Massacres of civilians during World War II
The Holocaust of Kedros: 9 Greek Villages on Crete Destroyed by the Nazis
12m
In August 1944, as Nazi Germany faced imminent defeat, German occupation forces carried out one of the last and most devastating atrocities on Crete. Under the orders of General Friedrich-Wilhelm Müller, troops of the 22nd Infantry Division surrounded nine villages in the Amari Valley, executed 164 civilians, and systematically destroyed entire communities in what became known as the Holocaust of Kedros.
Discover the story of the German invasion and occupation of Greece, the rise of the Greek resistance, and the brutal campaign of collective punishment that culminated in the destruction of the Kedros villages. Learn how the massacre was carried out, why it was ordered, and how Friedrich-Wilhelm Müller and Bruno Bräuer were brought to justice after the Second World War.
Today, annual memorials in the Kedros villages ensure that the victims—and not the perpetrators—remain at the centre of history.
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