He was a member of the Cretan Parliament in 1889, Counselor (Minister of Justice) in the government of Prince George ( regarding the Cretan State) from 1899 until 1901, Prime Minister of the Cretan State from 1909 until 1910, Prime Minister of Greece from 1910 until 1920 and from 1928 until 1932.
«I WILL BE PLEASED TO BE USEFUL«
«During the first fortnight of February 2010, a ceremony will be held in Komotini, regarding the work, the life and the political role of Eleftherios Venizelos concerning the liberation of Thrace organized by the National Foundation «Eleftherios K. Venizelos», the municipality of Komotini, the Association of the Cretans in Komotini and other local authorities», as Mr. Nikos Papadakis the General Manager of the Foundation stressed in an interview to In-On magazine.
It is worth highlighting –he mentioned– the significance that Eleftherios Venizelos attributed to the relationship between politics and ethics as a quintessence of his ideology. More particularly, Mr.Papadakis underlined what «Eleftherios Venizelos had uttered during his appointment as a partner in the French Academy of Moral and Political Sciences on the 27th June 1919 saying that «with reference to the politicians as well as the peoples, respect to the moral standards, inseparable to the rules of politics, constitutes the best or probably the safest way of success». Moreover, as he had also underlined in the «Gazette of the discussions in the Senate» during the session on the 23rd of December 1929, sincerity is the key word that distinguishes the politician towards the people «…I did not proceed to the Government, gentlemen, this very last time to sound pleasant to various groups or various people. I will be pleased to be useful. However, I firmly believe that I fulfill a sacred duty often uttering the word «no», as to my mind if I uttered the word «yes» I would betray the Greek people’s mandate».
According to the biographical files of the Foundation Mr.Papadakis referred the most important: «Eleftherios Venizelos was born in the Turkish dominated Crete in 1864. When he was young his family took refuge in Greece since his father underwent the consequences of his revolutionary actions. After his graduation from the Law School of the University of Athens he practiced the law in Chania but soon he was absorbed in politics as a member of the Liberal Party.
His qualities as a leader and his political abilities gained distinction during the revolution of 1897. During the era of the Cretan State (1898-1912) he contributed to the Reform of the Cretan Constitution, also he quarreled with Commissioner George because of his liberal views, resorted to an armed revolution in Theriso (1905) and achieved the substitution of the Commissioner.
In 1910 not having a role in the political situation of the Cretan State, he undertook the premiership of Greece and formed the «Liberal Party». He was the pioneer of the political and financial restoration of Greece along with the victorious outcome of the Balkan Wars (1912-1913). During the First World War there had been a rift with the crown resulting to the National Division (1915-1917) but he imposed his political views on the entry of our country to the war supporting the allies. Greece was rewarded for its contribution through the assignment of the Governorship of Smyrna (1919). In the crucial elections of November 1920 Venizelos was defeated; he gave up politics and returned after the national disaster in Asia Minor in 1922. With two radical initiatives (1923) –the obligatory exchange of Greeks and Turks and the Treaty of Lausanne, which determined the borders between Greece and Turkey – he changed the orientation of the Greek politics and founded development in peace.
The last four years of his government (1928-1932) was a period of stability and creation. A great success was the Greek-Turkish Treaty of Friendship (1930). However, the end of his political career was marked by an attempt against his life (June 1933) and the unsuccessful mutiny of March 1935. He lived self exiled in Paris, where he died on March 18th in 1936.»
Mr. Papadakis stressed that the «National Foundation of Research & Studies Eleftherios K. Venizelos» was an old idea of the metropolitan bishop Eireneos Galanakis of ex Kissamo and Selino.
Regarding the Foundation, it was established on March 26th 2000 initiated by the Public Welfare Institution «St Sofia» supported by the local church, the Prefectural authorities of Chania, the municipality of Chania along with authorities of Crete and generally of Greece. The memorandum of association was signed by 33 founding members. On September 21th, 2000 the Greek Parliament validated by the law 2841/21-9-2000 its establishment.
The Institution is located in Eleftherios Venizelos’ house on the square Elena Venizelou in Chalepa Chania, a building of 1877 which was restored to its present form in 1927 by Eleftherios Venizelos. In March 2002 the ownership of the Venizelos residence came to the Greek Government, and later it was given to the Foundation. Today Venizelos residence is a museum.
The Administrative and the Scientific Services of the Foundation are housed in the restored building of the former Vloum residence opposite Venizelos residence since November 2005. In the August of 2007 in a special ceremony the building was named Mansion «Metropolitan Eireneos Galanakis» in order to honor the President of the Foundation.
The Foundation is ruled by a 23member Board of Directors with the metropolitan bishop Eireneos Galanakis of ex Kissamo and Selino as the president. The General manager of the Foundation is Nikolaos Emm. Papadakis and the Scientific Councilor is Eleni Gardika- Katsiadaki.
The main aim of the Foundation –he clarified– is the mapping out of a systematic research of a national strategy, the study of the era along with the work and the life of Eleftherios Venizelos.
The objectives of the Foundation constitute the function of a dynamic European research and educational center on a national basis, which comprises a core institution of the co-ordination of the research and study of the work, the era and the life of this great politician of the modern history of Greece without ideological obligations, without local restrictions.
Furthermore, the Foundation has developed a wide network of co-operation with University and Research Institutions from Greece and abroad along with a number of university teachers and new scientists.»
CURRICULUM VITAE
Nikolaos Papadakis of Emmanuel was born on the 20th January in 1949 at Vamos in the municipality of Chania –Crete and he is a lawyer– General Manager of the National Foundation of Research & Studies «Eleftherios Venizelos».
Studies: He finished the six-grade High School at Vamos Chania (1968) and graduated from the Law School of the University of Athens (1977). He has practiced the law since1980 in Chania.
Foreign Languages: English
Career: He is a member of the Bar in Chania. He was the chairman of the Cultural Association of Vamos from 1980 until 1990. He is the General Manager of the National Foundation of Research &a Studies «Eleftherios Venizelos» since its establishment in 2000. He is the vice president of the Public Welfare Institution «St Sofia» since 1990.
Publications: He has written two books entitled: i) Eleftherios Venizelos and Macedonia, 1914-1918: The significance of the battle at Scra (An episcope), Chania 2008 and ii) Eleftherios K. Venizelos: A biography, Chania 2006.He has also attended to several editions on historical issues.