The Alpha and Omega of the Greek Debt Crisis

By

Christopher Kinley

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A projection on the German Embassy in London.

Cancel Greek Debt

A projection on the German Embassy in London in 2015.

An opponent of the 2015 referendum on the European Commission’s bailout conditions for Greece.

No to Annihilation

An opponent of the 2015 referendum on the European Commission’s bailout conditions for Greece. His sign reads “no to annihilation.”

A Greek Solidarity protest at the British Museum.

No More Looting

A Greek Solidarity protest at the British Museum in front of the Elgin Marbles in 2000.

A demonstration against the 2015 referendum in Syntagma Square.

Referendum Demonstration

A demonstration against the 2015 referendum in Syntagma Square in Athens, Greece.

A protester facing the police during May Day protests.

Protestors and Police

A protester facing the police during May Day protests in 2010.

A line at the National Bank of Greece in 2015.

Bank Line

A line at the National Bank of Greece in 2015 with a “vote no” poster in the background for the referendum to decide if Greece would accept the bailout conditions proposed by the European Commission.

A 2015 march.

2015 March

A 2015 march against the financial measures the European Commission, European Central Bank, and International Monetary Fund have demanded of Greece.

Graffiti in Greece critical of the IMF in 2015.

All Greeks

Graffiti in Greece critical of the IMF in 2015.

A painting depicting the slaughter of thousands of Greeks on the island of Chios by Ottoman troops.

Chios Massacre

A painting depicting the slaughter of thousands of Greeks on the island of Chios by Ottoman troops in 1822 during the Greek War of Independence, an event that increased support for the Greek cause throughout Europe.

Otto of Greece.

Otto of Greece

A Bavarian prince, Otto became the first modern King of Greece in 1832.

George I King of Greece.

George I of Greece

A Danish prince, the Greek National Assembly elected George I King of Greece in 1863 after King Otto was deposed.

King George I of Greece and Tsar Ferdinand of Bulgaria.

King George I and Tsar Ferdinand

King George I of Greece and Tsar Ferdinand of Bulgaria meeting during the Balkan War in 1912.

A painting of Greek military units in Paris.

Great War Victory Parade

A painting of Greek military units in Paris for a victory parade in 1919.

A Greek lithograph of the Battle of Sangarios River.

Battle of Sangarios

A Greek lithograph of the Battle of Sangarios River in 1921 during the Greco-Turkish War.

German soldiers raising their flag over the Acropolis.

Nazi Occupation

German soldiers raising their flag over the Acropolis in 1941.

A crowd during the deportation of one of the oldest Jewish communities in Greece.

Romanoite Jews

A crowd during the deportation of one of the oldest Jewish communities in Greece in 1944. Nearly all of the people deported were murdered at Auschwitz-Birkenau.

A 200,000,000 drachma banknote.

200,000,000 Drachma

A 200,000,000 drachma banknote issued in 1944 during a time of rampant inflation.

A 2015 protest in London opposed to austerity measures.

Greece Solidarity Campaign

A 2015 protest in London opposed to austerity measures.

A 2015 projection on the German Embassy in London.

Cancel Greek Debt

A 2015 projection on the German Embassy in London by the Global Justice Now organization.

A 1946 anti-communist poster in favor of George II.

Anti-Communist Poster

A 1946 anti-communist poster in favor of George II declaring: “This is what they fear! Vote for the King!”

A donkey carrying Marshall Plan supplies in Greece.

Marshall Plan

A donkey carrying Marshall Plan supplies in Greece in the 1950s.

The emblem of the Greek military junta.

Military Junta

The emblem of the Greek military junta featured a phoenix rising from flames, a soldier, and the date of the coup d’état.

Officials signing the documents for the accession of Greece to the European Union.

European Union Accession

Officials signing the documents for the accession of Greece to the European Union in 1979, a process completed in 1981.

The Olympic flame during the opening ceremony of the 2004 Summer Olympics.

Opening Ceremony

The Olympic flame during the opening ceremony of the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.

Athens 2004

The logo for the 2004 Summer Olympics.

A celebration during the closing ceremony for the 2004 Summer Olympics.

Closing Ceremony

A celebration during the closing ceremony for the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.

Graffiti in Greece in 2015 threatening a Grexit.

Pay Me or Grexit!

Graffiti in Greece in 2015 threatening a Grexit.

Greek riot police and protesters angered by austerity measures clashing during May Day demonstrations.

Clashes

Greek riot police and protesters angered by austerity measures clashing during May Day demonstrations in 2010 in Athens, Greece.

Ruins of the castle of Saint John in the Greek island of Rhodes with 'no' graffiti on it.

Castle of Saint John

Ruins of the castle of Saint John in the Greek island of Rhodes with “no” graffiti on it representing opposition to austerity measures in 2009.

A Greek police officer kicking a protester during 2010 May Day demonstrations.

Police Violence

A Greek police officer kicking a protester during 2010 May Day demonstrations in Athens, Greece.

Protesters and riot police in 2010 during May Day demonstrations.

May Day

Protesters and riot police in 2010 during May Day demonstrations in Athens, Greece against austerity measures.

An estimated 100,000 people gathered at Syntagma Square Garden.

IMF Protest

An estimated 100,000 people gathered at Syntagma Square Garden in Athens, Greece in 2011 to protest the IMF.

Greek police officers set ablaze by petrol bombs thrown by protesters during 2010 May Day demonstrations.

Petrol Bombs

Greek police officers set ablaze by petrol bombs thrown by protesters during 2010 May Day demonstrations in Athens, Greece over austerity measures.

2011 street art in Athens, Greece depicting the country’s financial woes.

Next Economic Model

2011 street art in Athens, Greece depicting the country’s financial woes.

A message on an ATM in 2015 telling customers about the referendum.

Bank Closure

A message on an ATM in 2015 telling customers about the referendum, the closure of banks for one week, and that funds are limited to 60 euros a day.

A projection on the German Embassy in London.

OXI

A projection on the German Embassy in London in 2015 with the Greek word “no.”

U.S. President Barack Obama speaking in Athens, Greece.

Obama in Greece

U.S. President Barack Obama speaking in Athens, Greece in 2016.

A graphic presented by the Dutch government in 2011.

When Greece Falls

A graphic presented by the Dutch government in 2011 about the European sovereign debt crisis.

A poster for a counter summit in 2013 regarding Ireland’s debt burden.

Counter Summit

A poster for a counter summit in 2013 regarding Ireland’s debt burden and referencing the larger European financial crisis.

Occupy Wall Street Protesters in 2012.

Solidarity

Occupy Wall Street Protesters in 2012 supporting Greek resistance to austerity measures.

Graffiti in Athens, Greece.

National Republic of World

Graffiti in Athens, Greece from 2015.

The new Acropolis Museum.

Acropolis Museum

The new Acropolis Museum, a costly museum to build during the financial crisis. [Image courtesy of the author]

The Hellenic Parliament building in Athens.

Hellenic Parliament

The Hellenic Parliament building in Athens. [Image courtesy of the author]

Syntagama Square in Athens.

Syntagama Square

Syntagama Square in Athens where many of the protests against austerity measures took place. [Image courtesy of the author]

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Cite this Site

Christopher Kinley , "The Alpha and Omega of the Greek Debt Crisis" , Origins: Current Events in Historical Perspective

August, 2018

https://origins.osu.edu/article/alpha-and-omega-greek-debt-crisis-IMF-Eurozone-EU-Grexit.