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2024 | OriginalPaper | Buchkapitel

9. The Case Studies: Similar Vision, Different Approaches

verfasst von : Charalampos Babis Karpouchtsis

Erschienen in: German Foreign Policy and Greek Martyr Communities

Verlag: Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden

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Abstract

This chapter is dedicated to the case studies. The opinions expressed in it are summarized and reflect the interviewee’s institutional role. Single statements are cited to underline stances towards Germany and to explore interviewees’ views on reconciliation with the former foe. It includes a total of eight case studies and represents a total of ten martyr villages. This is the heart piece of the book, presenting more than five months of field work. The case studies are core to understanding Greek local reactions to German reconciliation policy. To this point this is a unique approach in researching Greek-German relations, combining policy analysis with expert interviews, field research as well as primary and secondary literature. The cases are complemented by photos of local monuments and memorials. The aim is to portray a complete and thorough picture of the different stances towards and effects of German reconciliation policy on the local level. By doing so, the chapters uncover a widely unknown memory landscape with local, regional, national and international reference points.

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Vorheriges Kapitel “Small Places, Large Issues”—The Cases

Nächstes Kapitel Conclusion

The census of 2011 shows a de facto population of 1124 (Hellenic Statistical Authority 2014).

According to Eurostat (2020) the average unemployment rate of the total workforce was ca. 30% in the years 2013–2019. During these years the region Western Macedonia, to which Lechovo belongs, had an average youth unemployment rate of ca. 70% (Eurostat 2020).The estimate given by the local community’s president seems correct.

Georgios Poulos was an officer of the Greek army. After Greece was occupied he formed a battalion and collaborated closely with the occupation forces. He and his men aided the Wehrmacht and participated in multiple atrocities in the wider region of Macedonia. After 1944, he followed the Wehrmacht’s evacuation to Austria and was arrested by US authorities. He stood trial in Greece, was convicted of treason and received the death penalty. He was executed in June 1949 in Athens (Dordanas 2006).

In the original: “Η συγνώμη είναι συγνώμη. Για μένα μεγάλη κουβέντα η συγνώμη, αρκεί να τη νιώθει κάποιος όταν τη λέει τη συγνώμη Δεν είναι εύκολο πράμα κάποιος να πει συγνώμη. Έτσι; Ό,τι κι αν έχει κάνει. Είτε και μικρό, είτε, πόσο μάλλον ένα μεγάλο έγκλημα κατά της ανθρωπότητας, εντάξει; Η συγνώμη είναι συγνώμη σαν άνθρωποι πρέπει να τη δεχτούμε και να τη σεβαστούμε. Αλλά κι αυτή η συγνώμη θα πρέπει να αποδεικνύεται και με πράξεις.”

Translation by the author: “…Sorrow for the things, that humans cannot repair”.

As discussed, in this context the word holocaust refers to the complete burning and total destruction of Kalavryta and not to the Shoah. It demonstrates how problematic the term is for an international audience.

See previous footnote.

Different sources cite ASF as the leading partner of the mission in Servia, however, the initiators of the project were Max and Gertrud Roth from Switzerland and the mayor of Servia Alekos Tsukardanis (Rosenstock-Huessy 1965, p. 119). MOS_Ser 3/5/2021, p. 7 said that the Swiss couple as well as another Swiss woman, Judith König, who wrote a book about her service in the Greek town (König 1962) visited Servia after 2000, but could not give an exact date MOS_Ser 3/5/2021, p. 9.

Literally Aktion Sühnezeichen Friedensdienste means Action Sign of Atonement Peace Service.

Translation by the author. The original in German:

Unsere Gruppe will das schreckliche Unrecht sühnen, dass die deutsche Kriegswalze auch über Griechenland gebracht hat. Wir können nicht wiedergutmachen. Wir können weder Tote lebendig noch Schmerzen ungeschehen machen oder all die bitteren Erfahrungen auslöschen. (…)

Wir wollen ein Zeichen der Versöhnung aufrichten. Als die Gruppe in Servia ankam, wurden alle über Ostern in Familien eingeladen und mit Gastlichkeit und Güte förmlich überschüttet. Die Herzlichkeit der Bevölkerung war so groß, dass die Frage auftauchte: ist Versöhnung da überhaupt nötig? Es gibt ja offenbar weder Spannungen noch Missverständnisse, geschweige denn Haß zwischen diesen griechischen Menschen und uns. Wir konnten diese überschwängliche Freundlichkeit erst gar nicht recht verstehen. Der Ort ist doch grausam zugerichtet! Haben die Menschen das alles vergessen? Oder haben sie uns schon so vollkommen vergeben? Wir fragten und erhielten die Antwort:»Die Türken waren oft noch viel grausamer als Deutsche und Italiener; im Bürgerkrieg (von 1946—1949) waren wir oft untereinander unheimlich hart und grausam. Und überhaupt: Krieg ist Krieg. Da steht der Mensch unter anderen Gesetzen.« Können wir diese Antwort hinnehmen? (Rabe 1983, p. 31)

These data has been provided to me personally by Till Thaler with whom we maintain a friendship.

The world-famous author of “Zorbas the Greek”, Nikos Kazantzakis, was part of a commission that started documenting destruction all over Crete as soon as the occupation ended. The operation was organized following orders from the central government of Athens. The report of this commission did not see the light of day, despite being sent to Athens. The reason is not known. The commission’s report was rediscovered and published in 1983 by the Municipality of Heraklion.

In German: Gebirgspioniere, supporting troops that clear roads, complete works, or aid the passage of larger troop formations. Pioneers were usually sent up front to scout, secure and plan passage.

The executions in Kontomari are well documented in Wehrmacht photographs. As the execution took place the same day as the razing of Kandanos there is often the confusion that there was a similar mass shooting in Kandanos. This is not the case as the inhabitants of Kandanos evacuated. There are 23 documented dead (Kazantzakis et al. 1983, p. 17).

For a better understanding of the issue it is important to refer to the German Military Tradition, which is essential to Germany’s armed forces. The NGOs in which former or active soldiers organize outside the Bundeswehr are part of the official military tradition and must oblige to the Tradition Decree. The Tradition Decree is a document which declares from which past periods to draw tradition from and how to exercise military tradition. The Nazi regime, as an unjust regime, does not provide grounds for tradition. Associations like the BDPi are also called Traditionsverband (military tradition association) and thus have a role and a responsibility towards German military tradition BMVG 2018.

Local small coffeehouses, the Greek term is employed in international literature to highlight the local character of these places for neighborhoods or small communities. A booklet in a local kafenio cannot go unnoticed.

The German government does not regard the Wehrmacht monument as part of the Bundeswehr tradition as shown in its position on the issue as seen in Die Bundesregierung 2020, p. 2 These practices are not part of official practices of the Bundeswehr. However, as former or current members of the German military ranks participate in these activities, they overshadow official positions of the German government. In Germany there is a tradition-decree issued by the Ministry of Defense, called Traditionserlass, which deems what is tradition worthy and what not. Honoring the monument in Floria opposes the Federal governments’ decree (BMVG 2018).

Next chapter deals with the Viannos massacre. It is the most numerous mass murder of civilians in Crete. Viannos lays in the mountains above the city of Heraklion.

Fritz Schubert, a sergeant of the Wehrmacht in Crete, was ordered by the war criminal Bruno Bräuer to form a special commando to counter andartes’ activity. His commando, also known as Jagdkommando Schubert or Sonderkommando Schubert consisted of Greek collaborators, many of whom originated from the village Krousonas in Crete. The Greeks call Schubert’s men “Schuberites”. The word refers to the Greeks in Schubert’s ranks in a graecized manner. Schubert’s commando was manned exclusively by Greeks. Schubert, often referred to as “the butcher” due to the despicable atrocities he and his men committed, was convicted as a war criminal and executed in 1947 in Greece. For more about Schubert and his life see Fotiou (2011) available in Greek. It is characteristic of the post war and anti-left era in Greece (as described by Chandrinos 2011), that while Schubert was convicted, many of his Greek collaborators were not (Fotiou 2011, pp. 475–485).

Tsilivdikas is the name of the mountain in the proximity of Kali Sykia.

The kidnapping of German Wehrmacht general Heinrich Kreipe, commander of the 22^nd Air Landing Division was organized and performed by the British Special Operations Executive (SOE) and included local resistance. It took place on 26 April, 1944. For further reading about this mission see Fermor 2014 and in Stroud 2015.

In this context “the man” is “the human”, in Greek “anthropos”. It does not mean “male” but man as in human. The original wording is “anthropos”.

In the original the word “man” is “human”, in Greek anthropos.

Tympaki or Tymbaki or Timbaki. The Wehrmacht was ordered to construct a military airport where Tympaki used to stand. The small town was completely destroyed for the airport to be built. The airport was built from materials from the destroyed town and by its residents’ forced labor. Tymbaki is a case of large-scale forced labor in Crete combined with the organized destruction of a town.

Original quote: „Ich möchte all den Menschen auf Kreta danken, die trotz der Grausamkeiten vor fast 80 Jahren stets an Versöhnung geglaubt haben—Versöhnung, wie ich sie hier und heute mit Ihnen gemeinsam leben und erleben darf. Aber ich möchte auch all jenen danken, die damals Widerstand geleistet haben. Selbst in den schlimmsten Stunden ließen sie sich nicht entmutigen, hielten dagegen, gaben nicht auf. Sie waren Hoffnung in hoffnungsloser Zeit; schenkten Würde in würdelosen Momenten; entzündeten Licht, als alles dunkel war“ in Claudia Roth 2018

In translation by the author: “I would like to thank all the people of Crete who, despite the atrocities of almost 80 years ago, always believed in reconciliation—reconciliation such as I am able to live and experience together with you here today. But I would also like to thank all those who resisted at that time. Even in the worst hours, they did not allow themselves to be discouraged, they held out, they did not give up. They were hope in hopeless times; gave dignity in undignified moments; lit light when everything was dark” (Claudia Roth 2018).

As mentioned before, the word holocaust refers in Greek to the complete destruction of the area and not to the genocide of European Jewry.

In English, the Viannos massacres refer to the atrocities against the civilian population of the area in 1943. I will use this term instead of Viannos holocaust, which is used by Greeks and locals to refer to the mass murder and destruction of the villages.

On the 14th of September, the Greek Orthodox Church commemorates the Feast of the Universal Exaltation of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross, an important religious celebration.

This quote will be completely presented further in the text as it shifts focus. First, I will discuss the two German citizens who were named honorary citizens of Viannos.

Schubert’s commando was called EAKK (Ethniko Apospasma Kinigon Kakopoion/Kommouniston) meaning National Hunting Commando of Criminals/Communists, see Chandrinos 2011; Fotiou 2011.

The house belonged to Evangels Ntaboudis (Ευάγγελος Νταμπούδης) and the furnace to Stefanos Gouramanis (Στέφανος Γκουραμάνης).

In chronological order the visiting presidents are Konstantinos Stephanopoulos, Karolos Papoulias and Prokopis Pavlopoulos.

Babis refers to the interviewer and author Charalampos (Babis) Karpouchtsis.

Anecdotally it is worth mentioning that the Distomo massacre was mentioned in the cult American WWII drama TV-Series “Combat!” (1962–1965). In Episode 2 of Season 3 the protagonist squad meets Greek soldiers, whose captain carries out a personal vendetta against the Nazis because they razed his village, Distomo. See the episode of Bishop, Root 1964.

The metaphorical term is borrowed from Greek to describe larger waves of memory issues and memory activism/politics on certain issues.

Information received during a private discussion. A debate on the issue took place in the municipal council (Municipality of Distomo/Arachova 6/17/2016).

Compare the speeches in the Bundestag on the 80^th anniversary remembering the offensive against Greece, where all members of parliament referred to Historische Verantwortung but almost none described what the responsibility exactly is or should be, except for the parties Die Linke and Die Grünen, as in Deutscher Bundestag, 19. Wahlperiode 2021.

Titel: The Case Studies: Similar Vision, Different Approaches
verfasst von: Charalampos Babis Karpouchtsis
Verlag: Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden
Buch: German Foreign Policy and Greek Martyr Communities
Print ISBN: 978-3-658-44369-6

Electronic ISBN: 978-3-658-44370-2

Copyright-Jahr: 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-44370-2_9

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