Hellenic State ( 1941 – 44 ) The Hellenic State ( , " Elliniki Politeia " , also translated as Greek State ) was the collaborationist government of Greece during the country ' s occupation by the Axis powers in the Second World War . Background . After the fall of Greece , General Georgios Tsolakoglou was appointed as Prime minister of the new Greek government on April 30 , 1941 . As King George II had left the country with the legitimate Greek government in exile , the new regime avoided all reference to the Greek monarchy and used " Hellenic State " as the country ' s official , generic , name . The collaborationist regime lacked a precise political definition , although Tsolakoglou , a republican officer , considered the Axis occupation as an opportunity to abolish the monarchy , and announced its end upon taking office . The existence of a native Greek government was considered necessary by the Axis powers , in order to give some appearance of legitimacy to their occupation , although it was never given more than an ancillary role . The country ' s infrastructures had been ruined by the war . Raw materials and foodstuffs were requisitioned , and the government was forced to pay the cost of the occupation , giving rise to inflation , further exacerbated by a " war loan " Greece was forced to grant to Nazi Germany . Requisitions , together with the Allied blockade of Greece , resulted during the winter of 1941 - 42 in the Great Famine ( Greek : Μεγάλος Λιμός ) , which caused the deaths of an estimated 300 , 000 people . The " Hellenic State " lacked the infrastructures and latitude for action to face the great difficulties of the Occupation period ; it was also devoid of any political legitimacy , and was widely considered a puppet government . Tsolakoglou demanded greater political rights for his government , and soon threatened to resign . The proclamation of a mandatory work service in Germany for Greek citizens proved widely unpopular and hastened the fall of Tsolakoglou : on 17 November 1942 , he was sacked and replaced by his deputy , Konstantinos Logothetopoulos . The new government announced that 80 , 000 Greek citizens were to be sent to Germany . This led to widespread demonstrations and strikes , and the decision was eventually revoked . Logothetopoulos , who had protested against the measures taken by the Axis occupation authorities , was himself sacked on 6 April 1943 . Against the wishes of the Italians , who favored Finance Minister Sotirios Gotzamanis , he was replaced by Ioannis Rallis , a monarchist politician . Rallis , who was looking beyond the German withdrawal from Greece to the restoration of the post - war political order , and who was alarmed by the growth of the mostly Communist - dominated Greek resistance , obtained German consent for the creation of the Security Battalions , armed formations that were used in anti - partisan offensives . The collaborationist Greek government ceased to exist after the withdrawal of German forces and the liberation of the country in October 1944 . Although Tsolakoglou , Logothetopoulos and Rallis were all arrested , the restored monarchist government made no major effort to punish collaborators : this contributed to the escalation of political enmities in Greece , which in turn played a part in the outbreak of the Greek civil war .