On October 12, 1944, at 11 a.m., Athens was liberated from the German Occupation. Although the Germans had not yet completed their evacuation of the city, Athenians took to the streets, celebrating their freedom. The city was filled with Greek and red flags, while banners of the EAM (National Liberation Front) and the KKE (Communist Party of Greece) were prominent. The 1,264 days of occupation had ended, and the Greek flag was once again flying over the Acropolis.
Order was maintained during the celebrations, despite fears of reprisals and vengeance. ELAS (Greek People's Liberation Army), particularly the 1st Army Corps, ensured the city's protection, while some of its forces clashed with retreating Germans at Kakosalesi. ELAS units prevented destruction at the Ellinikon airport and the Marathon Dam.
On October 14, British forces and the Sacred Band entered Athens. However, the last days of the Occupation were not bloodless. The Security Battalions executed 47 people and burned houses in Koropi, while the Germans attacked Kaisariani, a stronghold of the EAM. ELAS prevented the destruction of the electric plant in Keratsini, safeguarding the power supply for the capital.
After the Germans' withdrawal, a three-member delegation from the Government of National Unity was established in the city. The last occupation-era prime minister, Ioannis Rallis, and other collaborators were arrested, while officers of the Security Battalions were placed under confinement.
This Thematic Exhibitions offers a glimpse into the final days of WWII in Athens and the events following the departure of the German Occupation forces.
The exhibition contains items from the following institutions:
