The death of former Prime Minister Georgios Papandreou on November 1, 1968, became the crucible for Greece’s first major act of defiance against the military junta. This event allowed an estimated 300,000 Greeks to pour into the streets and openly protest the cruel dictatorship that had seized the country on April 21, 1967.
The subsequent funeral of the “Old Man of Democracy”—a title Papandreou is still known by—gave the colonels a visceral taste of the deep-seated public resentment against their regime.
The censor and the circumstances of death
Papandreou, who had been under house arrest since the 1967 coup, succumbed at Evangelismos hospital at the age of 80 following hours of surgery. The regime immediately moved to control the narrative, issuing a heavily censored official announcement:
“Georgios Papandreou passed away at 2:20 am at the age of 80. His death was the result of cerebral thrombosis, which was impossible to be prevented by doctors.”
Despite this attempt at silence, foreign news agencies, radio, and television stations broadcast extensive reports on the bustling life of the former prime minister, bypassing the regime’s strict ban on Greek newspapers publishing his biography.
Greece rises in silent protest
The junta made every effort to underplay the event. However, on November 1st, when Papandreou’s body was transferred to the chapel of the Metropolitan Church, the regime could not prohibit the customary Greek Orthodox tradition of paying respects to the dead.
The police, witnessing the immense public turnout, issued a stark warning on November 2nd, attempting to intimidate mourners:
“The Athens Police Headquarters announces that, according to verified information, elements of the extreme Left… will attempt provocations and other defamatory acts that would mar the image of the country… the competent authorities will take all legal measures to prevent any ugly act.”
Foreign news agencies captured the scene in vivid detail, reporting on a “respectful crowd” of people from all walks of life—especially young people and women—waiting in an “endless line,” many with tears in their eyes, to honor their departed leader.
The funeral of Georgios Papandreou: An unstoppable human river
The warnings were completely ignored. On November 3rd, the day of the funeral, the crowd swelled dramatically. Foreign reporters estimated the turnout at 300,000 people, with the back of the passionate crowd stretching all the way to Syntagma Square.
The funeral procession became a massive, spontaneous anti-junta demonstration. People, finding their voice after months of silence, shouted without fear: “Democracy – Democracy,” “Freedom – Freedom,” and “Down with the Junta!” as the procession moved toward the First Cemetery.
Foreign agencies noted the profound significance: “Since the military coup of April 21, 1967, Greek people had lost all freedom of expression… Today, however, people are demonstrating, taking as a symbol the old liberal leader…”
The sheer size of the crowd—a “huge human river” that stretched from the cemetery back to Filellinon Street—forced the police to be cautious and largely refrain from intervening.
Despite their restraint, 40 people were arrested for shouting slogans near the cemetery. Of those, 36 were later sentenced to significant prison terms ranging from 18 months to 4 years and 8 months by the Emergency Military Court.
The funeral of Georgios Papandreou remains the largest and most consequential spontaneous anti-junta demonstration, marking a crucial turning point where the Greek people demonstrated their overwhelming desire for democracy and freedom.
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