To the Unarmed Fighters of the Battle of Crete

After the German invasion in Greece, the Greek State together with many Greek and Allied soldiers fled to Crete where Operation “Mercury” took place on May 20th, 1941, with the aim of occupying the island by air. In the ensuing Battle of Crete, the German paratroopers faced fierce resistance from the Greek and Allied forces, but also the fierce fighting spirit of the local unarmed population, who threw themselves at the invaders with few weapons and agricultural tools. Despite meeting courageous resistance, the total occupation of Greece was a success, but at the cost of enormous losses and, above all, valuable time for the Axis. The monument is dedicated to those who fought against the Germans without being soldiers, but who did so out of their love for their country and for the ideals of freedom and honour. The sculptor abstractly rendered three figures, female or male, in a state of intense activity, in order to underline the vigour and fighting spirit of the brave Cretans. There are two marble inscriptions on the stone base of the monument, one of which includes a poem by Epaminondas Prinarakis and the second one mentions the sponsors of the work of art.