ΕΑΝ ΠΡΟΤΙΜΑΤΕ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ ΠΑΤΗΣΤΕ ΤΗ ΣΗΜΑΙΑ ΣΤΟ ΚΑΤΩ ΜΕΡΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΟΘΟΝΗΣ
By Hellenisope’s Editorial Team
On April 6, 2026, Greece marked 85 years since the German invasion of 1941 not only with official memorial ceremonies, but also with protests outside the German Embassy in Athens and the German Consulate of Thessaloniki. From early in the morning, protesters gathered outside the German Embassy in Athens, turning the site into a focal point of historical memory and political expression. Holding banners reading “Justice,” “Reparations,” and “We do not forget,” participants drew a direct line between the occupation era and unresolved issues of the present. Below, Amb. Leonidas Chrysanthopoulos speaks yesterday outside the German Embassy in Athens:
The atmosphere was charged yet peaceful. Activists and Resistance associations took part, while similar gatherings were reported outside German consulates in other cities. Protesters emphasized that the memory of the occupation is not merely a historical reference, but a living element of national consciousness.
The day marks the beginning of one of the most difficult periods in modern Greek history, defined by famine, executions, and widespread destruction that left a lasting imprint on the country. At the same time, it highlights the strong tradition of resistance among the Greek people, expressed both during the occupation and in later decades.
Eighty-five years on, the message remains clear: history is not forgotten, and the demand for justice continues. The gatherings outside the German embassy were not only acts of remembrance but also a reminder that the past continues to shape the present and the future.
Maria Karystianou Attacks the Elites And Demands Reparations From Germany
In a fiery post in the social media, Maria Karystianou stated:
“April 6. A day of heavy historical memory for our homeland, a dark anniversary of the German invasion of Greece that brought violence, torture, destruction, and years of occupation.
Eighty-five years have passed since then. And yet the memory has not faded. Because this history is not over. Because justice has not been served.
Greece paid a heavy price during the German occupation. Hundreds of thousands died from famine, massacres, and executions. There was total destruction of cities, villages, and the country’s infrastructure, along with an occupation loan imposed on the Greek people as a result of violence and coercion.
Nevertheless, to this day, the issue of German reparations remains open, with no government having demonstrated the resolve to pursue the country’s lawful claims. Once again, a submissive stance that does not befit the history of our homeland or the bravery of our people’s struggles.
For these reasons, we welcome every initiative that keeps this sacred obligation alive, and we hope the time will soon come when its fulfillment becomes reality. Negotiations must begin immediately for the payment of reparations for Nazi crimes and the repayment of the occupation loan.”**
Defence Minister Dendias: “German reparations remain an open chapter.”
“This chapter remains morally and legally open,” declared yesterday Greece’s Minister of Defense, Nikos Dendias, referring to German reparations on the occasion of the 85th anniversary of the Nazi invasion of Greece on April 6, 1941.
The minister praised Greece’s stance against totalitarianism, contrasting it with that of other countries in the region—particularly Turkey—and emphasizing that Greece never chose to take refuge in the convenience of neutrality.
On the contrary, he stressed, the country chose the uphill path of dignity and sacrifice, forging the epic of the National Resistance and the struggles in the Middle East. “Greece did not adopt the stance of the ‘cunning neutral.’ That stance remains our compass even today,” he underlined, linking this historical legacy to the country’s current geopolitical strategy.
Referring to the “long night” of the Occupation, Mr. Dendias recalled the heavy human toll and the total destruction of state infrastructure. However, the central point of his statement was the explicit reference to war reparations, accompanied by visual material:
“Greece will not cease to demand the payment of German reparations as a minimum act of redress for the suffering our homeland endured during World War II,” he pledged.
According to calculations by the State Accounting Office:
- €1.34 trillion is owed for victims of war crimes and crimes against humanity resulting from German atrocities.
- An additional €507 billion is owed for the near-total destruction of infrastructure, including the road and railway networks, ports, civil aviation, the Corinth Canal, 74% of trucks, and 95% of passenger ships.
- Occupation loans are estimated at €155 billion.
- Germany is also called upon to return 8,500 archaeological treasures and 460 paintings looted by German armed forces from 87 archaeological sites, many of which remain in German museums and private collections.
April 7, 2026, n.stamatakis@aol.com www.helleniscope.com
DISCLAIMER: The views and statements expressed in this article constitute constitutionally protected opinions of this author.
