The 11th Day: Crete 1941 facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The 11th Day: Crete 1941 |
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| Directed by | Christos Epperson |
| Produced by | Christos Epperson Michael Epperson |
| Written by | Michael Epperson |
| Cinematography | Ian Ashenbremer |
| Editing by | Jordan Dertinger |
| Release date(s) | September 2005 (Chicago) |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English and Greek |
The 11th Day: Crete 1941 is a documentary film from 2005. It tells the true stories of people who survived the Battle of Crete during World War II. The film was made by Christos Epperson and Michael Epperson. It shares interviews with brave people like Patrick Leigh Fermor, a British agent, and George Doundoulakis, a hero from Crete. You will also hear from experts like Chase Brandon from the CIA and Professor Andre Gerolymatos.
Contents
What is The 11th Day: Crete 1941 About?
On May 20, 1941, thousands of German paratroopers, called the Fallschirmjäger, attacked the island of Crete. This was the start of one of the biggest paratrooper attacks in modern history. About 22,040 German soldiers were involved. It was also the first time German troops faced strong resistance from regular people. This battle was called "Operation Mercury" by the Germans.
The Germans thought they would take control of Crete in just a few days. They had quickly defeated France and occupied Paris before this. But they did not expect the people of Crete to fight back so hard. Men, women, and children of Crete fought alongside British and other Allied forces. This made the battle one of the most costly for Nazi Germany during the war.
The Cretan people worked with British commandos like Patrick Leigh Fermor and William Stanley Moss. These brave people helped create a very strong resistance movement. Even though the Battle of Crete ended after ten days with British forces leaving, it was a Pyrrhic victory for the Germans. This means they won, but it cost them a lot. The resistance that started on the "11th Day" belonged to the Cretans.
Brave Actions During the War
The people of Crete, helped by British agents and supplies from the U.S., carried out many important secret missions. One big mission was destroying the Kastelli Airfield. George Doundoulakis, Kimon Zografakis, and two British commandos destroyed the airfield. They ruined German airplanes and hundreds of barrels of airplane fuel.
One of the most famous missions was kidnapping the German commander of Crete, General Heinrich Kreipe. British officers Patrick Leigh Fermor and William Stanley Moss planned and led this daring mission. It was the only successful kidnapping of a German general during the war. Leigh Fermor and Moss became legends after this event. Their story was even made into a British book and film called Ill Met by Moonlight.
"The 11th Day: Crete 1941" includes special interviews with Patrick Leigh Fermor himself. He tells the story of this historic mission in great detail.
How the Film Was Made
Work on the film began in 2000. Producer-director Christos Epperson and his brother, writer-producer Michael Epperson, started by looking into their own family's history. Their great aunts and uncles were part of the Cretan resistance in Chania. Their aunt Eleftheria Xirouhakis faced great danger and suffering during the war. Her brothers also faced hardships.
Los Angeles Chargers owner Alex Spanos was moved by this story. He provided a lot of money for the project. This allowed the filmmakers to include stories from many other Cretan resistance veterans and British soldiers. They also added historical analysis from experts like Andre Gerolymatos and Chase Brandon. Filming started in late 2001 in Crete. More footage was shot in Northern California.
When and Where You Can See the Film
The film first showed on September 28, 2005, in Chicago. It then traveled to theaters across the United States and Canada. In November 2006, the film was released on DVD. It has both Greek and English language options. The DVD also includes a photo gallery with over 500 images.
You can find the film in libraries and buy it online. The filmmakers have also shared their research material on the official film website. This includes over 2000 rare and unpublished photos. It is one of the largest online collections of World War II photos and documents.
