Our Organisation

The Communist Youth of Greece, KNE, is the Youth Organisation of the Communist Party of Greece

We are a revolutionary Organisation of volunteers that are fighting for the most beautiful, just, humane and remarkable aim – the overthrow of capitalism and the construction of the society of true freedom, of a life with rights, socialism-communism.

 

• Our place of action is in schools, universities, workplaces and neighbourhoods.

• We promote revolutionary theory to open new horizons for the mind, the thought and the way of life of everyone that have an interest in joining our struggle, without sparing anyone to the system.

• We fight against individualism and with our stance we turn the slogan “one for all and all for one” into reality.

• We are the only organisation that struggles against ALL drugs.

• We fight against fascism, racism and xenophobia.

• We express our solidarity in each way possible with the peoples of the world that are fighting for their freedom and a better life. We are at the forefront so that the joint action of all the youth can thrive, irrespective of their background, colour or religion.

 

Together we are stronger in the struggle against injustice and exploitation! For a world worthy of the people…

Founding

The founding of KNE

KNE was founded in 1968, during the dark years of the dictatorship, following a decision by the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the KKE; a decision which life itself vindicated. The founding of KNE filled the gap that was created by the long absence of a youth organization of the KKE. Since its founding up until today, it has put its stamp on the militant education, organization and struggle of our country’s youth. KNE is the continuation of the heroic Federation of Communist Youth Organizations of Greece (OKNE), the heir to the militant traditions of the Unified National Youth Organization (EPON) and the Democratic Youth (DN) of the Democratic Army of Greece (DSE); the heir to the militant action of communist youth organizations under different conditions, such as the Lambrakis Democratic Youth (DNL).

We come from far away and we’re heading towards freedom and happiness of the world...

1917

1917

The great October Socialist Revolution is carried out in Russia, under the guidance of the Bolshevik Party, which is headed by Lenin. It paved the way for the abolition of the exploitation of man by man.

1918

1918

The flame of the October Revolution spread throughout the world, and in Greece as well igniting the birth of the Communist Party in our country. Indeed, the Socialist Workers’ Party of Greece (SEKE) is founded in 1918 and is renamed the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) in 1924.

1922

1922

The Federation of Communist Youth Organizations of Greece (OKNE) is founded, the first youth organization of the Communist Party of Greece.

…...From prisons and exile / the new History of the world begins.

 

Kostas Varnalis (1935, Ai Stratis island)

1936

1936

May 1936 is a milestone month in the struggle of the working class and the people of Greece. On 9 May, the government of Metaxas violently suppresses a huge workers’ strike in Thessaloniki. On 12 May, the KKE calls the people out on a general strike. On 13 May, 500,000 workers go on strike across the country. Tasos Toussis is the first victim in the murderous attack staged by the bourgeois state. Seeing the photograph showing T. Toussis’ mother standing over his dead body, Yannis Ritsos writes the poem “Epitaph”.

On 4 August 1936, a fascist, dictatorial regime is imposed in Greece under Ioannis Metaxas.

1939

1939

World War II breaks out.

Capitalism hides war within itself like a cloud hides thunder
V. I. Lenin

1940

1940_zaxariadis

Italy invades Greece. The Italian-Greek war is part of the Imperialist World War II. From the very beginning, the KKE took a stance against the war through the open letter of the General Secretary of the KKE, Nikos Zachariadis, addressing the Greek people and calling to armed resistance.

1941

1941

In June 1941, the conquest of Greek territory by the German occupation troops is completed. On the initiative of the KKE, the Workers’ National Liberation Front (ΕEAM) is established, in August 1941. The legendary National Liberation Front (EAM) is formed that year also, on 27 September, which rallied the overwhelming majority of the people and youth.

1942

1942

On 16 February 1942, the armed section of EAM, the Greek People’s Liberation Army (ELAS), is formed, with Aris Velouchiotis as its captain.

1943

1943

On 23 February 1943, the Unified National Youth Organization, EPON, is founded.

"attention, attention, EAM is speaking to you",
"attention, attention, EPON is speaking to you",
attention,
the Revolution is speaking to you,
the dead of the Revolution are speaking to you,
the unborn of the Revolution are speaking to you.


Yannis Ritsos, “The Neighbourhoods of the World”

1940

With the gun in hand, with strikes and rallies, sabotage, the pen and a makeshift megaphone, the members of EAM, ELAS and EPON went into battle liberating most of Greece and saving the people from starvation.

1944

1944

ELAS liberates Greece from the Nazi yoke. The conditions are emerging for the people to truly seize power. The Greek bourgeoisie and its international allies are not standing idly by, and they take advantage of the KKE’s lack of a revolutionary strategy. In December 1944, they massacre the people of Athens. The people’s movement, with the armed struggle of ELAS of Athens and Piraeus, for 33 days, writes one more glorious page, but fails to win...

1945

1945

World War II comes to an end. On 9 May 1945, Nazi Germany capitulates unconditionally. The Red Army has crushed fascism...

1946

1946

The KKE chooses the conflict with the bourgeoisie. In October 1946, the Democratic Army of Greece (DSE), the greatest creation of the KKE, is founded. The struggle of DSE (1946-1949) is the high point of the class struggle in Greece.

1952

Nikos Belogiannis, a member of the Central Committee of the KKE, is sentenced to death, and, despite the reactions of trade unions, workers, parties, scientific institutions from all over the world and many prominent personalities, such as Pablo Picasso, Charlie Chaplin, Nazim Hikmet, Pablo Neruda, etc., he is executed in the Goudi camp, on 30 March 1952, 4:15 a.m., under the lights of the military trucks and jeeps, along with his comrades D. Batsis, H. Argiriadis and N. Kaloumenos.

1952

If I renounced the Party, if I made a declaration of repentance, I would be acquitted and most probably with honours... but my life is linked to the KKE and its action. Dozens of times, I was faced with the dilemma of living by betraying my beliefs, my ideology, or dying by remaining faithful to them. I have always chosen the second way and today I choose it once again.

 

Nikos Beloyannis

1952

1952b

Greece joins NATO. From the very first moment, the KKE opposes this decision and organizes the struggle against NATO and the US-NATO bases.

1963

1963

The first Marathon Peace March is held. Police repression prevents the marathoners from completing the march. Amongst the few who make it to the finish line is the MP of EDA, Grigoris Lambrakis. A month later, on 22/5/1963, he is assassinated in Thessaloniki. 

1967

1967

On 21 April 1967, the governance of the country passes from the bourgeois parties to sections of the army forces. The coup is staged in the name of the alleged “communist threat”. The dictatorship is a regime of terror – with exiles, torture, imprisonments, executions – defending the power of the capitalists.

1968

1968

The foundations are being laid for the regroupment of the movement. The KKE regroups its illegal organizations and rids its ranks of the opportunists who wanted to distort its revolutionary character. In March, the circulation of the illegal “Rizospastis” newspaper begins. In September 1968, the Communist Youth of Greece (KNE) is founded. That decision fires enthusiasm and gives courage to the people.  At the same time, the publication of the illegal “Odigitis” magazine begins.

1973

1973

The Polytechnic uprising. The culmination of the entire previous militant course of the people.

1974

1974

In July 1974, under the burden of the Cyprus tragedy – in which the Junta played the leading role – and the Turkish invasion and occupation that followed, and due to the needs of the system, the military regime collapsed as a result of the compromise between the US-NATO and the bourgeois political world, on the one hand, and the junta government, on the other. The form of the exercise of power changed but power remained in the hands of the shipowners, the industrialists, the bankers and the big businessmen. All the governments that have emerged since then, have served the capital and the international capitalist associations in which it participates.

The KKE achieves its “de facto” legalization.

1980

1980

KNE member Sotiria Vasilakopoulou is assassinated by the employers in front of the gate of the ETMA factory in Athens.

1981

1981

Greece's accession to the EEC, later the European Union (EU), is completed. From the very first moment, the KKE and KNE warned and fought against the EU policy, which makes the rich richer and the poor poorer.

1989

1989

Fall of the Berlin Wall. The Berlin Wall was the symbol of two worlds. The clash between capitalism, the system of exploitation and injustice, and socialism, the system which abolished exploitation, is expressed in the most graphic way in this city. 

1991

1991

The counter-revolutionary overthrow of the socialist construction in the Soviet Union and other countries is reaching its peak. The KKE holds the flag high and defends socialism-communism, giving impetus to the development of the workers’ and people’s movement.

1992

1992

Maastricht Treaty. The EEC becomes the European Union (EU). The EU is a union of capitalist states founded to strengthen European monopolies, crushing the workers and the youth. The KKE was the only party to stand against it.

1998

1998

School-student demonstrations break out against the reforms of the then Minister of Education of the PASOK government, G. Arsenis. KNE plays the leading role in galvanizing the demands and collective action, and in orienting them against the policy that crushes the educational rights of young people, their lives and their future.

1999

1999

NATO, the USA and the EU start bombing Yugoslavia, the country on the northern border of Greece. The KKE and KNE were at the forefront of the struggle against the imperialist war in which Greece participated.

2001

2001-03

US-NATO troops invade Afghanistan. It is striking that only the cannabis and opium plantations are spared from the continuous bombing! KNE is at the forefront of the organization of the anti-imperialist struggle.

2003

2003

The NATO-US-EU imperialist invasion of Iraq is launched. The KKE and KNE are leading the struggle against the war and the participation of Greece.

2009

2009

The international economic capitalist crisis erupts. The KKE and KNE are at the forefront of the struggle against the aftermath of the crisis, highlighting that the true way out of the crisis in favour of the people and the youth lies on the path of rupture and overthrow. 

2013

2013

On 18 September 2013, fascists, members of the Golden Dawn, assassinate in cold blood the antifascist musician Pavlos Fyssas. The forces of KNE immediately protest their rage, their decision to crush fascism and isolate the fascists.

2015

2015

The KKE and KNE are decisively confronting the system’s attempt to deceive the people and youth, at a time when SYRIZA comes to power to do its dirty work. From the very first moment, the KKE and KNE show that under capitalism there can be no pro-people’s government; their words are confirmed. They play the leading role in organizing the struggle for our contemporary rights.

100KKE

2018

We honour the 100 years of the KKE and the 50 years of KNE! Today, we make history with a strong KKE to get the life we deserve walking the path of overthrow!

WE CONTINUE…

Video for the 50 years of KNE