Massacre of Kalavryta: What Happened
On 13 December 1943, German troops carried out one of the worst massacres of the occupation in Greece at Kalavryta, a town in the northern Peloponnese. It was a reprisal for the killing of German soldiers who had been captured by Greek resistance fighters in the region. After burning villages and monasteries in the area, including the historic Monastery of Agia Lavra, the Germans entered Kalavryta. They gathered the population in the town's school, then separated the men and boys from the women and children. The men and boys, from around the age of 12 or 14 upward, were led to a hillside above the town, the Kappi Hill, and executed by machine gun fire. Around 500 people were killed in Kalavryta, and several hundred more in surrounding villages. The women and children, locked in the school, managed to escape when the building was set on fire. The Germans then burned the town. The clock on the town's cathedral still stands stopped at 2:34, the time of the massacre. A memorial on Kappi Hill commemorates the victims.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the Massacre of Kalavryta?
On 13 December 1943, German troops executed the men and boys of Kalavryta, in the northern Peloponnese, and burned the town, in one of the worst massacres of the occupation.
Why did the Germans massacre Kalavryta?
It was a reprisal for the killing of German soldiers who had been captured by Greek resistance fighters in the region.
How many people died at Kalavryta?
Around 500 people were killed in Kalavryta, and several hundred more in surrounding villages and monasteries.
Why is the Kalavryta clock stopped at 2:34?
The clock on the town's cathedral was stopped at 2:34, the time of the massacre, as a permanent memorial to the victims.
Can you visit the Kalavryta memorial?
Yes. The Place of Sacrifice on Kappi Hill and the Museum of the Kalavryta Holocaust, in the old school, commemorate the victims.
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