9.1 The Rise and Fall of a Dictator: the Controversy over Metaxas Square in Nicosia

Ioannis Metaxas took office as Prime Minister of Greece on 4th August 1936, abolishing the parliament, suspending the constitution, and declaring martial law after a sudden political “coup”;Footnote 1 he would rule Greece until his death in 1941. Metaxas’ dictatorial regime made heavy use of the police, seeking legitimacy through the claim that its actions targeted the eradication of the threat posed by communism. It is not for his authoritarian rule however that he has gone down in history. Instead, he is remembered for his rejection of Mussolini’s ultimatum (famously known as “Ochi”—OXI -No) which demanded the surrender of Greece on 28th October 1940 and which resulted in the entry of Greece into World War II [1,2,3,4,5].

The first reactions to Metaxas’ regime in Cyprus appeared in the Greek-Cypriot newspaper Kypriakos Typos. In a series of articles, the newspaper accused Metaxas’ regime of tyrannical actions and violations of fundamental freedoms. Following a diplomatic démarche by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece, Nikolaos Mavroudis, to the British Embassy in Athens, the newspaper was suspended for a week by the colonial government in Cyprus, on the grounds that it had attacked the government of “a friendly power” using undesirable language [6, 7].

The Greek military junta (also referred to as Regime of the Colonels), put in place in the aftermath of a coup d’état led by a group of colonels on 21st April 1967, marked the second dictatorial regime in Greece.Footnote 2 Although there are notable differences in the nature of the 1967 and 1936 dictatorships, common features can also be identified, including censorship, the abolition of democratic institutions and anti-communist activity.Footnote 3 Under the military junta numerous monuments were created to honour Metaxas; one such monument was crafted in 1969 in the district of Kifissia, and “Kifissias Avenue” was renamed after him in 1970 on the orders of the Athens municipality [8]. However, contrary to what might be expected, it was not a priority of the regime to establish a connection to Metaxas and his dictatorship. In fact, it was the urban guerrilla group “Laiki Epanastatiki Antistasi” (Λαϊκή Επαναστατική Αντίσταση—Popular Revolutionary Resistance) that first associated the two regimes in their April 1972 declaration in Piraeus; the group blew up a bust of Ioannis Metaxas as a symbolic jolt to tyranny that would lead the way to the ‘blowing up’ of the tyrants themselves [8, 9].

9.2 Α Square Named After a Dictator: Metaxas, a Controversial Name

Upon the announcement of Metaxas’ death on 29th January 1941, mourning was declared in the towns of Cyprus: shops, nightclubs and cinemas were closed, Greek flags were raised, and church bells tolled in mourning [10, 11]. On the instructions of the acting Archbishop, prayers were said throughout the island. The Cypriot press praised the man who “said the legendary ‘NO’” to the “rogue, fascist invader”, calling his death a great national misfortune [10, 12, 13].

Cyprus followed Greece in commemorating Metaxas. Notably, EONFootnote 4 (Εθνική Οργάνωση Νεολαίας—Ethniki Organosi Neoleas—National Youth Organisation) announced the construction of a statue for Metaxas in Athens on 29th January 1941. On 31st January 1941, the day of Metaxas’ funeral, the Nicosia municipal councilFootnote 5 decided to name the “best square of the city” in honour of the “National Governor” and raise funds for the erection of a bust of Metaxas [14] from “Pentelikon marble”.Footnote 6 “Metaxas Square” was not actually a square as such, but rather a street formed in 1882 when an opening was created in the ramparts next to Davila bastion, granting access to the bazaar and government offices within the walls (Figs. 9.1 and 9.2) [15]. The Hadjisava opening, as originally named after the coffee shop at the entry point to the opening outside the wall, was redesigned and widened in 1930 [16].

The letter sent by the mayor of Nicosia, Themistocles Dervis, to the Consul of Greece in Cyprus, mentioned that:

The divine city of Pallada [Pallas/Athena—Athens] buried yesterday at the base of the sacred rock of Acropolis, the great Greek Governor who has already taken his place in the Pantheon, among the most glorious figures of Greek history. The municipal council of this historical island’s capital pays the minimum tribute to the immortal Greek man who, with his masculine stance—fit for a Greek—became the benefactor of mankind, reversing the myth of the invincible dictator [refers to Mussolini], and actively proving that “one omen is best, to defend the fatherland”.Footnote 7

The Consul of Greece expressed in writing his gratitude to the municipal council for their decision to commemorate “the Great Governor of the Greeks” [17].

Although the colonial government described the mayor’s action as a premature “move for adding popularity”, it nonetheless approved the request for the naming of the square after Metaxas. In light of the circumstances, the government felt that it “could not very well resist” [18].

Fig. 9.1
An old photograph of a crowd of people walking in procession down a street. A group of priests is in the center of the procession. Behind the crowd are a few brick buildings, and a few donkey drawn carts.

The square “by Trypiotis opening” in 1928, subsequently renamed to Metaxas square. Photograph CHLHA.10.104 (164) Koudounaris Archive, Pattichion Municipal Museum—Historical Archive—Limassol Studies Centre

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Fig. 9.2
An old photograph of a wide street with a few trees on either side. A few carts, and camels move on the streets. A large building is in the background, surrounded by thick trees.

The square “by Trypiotis opening”. Photograph CHLHA.10.104 (163) Koudounaris Archive, Pattichion Municipal Museum—Historical Archive—Limassol Studies Centre

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9.3 The First Reactions

The first reactions to the naming of public spaces after Metaxas can be traced to the Cypriot press in 1945, following the liberation of Greece from the Germans. In an article of ‘Paphos’ newspaper on 15th February 1945, the decision of the Paphos municipal committee to rename a major square after Metaxas was criticized. The choice of Metaxas’ name, according to the article, was “untimely” since tribute was being paid to a dictator—any “bright moments” aside—at a time where democratic values prevailed. The newspaper proceeded to quote the Prime Minister of Greece during the liberation, Georgios Papandreou, who equated Metaxas’ dictatorship to the German occupation.Footnote 8 A publication of 22nd January 1945 by the Greek newspaper Tachydromos was also included in the article of Paphos newspaper, according to which the Greek government considered bringing the collaborators of Metaxas to justice, “to punish those who cooperated morally, materially and spiritually for the consolidation of the 4th August regime.” Finally, the newspaper disapproved of the uncivilized act of those residents of Paphos who threw faeces at night on the signs of Metaxas Square [19].

Under the title “Why Metaxas Square?”, the newspaper Fileleftheros published an article by the journalist Costas Serezis on 14th March 1968, according to which names given to large squares and main roads around the world refer to significant figures or important historical milestones of a country. The article quoted as examples the ‘Constitution’ (Σύνταγμα—Syntagma) and ‘Concord’ (Ομονοίας—Omonoias) squares in Athens.Footnote 9 The “showcase” of Cyprus—as Serezis described the square—which greeted the special guests, was given the name of Metaxas. “Even though the name has been absorbed into our daily lives from habit,” he continued, “the foreign visitor who hears it will wonder why it was assigned to the square.” Serezis further observed that while there was no public space with the name of Metaxas in Greece, the square—a space of utmost importance—in Cyprus had been assigned the name of a dictator who had been praised among the Greeks for only one crucial moment in the history of the nation: namely, his rejection of Mussolini’s ultimatum.

Serezis maintained that the “NO” to the fascist demands was had been spoken by the Greek people, not by the dictator. The article also included an abstract from a document written by the dictatorial regime’s Minister of Education, Theophylactos Papakonstantinou, on which Serezis based his view that Metaxas had enforced a totalitarian regime that infringed fundamental freedoms. Metaxas’ dictatorship, also referred to as the “Third Greek Civilization,”Footnote 10 was neither liked nor even tolerated by the vast majority of the Greek population. To conclude, Serezis wrote that if Cypriots wanted to honour the struggle of the Greek people in World War II, they could name the square “28th October square”. He additionally proposed the names: Freedom, Democracy, and Gregoris Afxentiou.Footnote 11

In the meantime, the public debates regarding the renaming of the square did not go unnoticed by the Nicosia municipal committee.Footnote 12 As stated in an interview by the then mayor, Lellos Demetriades, the municipality kept a special dossier for publications relevant to the square’s renaming. In the session of the municipal committee on 24th September 1968, although the issue of Metaxas Square had been raised, the Committee decided to rename Metaxas Square but postponed any decision regarding a new name [20].

In 1972, during a period of tense relations among Makarios and the Greek junta [21], the issue of Metaxas Square resurfaced in the press. On 4th December 1972, the newspaper ‘Kypros’ asked the mayor of Nicosia to consider renaming the square. The paper argued that Metaxas had not been honoured anywhere in Greece by naming squares after him. Instead, it was suggested that the Square should be renamed to ‘Omonoias—Concord’ Square, following the example of Athens [22]. In response to the newspaper’s proposal on 11th December 1972, the pastor of Agios Ioannis cathedral in Nicosia expressed his sadness “for the man who dares to think that by removing the name of this glorious man [Metaxas] from a square, one is able to reduce the glory that his name has gained in the history of the nation.” He argued instead that it was an honour for a square to bear the name of “a great and glorious man” and that he who first suggested to name the square after Metaxas is worthy of praise [23]. On 18th December, the historian Aristos Katsis, responding in a firm tone, quoted numerous crimes committed by Metaxas and deliberated whether such crimes would not outrage the people. He also explained that no Greek government had ever honoured the dictator, nor had any historian supported his regime. According to Katsis, “it is not only unacceptable but also unpatriotic to give to a central square of Nicosia the name of the wretched tyrant who enslaved the Greek people.” Katsis expressed the hope that the mayor would be persuaded that changing the name of the square was a national duty and that the time had come for Democracy to be honoured by assigning its name to the square [24].

On 25th December 1972, a letter in the same newspaper maintained that the junta in Athens honoured Metaxas and stressed that it is of great importance that he be honoured by the Cypriot government too. Indeed, the members of the Athens municipality appointed by the junta decided in October 1970 on renaming Kifissia Avenue in Athens, one of the major avenues of the Greek capital, Ioannis Metaxas Avenue. In the aftermath of the Greek Junta’s fall, Metaxas Avenue was the first street to be renamed in Athens [25]. Two more letters followed on 15th January 1973; the first was signed by a doctor from Limassol who supported Metaxas based on his personal experiences when he was a student in Athens during the anniversary celebrations of his “supposed Dictatorship”. As mentioned, Metaxas moved unprotected “among the celebrating villagers, with no fear of being murdered” [26]. The second letter was by Frederikos Onisiforou from South Africa, who supported the views of Katsis and wrote, among other things, that: “we all know the four-year lifespan of the 4th August regime. Beatings, arrests, castor oil, ice, handing over of Greeks in the political prisoner camps to the Nazis who would lead them to their execution” [27]. The confrontation over Metaxas Square brought to the surface the polarization that existed in Cyprus surrounding Makarios and Grivas, and the widening ideological gap among Greek-Cypriots.

9.4 The Reactions After the Coup D’état and the War

After the 1974 war, calls for renaming Metaxas Square intensified. The newspapers of the time contained articles emphatically requesting the immediate change of the name. Anything pertaining to totalitarianism and the suppression of democracy was anathema to the Greek Cypriots who apportioned responsibility to the Colonels’ dictatorship for the coup d’état and the subsequent Turkish invasion. Set against this context, the matter of renaming Metaxas Square translated into an argument among the daily newspapers; of all the newspapers in Cyprus, only the right-wing Mesimvrini, Maxi, Patris, and Allagi supported the view that Metaxas Square should not be renamed. A fundamental disagreement posed by those who objected to the renaming was the role of Metaxas in relation to the “OCHI-OXI” and 28th October 1940. At the other end of the spectrum lay arguments that linked the square with events for the freedom and independence of the Republic. As a consequence, it could not be commemorating “one of the most vicious and callous dictators.” As mentioned in Apogevmatini newspaper, “we utter the name of this square every day, without realizing that in doing so we commemorate a dictator, a representative of a mentality that could only be presented as an example to avoid” [28].

Under the pressure of the press, the Nicosia municipal committee met on 19th May 1975 to discuss the matter of renaming Metaxas Square. During the meeting, the President, Lellos Demetriades, commented that it had become a necessity for the Committee to investigate the issue, given the large number of requests for the immediate renaming of the Square. The Committee agreed that “owing to the nature of the subject,” as a first step it had to issue a call through the press for the residents of Nicosia to express their views on the issue. On the occasion of an affirmative response, the citizens would then be asked to submit their suggestions on alternative names and a “vote” would subsequently take place for the selection of the new name for the square from a list of predetermined names [29]. To ensure that the voting process was representative and non-biased, the municipality announced that it would carry out a sample test; this would be used to determine the extent to which the information submitted by the individuals was accurate. The announcement of the Nicosia municipality was sent to all newspapers, requesting that they publish a voting ticket and place it where it was visible in two publications, if possible, no later than 18th June 1975.

On 18th May 1975, Machi published a letter which called for the ambassador of Greece in Cyprus to voice his views on the “unholy renaming of the historical square of the capital” [30]. ‘Patris’ accused the mayor of Nicosia of succumbing to “partisan and communist precepts” concerning the renaming of the square [31]. It is worth noting that the same newspaper in another report attempted to identify mayor Lellos Demetriades with the then Turkish-Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktaş. The newspaper described the referendum announced by Demetriades as “equally arbitrary” as the referendum carried out by Denktaş on 8th June 1975 for the approval of a “Constitution” of the “Turkish Federated State of Cyprus”.Footnote 13 The newspaper further questioned the legality of the referendum for renaming the Square, given the absence of a provision for the execution of referenda in the Municipalities Law [32].

In an article entitled “Let it be renamed” Apogevmatini wrote that renaming Metaxas Square was an urgent necessity and a demand of the democratic mindset of the Cypriot people. The article also called for the municipal committee to restore the “defamed” square from the “fascist taint.” The author expressed the view that it was not right for the people to defend democracy and freedom on the square, uttering the name of the most detested tyrant [Metaxas] who had abolished the Constitution, violating “human rights and every concept of dignity of the Greek people”. The author referred to the renaming of the square as a pressing national need, the fulfilment of which would be an “achievement of the democratically oriented Cypriot people”. Concluding, the article remarked that Metaxas was glorified by “the like-minded inmates at Korydallos prison who were bought out by the CIA: the despicable traitors of the Cypriot people”; this was a reference to the putschists in Greece, who had been arrested and brought before justice, and to their collaborators in Cyprus who still remained unpunished [33].

On the same date the journalist Costas Serezis commented in a letter to Fileleftheros newspaper that as early as 1968 he was the first to propose the renaming of the square. According to his letter, there was no action back then on behalf of the Nicosia municipality, since Greece was under a dictatorship; nevertheless, that could not suffice as an excuse for the failure of the municipality to act. Serezis also noted that the press, national radio, and television broadcasting in Greece never mentioned the square by its name but made vague statements instead, referring to it as “a central square of Nicosia”. This, in his view, revealed the “unfavourable impression” that the name “Metaxas Square” had on the democratic people of Greece. He concluded by saying that the people and their genuine democratic orientations did not deserve to be vilified by a matter that appeared unimportant but was, in essence, significant. This was primarily to be the case at a time when the people brought the downfall of the dictatorship with their own sacrifice, and the destroyed presidential palace—destroyed by the putschists in Cyprus—became the “symbol of the fall of modern Greek fascism.” [34]

On 25th May, the newspaper Ta Nea published a letter entitled “The Renaming of Metaxas Square.” The author argued that it was imperative to rename the square as soon as possible and stressed the need to assign names to public places inspired by individuals who fought for and fell in the name of democracy. The article also expressed the opinion that the streets bearing the name of Georgios Grivas and members of EOKA B’, of which he was the leader, were the causes of many calamities and much conflict among Cypriots [35].

In a letter to the newspaper Maxi on 15th June 1975 under the title “And a little shame”, Yiannis Rossides accused Lellos Demetriades of betraying the idea of Enosis, quoting an excerpt from Demetriades’ interview in Eleftheria newspaper on 24th September 1968.Footnote 14 Rossides further warned Demetriades that in the upcoming mayoral elections,Footnote 15 “he will not be called Lellos, but… a ‘Negro’ due to the negative votes [in Greek referred to as “black”] and the contempt of the inhabitants of the capital” [36].

Loukis Papastratis, the former Deputy mayor of Nicosia between 1964 and 1974, was also entangled in the controversy over Metaxas Square.Footnote 16 During Papastratis’ term of office at the Nicosia municipality, he had a leading role in the naming and renaming of streets in the capital, proposing names that mostly alluded to Greece. A strong supporter of the aims of the putschists for Union with Greece, Papastratis remained acting mayor after DemetriadesFootnote 17 resigned from his position on 17th July 1974, two days before his compulsory retirement and exile had announced on the putschist-controlled national radio. On 11th October 1974, the Cabinet of the Republic of Cyprus reappointed Demetriades to the position of mayor of Nicosia.Footnote 18 Demetriades and the remaining members of the Municipal Commission made it a requirement for their acceptance of their appointments that Papastratis be excluded from the Commission, a demand which was met [37]. Papastratis noted that he was not appointed to the Municipal Commission because he was “an extreme Greek or ‘monk-smitten”.Footnote 19 He suggested that the square be called “Square of Greece” to honour the only country which not only “sheds the blood of its children for our survival,” and “raises us and the entire world spiritually,” but also, at the present stage, materially. He also argued that without the 6,000,000 offered by the Greek Government to Cyprus in the aftermath of the Turkish invasion, “the crippled Republic of Cyprus would starve and be quickly driven to complete collapse and extinction”.[38]

The newspaper Charavgi, an official instrument for voicing the views of the left, responded to a publication in Patris [32] that labelled the referendum for the renaming of the square as arbitrary and illegal, suggesting sardonically that the square be renamed “Taksim Square” (partition). According to Charavgi it would have been more fitting for the “dictatorial” publication Patris to propose the renaming of the square to “15th July Square”. It also enquired why Patris had “overlooked the historical event” of the fascist coup d’état, inextricably linked with the newspaper’s history and continuing mentality. To conclude, Charavgi mockingly wrote that “Taksim” was a by-product of the “illogical coup” which, having taken place first, had become the priority in terms of commemoration [39].

The connection of the 1967 dictatorship of Athens to Metaxas’ dictatorship was profound. Charavgi’s article, “The Dictator’s Square,” notably wrote:

Today, after the calamity that the younger dictators caused in the island and, generally, in Greece, the need to change the name of the square is now ripe. It is so strident, so provocative, so unacceptable in today’s new post-dictatorial conditions […] If the epic of ’40 must be honoured, let the square be renamed “OXI Square.” Or rather, Eleftherias [Freedom] or Demokratias [Democracy]: polite, eternal notions, interwoven with the ideals and struggles of our people. [40]

9.5 The Referendum

On 14th May 1975 Apogevmatini’s front-page read that a referendum would take place following the recommendation of Lellos Demetriades, the President of the Nicosia Municipal Commission, in which the townspeople would decide the name to be given to Metaxas Square. According to the newspaper, polls would be placed in the Square, and the people could pick among a range of alternative names or instead support that the existing name be retained. Prominent among the alternative names were: Freedom (Ελευθερίας—Eleftherias), Democracy (Δημοκρατίας—Demokratias), and Concord (Ομονοίας—Omonoias).

Apogevmatini also mentioned that Demetriades considered the referendum to be the most appropriate means of resolving the dispute over Metaxas Square. The columnist reported that the square was associated with public events that advocated freedom, democracy, and independence, arguing that the time had arrived for the people to be called to give “name and meaning to their square” [28]. The following day, an article under the title “Bravo Lellos” in the same publication praised the mayor’s action, reporting the following:

It was about time to take such a decision. The central square of Nicosia cannot bear the name of a dictator. It would be farcical to manifest the faith of people to democracy and freedom through plates alluding to an individual who utilized the most inhumane means to sweep away every concept of democracy, freedom, and human dignity. We, the Cypriots, have learned a lot from dictators and dictatorships. Finally, we must learn to distinguish what is right, and how one should be honoured and remembered. [41]

The newspaper even proceeded to hold its own referendum, urging its readers to state whether they wished to change the name of the square [42].

In an interview for the O Agon newspaper on 22nd June 1975 the mayor stated that the municipal committee could not examine the matter because of the “intense feelings” of the Nicosia residents, the number of requests sent to the municipality, and also the several articles that had been published in the daily press. As already noted, he avoided expressing his opinion before the completion of the voting procedure so as not to exert any influence on public opinion. Nevertheless, he expressed the view that it would have been better for Nicosia’s main square to carry the name of a “concept” rather than that of a person, as was the case “in almost all European capitals, especially when it comes to naming central squares.” He quoted the examples of Syntagma (Constitution) and Omonoia (Concord) squares in Athens, the Place de la Concorde in Paris, and Piccadilly Circus in London and in so doing, he stressed that such cases make reference to no great person, but rather to an enduring concept that transcends the passage of time [43].

The process of executing the municipality’s poll involved the publication of a voting ticket in the daily press. The residents of Nicosia were called upon to state their stance on the renaming of the square, as well as to express their views on the proposed alternative names. Furthermore, the municipality sent voting tickets to 19 political parties, organizations, agencies, and confederations [40]. At the end of the procedure, 1014 tickets had been received out of which five were rejected because they did not follow the referendum guidelines. A further 37 tickets were dismissed because they had come from non-Nicosia residents. From a random check of 200 tickets, it was found that 14 came from addresses that did not correspond to the names on the voting tickets. Overall, 96.4% of the participants voted for the renaming of the square, while 3.6% voted against. The names in order of popularity and their respective votes were as follows [44,45,46] (Table 9.1):

Table 9.1 Names in order of popularity and respective votes
Full size table

It should be noted, however, that the poll carried out by the Nicosia municipality was designed inadequately with methodological and sampling faults. As such it could be criticized as not being representative or accurate. Another survey conducted by the Centre of Research and Marketing (MEMRB)Footnote 20 used a sample of 594 persons, dividing the population into strata based on sex, age range, and social categories (Tables 9.2 and 9.3):

Table 9.2 MEMRB Survey-Breakdown of the sample by gender and age [47]
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Table 9.3 MEMRB Survey results—Breakdown by choice preference [48]
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In preferential order, the prevailing names were the following: (1) Democracy, (2) Freedom, (3) Concord, and (4) Independence. It is worth mentioning that the research of MEMRB revealed the need for improvement of the educational system of Cyprus since a significant percentage of those who voted against the renaming of the square reported that they had always been taught at schoolFootnote 21 that Metaxas was a hero [49].

On 25th June 1975 an article published in the ‘Fileleftheros’ newspaper under the title “The Square of the Disgrace,” welcomed the “fall” of the “fascist square,” and requested that officials consider four critical pieces of information before making their final decision:

  • If Democracy in Greece and Cyprus had not been established after the fall of the junta, the issue of renaming the square would not have arisen.

  • The square carried the name of a Greek fascist, and (“Democracy”) is the polar opposite of fascism.

  • Cyprus suffered because the demolition of the Republic on 15th July 1974 brought the end of Democracy.

  • The memory of the martyrs of July 15th who went directly to save democracy and break fascism was still fresh. If those martyrs had managed to stop fascism, Cyprus would never have become a new Asia Minor.

The article concluded by claiming that the name change was imperative to honour those who fell during the coup and the Turkish military invasion. It went a step further by proposing that the name change take place on 15th July [50]: the tragic first anniversary of the abolition of the Republic of Cyprus after the coup d’état and this proposal was accepted. Ta Nea newspaper reported that the President of the Municipal Commission would announce the new name of the square during the Pancyprian rally to be held at Metaxas Square on 15th July [51].

9.6 The Confirmation of the Decision

On 5th July 1975, an extraordinary meeting of the Nicosia Municipal Commission was held to discuss the renaming of the square. In making its decision on the matter, the Commission considered the renaming of streets and squares that carried Metaxas’ name in Greece at the end of WWII. The mayor shared information that he had collected, which indicated that although some streets and squares in Greek cities during Metaxas’ regime were named after the dictator, they had been subsequently replaced. During the Dictatorship of the Colonels in Greece, a circular by a minister of the regime requested that streets and squares be named after Metaxas; nevertheless, the fall of the dictatorship saw the discontinuation of these efforts. As noted in the minutes, the Municipal Commission of Nicosia was aware that no central square or main street in any part of Greece bore the name of Metaxas in July 1975. On this account and based on the prevailing conditions of the time “as they elaborated with the accretion of the predicaments brought by a dictatorship”, the Municipal Commission concluded that renaming the square was essential. Their decision to rename Metaxas Square would come into force on 15th July 1975 [52], the first anniversary of the coup d’état. The Municipal Committee decided to rename Metaxas Square Eleftheria (Freedom) Square on the following grounds:

The new name was in accordance with the motives that initially led the municipal council to name the square after Metaxas.

  • Addressing the 1941 decision to name the square after Metaxas, the commission commented that the intention was “not to honour Metaxas for his actions as a dictator, but rather for his stance in the face of the invaders’ threats” [49, 51, 53, 54]. Ever since, the Greeks celebrated and honoured the “NO” (Ochi) anniversary.Footnote 22 This word carried enormous weight in Greece as it was considered a synonym of freedom.

  • The word ‘Freedom’ encompassed the concepts of Democracy, Independence, Unity, and Peace, which had collectively gained most votes in the referendum.

  • It was impossible for the committee to underestimate the intense feelings of the people against a dictator, especially “during the current days of disaster brought about by a dictatorship.”

  • The word ‘Freedom’ withstood the test of time because it was an indestructible meaning embraced by all.

  • The name was a reminder of the good provided by freedom, and the obligation of every citizen to stand up to any actions that aim to suppress freedom either in private or public life.

On 6th July, the front-page of Fileleftheros featured an article notifying readers that the central square of the capital would be renamed, “in the name of Democracy”. The newspaper’s conclusions based on the opinion polls that it had carried out were also recorded:

  • Dictators are hated by the people, and Metaxas who said the “Ochi” is no exception.

  • The people long for democracy, freedom, independence, and harmony.

  • The people have started paying attention to the ‘fine print’ and have developed an interest in civic life.

  • The question of revising the education system arises, given that a considerable percentage of the respondents who opposed the renaming of the square did so on the grounds that they had “learned from a young age in school that Metaxas is a hero” [45].

On 8th July, Fileleftheros referred to the municipal committee as the “Democratic Committee of Nicosia” and praised its work in imposing by way of democratic means the will of the “overwhelming majority of Nicosia residents” by renaming the square [55].

The square would finally be given a “good name” following the democratic verdict of the people [46, 56, 57]. The renaming took place on the morning of 15th July 1975 during a special ceremony held in the presence of the mayor, the members of the municipal committee, and a significant number of townspeople. In the following months, the municipal committee decided to extend the boundaries of the square.Footnote 23 It would become a space for mass participation, expression, action, and interaction of the citizens who would in turn elevate the square to a benchmark of the capital [58,59,60].

The use of a referendum guaranteed the popular acceptance for renaming the square, which underscored a sense of collective decision-making that had been eroded by authoritarian regimes. Beyond the ideological motive for expunging the name of a dictator, the renaming of the square served to call attention to the notion of freedom which had been trampled upon by the putschists and the Turkish army alike. The municipal authorities, having had the final say on the matter of the renaming, found an opportunity to signify their symbolic command over Nicosia. During a massive rally held in Nicosia on 15th July, the mayor stated in his speech:

Last year, at this time the unwise and insane of the Greek Junta and their ridiculous subjects in Cyprus sent their tanks and their cannons to kill our leader [Makarios] and enslave our country. And the traitors were howling and sniggering from joy and rage. And they brought the Turks and caused bloodshed in our place and they killed our children and wiped out our cities and our villages and brought havoc and destruction. [61,62,63]

The citizens of Nicosia regained control over space, reassigning ‘public’ to “public space”. The square not only had a new ‘good name’ but also symbolically encompassed the concepts “of Democracy, Independence, Unity, and Peace”. More importantly, the new name of the Square would go down in the collective memory and consciousness as a space representing the victory of the people against any ideology that infringed democracy and, by extension, freedom, the main demand of Greek-Cypriots to date. Even so, it should be noted that beside the square there were still three streets in Nicosia named after Metaxas (in Palouriotissa, Omorphita,Footnote 24 and Lykavitos-Nicosia). The street in Lykavitos remains under Metaxas’ name at the time of writing, although there is no street commemoration of Metaxas anywhere in Greece.

Eleftheria Square, situated in the most prominent space of the capital, namely at the entrance to the divided city, becomes the medium for an idea, a message, and a demand: freedom as a fundamental human right. Indirectly, the square commemorates a historical event—the coup d’état and invasion of the island—which is introduced into the collective memory and transformed by means of the universal meaning attached to the square’s name into a message with many different recipients and interpretations. The name Eleftheria is an expression and legitimization of the Greek-Cypriot demand for freedom and elimination of the anomaly in space created by the Turkish occupation of the island. For the residents of Nicosia and Greek-Cypriots as a whole, the square’s name becomes a constant reminder of the collective struggle for freedom. The square, as a place of mass gathering situated at Nicosia’s entrance, contributes against the development of national amnesia. The citizens, with their decision to name the square Eleftheria, introduce their beliefs, values, and identity, into their daily experience, mirroring the official narrative, as a testament for the future generations and a popular cry for freedom, against the fait accompli of the island’s military invasion and occupation.