Michalakis Karaolis

Born in Palaichori¹, Nicosia district, on 13 February 1933.

Hanged on 10 May 1956 at Nicosia Central Prison².

Michalakis Karaolis finished the primary school of Palaichori and graduated from the English School of Nicosia³. He was a government employee and worked in the Income Tax Department.

He joined the ranks of EOKA before 1 April 1955, in the group of Polykarpos Giorkatzis and offered various services to the struggle. He took part in the distribution of the first proclamation of Digenis. He worked in the Organization's intelligence department, transporting and hiding weapons and carrying out bombing attacks against the enemy at key points in Nicosia. He was then assigned to the first Nicosia execution squad. As a graduate of the English School, he kept company with English children, played with them and did not arouse anyone's suspicion that he was a member of EOKA.

On August 28, 1955, together with his comrade Andreas Panayiotou, he carried out the execution of policeman Herodotus Poulis, a close collaborator of the British. Andreas Panayiotou escaped, while Karaolis was sought and arrested as he was being transported to the Kyrenia region to join Grigoris Afxentiou's group. He was brought to court and sentenced to death on 28 October 1955, even though the bullet that killed Poullis came from Andreas Panayiotou's gun. And the British knew this.

Attempts to organize his escape before his execution were unsuccessful and Michalakis Karaolis was led to the gallows together with Andreas Dimitriou on 10 May 1956. With these executions, the new British governor of Cyprus, Harding, wanted to show that Britain was determined to maintain its sovereignty in Cyprus, crushing any resistance from the Cypriot people.

The mental fortitude and Greek bravery demonstrated by Michalakis Karaolis and Andreas Dimitriou, undauntedly climbing the gallows, raised the prestige of EOKA and created a heroic precedent for the fighters.