THE BATTLE OF CRETE
20th of May 1941 -1st of June 1941
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF THE BATTLE OF CRETE
May 20th: The attack starts. At 6:30 a.m. the aeroplanes arrive. The bomb
drop begins in Khania.
At 7.30 a.m. the paratroopers are falling from the air.
May 21st: The German soldiers are focusing on the airport of Maleme.
The British Navy attacks to the German one. Fifteen different German
battleships get sunk and 4000 German soldiers are killed.
May 22nd: The airport is being occupied by the German army.
May 23rd: The king of Greece and his followers flee.
May 24th: Kandanos is being occupied.
May 26th: The occupation of Galatas.
May 27th: 750 soldiers arrive at Souda Bay. After the battle, Khania, the
city is being occupied.
The battle of Crete is over.
Crete is conquered by Germans.
The city of Chania is ruined by the bomb
attack.
The number of killed people is unknown.
Life is changing
The occupation
The German invasion of Crete in May 1941 stands as a landmark in the history of
airborne warfare.
Life is changing. According to testimonies of people who lived during the
occupation, during the spring of 1941 German soldiers did not stay in the villages for
a long time but they were detecting the area for resistance troops. They took the
locals’ animals making the local people’s life harder. However, even there were
many rebels in the area, local residents were not disturbed by the occupants. In many
cases, working for Germans in the fields was compulsory whose only reward for his
work was a plate of porridge during the break.
We observe the beginning of labour recruitment, retaliations, arrests and
executions against Cretan habitants who have fought bravely during the
battle of Crete. For example at the Prison of Agia group executions take
place. The people from the surrounding villages were hearing the number
of shots and so they knew how many people were executed each time, a
gunshot per person. The Greeks were ordered to carry the executed
people in garbage carts and bury them into group tombs. On the same
ground, above the dead bodies, they planted corn
Many people died from hunger as a loaf of bread cost 1,000,000 drachmas.In addition,
because many Germans were killed in the battle of Crete, the Germans tortured and killed
many people. The investigated prisoners were even skinned. On the contrary the cretan
resistance was becoming stronger and wider.
War is cruel for everyone. Even German soldiers who refused to take part in
executions or to fight against the local people were even punished to death. There were German
soldiers who behaved well to local people. According to a testimony: “once my father had gone to
find hares, he was caught to be executed with other Greeks. Luckily, a German who knew my father
saw them and told them to leave the poor man and take him instead of my father”.
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The German oppression makes
life hard for everyone. The
revenge measures are decided by
the Germans and those
disobeying them are immediately
imprisoned and executed. Traffic
is restricted. People’s meetings
are prohibited. Radio and any
means of communication are
banned. Any transactions of food
and other necessary goods are
not allowed.
For example, on may 7th the
village of Kambi Kydonia at
Chania is attacked by German
troops, who seek men of Greek
People's Liberation Army (ELAS).
Thirty six residents are arrested
and executed. On the contrary,
the local authorities of Chania
cooperate with the occupants and
declare their obedience by calling
people to accept the new
situation and surrender.
Resistance against the occupants
After the battle of Crete is over the first
resistance organizations appear:
ΕΑΜ(National Liberation Front)
Νationwide organization of socialist left
wing beliefs.
ΕΛΑΣ(Greek Peoples Liberation Army)
ΕΟΚ(National Organization of Crete)
local resistance organization involving
Cretan and English(allies) people.
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Here are some of their actions:
In 1942 the hard winter and the hunger are unbearable
problems, but the resistance organizes food distribution
for supporting and helping people to survive.
Even young children resist: "aetopoula“(“little eagles”),
kids from 8-12 years old, who transfer messages and
write political slogans on the walls. "saltadoroi" who jump
on the German's tipper trunks and steal food supplies.
In August 1942 the compulsory labour for the German
army is used and punishment is inflicted on everyone who
denies to obey: prison and death penalty. Cretan people
fight against the Germans. The first resistant groups
appear in the neighborhoods of Chania and in many
villages around. (1941-1942)
ΠΟΕΝ (Panhellenic Organization of Free Youth) is
founded in Chania, they start action, young people’s
voices are heard protesting at nights, calling people to
resist against the occupants.
ΠΟΕΝ is attached to ΕΠΟΝ (Panhellenic Youth
Organisation of ΕΑΜ), which is founded on February 23rd,
1943.
In their proclamations, the young men and women of
ΕΠΟΝ urge Cretans to resist against the occupants.
The resistance makes demonstrations against people’s
recruitment. They protest against Germans decision to get
transferred in Germany for work at war industry. Their
achievement is very important: Greece is the only country
where the recruitment is revoked.
On November 7th, 1943: In the village Therissos of
Chania, ΕΑΜ and ΕΟΚ sign a cooperation agreement
against German conquerors.
Acording to an extract from the programme of EAM (19411945)
"The purpose of the National Liberation Front is:
The liberation of our nation from its current foreign yoke
and the acquisition of full independence of our
country ... "
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With full independence ΕΑΜ means
independence from any foreign power, by
both the German occupants or their "allies"
the British, that displeases the second.
The English policy seeks the stifling control
of the situation in Greece after the war. For
this purpose, equips and supports financial
groups friendly to British: EDES in central
Greece and EOK in Crete, in order to limit
the power of EAM-ELAS, as - after the
successive victories against the invaders these organizations have gained strong
popular support.
And what about the Agreement of the
Therisso-Tromarissas in Chania?
Was it a success, as marked, or failure of
foresight on the part of EAM-ELAS, for the
actual role of the British and their friends
(EOK);
After the agreement,it is typical the
requirement which some executives of EOK
(K. Mitsotakis) made: ELAS not to attack
German forces, but only after approval by
the Joint Committee on Administration of
EOK and ΕΑΜ!!
In conclusion, the greek national resistance
during the second world war is one of the
greatest and brightest achievements of all
over Europe. The sublime heroism of the
Greeks constitutes for us a source of hope
and ispiration.
Holocaust of Kandanos, Kampoi, Kampanos
and other villages.
The Holocaust of Kandanos refers to the complete destruction of the village of
Kandanos in Western Crete (Greece) and the killing of about 180 inhabitants on June
3rd of 1941 by German occupying forces. It was in reprisal for the participation of the
local population in the Battle of Crete that had held advancing German soldiers for two
days. The destruction constituted one of the most atrocious war crimes committed
during the occupation of Crete by Axis forces in World War II.
On February 9 1944, the villages of Kampanos, Panichori, Rodovani, Sougia, Selino
in Chania region, conduct large blocks at the Germans troops. 100 members of EAM
are arrested and sent to Agia’s prison and from there to several concentration camps in
Germany (Mauthausen).
On May 7 1944, the village of Kambi Cydonia at Chania is attacked by German troops,
who seek men of ELAS. 36 residents are arrested and executed.
In the morning of 20th May 1944, in every Jewish home in Khania, a special order is
delivered written in Greek:
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"For your transportation you must,with all your Jewish
relatives, be prepared to depart immediately. You have 45
minutes ... ".
Nominal lists of Jewish residents had been prepared from the
appointed by German local authorities since 1941 and had
been delivered to the German Administration
The Jewish community of Chania was a collateral loss
because of the kidnapping of General Kraipe. On the
afternoon of June 7, 1944, 269 Jews, 600 Greek and Italian
partisans are violently embarked on a cargo steamer,
"Tanais", and are locked in the hold.
On June 9, the steamer is attacked by the British
submarine'' Vivid'' and sunk, by mistake as claimed by the
Foreign Office. None of the captives survived.
THE LIBERATION
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On October 11 1944, the Germans
evacuate Heraklion and are headed to
Chania. The next day they withdraw their
troops from Athens.
The conquerors gradually leave
Greece, apart from Chania, where they
gather their forces from all over Crete.
So, Greece is celebrating the liberation
(October 1944)
But on the same time (October 1944) Chania mourn new dead citizens
• The German army is
defeated in all the
European war fronts. But
in Chania the German
conquerors continue the
attacks and violence
against the residents. In
Agia’s jail the moribund
agonists head to the firing
squad until the Spring of
1945.
HOWEVER
In the middle of October 1944 the soviet
army arrives to Belgrade. Thus, the air
transfer of the german army stops and
about 16.500 german troops remain in
Chania.
Exactly this days of December 1944 in
<<free>> Athens, the English army and
Papandreou’s government act like the new
conquerors of Greece. They shot peaceful
demonstrations of ΕΑΜ and kill hundreds
of demonstrators.
WHEN THE PEOPLE ARE AT RISK OF TYRANNY
THEY CHOOSE THE CHAINS OR THE GUNS
ΕΑΜ
• The German army is defeated in all the European war fronts. But in
Chania the German conquerors continue the attacks and violence
against the residents. In Agia’s jail the moribund agonists head to
the firing squad until the Spring of 1945.
Early May 1945
• Hitler suicides and defeated Germany signs capitulation. So, the
way for the release of Chania opens.
04 May 1945
• The people’s army of EΛΑΣ announces it’s disintegration, since it
believes that it’s mission is completed.
ALTHOUGH
• The German army in Chania remains fully armed, obviously not
wanting to hand over the guns. Parts of the English army, on
the other side, seem also not to be in the ‘‘mood’’ of asking the
resignation of the German
23 Μay 1945
• In Chania the liberation is
celebrated with parade of the
government army and also of
the rebel ‘‘groups’’, who acted
little or not at all against the
Germans.
• Greek Government and British
alleged rebels did everything in
order to obstract the
participation of real rebels of
ELAS in the celebration of the
liberation
• However, the German army still retains his weapons and
areas of responsibility in Saint John and Halepa. The
German general Bentak still resides in the house of
Venizelos. The rest areas of Khania are controlled by the
British.
• In this way, the German and the English army have split
Chania into two zones. The former enemies maintain the
order in the town and in the villages and together control
the lives of the people of Crete.
May 25, 1945
• Vatolakkos village is bombarded by the Germans army
How could we explain all this?
The answer is given by a secret order of the
Military Administration of Crete, dictated by
the British and dated
on May 5, 1945
M.A.C., AP 240 \ 05/05/1945
• “ …The German army divisions located in
ALIKIANOU-FOYRNE-SKINE will remain in
the positions of rebel divisions (ELAS) in
order to prohibit the entrance in Khania from
the public road ALIKIANOS…”
THEN…
• German, British and Greek state army
alliance against the Greek Liberation Army