Postage Stamps as witness of Greece history
The historical and cultural heritage of Greece continues to resonate throughout the modern Western world – in its literature, art, philosophy and politics. Situated in the far south of the Balkan peninsula, Greece combines the towering mountains of the mainland with over 1,400 islands, the largest of which is Crete. Post-World War Two Greece saw rapid economic and social change, with tourism and shipping becoming major contributors to the economy.
The global financial crisis of the late 2000s had a devastating effect on Greece, as the legacy of high public spending and widespread tax evasion combined with the credit crunch and the resulting recession to leave the country with a crippling debt burden.
Some key dates in modern Greek history:
- 1821-1829 – Greek War of Independence from Ottoman Empire.
- 1832 – Prince Otto of Bavaria is chosen as the first king of independent Greece.
- 1913 – Greece gains Epirus, Macedonia, Crete and the North Aegean Islands from the Ottomans in the First Balkan War, and then West Thrace from Bulgaria in the Second Balkan War.
- 1919-22 – Greco-Turkish War – Greek invasion of Asia Minor prompted by the collapse of the Ottoman Empire after World War One is defeated by Turkish forces.
- 1936 – General Ioannis Metaxas appointed prime minister, establishes right-wing dictatorship.
- 1940 – Italian dictator Benito Mussolini’s forces attack Greece from Italian-held Albania, but are repelled.
- 1941 – Metaxas dies. Greece falls to German forces. More than 100,000 die in famine.
- 1942-1944 – Fierce resistance to the occupation by communist and royalist factions alike.
- 1944 – British and Greek forces combine to force Nazi withdrawal.
- 1946-1949 – Royalist parties win elections. Ensuing civil war ends with defeat of communist forces.
- 1952 – New constitution declares Greece a kingdom ruled by parliamentary democracy. Greece joins Nato.
- 1967 – Group of army officers seize power in military coup. Elections are postponed indefinitely and Col George Papadopoulos takes office as prime minister.
- 1973 – Greece declared a republic, the monarchy is abolished and Papadopoulos assumes the presidency.
- 1974 – A Greece-backed coup against President Makarios of Cyprus is followed by Turkish invasion and occupation of north of the island.
- 1975 – New constitution declares Greece a parliamentary republic with some executive powers vested in a president.
- 1981 – Greece joins EU.
- 1991 – Yugoslav former republic of Macedonia declares independence. Greece objects to name and flag of Republic of Macedonia on grounds they imply territorial claims to the Greek province of Macedonia.
- 1996 – Tension flares between Greece and Turkey over disputed Aegean islet.
- 1999 – Earthquake hits Athens – dozens killed, thousands left homeless.
- 2000 – Senior British diplomat Brigadier Stephen Saunders shot dead in Athens by left-wing guerrilla group November 17.
- 2002 – Euro replaces drachma. Greek, Turkish governments agree to build gas pipeline through which Turkey will supply Greece with gas.
- 2002-2003 – Suspected leader and members of November 17 terror group arrested. Head of group and its main hitman jailed for life.
- 2004 – Athens hosts Olympic Games.
- 2007 – Wildfires sweep through tinder-dry forests across the mainland and islands, killing dozens of people.
- 2009 – Around 10,000 people are evacuated from their homes as wildfires sweep across the country.
- 2008 – World credit crunch plunges Greece into a severe government debt crisis, resulting in tight austerity and a dramatic fall in living standards.
- 2010 – Fears of a possible default on Greece’s debts prompt eurozone countries to approve a 110bn-euro rescue package.
- 2011-2012 – Debt crisis deepens. EU leaders agree a major bailout for Greece, and then a 50% debt write-off in return for further austerity. Against a background of violent protests on the streets of Athens, parliament approves a new package of tough austerity measures as the price of a 130bn euro bailout.
- 2015 – Greece and its creditors agree a third bailout worth 86bn euros, imposing further spending cuts to avoid bankruptcy and exit from the eurozone.
- 2018 – Macedonia and Greece sign an historic agreement resolving 27-year-long dispute over the former Yugoslav republic’s official name, which changes to the Republic of North Macedonia in 2019.
