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Memories of the Occupation in Greece

German occupation

The German Occupation

The effects of the German occupation are still present today in the collective memory of the Greek people.However, historians have determined that very little is known about Greece’s role in the Second World War.

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The Magnitude of the Destruction

Upon its departure in the fall of 1944, the German military left behind a devastated country. Tens of thousands suffered the consequences of famine and long-term malnutrition.

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Resistance

During the brutal three-and-a-half-year occupation, a vast and extremely active resistance emerged.

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Collaboration

The establishment of pro-German governments, as well as collaboration with the occupiers, was a striking occurrence in all areas occupied by the Axis powers. Although the framework for collaboration was determined by the German side, collaborators nevertheless pursued their own objectives and interests.

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Reprisals and Retribution

In Greece, theinclusion of collective responsibility in the public consciousness is also an inseparable aspect of the experience of the occupation. Members of the German occupying forces committed numerous war crimes, to which tens of thousands of civilians, including large numbers of women and children, fell victim.

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Famine

During the occupation, the Greek population was afflicted by famine. The food supply collapsed during the German invasion, which had a tangible, threatening effect for the majority of the population.

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The Holocaust

The deportation and extermination of the Greek Jews as part of the Nazi “final solution” began in March of 1943 and lasted until August of 1944.

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Consequences

The end of the war failed to bring peace to a troubled Greek people or create a positive point of reference due to internal conflict that carried over from the occupation.

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Timeline

The timeline lists the events of the German occupation of Greece in chronological order.

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Glossary

Important terms are translated and clarified.

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