Statue of Georgios Ivanoff

The statue of Georgios Ivanoff, created by the sculptor Mieczysław Welter, is located at the intersection of Lagada, Saint Dimitrios, and Nestoros Streets in Xerokhori, Thessaloniki. The unveiling of the statue took place on October 30, 1985, as part of the events commemorating the anniversary of Thessaloniki’s liberation from German occupation.

The statue stands at a height of 2.40 meters and was a gift from the Polish people to the city. Georgios Ivanoff arrived in Thessaloniki in 1926 with his Polish mother, Leonarda Sainovich, following her Greek husband, Ioannis Lamprianidis. Ivanoff is regarded as the greatest Allied saboteur of World War II, having been trained by the British Special Operations Executive (S.O.E.) in the Middle East.

Ivanoff’s mission included organizing intelligence networks and coordinating resistance organizations in Greece. He carried out significant acts of sabotage, such as the attack on the Maltsiniotis factory, causing substantial losses to the Germans, who placed a record bounty of 500,000 drachmas on him. The statue honors his memory and bravery during the occupation, acknowledging his contribution to the resistance against Nazism.