German WWII compensation to Greece

The town of Kalavryta, in Western Greece, is now chiefly known as a mountain resort. On December 13, 1943, it was the site of the greatest massacre perpetrated by the occupying German troops in Greece.

A few days earlier, Greek partisans operating in the area had executed 78 German soldiers they had held captive since October.

More than 500 males aged 12 and over were machine-gunned, while the women and children only managed to escape a school set ablaze reportedly because a German soldier disobeyed orders and allowed them to get out. Including operations in nearby villages, about 700 civilians were killed, 1,000 houses looted and burned and 2,000 livestock seized.

A memorial has been built on the site of the massacre. On April 18, 2000, then German president Johannes Rau visited the site to express his peoples’ feelings of sorrow and remorse for the massacre. Years earlier, German schoolchildren had visited and helped clean up the memorial.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who will meet Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin Monday, has revived the issue of German compensation for crimes like these. The Germans have responded that the issue of reparations has been conclusively settled.

Germany Greece Nazi Debt

A Nazi flag is displayed at the Holocaust Museum in the town of Kalavryta, western Greece, as portraits of victims are reflected in a glass on Saturday, March 22, 2015. On December 13, 1943, more than 500 males aged 14 and over were machine-gunned in the greatest massacre perpetrated by the occupying German troops. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who will meet Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin Monday, has revived the issue of German compensation for crimes like these. The Germans have responded that the issue of reparations has been conclusively settled. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

Germany Greece Nazi Debt

Visitors look on portraits of victims at the Holocaust Museum in the town of Kalavryta ,western Greece on Saturday, March 22, 2015. On December 13, 1943, more than 500 males aged 14 and over were machine-gunned in the greatest massacre perpetrated by the occupying German troops. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who will meet Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin Monday, has revived the issue of German compensation for crimes like these. The Germans have responded that the issue of reparations has been conclusively settled. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

Greece Germany WWII Crimes

A boy walks past a Nazi flag that also displays the names of the officers that took part in the Kalavryta massacre and their hierarchical superiors right up to Adolf Hitler at the Holocaust Museum in the town of Kalavryta ,western Greece on Saturday, March 22, 2015. On December 13, 1943, more than 500 males aged 14 and over were machine-gunned in the greatest massacre perpetrated by the occupying German troops. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who will meet Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin Monday, has revived the issue of German compensation for crimes like these. The Germans have responded that the issue of reparations has been conclusively settled. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

Greece Germany WWII Crimes

A German soldier's ID is displayed at the Holocaust Museum in the town of Kalavryta ,western Greece on Saturday, March 22, 2015. On December 13, 1943, more than 500 males aged 14 and over were machine-gunned in the greatest massacre perpetrated by the occupying German troops. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who will meet Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin Monday, has revived the issue of German compensation for crimes like these. The Germans have responded that the issue of reparations has been conclusively settled. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

Greece Germany WWII Crimes

Georgios Dimopoulos , 85, a survival of the Kalavryta massacre pose next to the portraits of his father (fourth row, fifth column) and his uncle (fifth row, third column) at the Holocaust Museum in the town of Kalavryta ,western Greece on Saturday, March 22, 2015. On December 13, 1943, more than 500 males aged 14 and over were machine-gunned in the greatest massacre perpetrated by the occupying German troops. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who will meet Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin Monday, has revived the issue of German compensation for crimes like these. The Germans have responded that the issue of reparations has been conclusively settled. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

Greece Germany WWII Crimes

A German family stand in front of a giant cross at a memorial site in the town of Kalavryta,western Greece, on Saturday, March 22, 2015. On December 13, 1943, more than 500 males aged 14 and over were machine-gunned in the greatest massacre perpetrated by the occupying German troops. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who will meet Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin Monday, has revived the issue of German compensation for crimes like these. The Germans have responded that the issue of reparations has been conclusively settled. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

Greece Germany WWII Crimes

Greek General Michail Kostarakos salutes during a memorial in the town of Kalavryta,western Greece on Saturday, March 22, 2015. On December 13, 1943, more than 500 males aged 14 and over were machine-gunned in the greatest massacre perpetrated by the occupying German troops. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who will meet Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin Monday, has revived the issue of German compensation for crimes like these. The Germans have responded that the issue of reparations has been conclusively settled. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

Greece Germany WWII Crimes

A woman walks past the sculpture of the Doleful Stony Mother at a memorial site in the town of Kalavryta,western Greece, on Saturday, March 22, 2015. On December 13, 1943, more than 500 males aged 14 and over were machine-gunned in the greatest massacre perpetrated by the occupying German troops. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who will meet Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin Monday, has revived the issue of German compensation for crimes like these. The Germans have responded that the issue of reparations has been conclusively settled. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

Greece Germany WWII Crimes

A girl holds a Greek flag as Greek orthodox priests looks watch a parade in the town of Kalavryta, western Greece on Saturday, March 22, 2015. On December 13, 1943, more than 500 males aged 14 and over were machine-gunned in the greatest massacre perpetrated by the occupying German troops. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who will meet Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin Monday, has revived the issue of German compensation for crimes like these. The Germans have responded that the issue of reparations has been conclusively settled. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

Greece Germany WWII Crimes

A man walks behind a wall engraved with the names of victims of the Kalavryta massacre at a memorial site in the town of Kalavryta ,western Greece, on Saturday, March 22, 2015. On December 13, 1943, more than 500 males aged 14 and over were machine-gunned in the greatest massacre perpetrated by the occupying German troops. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who will meet Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin Monday, has revived the issue of German compensation for crimes like these. The Germans have responded that the issue of reparations has been conclusively settled. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

Greece Germany WWII Crimes

A flower is placed on a wooden cross at the memorial site in the town of Kalavryta,western Greece, on Saturday, March 22, 2015. On December 13, 1943, more than 500 males aged 14 and over were machine-gunned in the greatest massacre perpetrated by the occupying German troops. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who will meet Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin Monday, has revived the issue of German compensation for crimes like these. The Germans have responded that the issue of reparations has been conclusively settled. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

Greece Germany WWII Crimes

A girl walks at a memorial site in the town of Kalavryta ,western Greece, on Saturday, March 22, 2015. On December 13, 1943, more than 500 males aged 14 and over were machine-gunned in the greatest massacre perpetrated by the occupying German troops. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who will meet Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin Monday, has revived the issue of German compensation for crimes like these. The Germans have responded that the issue of reparations has been conclusively settled. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

Greece Germany WWII Crimes

A display at the Holocaust Museum in the town of Kalavryta,western Greece, shows photos of the German officers who took part in the Kalavryta massacre on Saturday, March 22, 2015. On December 13, 1943, more than 500 males aged 14 and over were machine-gunned in the greatest massacre perpetrated by the occupying German troops. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who will meet Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin Monday, has revived the issue of German compensation for crimes like these. The Germans have responded that the issue of reparations has been conclusively settled. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

Greece Germany WWII Crimes

People watch a parade in front of a Greek flag in the town of Kalavryta, western Greece on Saturday, March 22, 2015. On December 13, 1943, more than 500 males aged 14 and over were machine-gunned in the greatest massacre perpetrated by the occupying German troops. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who will meet Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin Monday, has revived the issue of German compensation for crimes like these. The Germans have responded that the issue of reparations has been conclusively settled. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

Greece Germany WWII Crimes

A boy walks past a stone memorial of the Kalavryta massacre in the town of Kalavryta,western Greece on Saturday, March 22, 2015. On December 13, 1943, more than 500 males aged 14 and over were machine-gunned in the greatest massacre perpetrated by the occupying German troops. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who will meet Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin Monday, has revived the issue of German compensation for crimes like these. The Germans have responded that the issue of reparations has been conclusively settled. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

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Text by Petros Giannakouris

Follow Petros Giannakouris | Twitter: @PGiannakouris

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