81 years since the liberation of Athens on October 12, 1944 – The flag-raising at the Acropolis in the presence of Tasoulas, the message from Dendias

On October 12, 1944, 1 of the astir pivotal chapters successful modern Greek past came to an end: the withdrawal of the German troops from Athens and the liberation of the city.

The Occupation had lasted much than 3 years and had near heavy scars—human, social, and political.

— Nikos Dendias (@NikosDendias) October 12, 2025

Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias, successful a station connected societal web X, stated: “Eighty-one years since the Liberation of Athens and the extremity of the agelong nighttime of the German Occupation.”

“And we saw the German emblem dilatory being lowered, disappearing arsenic if swallowed by the Sacred Rock. And the beloved colour of our entity began to emergence up the flagpole” (Ioanna Tsatsou, Pages of the Occupation), Mr. Dendias added successful his post.

The Liberation of Athens refers to the evacuation of the Greek superior by the German troops, an lawsuit that took spot connected October 12, 1944, and is considered the authoritative extremity of the concern period. Unlike different countries, however, successful Greece, it is not the liberation that is commemorated, but alternatively the opening of the warfare (OXI Day – October 28, 1940), marked by the country’s refusal to surrender. As a result, the day of the Liberation passes comparatively unnoticed.

Flag-raising connected the Sacred Rock of the Acropolis successful the beingness of the President of the Hellenic Parliament, Konstantinos Tasoulas

Deputy Minister of the Interior Vassilis Spanakis

Mayor of Athens Haris Doukas

Spanakis: Freedom is not given, it is won

“Freedom is not given! It is won!” stressed Deputy Minister of the Interior, Vassilis Spanakis, representing Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis astatine the solemnisation of the 81st day of the Liberation of Athens from the German concern forces connected the Sacred Rock of the Acropolis.
“The Sacred Rock of the Acropolis, wherever we basal today, is not simply an archaeological landmark,” Mr. Spanakis noted successful his little address. “It was, is, and volition ever beryllium a stronghold of ideology and freedom! A beacon of intellect and a planetary monument of taste and humanities heritage!”

Deputy Minister Spanakis added: “In an epoch of large geopolitical developments, our country—our Greece—is a pillar of stability, development, peace, and ideology successful Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean. Greece present stands globally stronger than ever connected each levels—strategic, defense, geopolitical, economic, social, and cultural.”
And helium concluded: “We are truthful warring systematically and with a consciousness of work for a Greece that moves steadily person to Europe, for a Greece with economical prospects, governmental stability, and coagulated foundations for the aboriginal of our children!”

The Day of Liberation

On that day, the radical of Athens witnessed the laying of a wreath by the commandant of the departing German troops unneurotic with the occupation-appointed mayor, Angelos Georgatos, astatine the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. When the Germans vacated Syntagma Square, the assemblage trampled connected the wreath, and hundreds of thousands of radical erupted successful cheers, celebrating the large infinitesimal they had awaited for 3 and a fractional agelong years.

At the gathering of the Athens Police Headquarters, General Panagiotis Spiliotopoulos appeared—appointed Military Commander of Athens by the government-in-exile successful the Middle East—along with immoderate uniformed British officers who had arrived secretly successful Athens successful the days before. Their beingness sparked a question of enthusiasm among Athenians.

The statement betwixt the Germans and Greek authorities was silently accepted by some the British and the EAM with the PEEA. On October 8, the KKE (Communist Party of Greece) issued a connection afloat accepting the agreed plan, favoring nationalist unity.

81 Years Since the Liberation of Athens connected October 12, 1944 – The Flag-Raising astatine the Acropolis successful the Presence of Tasoulas, the Message from Dendias
81 Years Since the Liberation of Athens connected October 12, 1944 – The Flag-Raising astatine the Acropolis successful the Presence of Tasoulas, the Message from Dendias

The Withdrawal

At 8:00 a.m. connected October 12, General Felmy, accompanied by Athens’ politician Georgatos, laid a wreath astatine the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, portion German motorized columns had already begun withdrawing from Athens via the Sacred Way.

At 9:15 a.m., the German garrison astatine the Acropolis lowered the Nazi emblem aft a full of 1,624 days of concern (or 3.5 years, from April 1941 to that day), and a worker rapidly wrapped up the awesome of concern and departed from the Sacred Rock. Clashes followed betwixt ELAS fighters and Greek workers connected 1 side, and Nazi saboteurs connected the other, which prevented the demolition of the energy works successful Keratsini. However, a ample portion of the larboard of Piraeus was blown up by the retreating Germans.