Georgios Kosmas | |
|---|---|
 Kosmasc. 1939 | |
| Native name | Γεώργιος Κοσμάς |
| Born | 1884[1] |
| Died | 1964 |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of Greece Second Hellenic Republic |
| Branch |  Hellenic Army |
| Years of service | 1904–1941 1945–1951 |
| Rank |  Lieutenant General |
| Commands | 14th Infantry Division (Chief of Staff) 3rd Infantry Division Chief of theHellenic Army General Staff |
| Wars | Balkan Wars |
| Alma mater | National Technical University of Athens National and Kapodistrian University of Athens |
| Other work | Minister for Northern Greece MP |
Georgios Kosmas (Greek:Γεώργιος Κοσμάς, 1884–1964) was a seniorHellenic Army officer who distinguished himself in theGreco-Italian War of 1940–1941, served as Chief of theHellenic Army General Staff in 1949–51, and became a Member of theHellenic Parliament and cabinet minister.
Georgios Kosmas was born in 1884 in the village of Falanthi inMessenia, in southern Greece. He enlisted in theHellenic Army as a volunteer on 17 January 1904, and after studies at the NCO School, was commissioned as an Artillery Second Lieutenant on 7 July 1912 (O.S.).[2] He participated in theBalkan Wars of 1912–13 as commander of a machine gun section, and was promoted to Lieutenant in 1913 and to Captain in 1915. He served on theMacedonian front duringWorld War I as a staff officer, being promoted to Major in 1918.[2]
In theAsia Minor Campaign, he served as chief of staff of the14th Infantry Division. In 1923 he was promoted to Lt. Colonel and appointed head of the committee for the determination of the Greco-Albanian border.[2] During theInterwar period he served as commander of the30th Infantry Regiment and of theEvros Border Sector, chief of staff ofIV Army Corps and commander of3rd Infantry Division, while advancing to Colonel (1925) and Major General (1934). At the same time he attended various military schools, and graduated from theAthens Polytechnic Telegraphers' School and theUniversity of Athens Law School.[2]
A Lt. General in 1940, he served as commander of IV Corps,V Corps ("K" Group of Divisions) andI Corps during theGreco-Italian War of 1940–41.[2] Following theGerman invasion of Greece in April 1941 and the Greek capitulation, he remained in the country until his arrest and deportation to concentration camps in Germany for participating in theGreek Resistance.[2] He was among thehigh-profile prisoners ofDachau concentration camp liberated at Tirol in April 1945.
After his return to Greece, he served as Governor-General ofWestern Thrace in 1947–48, before being appointed as Chief of theHellenic Army General Staff on 21 January 1949, a post he held until his retirement on 16 March 1951.[2] Kosmas then entered politics, being repeatedly elected an MP and serving in the cabinet ofAlexandros Papagos as Minister Governor-General of Northern Greece from 15 December 1954 to 24 May 1955, when he became the firstMinister for Northern Greece, remaining in the post until 6 October 1955.[2][3]
Georgios Kosmas died in 1964.[2]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Minister for Northern Greece (until 24 May 1955 "Minister Governor-General for Northern Greece") 15 December 1954 – 6 October 1955 | Succeeded by |
| Military offices | ||
| Preceded by Lt GeneralDimitrios Giatzis | Chief of theHellenic Army General Staff 21 January 1949 – 16 March 1951 | Succeeded by Lt GeneralTheodoros Grigoropoulos |
