Nazi Atrocity: Fainting Guards at Greek Massacre

Newly discovered photographs offer a harrowing glimpse into the Kaisariani executions, where approximately 200 Greek prisoners were massacred by Nazis on May 1, 1944. This atrocity, considered one of the worst during the German occupation, occurred in retaliation for the killing of German General Franz Krech.

The images depict the prisoners' final moments as they were marched to a shooting range in the Athens suburb. Reports from witnesses describe Nazi guards fainting from the brutality of executing men in batches of 20, leading to their replacement by more composed soldiers.

Previously, accounts of these executions relied on handwritten notes prisoners threw from transport trucks. The newly surfaced photographs, possibly taken by journalist Guenther Heysing, provide unprecedented visual documentation of the event. The Greek Ministry of Culture is examining their authenticity for potential acquisition.

Many victims were Communist resistance fighters. Some prisoners defiantly sang the Greek national anthem and the Internationale as they faced their deaths. One notable victim, trade unionist Napoleon Soukatzdis, refused an offer of clemency and joined his comrades in execution.