People's Civil Guard

The People's Civil Guard (Greek: Λαϊκή Πολιτοφυλακή, ΛΠ, Laïkí Politofylakí) was the security force of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) during the Greek Civil War (1946–49). It was the police counterpart of the Democratic Army of Greece (DSE), KKE's military force.^[1] It was actually the successor of the National Civil Guard, which was the successor of the Organization for the Protection of the People's Struggle (OPLA).

The People's Civil Guard included both men and women; all of them were volunteers and ideologically dedicated to the Communist Party, a situation different from that of the DSE, which engaged in forced recruitment, especially in the last stages of the Civil War.^[2]

In June 1948, the KKE leadership published a booklet to be studied by the civil guards, "Lessons of Popular Civil Guard" (Μαθήματα Λαϊκής Πολιτοφυλακής, Mathímata Laïkís Politofylakís), where it was emphasized that the Popular Civil Guard was a security force "of a new type", different from the Greek Gendarmerie and the Cities Police of the Greek government, whose aim was to serve the people.^[3]

Initially the People's Civil Guard was commanded by Stephanos Papayannis, a former Captain of the Greek Army who had joined the Communist Party during World War II, and had fought in the Greek Resistance against the Nazis; later however, Vasilis Bartziotas, a Communist Party cadre took command.^[4]

In northern Greece it was also named and it was much known as Close Self-Defense (Greek: Στενή Αυτοάμυνα).

References

^ Αρχεία Εμφυλίου Πολέμου: (1944-1949), Διεύθυνση Ιστορίας Στρατού Γενικού Επιτελείου Στρατού, 1998, Τόμος 1, σελίδα 237
^ Archeía Emfylíou Polémou: (1944-1949) Αρχεία Εμφυλίου Πολέμου: (1944-1949) [Civil War Archives: (1944-1949)] (in Greek). Vol. 1. Army History Directorate of the Army General Staff. 1998. p. 237.
^ Mathímata Laïkís Politofylakís Μαθήματα Λαϊκής Πολιτοφυλακής [People's Militia Courses] (in Greek). p. 3.
^ Ελεύθερος Κόσμος, 24/8/69

[1] Αρχεία Εμφυλίου Πολέμου: (1944-1949), Διεύθυνση Ιστορίας Στρατού Γενικού Επιτελείου Στρατού, 1998, Τόμος 1, σελίδα 237

[2] Archeía Emfylíou Polémou: (1944-1949) Αρχεία Εμφυλίου Πολέμου: (1944-1949) [Civil War Archives: (1944-1949)] (in Greek). Vol. 1. Army History Directorate of the Army General Staff. 1998. p. 237.

[3] Mathímata Laïkís Politofylakís Μαθήματα Λαϊκής Πολιτοφυλακής [People's Militia Courses] (in Greek). p. 3.

[4] Ελεύθερος Κόσμος, 24/8/69

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v t e Greek Civil War
Background	4th of August Regime Axis occupation of Greece Greek Resistance National Liberation Front Greek People's Liberation Army National Republican Greek League (EDES) Collaborationist governments Security Battalions Greek government-in-exile Red Terror Lebanon Conference Caserta Agreement Battle of Meligalas Battle of Kilkis (1944) Dekemvriana Treaty of Varkiza White Terror 1946 election 1946 referendum
Events (1946-1949)	Litochoro attack Truman Doctrine Battle of Konitsa Thessaloniki bombing Capture of Ierapetra Operation Charavgi Massacre of the First Sapper Battalion Operation Koronis Operation Peristera Operation Pyravlos Tito–Stalin split Operation Pyrsos
Communists	Communist Party of Greece Provisional Democratic Government Democratic Army of Greece Popular Civil Guard National Liberation Front (Macedonia) Nikos Zachariadis Markos Vafiadis Charilaos Florakis Alexandros Rosios Petros Kokkalis
National Government	George II of Greece Paul of Greece Archbishop Damaskinos of Athens Themistoklis Sofoulis Konstantinos Tsaldaris Alexandros Papagos Konstantinos Ventiris Konstantinos Dovas Thrasyvoulos Tsakalotos Dimitrios Giatzis James Van Fleet Hellenic Army Royal Hellenic Air Force Greek Gendarmerie Countryside Security Units TEA
Impact and aftermath	Refugees Internal exile Sacred Bond of Greek Officers Centrist Interlude Greek junta Metapolitefsi