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National Union of Greece

National Union of Greece
Εθνική Ένωσις Ελλάδος
FounderGeorgios Kosmidis
Founded1927 (1927)
Dissolved1944 (1944)
IdeologyNazism
Greek nationalism
Fascism
Antisemitism
Venizelism
Anti-communism
Collaborationism
Political positionFar-right
ReligionGreek Orthodox
Party flag

The National Union of Greece (Greek: Εθνική Ένωσις Ελλάδος, ΕΕΕ; Ethniki Enosis Ellados, EEE) was a far-right political party established in Thessaloniki, Greece, in 1927.

Registered as a mutual aid society, the EEE was founded by Asia Minor refugee businesspeople. According to the organisation's constitution, only Christians could join. Its members were in political and, especially, commercial antagonism with Thessaloniki's substantial Jewish population.

It was eventually led by Georgios Kosmidis who claimed to be a Venizelist and so did his party even though it was opposed to most Venizelist principles.

Owing to its military uniforms and organisation, the party was commonly referred to as "The Three Epsilons" (τα Τρία Εψιλον) or "The Steelhelmets" (οι Χαλυβδόκρανοι), in allusion to the German paramilitary Der Stahlhelm.

The EEE was dissolved upon the establishment of the Metaxas Regime in 1936, but was revived in 1941 by Georgios Poulos with German support after the fall of Thessaloniki. Shortly after, Puolos renamed the party to "Εθνική Σοσιαλιστική Ένωση Ελλάδος " (National Socialist Union of Greece).

References

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Further reading

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  • Mark Mazower, Salonica, City of Ghosts: Christians, Muslims and Jews, 1430-1950, London: HarperCollins, 2004. ISBN 0-00-712023-0