Greek National Socialist Party Ελληνικό Εθνικό Σοσιαλιστικό Κόμμα | |
|---|---|
| | |
| Founder | George S. Mercouris |
| Founded | 1932 |
| Dissolved | 1943 |
| Newspaper | Ethniki Simaia [1] |
| Ideology | Nazism Greek ultranationalism |
| Political position | Far-right |
| Religion | Greek Orthodox |
| Colours | Blue White |
| Party flag | |
| | |
The Greek National Socialist Party (Greek : Ελληνικό Εθνικό Σοσιαλιστικό Κόμμα, romanized: Elliniko Ethniko Sosialistiko Komma) was a Nazi party founded in Greece in 1932 by George S. Mercouris, a former Cabinet minister. [2]
Established in Athens in December 1932, the National Socialist Party was one of the far right groups active in the country at the time, others including the National Union of Greece (Εθνική Ενωση Ελλάδος), Iron Peace (Σιδηρά Ειρήνη), Trident (Τρίαινα), and National Sovereign State (Εθνικό Κυρίαρχο Κράτος, led by Skilakakis). However, it was distinguished by being the most fiercely supportive of Adolf Hitler, seeking to copy the Nazi Party in organizational and policy terms. [3]
The party emerged after Mercouris, who had previously shown sympathy to Italian fascist trade unions, split from Panagis Tsaldaris and the Populist Party over the need for a coalition government. [4] Through contacts with Galeazzo Ciano, Mercouris secured funding for the new group from Italy, although this soon dried up as they were not convinced that the party was in any position to gain power. [4]
Initially, the party had its main offices at 10-12, Karagiorgi Servias street in central Athens. From those premises they published a morning newspaper called Ethniki Simaia ("National Flag"), starting in December 1934. [5]
The party itself was largely geared towards Italian fascism, although Mercouris himself and some of his main followers were more drawn to the German model. Mercouris was sometimes used as a go-between by the collaborationist government during the German occupation. [4]
The Greek party, however did not serve the regime of Ioannis Metaxas, although given the monarchist stance of the party many of its followers were reconciled to the new government. During the Axis occupation of Greece the group was allowed to continue, although it had no real role in the largely military-based Greek government and faced competition from the other extremist movements. [6] It had hoped to gain influence but the Germans reasoned that given its chronic lack of popular support it was not expedient to offer the party any power. [7]
Engelbert Dollfuß was an Austrian Fatherland Front politician who served as Chancellor of Austria between 1932 and 1934. Having served as Minister for Forests and Agriculture, he ascended to Federal Chancellor in 1932 in the midst of a crisis for the conservative government. In early 1933, the so called "Selbstausschaltung des Parlaments" happened, which made the Austrian parliament unable to govern. Suppressing the Socialist movement in February 1934 during the Austrian Civil War and later banning the Austrian Nazi Party, he cemented the rule of authoritarian conservatism through the First of May Constitution. Dollfuss was assassinated as part of a failed coup attempt by Nazi agents in 1934. His successor Kurt Schuschnigg maintained the regime until Adolf Hitler's Anschluss in 1938.
Fascism is a far-right, authoritarian, ultranationalist political ideology and movement, characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized autocracy, militarism, forcible suppression of opposition, belief in a natural social hierarchy, subordination of individual interests for the perceived good of the nation or race, and strong regimentation of society and the economy.
The Italian Social Republic, known prior to December 1943 as the National Republican State of Italy, but more popularly known as the Republic of Salò, was a Nazi-German puppet state with limited diplomatic recognition that was created during the later part of World War II, which existed from the beginning of the German occupation of Italy in September 1943 until the surrender of German troops in Italy in May 1945. The German occupation triggered widespread national resistance against it and the Italian Social Republic, leading to the Italian Civil War.

George S. Mercouris was a Greek politician who served as a Member of Parliament and Cabinet Minister, and later founded the Greek National Socialist Party; a minor fascist party, they were one of several small far right parties in Greece at the time. During the occupation of Greece, Mercouris was appointed by the Nazis as Governor of the National Bank of Greece.
Fascist symbolism is the use of certain images and symbols which are designed to represent aspects of fascism. These include national symbols of historical importance, goals, and political policies. The best-known are the fasces, which was the original symbol of fascism, and the swastika of Nazism.
The history of fascist ideology is long and it draws on many sources. Fascists took inspiration from sources as ancient as the Spartans for their focus on racial purity and their emphasis on rule by an elite minority. Fascism has also been connected to the ideals of Plato, though there are key differences between the two. Fascism styled itself as the ideological successor to Rome, particularly the Roman Empire. From the same era, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel's view on the absolute authority of the state also strongly influenced fascist thinking. The French Revolution was a major influence insofar as the Nazis saw themselves as fighting back against many of the ideas which it brought to prominence, especially liberalism, liberal democracy and racial equality, whereas on the other hand, fascism drew heavily on the revolutionary ideal of nationalism. The prejudice of a "high and noble" Aryan culture as opposed to a "parasitic" Semitic culture was core to Nazi racial views, while other early forms of fascism concerned themselves with non-racialized conceptions of the nation.
The National Fascist Community was a Czechoslovak Fascist movement led by Radola Gajda, and based on the Fascism of Benito Mussolini.
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Historians and other scholars disagree on the question of whether a specifically fascist type of economic policy can be said to exist. David Baker argues that there is an identifiable economic system in fascism that is distinct from those advocated by other ideologies, comprising essential characteristics that fascist nations shared. Payne, Paxton, Sternhell et al. argue that while fascist economies share some similarities, there is no distinctive form of fascist economic organization. Gerald Feldman and Timothy Mason argue that fascism is distinguished by an absence of coherent economic ideology and an absence of serious economic thinking. They state that the decisions taken by fascist leaders cannot be explained within a logical economic framework.

Movimiento Nacional Socialista de Chile was a political movement in Chile, during the Presidential Republic Era, which initially supported the ideas of Adolf Hitler, although it later moved towards a more local form of fascism. They were commonly known as Nacistas.
Zoltán Böszörmény was a leading exponent of Fascism in Hungary before the Second World War.

Ioannis Rallis was the third and last collaborationist prime minister of Greece during the Axis occupation of Greece during World War II, holding office from 7 April 1943 to 12 October 1944, succeeding Konstantinos Logothetopoulos in the Nazi-controlled Greek puppet government in Athens.

Zoltán Meskó de Széplak was a leading Hungarian Nazi during the 1930s. He led his own Nazi movement during the early 1930s but faded from the political scene when Hungary became a member of the Axis powers.
The occupation of Greece by the Axis Powers began in April 1941 after Nazi Germany invaded the Kingdom of Greece to assist its ally, Italy, in their ongoing war that had started in October 1940. Following the conquest of Crete, the entirety of Greece was occupied starting in June 1941. The occupation of the mainland lasted until Germany and its ally Bulgaria withdrew under Allied pressure in early October 1944, with Crete and some other Aegean islands being surrendered to the Allies by German garrisons in May and June 1945, after the end of World War II in Europe.
Greyshirts or Gryshemde is the common short-form name given to the South African Gentile National Socialist Movement, a South African Nazi movement that existed during the 1930s and 1940s. Initially referring only to a paramilitary group, it soon became shorthand for the movement as a whole.
Fascist movements in Europe were the set of various fascist ideologies which were practiced by governments and political organizations in Europe during the 20th century. Fascism was born in Italy following World War I, and other fascist movements, influenced by Italian Fascism, subsequently emerged across Europe. Among the political doctrines which are identified as ideological origins of fascism in Europe are the combining of a traditional national unity and revolutionary anti-democratic rhetoric which was espoused by the integral nationalist Charles Maurras and the revolutionary syndicalist Georges Sorel.
Fascist movements gained popularity in many countries in Asia during the 1920s.
Fascism in South America is an assortment of political parties and movements modeled on fascism. Although originating and primarily associated with Europe, the ideology crossed the Atlantic Ocean in the interwar period and had an influence on South American politics. Italian fascism had a deep impact in the region, both directly and indirectly.
The Kingdom of Italy was governed by the National Fascist Party from 1922 to 1943 with Benito Mussolini as prime minister and dictator. The Italian Fascists imposed totalitarian rule and crushed political and intellectual opposition, while promoting economic modernization, traditional social values and a rapprochement with the Roman Catholic Church.