Massacre of Kondomari
Encyclopedia
The Massacre of Kondomari refers to the execution of male civilians from the village of Kondomari in Crete
by an ad hoc firing squad consisting of German paratroopers
on 2 June 1941 during World War II
. The shooting was the first of a long series of mass reprisal
s in Crete
and was also the first mass execution of civilians during WW II.. It was orchestrated by Generaloberst Kurt Student
, in retaliation for the participation of Cretans in the Battle of Crete
which had ended with the surrender of the island only two days earlier.
municipality, being located near the north coast of Crete and 18 km west of the city of Chania
. The village is in the vicinity of the Maleme
airstrip, which is situated a mere 3 km to its northwest.
begun on 20 May 1941 with a large-scale airborne invasion aimed to capture the island's strategic locations. As was proven in practice, one of the most important such locations was the Maleme airstrip and its surrounding region. Its capture allowed the Luftwaffe
to fly in large-scale reinforcements of troops and supplies that eventually determined the outcome of the Battle.
In the morning of 20 May 1941, German paratroopers
of the III Battalion of the 1st Air Landing Assault Regiment
were dropped southeast of Maleme. Their landing site extended to Platanias and included Kondomari. The invaders were confronted by the 21st and 22nd New Zealand
Infantry Battalions, joined by ill-armed local civilians carrying primitive weapons. The paratroopers experienced strong resistance and suffered severe losses that totaled nearly 400 men, including their commander Major Otto Scherber. Eugen Meindl
, the regiment's commander, was shot through the chest and had to be replaced by Oberst Hermann-Bernhard Ramcke
.
forces and Cretan irregulars had inflicted heavy losses of lives on the Wehrmacht
. In particular, the unprecedented, valiant resistance from the local population exasperated the Prussian sense of military order according to which no one but professional warriors should be allowed to fight. Reports from General Julius Ringel
, commander of the 5th Mountain Division, stated that Cretan civilians were picking off paratroopers or attacking them with knives, axes and scythes. Even before the end of the Battle, unproven and exaggerated stories had started to circulate, attributing the excessively high casualties to torture and mutilation of paratroopers by the Cretans. When these stories reached the Luftwaffe's High Command
in Berlin, Göring
commanded Student to undertake inquiries and reprisals. Thus, seeking to counter insurgency and before inquiries were complete, temporary commander General Kurt Student
issued an order for launching a wave of brutal reprisals against the local population right after the surrender of Crete on 31 May. The reprisals were to be carried out rapidly, omitting formalities or trials and by the same units who had been confronted by the locals.
1 under the command of Oberleutnant
Horst Trebes surrounded Kondomari. Trebes, a former member of the Hitler Youth
, was the only key officer of the Battalion to have survived the Battle unwounded. Men, women and children were forced to gather in the village square. Then, a number of hostages was selected among the men while women and children were released. The hostages were led to the surrounding olive groves and later fired upon in cold blood. The exact number of the victims is unclear. According to German records, a total of 23 men were killed but other sources raise the toll to about 60. The whole operation was captured on film by Franz-Peter Weixler, then serving as a war propaganda
correspondent (kriegsberichter) for the Wehrmacht.
The day following the massacre of Kondomari, forces of the 1st Air Landing Assault Regiment went on to commit yet another war crime, razing Kandanos
and executing most of its populace.
After the summer of 1941, Franz-Peter Weixler was dismissed from the Wehrmacht for political reasons. Later on, he was accused of high treason for having leaked uncensored material related to the paratroopers' activities in Crete that included photographs taken in Kondomari, and for having helped some Cretans to flee. Weixler was arrested by the Gestapo
, court martialled and imprisoned from early 1944. In November 1945, during Göring's trial in Nuremberg
, Weixler gave a written eyewitness report on the Kondomari massacre. His negatives from Kondomari were discovered in the German archives in the early 1980s and his photographs became widely known.
In July 1941, Horst Trebes was awarded the Knight's Cross
for his leadership during the assault against Crete. Three years later (1944), he was killed in action in Normandy
.
After the surrender of Germany, Kurt Student was captured by the British. In May 1947, he came before a military tribunal to answer charges of mistreatment and murder of prisoners of war by his forces in Crete. Greece's demand to have Student extradited was declined. Student was found guilty of three out of eight charges and sentenced to five years in prison. However, he was given a medical discharge and was released in 1948. Student was never tried for crimes against civilians.
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
by an ad hoc firing squad consisting of German paratroopers
Fallschirmjäger
are German paratroopers. Together with the Gebirgsjäger they are perceived as the elite infantry units of the German Army....
on 2 June 1941 during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The shooting was the first of a long series of mass reprisal
Reprisal
In international law, a reprisal is a limited and deliberate violation of international law to punish another sovereign state that has already broken them. Reprisals in the laws of war are extremely limited, as they commonly breached the rights of civilians, an action outlawed by the Geneva...
s in Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
and was also the first mass execution of civilians during WW II.. It was orchestrated by Generaloberst Kurt Student
Kurt Student
Kurt Student was a German Luftwaffe general who fought as a fighter pilot during the First World War and as the commander of German Fallschirmjäger during the Second World War.-Biography:...
, in retaliation for the participation of Cretans in the Battle of Crete
Battle of Crete
The Battle of Crete was a battle during World War II on the Greek island of Crete. It began on the morning of 20 May 1941, when Nazi Germany launched an airborne invasion of Crete under the code-name Unternehmen Merkur...
which had ended with the surrender of the island only two days earlier.
Background
Geography
The village of Kondomari is part of the PlataniasPlatanias
Platanias is a village and municipality on the Greek island of Crete. It is located about west from the city of Chania and east of Kastelli-Kissamos, on Chania Bay. The seat of the municipality is the village Gerani. Platanias is a popular tourism village with a beach, several hotels, restaurants...
municipality, being located near the north coast of Crete and 18 km west of the city of Chania
Chania
Chaniá , , also transliterated Chania, Hania, and Xania, older form Chanea and Venetian Canea, Ottoman Turkish خانيه Hanya) is the second largest city of Crete and the capital of the Chania peripheral unit...
. The village is in the vicinity of the Maleme
Maleme
Maleme is a town and airport to the west of Chania, in North Western Crete, Greece. It is located in Platanias municipality, in Chania prefecture....
airstrip, which is situated a mere 3 km to its northwest.
During the Battle of Crete
The Battle of CreteBattle of Crete
The Battle of Crete was a battle during World War II on the Greek island of Crete. It began on the morning of 20 May 1941, when Nazi Germany launched an airborne invasion of Crete under the code-name Unternehmen Merkur...
begun on 20 May 1941 with a large-scale airborne invasion aimed to capture the island's strategic locations. As was proven in practice, one of the most important such locations was the Maleme airstrip and its surrounding region. Its capture allowed the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
to fly in large-scale reinforcements of troops and supplies that eventually determined the outcome of the Battle.
In the morning of 20 May 1941, German paratroopers
Fallschirmjäger
are German paratroopers. Together with the Gebirgsjäger they are perceived as the elite infantry units of the German Army....
of the III Battalion of the 1st Air Landing Assault Regiment
Luftlande-Sturm-Regiment
The Luftlande-Sturm-Regiment 1 was a Nazi German Luftwaffe Fallschirmjäger Regiment which captured the Belgian Fort Eben-Emael during the Battle of Belgium, assaulted Crete, and fought on the Eastern Front during World War II.-History:Research Battalion Friedrichshafen was formed at Hildesheim...
were dropped southeast of Maleme. Their landing site extended to Platanias and included Kondomari. The invaders were confronted by the 21st and 22nd New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
Infantry Battalions, joined by ill-armed local civilians carrying primitive weapons. The paratroopers experienced strong resistance and suffered severe losses that totaled nearly 400 men, including their commander Major Otto Scherber. Eugen Meindl
Eugen Meindl
Eugen Meindl was a highly decorated German Fallschirmjäger and general during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords...
, the regiment's commander, was shot through the chest and had to be replaced by Oberst Hermann-Bernhard Ramcke
Hermann-Bernhard Ramcke
Hermann-Bernhard "Gerhard" Ramcke was a German general. He was a recipient of the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross with Swords, Oak Leaves, and Diamonds, one of only 27 people in the German military so decorated...
.
Student's order on reprisals
Throughout the Battle of Crete, the AlliedAllies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
forces and Cretan irregulars had inflicted heavy losses of lives on the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
. In particular, the unprecedented, valiant resistance from the local population exasperated the Prussian sense of military order according to which no one but professional warriors should be allowed to fight. Reports from General Julius Ringel
Julius Ringel
Julius Alfred "Papa" Ringel was an Austrian-born German General of Mountain Troops . He commanded the 3. Gebirgs-Division, 5. Gebirgs-Division, LXIX Armeekorps, Wehrkreis XI and the Korps Ringel...
, commander of the 5th Mountain Division, stated that Cretan civilians were picking off paratroopers or attacking them with knives, axes and scythes. Even before the end of the Battle, unproven and exaggerated stories had started to circulate, attributing the excessively high casualties to torture and mutilation of paratroopers by the Cretans. When these stories reached the Luftwaffe's High Command
Oberkommando der Luftwaffe
The Oberkommando der Luftwaffe was the air force High Command of the Third Reich.Air Force Commanders-in-Chief* Reich Marshal Hermann Göring * Field Marshal Robert Ritter von Greim -History:...
in Berlin, Göring
Hermann Göring
Hermann Wilhelm Göring, was a German politician, military leader, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. He was a veteran of World War I as an ace fighter pilot, and a recipient of the coveted Pour le Mérite, also known as "The Blue Max"...
commanded Student to undertake inquiries and reprisals. Thus, seeking to counter insurgency and before inquiries were complete, temporary commander General Kurt Student
Kurt Student
Kurt Student was a German Luftwaffe general who fought as a fighter pilot during the First World War and as the commander of German Fallschirmjäger during the Second World War.-Biography:...
issued an order for launching a wave of brutal reprisals against the local population right after the surrender of Crete on 31 May. The reprisals were to be carried out rapidly, omitting formalities or trials and by the same units who had been confronted by the locals.
The massacre
Following Student's order, the occupants of Kondomari were blamed for the death of a few German soldiers whose bodies had been found near the village. On 2 June 1941, four lorries full of German paratroopers from the III Battalion of Luftlande-Sturm-RegimentLuftlande-Sturm-Regiment
The Luftlande-Sturm-Regiment 1 was a Nazi German Luftwaffe Fallschirmjäger Regiment which captured the Belgian Fort Eben-Emael during the Battle of Belgium, assaulted Crete, and fought on the Eastern Front during World War II.-History:Research Battalion Friedrichshafen was formed at Hildesheim...
1 under the command of Oberleutnant
Oberleutnant
Oberleutnant is a junior officer rank in the militaries of Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In the German Army, it dates from the early 19th century. Translated as "Senior Lieutenant", the rank is typically bestowed upon commissioned officers after five to six years of active duty...
Horst Trebes surrounded Kondomari. Trebes, a former member of the Hitler Youth
Hitler Youth
The Hitler Youth was a paramilitary organization of the Nazi Party. It existed from 1922 to 1945. The HJ was the second oldest paramilitary Nazi group, founded one year after its adult counterpart, the Sturmabteilung...
, was the only key officer of the Battalion to have survived the Battle unwounded. Men, women and children were forced to gather in the village square. Then, a number of hostages was selected among the men while women and children were released. The hostages were led to the surrounding olive groves and later fired upon in cold blood. The exact number of the victims is unclear. According to German records, a total of 23 men were killed but other sources raise the toll to about 60. The whole operation was captured on film by Franz-Peter Weixler, then serving as a war propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
correspondent (kriegsberichter) for the Wehrmacht.
Aftermath
Razing of Kandanos
The Razing of Kandanos or the Holocaust of Kandanos refers to the complete destruction of the village of Kandanos in Western Crete and the killing of about 180 of its inhabitants on 3 June 1941 by German occupying forces during World War II...
and executing most of its populace.
After the summer of 1941, Franz-Peter Weixler was dismissed from the Wehrmacht for political reasons. Later on, he was accused of high treason for having leaked uncensored material related to the paratroopers' activities in Crete that included photographs taken in Kondomari, and for having helped some Cretans to flee. Weixler was arrested by the Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
, court martialled and imprisoned from early 1944. In November 1945, during Göring's trial in Nuremberg
Nuremberg Trials
The Nuremberg Trials were a series of military tribunals, held by the victorious Allied forces of World War II, most notable for the prosecution of prominent members of the political, military, and economic leadership of the defeated Nazi Germany....
, Weixler gave a written eyewitness report on the Kondomari massacre. His negatives from Kondomari were discovered in the German archives in the early 1980s and his photographs became widely known.
In July 1941, Horst Trebes was awarded the Knight's Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
for his leadership during the assault against Crete. Three years later (1944), he was killed in action in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
.
After the surrender of Germany, Kurt Student was captured by the British. In May 1947, he came before a military tribunal to answer charges of mistreatment and murder of prisoners of war by his forces in Crete. Greece's demand to have Student extradited was declined. Student was found guilty of three out of eight charges and sentenced to five years in prison. However, he was given a medical discharge and was released in 1948. Student was never tried for crimes against civilians.
External links
- Franz-Peter Weixler's testimony on the events in Kondomari
- Kondomari massacre from fallschirmjager.net with photos
- German occupation of Crete: Kondomari (in German -- translate)