Provisional Democratic Government Προσωρινή Δημοκρατική Κυβέρνηση Prosoriní Dimokratikí Kyvérnisi | |||||||||||
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| 1947–1950 (in exile) | |||||||||||
| Motto: "Βαθιά Ψυχή!" Vathiá Psychí Soul Deep![citation needed] | |||||||||||
| Anthem: Ύμνος του ΔΣΕ Anthem of DSE Ímnos tou DSE | |||||||||||
| Status | Rival government | ||||||||||
| Capital | Gramos (de facto) | ||||||||||
| Official languages | Greek | ||||||||||
| Common languages | Demotic Greek | ||||||||||
| Religion | Secular state | ||||||||||
| Chairman of the Provisional government | |||||||||||
• 1947–1949 | Markos Vafiadis | ||||||||||
• 1949–1950 (in exile) | Dimitrios Partsalidis | ||||||||||
| Deputy Chairman of the Provisional government | |||||||||||
• 1947–1949 | Ioannis Ionnidis | ||||||||||
| KKEGeneral Secretary | |||||||||||
• 1931–1956 | Nikos Zachariadis | ||||||||||
| Historical era | Cold War | ||||||||||
• Established | 24 December 1947 | ||||||||||
• Disestablished | October 1950 (in exile) | ||||||||||
| Currency | Greek drachma (₯) | ||||||||||
| ISO 3166 code | GR | ||||||||||
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| Today part of |  Greece | ||||||||||
TheProvisional Democratic Government (Greek:Προσωρινή Δημοκρατική Κυβέρνηση,romanized: Prosoriní Dimokratikí Kyvérnisi) was the name of the administration declared by theCommunist Party of Greece on 24 December 1947, during theGreek Civil War. The government controlled various mountainous areas along Greece's northern border, adjoining the communist states ofSFR Yugoslavia andAlbania, and was seen as the succession of theWorld War II-era "Mountain Government" of the Communist-ledEAM-ELASResistance movement. Its main allies were theUSSR and theEastern Bloc.
TheGreek Civil War had broken out in spring 1946, but it was not until June 1947 that the Greek Communists announced their intention to form a separate government. This move was announced by leading Party memberMiltiadis Porfyrogennis at the Congress of theFrench Communist Party, in a move designed to garner publicity and highlight the support of other Communist parties and governments to the Greek Communists' cause.[1] The formation of a separate government was not only a renunciation of any chances of reconciliation with the royal government in Athens, but also implied also a move away from guerrilla warfare towards a more "regular" structure. This was in accordance with the Yugoslav-inspired "Lakes Plan", which envisaged the creation of a regular army of 50,000–60,000 men and the occupation of large parts of northern Greece, ultimately including Greece's second largest city,Thessaloniki, where the new government would base itself.[1]
The new government's formation was announced on 23 December 1947, withMarkos Vafiadis, the leader of the Communists'Democratic Army of Greece (DSE), as its first chairman. The government was composed exclusively of Party members, withGiannis Ioannidis serving as Vice Chairman and Foreign minister,Petros Rousos as Justice Minister, Miltiadis Porfyrogennis as Health and Welfare Minister,Petros Kokkalis as Finance Minister,Vassilis Bartziotas as Agriculture Minister,Dimitris Vlantas as Minister of National Economy andLeonidas Stringos as Minister of Supply. Notably, Party General SecretaryNikolaos Zachariadis was not a member of the government.[1][2] The new government actively tried to present itself as a revival of the ideology and practices of theWorld War II-eraNational Liberation Front, which had dominated theGreek Resistance movement. It was also notable for its active protection of the minorities living in northern Greece, especially as these tended to support the Communists against the nationalist royal government.[1]
On 25 December, the DSEattacked the town ofKonitsa, intending to seize the city as the new government's headquarters. According to testimony by Vafiadis, Zachariadis had expressed the hope that if the city fell and became the Communists' capital, the PDG would be recognized by theSoviet Union and otherEastern Bloc states. The attack lasted until 4 January 1948, but ended in failure.[1][2] In the end, the PDG was never recognized by any government, because the Soviets feared a widening of the conflict into general warfare between the West and their satellite states in theBalkans. Soviet premierJoseph Stalin told Zachariadis in February 1948 that the neighbouring governments would only recognize the PDG after other countries had first done so.[1]
As the national government pushed the DSE back in 1948, Vafiadis clashed with Zachariadis over the pursuit of the war. Finally, he was ousted from his position as PDG chairman on 7 February 1949. In 3 April 1949, he was succeeded byDimitrios Partsalidis. Following defeat by government forces in theBattle of Grammos, the Provisional Democratic Government was defeated in the Civil War and left Greece on 28 August 1949. The PDG survived in exile until they were finally dissolved in October 1950.[3]
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