Thousands of monuments dot Greece’s islands and mainland honoring those who paid the ultimate price to fight so Greece — and all of Europe — could be free from the Nazi Germans during World War II.
We should never forget these heroes and have undertaken a reader-based project to share images and locations of these monuments.
If you have a photo of a WWII monument to share from your town or village, email us with details including location of memorial.
We will update this gallery periodically as new images are received.
From our reader Edwin Thomas Collins. Photo taken in region of Viannos, Crete, where 461 civilians were massacred by Nazi German forces. Each candle symbolizes a victim. The villages around Viannos were the center of the Greek resistance.
From our reader Edwin Thomas Collins. Photo taken in region of Viannos, Crete, where 461 civilians were massacred by Nazi German forces. The villages around Viannos were the center of the Greek resistance.
From our reader Manos Diakoumakis. Photo taken at Peristeri Beach in Rodakino outside of Rethymno, Crete. “This memorial stands here in this secluded beach as a testament to the efforts and sacrifices of the local people.”
From our reader Litsa Kouroumalis at the national resistance monument in Korakolithos. “My paternal grandfather was killed here with others. His age was approximately 45 and he left behind three young boys and my grandmother. He was one the leaders of the resistance in the area and was captured and later executed.”
From our reader Litsa Kouroumalis at the national resistance monument in Korakolithos. “To note: they have spelled our family name incorrectly and I will begin efforts to have it corrected when we visit Greece next summer.”
From our reader Nick Phillips. Photo taken at the WWII cemetery on Leros island. The cemetery contains the graves of 179 British, two Canadian and two South African servicemen.
From our reader Nick Phillips. Photo taken at the WWII cemetery on Leros island.
From our reader Jim Papaioannou. Photo taken in the village of Distomo, Crete. The monument honors the memory of 214 villagers who were murdered by Nazi soldiers on June 10, 1944. Papaioannou said his great uncle was among the victims.
Memorials along the old Tripolis-Sparta Highway. Submitted by Andrew Paspalas (Cresskill, NJ).
Memorials along the old Tripolis-Sparta Highway. Submitted by Andrew Paspalas (Cresskill, NJ).
Memorials along the old Tripolis-Sparta Highway. Submitted by Andrew Paspalas (Cresskill, NJ).
From our reader Alexander Mouzas. Photo taken in Kalpaki, where the initial WWII invasion of Greece took place on October 28, 1940, when the Italians invaded from Albania. Pictured is a statue of a soldier at the memorial site.
From our reader Alexander Mouzas. Photo taken in Kalpaki. “This is a large statue (about 60 feet) dedicated to the women who fought along side the men and supplied them with food and ammunition and wound care. Until one travels the land there, you have no idea how tough these people were.”
From our reader Alexander Mouzas. Photo taken in Kalpaki. “Letting the invaders know the answer to their question… stones on the side of the mountain telling them ‘NO.'”
From our reader George Mikrogiannakis in Scotland. Memorial located in Viannos, Heraklion (Crete).
From our reader George Mikrogiannakis in Scotland: “These are from the memorial in Viannos, Heraklion (Crete). You can see my grandfather’s name and all the other men from the Mikrogiannakis family who were executed nearby.
A memorial to the victims of the Tanais ship sinking, which was loaded by the Nazis with hundreds of Cretan resistance fighters and prisoners of war and more than 200 members of Crete’s ancient Jewish community. The ship was en route to northern Greece where the victims would be transported to Auschwitz, but was sunk by a torpedo after it departed the port of Heraklion.
A memorial to the victims of the Tanais ship sinking, which was loaded by the Nazis with hundreds of Cretan resistance fighters and prisoners of war and more than 200 members of Crete’s ancient Jewish community. The ship was en route to northern Greece where the victims would be transported to Auschwitz, but was sunk by a torpedo after it departed the port of Heraklion.
A memorial to the victims of the Tanais ship sinking, which was loaded by the Nazis with hundreds of Cretan resistance fighters and prisoners of war and more than 200 members of Crete’s ancient Jewish community. The ship was en route to northern Greece where the victims would be transported to Auschwitz, but was sunk by a torpedo after it departed the port of Heraklion.
Images from the WWII memorial in the town square of Levidi in Arkadia, Peloponnese provided by our reader Andrew Paspalas.
Images from the WWII memorial in the town square of Levidi in Arkadia, Peloponnese provided by our reader Andrew Paspalas.
Images from the WWII memorial in the town square of Levidi in Arkadia, Peloponnese provided by our reader Andrew Paspalas.
“Golgotha” hill and memorial in Hania, Crete.
“Golgotha” hill and memorial in Hania, Crete.
“Golgotha” hill and memorial in Hania, Crete.
Village of Sternes, Hania, Crete, memorial at the exact spot where villagers were assassinated.
Village of Sternes, Hania, Crete, memorial at the exact spot where villagers were assassinated.
Village of Sternes, Hania, Crete, memorial at the exact spot where villagers were assassinated.
Here, on March 21, 1944, our fellow villagers and brothers were assassinated by the Nazi Germans. Memorial to villagers from Krokees, Arkadia.
Memorial to villagers from Krokees, Arkadia.
Memorial to villagers from Krokees, Arkadia.
Village of Alepohori, the names of those who were executed by the Nazis, in a memorial at the exact spot of the crime.
Memorial to villagers from Krokees, Arkadia.
Village of Alepohori, the names of those who were executed by the Nazis, in a memorial at the exact spot of the crime.
Village of Kerasia, Arkadia.
Village of Kerasia, Arkadia.
Honoring the island of Paros’ fighters of National Resistance during WWII.
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