As debate flares up for German compensation, back in the news the record of the great robbery of the conquerors. Over 8.500 precious objects in 37 areas of our country were stolen or looted from the «educated» German officers during the period of the occupation of ...
When looting no sculptures from the Acropolis with their bayonets, they did their dogs walks on the sacred rock, enjoying erotic moments in the sheltered from prying eyes Erechtheion, entering the archaeological site at off-hours climbing the Tower of Athena Nike and the need for themselves within the Parthenon because "there weren't prominently placed signs to indicate where there are toilets».
And when I chanced to encounter an ancient work of art that the gyalize in the eye, the offered as a gift to their superiors, as they did with an "excellent ancient woman head of 4th century. e.g. ", which gave the field marshal Von Liszt.
The reason for German officers and soldiers during the occupation, they were not to take with them as "souvenirs" from their stay in our country just some fragments of Antiquities, but it is estimated that looted more than 8.500 objects derived from 37 regions of Greece. Assessment made on the basis of recording "antiques Zimiai EC of the war and the armies of occupation" that was drawn up in 1946 by the Directorate of Antiquities and historical monuments of the then Ministry of national education and religious affairs and which, as clearly stated in the preface, is not complete.
The case came back to the public on the occasion of the Declaration of Manolis Glezoy indicating – as a publication of the German "Di Belt» – that should return in Greece the klemmenoi from the German archaeological treasures. That statement came as a response to German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble, who encountered dismissively the Greek claim for compensation of war.
"Educated Germans military museum's study followed then decided and done klopin, After kateskeyasan and katallilon ergaleion to klopin. Proitoimasmenoy Ethraysan i.e. by appropriately short the parathyron despite the warehouse and Museum through the short afiresan vases and figurines on this. By becoming Jan noticed efygon on motosyklettas», says testimony of the era for theft at the Museum of Eleusis.
As for the written justification of the Germans; "This should not periptwsis considered as theft, by "th the drastai will eploytizon. This concludes the fact that educated people are involved, who have an interest for the Greek Antiquity, which it is egnwrizon that the English and the feeling of agglisti gegrammenoy I have done the wizard. The apokomisantes will obviously prothesin n eichon "acquire possibly by way of Tutu in souvenir».
In Thessaloniki, the Germans soldiers suddenly appeared at the Museum – then let the Rotunda Museum debts – and they took a female marble statue that was found in the Court Square during work. In vain the curator tried to complain. The Germans of replied that they are going to protect it in safe haven flak, but in reality the sculpture ended up in Vienna.
Four large crates full of gems found in 20 asylitoys tombs near Filakopi erected by Apple. With three boxes of artifacts left from Knossos General Ringkel who asked for the keys of the Strwmatografikoy Museum, supposedly to study. And at Cheronia not only broke the padlock of the Museum and a showcase for the glass to get a gold ring, a gold leaf and five vessels, but through terrorist interrogations forced witnesses to testify to the innocence of the Germans.
Despite the efforts that had been made by the Greek side that many of its antiquities museums to be buried in underground, caves and vaults to protect themselves from the dangers of war, the conquerors, they appeared as lovers of the ancient Greek spirit, not even faced with admiration in many cases. For respect, de, Neither discussion.
And major disasters
The looting was only a part of the action of the German conquerors. Because it wasn't a few times in their passage destroyed everything,what they found "wounding» sledgehammer monuments and archaeological sites.
Leaving the Sounion, for example, did blasting, with score to break an architrave of the Temple of Poseidon. In Elefsina not only threw down those columns were in place, but gathered and as many antiquities were scattered around the aqueduct – which had been turned into a shelter – in order to build with this protective wall.
Neither one, neither two, but seventeen bombs dropped on 26 Aug 1943 three German airplanes in the monastery of Hosios Loukas, causing a lot of damage to the external. While from their destructive fury escaped nor polychryses not Mycenae. Four German soldiers put their mark Lions at the gate of the Lions with their peristrofa, while five colleagues kopidos and sfyrioy "after" took the treasure of Atreos (the tomb of Agamemnon) destroying five stones of the Tomb to get as many bronze nails. With their swords, de, engraved their names at various points. But wanting to be sure you stay in eternity, carrying a ladder from their cars and climbed up to not be able to reach and extinguish.
Up close and the Italians
Can Germans be pillaged and destroyed thousands of Antiquities, but the Italians did not go back. Typical is the case of Delos starring the Italian Commander of the Cyclades, Giovanni Duke. Itan 6 Sep 1941 When he went to the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis with auxiliary warship, accompanied by six officers and six soldiers, as reported by the Secretary-General of archaeological society, Academician, Basil Petrakos in his book "The ancient Greece during the war 1940-1944», based on documents of the era. "On" time th eleilatoyn TAS prothikas officers of the Museum the stratiwtai climbers who opened up the Bank's syrtarion, ibid sold tickets, afiresan on his pentakosias drachmas chilias». They were not, de, loot Fund and Museum, but continued the RAID and the sailboat "Evangelistria" which was moored on the island due to injury, they ripped of tools, camera keys and boiling rings to ten kilos, lint and two rugs from the Governor's apartment.
Mary Ἀdamopoyloy on tanea.gr
