- Domenikon Massacre
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The Domenikon Massacre was a violent reprisal by the Italian Royal Army on February 16-17, 1943 during Italy's occupation of Greece following the Greco-Italian War, in which about 150 civilians were killed. The incident represents one of the worst Italian war crimes during World War II.
Events
Domenikon is a village in central Greece in Thessaly. When Greek partisans attacked Italian forces and killed Italian soldiers, General Cesare Benelli, commander of the Pinerolo Division, ordered an action in reprisal. Hundreds of Italian soldiers surrounded the village and searched it house to house. They captured more than 150 men, ranging from 14 to 80 years of age. They held them as hostages well into the night and then proceeded to execute them.[1]
This event was not an isolated incident. According to historian Lidia Santarelli, it was the first in a series of repressive measures carried out in the spring and summer of 1943, following an order by General Carlo Geloso, commander of the Italian forces of occupation, whereby anti-rebel action would result in collective punishment.[1] The order was based on the notion that in order to crush the Greek partisan movement, whole local communities had to be wiped out.
This page of history was long forgotten. Interest was renewed when documentary film-maker Giovanni Donfrancesco made La guerra sporca di Mussolini (Mussolini’s Dirty War), which was first broadcast on 14 March 2008 on the History Channel.[1]
In Italy the documentary was never shown because Italy’s public broadcaster RAI was not interested in the project.[1] On 16 February 2009, Italy apologised to Greece (through its ambassador in Athens) for the massacre.[2]
Notes
Greece during World War II 1940–41 Balkans Campaign Occupation and Resistance Greek government in exile Battles: Elaia–Kalamas · Pindus · Morava–Ivan · Klisura · Trebeshina · Italian Spring Offensive
Commanders:
Greece
Ioannis Metaxas · Alexander Papagos · Charalambos Katsimitros
Italy
Sebastiano Visconti Prasca · Ubaldo Soddu · Ugo Cavallero · Giovanni MesseBattles: Metaxas Line · Vevi · Kleisoura Pass · Thermopylae · Crete
Commanders:
Greece
Alexander Papagos · Georgios Tsolakoglou
British Expeditionary Corps
Henry Maitland Wilson · Thomas Blamey · Bernard Freyberg
Germany
Wilhelm List · Kurt StudentOccupying powersOccupation Authorities:
Germany
Günther Altenburg · Hermann Neubacher · Walter Schimana · Alexander Löhr · Hellmuth Felmy
Italy
Pellegrino Ghigi · Carlo Geloso
BulgariaAtrocities: Kondomari · Kandanos · Doxato · Kommeno · Kalavryta · Distomo · Domenikon · Drakeia · Cephalonia · Paramythia · Mesovouno · Pyrgoi · Viannos · Kedros · Chortiatis · The Holocaust in Greece · Great Famine
CollaboratorsPeople: Georgios Tsolakoglou · K. Logothetopoulos · Ioannis Rallis · Georgios Poulos
Organizations: Collaborationist government · Security Battalions · ESPO · EEE · Greek National Socialist Party
Secessionists: Principality of the Pindus · Ohrana · Cham collaboration (Këshilla)
People: Aris Velouchiotis · Stefanos Sarafis · Georgios Siantos · Markos Vafiades · Evripidis Bakirtzis · Andreas Tzimas
Organizations: KKE · ELAS · PEEA · EPON · E.A. · OPLA · SNOF
Operations: Ryka · Mikro Chorio · Gorgopotamos Bridge · Fardykambos · Sarantaporo · Kournovo Tunnel
Non-EAM ResistancePeople: Napoleon Zervas · Georgios Kartalis · Dimitrios Psarros · Komninos Pyromaglou · Alexander Papagos · Kostas Perrikos · George Psychoundakis
Organizations: EDES · EKKA · YVE/PAO · PEAN · ΕΟΚ · E.S. · MAVI · Other
Operations: ESPO bombing · Gorgopotamos Bridge · Fardykambos · Agia Kyriaki · Milia · Skala Paramythias · Xirovouni · Menina · Dodona
Atrocities: Expulsion of Cham Albanians
British Mission in Greece (SOE)People: Eddie Myers · Chris Woodhouse · Patrick Leigh Fermor · Bill Stanley Moss
Operations: Operation "Albumen" · Gorgopotamos Bridge · Operation "Animals" · Asopos Bridge · Kidnap of General Kreipe · Damasta sabotage
Events: El Alamein · Dodecanese · April 1944 mutiny · Rimini
People: King George II · Emmanouil Tsouderos · Panagiotis Kanellopoulos
Notable units: 3rd Mountain Brigade · Sacred Band · Vasilissa Olga · Adrias · Katsonis · Papanikolis · 13th Squadron · 335th Squadron · 336th Squadron
Towards the Civil WarEvents: Plaka agreement · Lebanon conference · Caserta agreement · Percentages agreement · Dekemvriana · Treaty of Varkiza
People: Ronald Scobie · George Papandreou · Archbishop Damaskinos
Categories:- 1943 in Greece
- Conflicts in 1943
- Massacres in Greece during World War II
- Italian war crimes
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