Georgios H. Kribas (1936-2025)
George H. Krimpas, Professor Emeritus of Political Economy at the Department of Economics of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), passed away on February 25, 2025. Krimpas played a decisive role in the formation of the Department after the change of government. An associate – and then full – professor from 1977, he served as President of the Department from 1982 to 1989, Vice-Rector of the University (1986-1989) and Dean of the (then) School of Law, Economics and Political Sciences from 1989 to 1992. He served as Ambassador (Permanent Representative) of Greece to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris twice in 2001-4 and 2015-9.
He was born in April 1936. His early studies were at the Experimental School of the University of Athens (1942-1946) and then at the College of Athens (1946-1955). A Fulbright scholar, he studied philosophy at the University of Texas (1955-1958). From 1958 to 1963 he worked as a researcher at London School of EconomicsHe was elected lecturer in the Postgraduate Department of Economic Planning and Development at the University of Glasgow (1963-1965), while from 1967 to 1977 he was lecturer and then associate professor at Brunel University, from where he received his doctorate, which was published in 1975 (Labor Input and the Theory of the Labor Market, London: Duckworth). A post-Keynesian economist, a collaborator of Joan Robinson and Victoria Chick, he had published his lectures on Keynes in 1974 (Keynes' General Theory), while his lectures on the History of Economic Theories at the National University of Athens were published in 1979 (Theory of economic development, Papazisis). A more personal book entitled Modest Homecoming: The Goddess' Walk, published in 2022 by Papazisis Publications.
George H. Krimpas was a man of profound education and interest in public affairs. Abroad, he had participated in the anti-dictatorship struggle through the ranks of the Democratic DefenseHe had become acquainted with the newly created Party of Democratic Socialism (Code) of Yiagos Pesmazoglou and Babis Protopapas without success. He had served as president of Friends of the Acropolis Association.
Above all, however, Krimpas was a teacher. His lectures on political economy and the history of economic theories were captivating. He would explain to students books that had been published only a few years before and would have them running to the libraries after his lectures. He helped create the Department's doctoral program (UADPhilEcon) delivering a master class on General Theory of John Maynard Keynes. Three of his students (Manos Kountouris, Yannis Stournaras and Nikos Theocharakis) later served as faculty members in the Department. He was a teacher and mentor to many more, while his office and home were open to his students.
As a person, he was charming and charismatic with a rare, sometimes biting sense of humor, always winning over those who were lucky enough to meet him.
Those of us who knew him will remember him with gratitude and love and we express our deepest condolences to his children Oliver and Titania and to his family.