Markos Vafiadis

Markos Vafiadis
Markos Vafiadis at the start of his political rise
Head of Provisional Democratic Government
In office December 24, 1947 – February 7, 1949
Succeeded by	Nikos Zachariadis
Personal details
Born	January 28, 1906 Theodosiopolis (Erzerum), Ottoman Empire
Died	February 22, 1992(1992-02-22) (aged 86) Athens, Greece
Nationality	Greek
Political party	Communist Party of Greece Panhellenic Socialist Movement
Religion	Greek Orthodox
Military service
Allegiance	Provisional Democratic Government
Service/branch	Democratic Army of Greece
Years of service	1946–1949
Rank	General
Battles/wars	Greek Civil War

Markos Vafiadis (Greek: Μάρκος Βαφειάδης; January 28, 1906 in Theodosiopolis (Erzurum), Ottoman-controlled Eastern Anatolia – February 22, 1992 in Athens, Greece) was a leading figure of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) during the Greek Civil War. His family came originally from the island of Chios with subsequent descendants to follow his government.

After the Population exchange between Greece and Turkey of 1923, Vafiadis went to Thessaloniki and Kavala as a refugee. From 1928, he worked in Thessaloniki as a member of the Young Communist League of Greece (OKNE). In 1932, he was imprisoned and sent to internal exile for his political action. After his release in October 1933, he worked as party instructor in many areas of Greece.

At the beginning of Ioannis Metaxas' dictatorship (the "4th of August Regime") he was exiled again to the island of Ai Stratis, but managed to escape in less than a month. Subsequently he worked in the party's underground organisation in Crete and was one of the leaders of the Chania uprising against the dictatorial regime (July 28, 1938). After the suppression of the uprising, he went to Athens where he was arrested. He was jailed in Akronafplia and was exiled to the island of Gavdos.

In May 1941, at the beginning of the Nazi German occupation of Greece, he, along with other communist prisoners, was allowed to leave Gavdos and began what was to become the original underground work against the German occupation, initially in Crete, later in Athens, Thessaloniki and eventually all of Macedonia. In 1942, he was elected into the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Greece and was named supervisor of the Macedonia wing of the Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS). In May 1944, he was elected as a representative of Thessaloniki to the national congress that took place at the village of Koryschades in Evrytania, but was unable to attend. In October 1944, after the withdrawal of the German army, he entered in Thessaloniki with his men.