George Papadopoulos

George Papadopoulos (1919-1999), was the strongman of the military coup d'état that took place in Greece on the 21st of April 1967 and leader of the military regime that ruled the country during the period 1967-1974.

A career army officer since 1940, he served at KYP (Kentriki Ypiresia Pliroforion – the former Greek intelligence agency) from 1959 to 1964, and became a colonel in 1967. He was overthrown on the 25th of November 1973 by his former fellows, after the student uprising of the 17th November. After the restoration of Democracy in 1974, Papadopoulos was tried along with his colleagues for treason and insurrection and received the death penalty, which was later converted to a life sentence. Papadopoulos remained in prison, rejecting amnesty, until his death at age 80, suffering from cancer. Papadopoulos is nowadays one of the most bitterly hated persons in Greek history, remaining a symbol of authoritarianism and treason.