History 18/03/20 Which the Greek monks fought against Hitler
Monasteries in Greece has always been famous ability to fend for themselves. In the history of the country, they often became centres of resistance to invaders. Here in the Second world war, the monks played a great role in the liberation.
the Heroic monastery of Preveli
Crete many monasteries who participated in the resistance Movement: and of CAPSA and of Toplou, and others, but Preveli is the most famous. Crete, because of its remoteness from the mainland part of the country, did not participate in the 1940-m to year in the Greco-Italian war, there landed an army of allies.
Along with the Cretan military, police and guerrillas, the monks for some time defended the island from the Germans in 1941. They helped to supply the army, yet, under pressure from the Germans, she was not evacuated to the middle East.
Many British, Australian and new Zealand soldiers left on the island, unable to evacuate. The monks and residents of nearby villages hid them in a safe place in the mountains. Then it was the first organized armed groups not to allow the Germans to pass unnoticed in these places. A Committee was formed of the resistance, headed by the Abbot of the monastery Agathangelos Lagouvardos. With the help of the monks of Preveli several Australian soldiers made the legendary landing on the English sub and could also cross over to the middle East.
then to Preveli was organized two life flight on submarines, but the second was discovered by the Germans. The Germans, the Avengers came to the Lower monastery, took all the stock and ruined it. Then Back in the monastery they unsuccessfully questioned the monks and also ruined. A number of monks were arrested, but thanks to the intervention of Metropolitan Chicanismo soon released. Despite strong pressure from the Germans, the monks until the very end helped force in the mountains partisans and allied soldiers. After the liberation of Crete by means of moBanach monastery and the local residents was created by the regiment to maintain order. The means of the allies at the entrance to Preveli was staged by the famous monument: nearby are British soldiers and a monk with a gun.
the Agia Lavra Monastery in Kalavryta
This monastery was the first who rebelled against the Ottoman Empire, that’s where I first heard the famous slogan “Eleftheria and Thanatos” (Freedom or death). The tradition of the struggle for freedom were not forgotten and during the German occupation. Many monks participated in various guerrilla groups, including the rival Communist people’s Liberation Army of Greece and the National Republican anti-Communist League of Greece. In 1943 Kalavryta guerrillas made a daring operation, destroying the entire German garrison – 78. In response, the Germans launched the bloody repression in Greece in the Second World war. After marching from Tripoli to Kalavryta, they destroyed everyone who was in the way. Was burned several villages, shot the entire male population of Kalavryta. The monks managed to escape, as in the monastery the Germans came the next day, but four of the remaining elderly and infirm monks and helped them lay they killed.
Meteora
of Course, the monks from the remote monasteries of the Meteora could not participate in the Resistance. From the very first days of the Greco-Italian war, the monks engaged in the supply, financing, shelter, treatment of active fighters. Some monks and novices joined their ranks.
In the largest monastery of Megalo Meteoro is the Resistance Museum in the former refectory, which tells about the heroism of the monks during the Second world war. The monasteries suffered from the raids and the bombing of the Nazis, not without reason, suspected of the monks, in collaboration with the guerrillas. Especially went to the Monastery of St. Stephen, which is the most accessible of all rock monastery area.
Abbot – partisans
Father Herman Dimakis nicknamed the Impatient Pope was the most Znamenity monk – partisan. He fought and at the same time he served as a military priest in the people’s liberation army of Greece.
just the army commander ARIS Velouchiotis gave father Herman nickname for courage and constant desire to fight. Father Herman was born in 1912 and at birth was given the name George, and Herman called him at the ordination of deacons.
the beginning of the Italo-Greek war, which for Greece started the Second world war, German was already the Abbot of the monastery of Agathon in Ipati in FTHIOTIDA. When did the German-Italian-Bulgarian occupation of Greece, father Herman joined the Pro-Communist national Liberation Front and in 1943 met Veluhiotis and joined the guerrillas. He was called there, persecuted by the Nazis of the Metropolitan of Kozani Joachim and Elida Anthony.
When Greece entered the British and de-facto seized power, the people’s liberation army has deployed weapons against them. He was formed by the government of the same place, which the liberation movement had concluded Markizskie agreement on a ceasefire and disarmament. Left-wing patriots were deceived. They immediately began to persecute the right-wing monarchists. In 1946, during the white terror, father Herman’s tortured right-wing gang, then Black Colonel pursued his Association with Communists, but with God’s help, father Herman lived 92 years and passed away in 2004 in the city of Lamia.
Escape to Athena
the Heroism of the Greek monks and displayed in the famous movie “Escape to Athena” with Roger Moore. It tells about how prisoners of war by the allies in the camp on a Greek island doing archaeological excavations. Against the Germans in the film, just the monk Zeno and his resistance fighters. They are used as a cover for the local brothel. Zeno is also connected with the headquarters of the allies (by the way, one of the monasteries of Crete – CAPSA – was used as the primary point of radio allies). He was instructed to organize an uprising in the camp, which he does, but the allies delayed and he released needs to capture the garrison on mount Athena. The monk heroically takes the difficult task.
Russian Seven
Source:
© Russian Seven
Recommended statesalaska… Share: Comments Comments on the article “What the Greek monks fought against Hitler” Please log in to leave a comment! br>
Share on Tumblr
