Konstantinos Logothetopoulos

Who was Konstantinos Logothetopoulos?

Konstantinos Logothetopoulos was a distinguished Greek medical doctor who became Prime Minister of Greece, directing the Greek collaborationist government during the Axis occupation of Greece during World War II.

Logothetopoulos was born in Nafplion in 1878. He studied medicine in Munich and remained in the German Empire, practicing and teaching medicine until 1910, at which time he relocated to Athens. In Greece, he founded a private clinic and served in both the First Balkan War and the Second Balkan War as a doctor. He was discharged in 1916, resuming private medical practice until 1922 when he was again conscripted during the Greco-Turkish War to serve in the Army Hospital of Athens.

After the end of the war in 1922, Logothetopoulos became professor of gynaecology at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. Eventually he became Dean of the University. During his tenure at the university, he taught and assisted many young doctors in their studies including future politician Grigoris Lambrakis.

When Greece capitulated to Nazi Germany after the "Battle of Greece" during World War II, Logothetopoulos, who spoke the German language fluently and was married to the niece of Field Marshal Wilhelm List, was appointed Vice President and Minister of Education in the first collaborationist government of Gen. Georgios Tsolakoglou. He served as Prime Minister between December 2, 1942 and April 7, 1943 when he was replaced by Ioannis Rallis.