In one of the 1938 issues of the Freude und Arbeit magazine, there’s a spread about General Metaxas, whom the magazine calls “Greece’s national leader and his achievements. Here’s the full transcripted text:

“Athens, April 1940

The people of Greece are right in regarding General Metaxas as the saviour and national leader of their country, for it is due to him alone that Greece is no longer a land of continual revolutions, coups and internal dissension, but a united state in which law and order have been established.

General Metaxas, who was born on the island of Ithaka in 1871, is one of those men who, by virtue of their strength of character and outstanding qualities, are destined to lead. Uncompromisingly, he pursued his course as a soldier and as a statesman. In his political struggle he realized with increasing clarity that the democratic parliamentary system was unsuitable for his country. As early as 1933 he demanded the immediate restoration of the monarchy which eventually came about in 1935. For General Metaxas this did not, however, mean the end of the struggle. In spite of the earnest desire of the King to bring about the reconciliation of the opposing parliamentary parties and to achieve national unity, his efforts in this direction proved unavailing.

General Metaxas decided that it was time to intervene, and during the night of 3rd August 1936, he abolished all parties and proclaimed an authoritarian government, thereby saving his country. The first task the new Government set about accomplishing was to increase the spending power of the worker and thus to raise the standard of living of the working class, to strengthen the main pillars of the State, namely, the working and the farming classes. Apart from the institution of vocational competitions and the introduction of measures connected with the workers’ housing problem, much has been done with regard to providing recreation for workers. In Greece, the activities of the “Ergatiki Estia” correspond to those of the German “Strength through Joy” organization. In May 1938, this organization in conjunction with the “International Committee for the Organization of Leisure-time and Recreation,” sponsored the Balkan Travel Exhibition in Athens, which was opened by Dr. Ley, head of the German organization. Greece was also well represented at the Congress for the Organization of Leisure-time and Recreation held in Hamburg.

On two occasions, once in November 1938 and again in March 1939, the “Ergatiki Estia” and representatives of the Greek workers’ organizations, including M. Dimitratos, Minister for Labour and other leading men, welcomed Germans who visited Greece on a “Strength through Joy” cruise aboard the s.s. Oceana. The warmth of their welcome and the hospitality extended to their German fellow-workers by the Greeks were ample proof of the traditional friendly relations between the two countries.

Greece maintains excellent diplomatic relations not only with her neighbours, to whom she is bound by friendly treaties, but also with all other lands and powers. General Metaxas has, by his shrewd policy, made Greece strong and increased her prestige abroad. As the man responsible for the foreign policy of his country he insists upon an attitude of strict neutrality.

In accordance with the tradition and culture of the country, the Premier has devoted his energies to the cause of Greek youth, for indubitably, the fate of every nation lies in the hands of the rising generations. In order to ensure the welfare of the whole and uniformity of training, all young people were included in a national organization, which is imbued with the spirit of General Metaxas who is untiring in superintending the activities of the movement in the organization of which he himself has taken an active part.

With regard to both the young men’s and young women’s formations, the organization has been divided into districts, each of which is entrusted to the care of a district leader, whose duty it is to arrange for preparatory military training given by officers of the defence forces. All kinds of sport, including shooting and gliding, are carried on with enthusiasm. In every district there is a training school for the leaders of the organization and there are, in addition, evening and vocational courses at which the young members receive a specialized training to fit them for civilian occupations. Particular attention is paid to activities connected with the general weal, and very fine work is done by the welfare, nursing and first aid sections. The youth organization is also actively engaged in the cultivation and afforestation of large tracts of country, the combatting of plant diseases and the draining of marshland. They gave proof of their spirit of self-sacrifice during the earthquake at Oropos, where they rendered magnificent service in assisting in the work of rescue. They have established a volunteer Labour Service Corps with the motto, “All for Greece”, and as a sign of their national sympathies they wear a badge in the form of the two-headed axe discovered during excavations on the island of Crete.

What General Metaxas has accomplished so far is no miracle by which Greece has been transformed into an earthly paradise, but it represents an incalculable amount of hard work, energy, determination, faith, authority and discipline. What a parliamentary regime failed to accomplish in thirty years, General Metaxas has achieved within the space of three.

Germany as the country which, under the magnificent leadership of Adolf Hitler, has long been an authoritarian state and achieved great things in the sphere of home and foreign politics, will certainly not be slow to acclaim the work of General Metaxas and the resurrection of the Greek nation.

The Hellenic people today see in General Metaxas, their Premier, not only their national leader, but also the man who saved their country.”

– Andreas Markessinis