What I can see

In front of the School of Law of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, there is a bronze statue of Alexandros Papanastasiou, a work by Giannis Pappas. It is 3.36m high, its base is 1.27m high and the sculpture is placed in front of a rectangular upright white frame. Papanastasiou is depicted holding the Democratic Manifesto of 1922, which he signed, and was a denunciation of the pro-royal governments for their policy in Asia Minor.

What I can't see

Alexandros Papanastasiou was a political scientist, sociologist and an active politician for 28 years. He envisioned a very gradual transition to a socialist – but not communist – society, as a result of an evolutionary social and political process. As the founder of the “Balkan Union” organization, he strongly supported the Balkan peace. He was imprisoned by the royalist governments and was a fierce opponent of Theodoros Pagkalos and Ioannis Metaxas dictatroships. He was a senator, Member of Parliament, minister of agriculture in the Zaimis government, minister of agriculture, transportation, foreign affairs and national economy in the Venizelos government and later, as prime minister, he proceeded to the abolishment of the reigning democracy, following a referendum.

Info

• Address: A.U.Th.

Bibliography