Land of the Kapedani: Brigandage, Paramilitarism and Nation-building in 20th Century Greece

“The present essay will address this gap in the existing historiography by looking at a specific episode in the history of banditry-the era of the listokrateia (1914-1930) in the Epirus region. Epirus was not the only area afflicted by brigandage; however, the ferocity of the local gangs, the area had one of the highest murder rates in Europe during this period and the extent of the phenomenon, with over 300 bandits and fugitives operating in the area during the highpoint of the listokrateia, make the region particularly suitable for the study of brigandage.”

[PDF]

‘A history of violence’: Paramilitarism, politics and organized crime during the Greek civil war (1945-1949)

The Greek Civil War has been presented as a binary struggle between two clearly demarcated ideological camps. Yet, the presence of men like Vourlakis or the Katelanos clan disrupts this narrative and raises a series of pertinent questions. Why would a criminal clan ally itself with the state? Why delegate the prerogative to violence to these groups instead of using the existing security apparatus? What was the impact of paramilitarism to the social and political fabric of local societies?

[link]