A monument has been erected in Surgut, Siberia for the Greek Communist Party’s former general secretary Nikos Zachariadis, where he remained exiled until his suicide in 1973. Zachariadis was KKE’s General Secretary from 1931 to 1956 and is one of the most important divs in the Greek Civil War that followed the German Occupation in World War II. KKE’s former General Secretary Aleka Papariga attended the unveiling.
During the German Occupation Zachariadis was imprisoned and taken to the Dachau concentration camp in 1941, from he was released in May 1945. Upon his return to Greece he reassumed leadership of KKE and coordinated the military operations in the civil war that broke out with the government.
With the communist Democracy Army of Greece eventually defeated by the Greek government army, thanks to the military intervention of Great Britain and the USA, Zachariadis found refuge in the Soviet Union. Internal strife within the Greek Communist Party led to Zachariadis’ expulsion from the party.
While in exile, Zachariadis attempted to return to Greece in order to stand trial for his actions, however his request appears to have been denied. While the circumstances of Zachariadis’ death remain a secret, KGB reports have suggested that Zachariadis later committed suicide. Zachariadis’ remains were eventually returned to Greece in 1991 and in 2011 KKE fully restored Zachariadis’ status as the party’s General Secretary.
