Post by Kanaris on Nov 5, 2009 17:46:02 GMT -5
I tried to find a neutral source for this man...it seems our buddies the Albanians are the only ones to know the 'real' story of what happened to the Chams.... I have read the the orders came from British generals who were stationed in Egypt. So all this time... maybe Britain can give the Chams a few pounds...
Napoleon Zervas
Born 17 May 1891
Died 1 Jan 1957
Nationality Greece
Category Government
Contributor: C. Peter Chen
Napoleon Zervas was born in Arta, Epirus, Greece. He was the leader of the Greek resistance organization National Republican Greek League (EDES), which he joined in Sep 1941. He was credited with bringing Greek royalists into the EDES movement, largely by presenting the group's anti-communist stance. He was also credited with the establishment of the military arm of the EDES, National Groups of Greek Guerrillas (EOEA), on 28 Jul 1942.
Although EDES operated mainly in Epirus, one of his famous operations took place at the Gorgopotamos rail bridge. At this time, roads in Greece were so bad that tank tracks were being worn out in less than 50 to 100 kilometers, hence rail transportation was of utmost importance when transporting tanks from Europe to North Africa. When EDES fighters, aided by British Special Operation Executive, destroyed the bridge that linked northern and southern Greece, it seriously hampered the German supply route.
After the war, Zervas served as the Minister of Public Order and the Minister of Works under the governments of Dimitrios Maximos and Sophoklis Venizelos, respectively. He resigned from government service in 1947 when details of his contacts with German occupation officials and ethnic cleansing operations against Cham Albanians surfaced.
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References
1. ^ M. Mazower (ed.), After The War Was Over: Reconstructing the Family, Nation and State in Greece, 1943-1960, p. 25
2. ^ Russell King, Nicola Mai, Stephanie Schwandner-Sievers,The New Albanian Migration, p.67, and 87
Napoleon Zervas
Born 17 May 1891
Died 1 Jan 1957
Nationality Greece
Category Government
Contributor: C. Peter Chen
Napoleon Zervas was born in Arta, Epirus, Greece. He was the leader of the Greek resistance organization National Republican Greek League (EDES), which he joined in Sep 1941. He was credited with bringing Greek royalists into the EDES movement, largely by presenting the group's anti-communist stance. He was also credited with the establishment of the military arm of the EDES, National Groups of Greek Guerrillas (EOEA), on 28 Jul 1942.
Although EDES operated mainly in Epirus, one of his famous operations took place at the Gorgopotamos rail bridge. At this time, roads in Greece were so bad that tank tracks were being worn out in less than 50 to 100 kilometers, hence rail transportation was of utmost importance when transporting tanks from Europe to North Africa. When EDES fighters, aided by British Special Operation Executive, destroyed the bridge that linked northern and southern Greece, it seriously hampered the German supply route.
After the war, Zervas served as the Minister of Public Order and the Minister of Works under the governments of Dimitrios Maximos and Sophoklis Venizelos, respectively. He resigned from government service in 1947 when details of his contacts with German occupation officials and ethnic cleansing operations against Cham Albanians surfaced.
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Napoleon Zervas ( Arta, May 17, 1891 - 1957) was a Greek general and resistance leader during World War II. He organized and led the National Republican Greek League (EDES), a resistance organization against the Nazi occupation of Greece.
Originally a Venizelist, Zervas incorporated royalists into his movement who saw EDES as the only acceptable alternative to EAM, the Communist-dominated resistance movement. His activities were largely confined to Epirus, though he took part in the sabotage of Gorgopotamos bridge, which seriously hampered the German supply route to Rommel's Afrika Korps. He was also accused of violence against Cham Albanians as retaliation for the collaboration of the Muslim Albanian-speaking minority with the Occupation authorities.[1][2] These EDES operations against the Chams had actively collaborated with Nazi occupation forces were ordered by the Allied headquarters in Alexandria, Egypt, and several British officers served in the EDES staff as liaisons coordinating the operations, the exact extent of which remains undocumented.
After Liberation, Zervas participated in Dimitrios Maximos' cabinet as Minister of Public Order and in Sophoklis Venizelos' cabinet as Minister of Public Works.
Originally a Venizelist, Zervas incorporated royalists into his movement who saw EDES as the only acceptable alternative to EAM, the Communist-dominated resistance movement. His activities were largely confined to Epirus, though he took part in the sabotage of Gorgopotamos bridge, which seriously hampered the German supply route to Rommel's Afrika Korps. He was also accused of violence against Cham Albanians as retaliation for the collaboration of the Muslim Albanian-speaking minority with the Occupation authorities.[1][2] These EDES operations against the Chams had actively collaborated with Nazi occupation forces were ordered by the Allied headquarters in Alexandria, Egypt, and several British officers served in the EDES staff as liaisons coordinating the operations, the exact extent of which remains undocumented.
After Liberation, Zervas participated in Dimitrios Maximos' cabinet as Minister of Public Order and in Sophoklis Venizelos' cabinet as Minister of Public Works.
References
1. ^ M. Mazower (ed.), After The War Was Over: Reconstructing the Family, Nation and State in Greece, 1943-1960, p. 25
2. ^ Russell King, Nicola Mai, Stephanie Schwandner-Sievers,The New Albanian Migration, p.67, and 87