On August 16, 1943, German Wehrmacht soldiers killed over 300 residents of the Kommeno village in a »retaliation operation«. A memorial on the main village square commemorates the victims of the massacre.
Epirus, 1943, Soldiers of the 1st mountain division burn down a village in the Epirus region, NRHZ
Kommeno, 2004, Monument listing the names of those killed in action between 1912 und 1949, Alexios Menexiadis
The High Command of the Wehrmacht (Oberkommando der Wehrmacht, OKW) feared an »enemy invasion« of the Allies on the west coast of Greece. In June 1943, the OKW stationed the 1st mountain division of the Wehrmacht in the Epirus region in Northern Greece. At first, this German unit was under Italian command, but in September 1943, the Wehrmacht assumed command in this zone of occupation.
In June and July 1943, the 1st mountain division under the command of Josef Salminger carried out several operations directed at combating partisans. About twenty towns and villages were attacked and many locals killed, yet the campaign was not considered to have been successful. In reaction to this, the commander of army group E issued an order to the regimental commander, by which he was to shoot all suspicious Greeks and permitted to decree »sanctions« against the local population.
Kommeno is located south of Ioannina in the Ambracian Gulf. On August 11, 1943, a German reconnaissance troop observed partisans in the village picking up food supplies. Willi Röser, leader of the 12th company of the 98th regiment issued orders for a »retaliation operation«. His company was ordered to murder all of Kommeno's residents, justifying this with the town's supposed »gang infestation« and that the reconnaissance unit was fired upon. On August 16, the 12th company arrived in Kommeno and committed a massacre there. The soldiers' conduct was characterised by sadistic excesses; the village was almost entirely burned down.
According to survivors' testimonies, Wehrmacht soldiers hadn't been shot at from Kommeno and there hadn't been any partisans in the village since the German reconnaissance troop had sighted them five days earlier.
In June and July 1943, the 1st mountain division under the command of Josef Salminger carried out several operations directed at combating partisans. About twenty towns and villages were attacked and many locals killed, yet the campaign was not considered to have been successful. In reaction to this, the commander of army group E issued an order to the regimental commander, by which he was to shoot all suspicious Greeks and permitted to decree »sanctions« against the local population.
Kommeno is located south of Ioannina in the Ambracian Gulf. On August 11, 1943, a German reconnaissance troop observed partisans in the village picking up food supplies. Willi Röser, leader of the 12th company of the 98th regiment issued orders for a »retaliation operation«. His company was ordered to murder all of Kommeno's residents, justifying this with the town's supposed »gang infestation« and that the reconnaissance unit was fired upon. On August 16, the 12th company arrived in Kommeno and committed a massacre there. The soldiers' conduct was characterised by sadistic excesses; the village was almost entirely burned down.
According to survivors' testimonies, Wehrmacht soldiers hadn't been shot at from Kommeno and there hadn't been any partisans in the village since the German reconnaissance troop had sighted them five days earlier.
Epirus, 1943, Soldiers of the 1st mountain division burn down a village in the Epirus region, NRHZ
Kommeno, 2004, Monument listing the names of those killed in action between 1912 und 1949, Alexios Menexiadis
On August 16, 1943, 317 of Kommeno's 600 residents were murdered. Many of the German soldiers proceeded in a particularly cruel and brutal manner. The houses were set ablaze and the people still inside perished in the flames. There were 97 children among the victims. Several people were able to flee by crossing a nearby river, some however drowned in the attempt as one of the boats capsized. The soldiers then looted the ruins, taking cattle, wool garments and food supplies with them.
Kommeno, 1943, Murdered civilians in Kommeno, NRHZ
Already in 1947, a monument bearing the names of the murdered residents was erected in the village square of Kommeno. Inscribed on the column are the names of all of Kommeno's residents who perished in various armed conflicts since 1912. Facing the east are the names of those who were murdered on August 16, 1943. Memorial services, at which the German ambassador to Greece takes part, are held at the monument annually on the anniversary of the massacre. Survivors and victims' relatives are yet to receive restitution from the German state.
Kommeno, 2004, East side of the monument listing the names of those murdered on August 16, 1943, Alexios Menexiadis
- Name
- Mnimeio Kommenou
- Phone
- +30 (0)268 106 939 8
- Fax
- +30 (0)268 106 939 5