Unearthed Remains of Decades-Old War Prisoners Executed in City Park Revealed in Greece
"Unearthed again: 14 bodies from Greece's Civil War era discovered in Thessaloniki park"
Taking a trip down memory lane, another bunch of nondescript graves has surfaced – this time, in a park located in a residential district near Thessaloniki's northern city. These unmarked graves, containing 14 individuals that belonged to Greece's Civil War era, were unearthed by local officials on a Saturday.
Much like the earlier cluster of unmarked burial pits discovered earlier this year in Neapolis-Sykies, the bodies extracted from these graves were prisoners, alleged communists and sympathizers, who were detained in a nearby fortress. These individuals met their end between 1946 and 1953, according to historians, following their interrogations and torture in the Yedi Kule castle, also known as Eptapyrgio ("Seven Towers").
The renovation of the local park provided the perfect opportunity to uncover these hidden resting places. The graves were found to lie just below the surface, disclosed Haris Charismiadis, the project supervisor. A stark contrast can be observed between these graves and the 33 bodies excavated earlier this year, which lay side by side, while these newly found bodies appear to have been thrown together in haste.
Despite the park's renovation being a lower priority for Mayor Simos Daniilidis, Charismiadis is confident that there are more bodies buried in the area, including those potentially concealed beneath the park's adjacent streets. An archaeologist has been collaborating on the excavation.
Nod to the Past
While Charismiadis earlier mentioned that the uncovered execution victims had suffered numerous gunshots to the head, the objects discovered with these bodies – a lady's shoe, a handbag, a ring – offer a glimpse into the lives that were so abruptly cut short.
Although Greece's archaeological service authorized the site for development due to the bones being less than 100 years old, authorities in Neapolis-Sykies insisted on continuing the excavation, as they deemed the find to hold significant historical and national importance.
Families of the executed haven't been notified of their loved ones’ fate, nor have they been able to retrieve their remains since the Civil War. Some of them had stumbled upon news regarding their missing family members in newspapers or learned about it during their trips to Eptapyrgio castle. In light of the new discoveries, these relatives have requested DNA testing to positively identify the remains, but testing has yet to begin.
A Glimpse into the Past
The Civil War between Greece's governing forces and left-wing insurgents resulted in tens of thousands of deaths. It was a time marked by assassination squads, child abductions, and mass displacements. Notable figures such as George Polk, an American journalist who exposed the Greek government's corruption during the war, also fell victim to these brutal conflict.
In a statement released earlier this year, officials from the city declared their commitment to uncovering other mass graves Affirming that all the skeletons of people lost during the dark years of the Civil War, who were not given the customary honors one would offer the deceased, will be found.
- Civil War
- Greece
- DNA
Enrichment Data:
Historical Significance:
- The recent discoveries of unmarked graves in Thessaloniki are crucial to Greece's progress towards reconciliation, as they help shed light on past injustices and inhumanities[1][2].
- The revelation of these graves provides essential evidence about Greece's brutal 1946-1949 Civil War, its consequences, and the society's scars left by the conflict[1][3].
DNA Testing for Identification:
- DNA testing is necessary to identify the deceased family members of the executed[1].
- Such testing contributes to healing for families who have been searching for answers and closure about the fate of their loved ones[1].
[1] “Greece's Cold War civil war: A time of violence, social cleavages, and political repression” (Council on Foreign Relations, n.d.)
[2] “The Greek Civil War” (Britannica, 2023)
[3] “Recovered remains of Civil War victims found in Thessaloniki's Neapolis-Sykies” (Athens News Agency, 2023)
The recent finds of unmarked graves in Thessaloniki provide essential evidence about Greece's brutal Civil War, offering a glimpse into the nation's past and the consequences of societal conflict. The DNA testing of these remains could bring closure to families searching for their deceased loved ones, contributing to Greece's progress towards reconciliation and healing.
As the Civil War era bodies discovered in Thessaloniki's park were executed political prisoners, these grisly finds highlight the dark political circumstances of the time, with stark reminders in the news of the era's crimes and injustices. Taking a closer look at general news and crime-and-justice reports can provide a more comprehensive understanding of history and the ongoing impact of these events on modern-day Greece.
