Cold War Greek Intelligence files declassified: The Communist threat, Iron Curtain parcels and Papagos’ “Guts”

In 1953, successful post–civil warfare Greece, the Central Intelligence Service (KYP) was established. Its first—and longest-serving—director, Alexandros Natsinas from Siatista, had submitted a study proposing its instauration arsenic aboriginal arsenic 1949. The sanction of the work reflected its nonstop connection, arsenic it was fundamentally a translation of the CIA, of which it functioned arsenic a branch. KYP initially operated connected Merlin Street and aboriginal connected Bouboulinas Street. The conditions of the clip reflected the characteristics of the Cold War, with aggravated polarization and beardown anti-communism. This nonstop clime is captured successful the 123 documents from the aboriginal years of KYP, which were declassified and released today. They span astir 2,000 pages and screen the agency’s archetypal years of cognition from 1953 to 1959.

Alexandros Natsinas, archetypal caput of KYP

As noted, the worldly includes quality bulletins, assessments, and analyses concerning, among different things, countries of the Soviet bloc, the activities of Greeks abroad, and the interior concern successful narration to communist activity. Their themes, evaluations, and phrasing are powerfully influenced by the perceptions and priorities of that era.

Alexandros Papagos

The archetypal study made nationalist was drafted successful July 1953 and concerns EDA. Papagos was premier curate astatine the time; EDA, which had secured 10.57% successful the 1951 elections and elected 10 MPs, failed to elite immoderate successful the 1952 elections nether the bulk system.

“Papagos has nary guts”

The writer of the study expresses interest astir the dispersed of communism done EDA, proposes “solutions to bounds it,” and writes (spelling preserved from the archetypal document):
EDA constitutes the ineligible governmental enactment created wrong the state by the KKE enactment that had fled down the Iron Curtain, successful bid to regenerate successful the governmental beingness of the state the Communist Party, which had been outlawed. EDA’s governmental enactment is directed and guided successful its political, organizational, and propaganda enactment by the amerciable KKE apparatus operating present (…) The escaped enactment of EDA people influences the morale of a information of the nationalist-minded public, which, according to disposable information, has begun to explicit interest implicit the government’s “tolerance” toward EDA, without, however, believing the communist claims that “Papagos does not onslaught EDA due to the fact that helium has nary guts.”

EDA’s effect successful the 1952 elections

Elsewhere, the aforesaid papers outlines “solutions of limitation” for communism, with the writer arguing successful favour of dissolving EDA and not restoring the KKE to legality. “It is self-evident astatine archetypal glimpse that the astir effectual mode to αντιμετωπίσεως the increasing enactment of EDA is its dissolution and the suspension of its propaganda newspaper, which has precocious accrued its circulation and developed important propaganda activity,” it states, continuing: “However, the imaginable dissolution of EDA nether existent conditions would not payment the authorities because:
a) it would make caller interior difficulties successful completing the government’s betterment work
b) it would supply caller weapons of onslaught to the planetary communist and fellow-traveling satellite against Greece
c) it would make a caller societal occupation which would yet service communism…”

The writer concludes with proposals to code the “EDA problem,” including pursuing ineligible enactment against the paper “Avgi” for anti-national publications, imposing fines, and impermanent suspensions.

In a 2nd study dated August 5, 1953, the writer describes the “political aims of the KKE,” according to the authoritative presumption of the time. “The efforts made for immoderate clip by the KKE to make a ‘Unified Pan-Democratic Front’ are becoming progressively aggravated daily” (…) “They usage vocabulary and arguments aimed astatine exploiting the aspirations of the radical successful bid to pb them much easy into an ‘organized state’ dominated by the KKE.” (…) “Fortunately, however, arsenic is continuously proven, the repeated efforts, decisions, and appeals of the KKE find nary response…”

Nikos Zachariadis

A week later, KYP produced a peculiar study “on Sectarianism,” described by Zachariadis arsenic the KKE’s fig 1 enemy. The report’s authors asked constabulary and gendarmerie services to taxable reports to KYP connected the beingness of sectarian tendencies, their imaginable expansion, and actions taken to foster specified divisions.

KYP’s… request

In different declassified papers connected “Communism–Anti-Communism,” KYP makes a request: that “Communism and anti-communism” beryllium established arsenic a halfway taxable successful grooming schools for gendarmerie and constabulary officers, taught by KYP officers. A akin petition was made for subject academies.

1951 – Gendarmerie and Police Officers’ Training School

The petition was accepted, and a aboriginal study outlines a “lecture programme connected Communism” for subject academies.

“Iron Curtain parcels”

In May 1954, KYP was asked to springiness an sentiment connected a determination by the Ministry of Transport and Communications banning the transportation of parcels and wealth orders from overseas to prisoners. The work argued that returning specified parcels would not origin planetary backlash, noting they mostly originated from Iron Curtain countries, and that delivering them would efficaciously enactment communist propaganda.

Political prisoners

Certificates of loyalty for students abroad

In May 1954, KYP expressed superior interest astir Greek students abroad, stating that their behaviour posed a “serious nationalist risk,” with immoderate influenced by communist propaganda.

A gathering was convened with representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Education, and Interior, starring to decisions specified arsenic requiring a “certificate of loyalty” for students and limiting passports to six months, forcing regular checks astatine consulates.

Certificates of loyalty

In March 1955, KYP stated it was consenting to enactment services aimed astatine “re-educating imprisoned communists” with expertise and material.

In January 1956, it reported that communist enactment down the Iron Curtain would suspend vigor broadcasts arsenic a motion of conciliation, portion besides noting that the KKE would not abstain from elections if called and had secured harmless houses for its members successful lawsuit of illegality.