Distomo
Encyclopedia
Distomo older forms: Distomon is a municipality in the Boeotia Prefecture, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Distomo-Arachova-Antikyra, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. Population 4,368 (2001).
Distomo is located 180 km west of Athens
, 25 km west of Levadia
, 15 km south of Desphina
and east of Delphi
and Itea
and southeast of Amphissa
. It borders to the west with the prefecture of Phocis. It is accessible via the Greek National Road 48
(Naupactus
- Arachova
- Levadia
).
Distomo is known as the site of the massacre
that was perpetrated by the German army against the local inhabitants during the Second World War. One of the most important monuments of Byzantine architecture
, the monastery of Hosios Loukas
, is situated close to Distomo.
The aluminum producing company Aluminium of Greece has its production facilities in the coastal village Agios Nikolaos. Other industries include agriculture and services.
policy by the Germans. Collective punishment on civilians constitutes a war crime. It was meant as "retribution" for the previous death of three Germans at the hands of local guerrillas, even though the villagers had no relation to the guerrillas.
The 4th SS Polizei Division
perpetrated grave crimes with superiors encouraging the soldiers. Among them ripping out the intestines of a baby and splattering them on a close relative.
Decades later, a Greek court awarded restitution to Greek victims, but the German government pressed Greece politically to nullify that decision.
To enforce the decision by the Greek court, this case was brought before an Italian court, Greece being unwilling to enforce their own decisions. The judges awarded the plaintiffs the Villa Vigoni in Menaggio
, Italy, a German government-sponsored nonprofit foundation. The German government appealed a decision by the Italian supreme civil court for restitutions at the International Criminal Court
.
Distomo is located 180 km west of Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, 25 km west of Levadia
Livadeia
Livadeia is a city in central Greece. It is the capital of the prefecture Boeotia. Livadeia is located 130 km NW of Athens, E of Nafpaktos, ESE of Amfissa and Desfina, SE of Lamia and west of Chalkida. Livadeia is linked with GR-48 and several kilometres west of GR-3. The area around Livadeia...
, 15 km south of Desphina
Desfina
Desfina is a town and a former municipality in the southern part of Phocis, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Delphi, of which it is a municipal unit. At the 2001 census, its population was 2,431. It is found in foot of mountain Kirfis in altitude 680m....
and east of Delphi
Delphi
Delphi is both an archaeological site and a modern town in Greece on the south-western spur of Mount Parnassus in the valley of Phocis.In Greek mythology, Delphi was the site of the Delphic oracle, the most important oracle in the classical Greek world, and a major site for the worship of the god...
and Itea
Itea, Greece
Itea , is a town and a former municipality in the southeastern part of Phocis, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Delphi, of which it is a municipal unit. The Greek National Road 48/E65 connects Itea with Antirrio, Naupactus and Livadeia, the GR-27 with...
and southeast of Amphissa
Amfissa
Amfissa is a town and a former municipality in Phocis, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Delphi, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. It is also the capital of the regional unit of Phocis...
. It borders to the west with the prefecture of Phocis. It is accessible via the Greek National Road 48
Greek National Road 48
Greek National Road 48 is a highway in Western and Central Greece. It runs from 2 km south of Rio at GR-8/GR-9 , or at the beginning of the Patras By-Pass in the south up to near Levadia. It is now connected with a new bridge, the Rio-Antirio bridge and for 5 km is a joint with GR-5...
(Naupactus
Naupactus
Naupactus or Nafpaktos , is a town and a former municipality in Aetolia-Acarnania, West Greece, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Nafpaktia, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit...
- Arachova
Arachova
Arachova is a town and a former municipality in the western part of Boeotia, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Distomon - Arachova - Antikyra, according the programme Kallikrates, of which it is a municipal unit....
- Levadia
Livadeia
Livadeia is a city in central Greece. It is the capital of the prefecture Boeotia. Livadeia is located 130 km NW of Athens, E of Nafpaktos, ESE of Amfissa and Desfina, SE of Lamia and west of Chalkida. Livadeia is linked with GR-48 and several kilometres west of GR-3. The area around Livadeia...
).
Distomo is known as the site of the massacre
Distomo massacre
The Distomo massacre was a Nazi war crime perpetrated by members of the Waffen-SS in the village of Distomo, Greece, during the Axis occupation of Greece during World War II.-History:...
that was perpetrated by the German army against the local inhabitants during the Second World War. One of the most important monuments of Byzantine architecture
Byzantine architecture
Byzantine architecture is the architecture of the Byzantine Empire. The empire gradually emerged as a distinct artistic and cultural entity from what is today referred to as the Roman Empire after AD 330, when the Roman Emperor Constantine moved the capital of the Roman Empire east from Rome to...
, the monastery of Hosios Loukas
Hosios Loukas
Hosios Loukas is an historic walled monastery situated near the town of Distomo, in Boeotia, Greece. It is one of the most important monuments of Middle Byzantine architecture and art, and has been listed on UNESCO's World Heritage Sites, along with the monasteries of Nea Moni and Daphnion.-...
, is situated close to Distomo.
The aluminum producing company Aluminium of Greece has its production facilities in the coastal village Agios Nikolaos. Other industries include agriculture and services.
Subdivisions
The municipal unit Distomo is subdivided into the following communities (constituent villages in brackets):- Distomo (Distomo, Agios Nikolaos, Paralia DistomouParalia DistomouParalia Distomou is a village in the municipal unit Distomo, in Boeotia, Greece. Its 2001 population was 1,258. The settlement was founded in 1960 by the Aluminio tis Ellados...
) - SteiriSteiriSteiri is a village in Boeotia, Greece. Its 2001 population was 1,010. The area are mountainous and are made up of grasslands and bushes, farmlands are within the village...
(Steiri, Hosios LoukasHosios LoukasHosios Loukas is an historic walled monastery situated near the town of Distomo, in Boeotia, Greece. It is one of the most important monuments of Middle Byzantine architecture and art, and has been listed on UNESCO's World Heritage Sites, along with the monasteries of Nea Moni and Daphnion.-...
monastery)
Population
| Year | Village population | Municipal district population | Municipality population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | - | - | 5,604 |
| 1991 | 2,156 | - | - |
| 2001 | 2,048 | 3,350 | 4,368 |
History
On 10 June 1944, Distomo was the venue for a collective punishmentCollective punishment
Collective punishment is the punishment of a group of people as a result of the behavior of one or more other individuals or groups. The punished group may often have no direct association with the other individuals or groups, or direct control over their actions...
policy by the Germans. Collective punishment on civilians constitutes a war crime. It was meant as "retribution" for the previous death of three Germans at the hands of local guerrillas, even though the villagers had no relation to the guerrillas.
The 4th SS Polizei Division
4th SS Polizei Division
The SS Polizei Division was one of the thirty-eight divisions fielded as part of the Waffen-SS during World War II.The division was formed in 1939 as part of the Ordnungspolizei...
perpetrated grave crimes with superiors encouraging the soldiers. Among them ripping out the intestines of a baby and splattering them on a close relative.
Decades later, a Greek court awarded restitution to Greek victims, but the German government pressed Greece politically to nullify that decision.
To enforce the decision by the Greek court, this case was brought before an Italian court, Greece being unwilling to enforce their own decisions. The judges awarded the plaintiffs the Villa Vigoni in Menaggio
Menaggio
Menaggio is a town and comune in the province of Como, Lombardy, Italy, located on the western shore of Lake Como at the mouth of the river Senagra.-History:The area of current Menaggio was conquered by the Romans in 196 BC...
, Italy, a German government-sponsored nonprofit foundation. The German government appealed a decision by the Italian supreme civil court for restitutions at the International Criminal Court
International Criminal Court
The International Criminal Court is a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression .It came into being on 1 July 2002—the date its founding treaty, the Rome Statute of the...
.