Razing of Kandanos facts for kids
The Razing of Kandanos was when German forces completely destroyed the village of Kandanos in Crete, Greece. This happened on June 3, 1941, during World War II. About 180 people living there were killed. A German general named Kurt Student ordered this destruction. It was done as punishment because the local people had fought against the German soldiers during the Battle of Crete. This event was a very serious war crime during the German occupation of Crete.
Contents
Why Kandanos Was Destroyed
Local People Fight Back
The Battle of Crete started on May 20, 1941. German soldiers arrived by air to take control of important places on the island. Kandanos is on a road from Chania to Paleochora. This road was important for any Allied help coming from North Africa.
Kandanos was bombed in the first days of the attack. On May 23, 1941, a small group of German soldiers tried to pass through Kandanos. They were riding motorcycles with machine guns. Their goal was to reach and secure Paleochora.
Local people from Kandanos and nearby villages decided to fight back. They were not trained soldiers and did not have many weapons. But with help from a few police officers, they bravely fought the German force in Floria.
The next day, more local people gathered. They set up a surprise attack in Kandanos' gorge. They fought against German troops from the 5th Mountain Division.
Even though the locals fought strongly on May 24 and 25, they were greatly outnumbered. They had to retreat into the mountains. This allowed the Germans to move towards Paleochora.
German Reaction to Resistance
During the Battle of Crete, the German forces lost many soldiers. They were also very angry about the strong resistance from the local people. The Germans believed that only professional soldiers should fight. They did not like that ordinary citizens were fighting them.
Because of this resistance, General Kurt Student gave a harsh order. Right after Crete surrendered on May 31, he ordered severe punishments for the local population. These punishments were to be carried out quickly by the same German units who had faced the resistance.
The Destruction of Kandanos
On June 3, 1941, German troops arrived in Kandanos. They were following General Student's order to punish the locals. Just one day before, they had killed several civilians in Kondomari.
The German soldiers killed about 180 people in Kandanos. They also killed all the farm animals. Every house in the village was burned down and completely destroyed.
Other nearby villages, like Floria and Kakopetro, were also destroyed. After its destruction, Kandanos was called a 'dead zone'. The people who survived were not allowed to return or rebuild their homes.
The Germans put up signs at each entrance to the village. These signs were in German and Greek. One sign said: Here stood Kandanos, destroyed in retribution for the murder of 25 German soldiers, never to be rebuilt again.
What Happened Next
After Germany surrendered, General Kurt Student was captured by the British. In May 1947, he faced a military court. He had to answer questions about how his forces treated and killed prisoners of war and civilians in Crete. Greece asked for Student to be sent to them, but this was not allowed.
Student was found guilty of some of the charges against him. He was sentenced to five years in prison. However, he was released in 1948 due to health reasons. He was found not guilty of crimes against civilians.
Today, Kandanos has been rebuilt. It is now the main town of its area. There are copies of the original German signs displayed at a local war memorial. These signs remind everyone of the village's destruction.
See also
- Viannos massacres
- Razing of Anogeia
- Oradour-sur-Glane massacre
- Lidice massacre
- War crimes of the Wehrmacht
