead the country to different choices and path towards recovery. Poetic work Alexandros Panagoulis was tortured on a daily basis, with the toughest, crafty and shocking tortures all along his detention. His self-possession, discipline, determination to defend his beliefs and the humour that he disposed functioned as a shield which permitted to resist the physical and mental rape. In the prison of Bogiati he wrote his best poems on the wall of his cell or on microscopic papers often using his own blood as ink. Many of his poems have not been saved. However, he managed either to pass some of them to friends through several tricks wile in prison, or to rewrite them later thanks to his powerful memory. After his liberation he published some of them in Milan in a collection under the title Vi scrivo da un carcere in Grecia (I write you from a prison in Greece) with an introductive note of the famous Italian artist Pier Paolo Pasolini. It was of course preceded by other publications of him in Greek such as the collection titled The Paint (I Bogia).
Alekos Panagoulis receives honours in Palazzo Medici, Florence, Italy Poems Promise (Military Prisons of Bogiati, February 1972) Vi scrivo da un carcere in Grecia, 1974 My Address A piece of match for pen (Military Prisons of Bogiati, 5 June 1971 – After biting) Vi scrivo da un carcere in Grecia, 1974. Symbol The life and the work of Alexandros Panagoulis attracted the interest of artists. Concretely, the famous music composer Mikis Theodorakis, also pursued by the Junta of Colonels due to his political beliefs, made music some of his poems. Moreover, the poetry and the life of A. Panagoulis became object of study for a lot of researchers. However, the one who contributed and honoured with the best way the person and politician A. Panagoulis, was the Italian journalist and his companion Oriana Fallaci with her work Un Uomo (A Man). Alexandros Panagoulis, the almost « Tyrannicide », with his courage and work marked mainly the political and intellectual life of contemporary Greece. As symbol of Freedom and Democracy he inspires the new generations in Greece and also worldwide and finds his place next to important people who fought for human rights and civil and political freedoms. The Greek State, after the incentive of his companions, friends and admirers, for the recognition of Alexandros Panagoulis’ services published in his honour stamp (Persons - 20 Drh. in 1996), prepaid telephone card (100 units in 1996) and gave his name in public places or stations as the Underground Station «Alexandros PANAGOYLIS» in Agios Dimitrios in Athens (2004). Film Panagulis Vive (Panagoulis Lives) (1980/1), Script: Giuseppe Ferrara , Piergiovanni Anchisi, Riccardo Iacona , Gianfrancesco Ramacci , with the collaboration of Thanasis Valtinos, Producer: Giouseppe Ferrara • Photography: Silvio Fraschetti , Music: Dimitris Nikolaou • 35 mm publication of cinema and 16 mm publication of television • Duration: 110', Part A (from D – Uncompleted), RAI, 1980. Bibliography
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