Georgios Petrakis Georgios Petrakis ( ; 1890 – 1972 ) , better known as Petrakogiorgis ( also spelled as Petrakoyiorgis / Petrakoyeorgis , ) , was a Greek businessman , partisan , and politician . He was a leading figure in the Cretan resistance of the years 1941 – 1944 against the Axis occupation forces , well - respected for his patriotism , couriage , honesty , perspicacity and selflessness . Before World War II . Petrakogiorgis was born in the village of Magarikari , Mesara Plain , Crete . His parents where Emmanuel Petrakis and Antiope Papastefanaki . Petrakogiorgis fought as an officer in the Asia Minor Campaign , after the end of which he worked as a merchant of agricultural products and owned an olive oil mill and a soap factory . Resistance service . Aged around 50 when the war broke out , Petrakogiorgis was too old to be called up . Nevertheless , he was one of the regional chieftains conducted by John Pendlebury in his effort to organize a system of defense before the German invasion of Crete . Shortly after Crete fell to the Germans in late May 1941 , many resistance organisations were formed across the island . Petrakogiorgis , who had already fought in the Battle of Crete and lost his eldest son Manolis during its course , swore his first men in June 1941 , near Kamares . Having evacuated the rest of his family to the safety of Middle East , he devoted himself whole - heartedly to the fight for liberation . Being pro - British , Petrakogiorgis had close ties with EOK and SOE . He had the code - name Selfridge because , in Beevor ' s words , " " his olive mill was Crete ' s closest approximation to big business " " . His group , named " " Psiloritis " " , was active in the regions of Mt . Ida , Mesara Plain , Mt . Kedros and Amari , and was often engaged in close combat with the occupation forces . He and his men fought in fierce battles in the region , such that at Papa to Perama ( Παπά το Πέραμα ) , Kouroupitos ( Κουρουπητός ) , Koutsounares ( Κουτσουνάρες ) , Poros Stavrou ( Πόρος Σταυρού ) , Trahili ( Τραχήλι ) and Madari ( Μαδαρή ) . Petrakogiorgis ' group also conducted several sabotages , smuggled men and equipment , and participated in the abduction of General Heinrich Kreipe . These activities allowed Petrakogiorgis to demonstrate his leadership and military skills , earning himself the nickname " " the eagle of Psiloritis " " . Yet , they also provoked German reprisal s which involved the execution of civilians , the confiscation of Petrakogiorgis ' personal property and the destruction of villages ( Magarikari , Kamares , Lochria ) , with the worse being that of Voriza ( ) which was flattened after heavy aerial bombardment by Stuka dive bombers . Postwar life . On 11 October 1944 , the day Heraklion was liberated , Petrakogiorgis entered the city triumphantly . He was appointed commander of its garrison and held that post till the beginning of 1945 . He later entered politics and was elected member of Parliament with the Liberal Party led by Sofoklis Venizelos . Petrakogiorgis was decorated several times by the Allies and represented Greece in several resistance fighter assemblies . In 1950 , Petrakogiorgis ' third daughter Tassoula was eloped by Kostas Kefalogiannis . Kefalogiannis had also taken part in the Resistance whereas his brother Manolis was a member of Parliament with Petrakogiorgis ' rival conservative People ' s Party . Petrakogiorgis felt insulted by this act and , as a result , the population of Crete was divided into two camps . Fear of an imminent armed clash led to the suspension of a number of sections of the Greek constitution , the declaration of the Psiloritis mountains as a forbidden zone and the deployment of more than 2 , 000 troops and gendarmerie to ensure order . The incident involved the top - level military , political and religious leadership of Greece and attracted strong international press attention . Petrakogiorgis died in Heraklion on 14 September 1972 . In 2009 , a bronze statue was erected near Magarikari in his honor .