Today we proceed and conclude, with Part II, the events from the extremity of 1943 to the opening of 1944, focusing connected the clashes betwixt ELAS and EDES, known successful past arsenic the “Small Civil War.” As antecedently stated, astir of the accusation comes from the publication by Solon Neokl. Grigoriadis, History of Modern Greece 1941–1974, Volume I, which is among the fewer that extensively item the events of that time.
The First Round of the German Offensive
From the summertime of 1943, the Reich authorities had quality that the Allies mightiness invade Greece. Although specified an penetration ne'er took place, the Germans received significant reinforcements successful the country.
Hermann Göring, whose nephew was killed successful Greece
These reinforcements helped the Germans neutralize the Italians and prevent Greek partisans from seizing Italian weapons. On September 11, 1943, German forces entered the Valtos portion but were repelled by EDES units nether the bid of Stylianos Choutas. Simultaneously, EDES and ELAS forces received orders from the Middle East Headquarters to transportation retired sabotage operations connected telephone and telegraph lines betwixt Agrinio–Arta–Igoumenitsa and to onslaught the airfields astatine Ioannina, Paramythia, and Agrinio, aiming to relieve the Italian Acqui Division connected Cephalonia, which was already nether Nazi attack. Among the galore diversionary attacks, a standout was the ambush by EDES (battalion of A. Papadopoulos) successful which a German colonel and 3 different officers were killed. Their conveyance fell into the Louros River, and each aboard died. It was aboriginal discovered that the colonel was the nephew of Hermann Göring, caput of the German Luftwaffe. The Nazis retaliated by attacking the historical municipality of Peta, wherever Lieutenant Leonidas Petropoulakis, 1 of EDES’s bravest officers, was killed. Despite the efforts of the Greek partisans, the Acqui Division was massacred by the Germans. At the aforesaid time, the Nazis launched attacks successful Thessaly, targeting some the Greeks and the Italians of the Pinerolo Division. Their offensives crossed the Thessalian plain were fierce. When they attacked Porta (Pili) successful Trikala, they were met with unexpected resistance by ELAS partisans led by Infantry Captain Grigorios Geroukis, who utilized an artillery portion of the Pinerolo Division to destruct a German artillery piece, forcing the Germans to retreat.
At the aforesaid time, the Germans moved against the 500 Jews of Athens, who had taken refuge successful the Dervenochoria region, led by Chief Rabbi Barzilai. The onslaught was little but devastating. Dozens of villages were acceptable connected occurrence successful Parnitha, Elikonas, Parnassus, and Kallidromo.
Wishing to redeploy their forces elsewhere, connected October 12, 1943, the Germans withdrew from Amfissa and Lidoriki, temporarily leaving the 2 towns escaped for a fewer months. The archetypal circular of the fierce German violative outgo the lives of astir 40 partisans. After a week-long lull, the 2nd and much aggravated circular began.
The Second Round of German Attacks and the “Alliances” of the Partisans with the Nazis
On October 17, 1943, the 2nd and astir aggravated signifier of the German offensive began. Having learned of the civil struggle among Greek partisans, the Germans cleverly began spreading rumors that they had allied with 1 enactment oregon the other. They adjacent went truthful acold arsenic to contented forged documents suggesting they were successful negotiations with either side. These documents were circulated among absorption members, resulting successful total confusion wrong ELAS and EDES, and fueling hatred connected some sides.
S. N. Grigoriadis writes:
“Thus, ELAS and EDES hurl insults astatine each other, calling 1 different collaborators and traitors, which intensifies the vigor of their struggle and deepens the gulf betwixt them… for arsenic the Germans onslaught indiscriminately everywhere, each partisan radical is nether the content that it is warring some the rival radical and the Germans astatine the aforesaid time.”
The primary objective of the Germans was to open the Ioannina–Trikala route, via Katara Pass, which had been consistently blocked by ELAS. On October 17, the Germans launched a fierce assault utilizing infantry, artillery, tanks, and aerial support, attacking from some Ioannina toward Trikala and vice versa.
The column from Trikala encountered strong resistance from ELAS’s 4th Regiment, equipped with Italian weapons, and 1 battalion of the 5th Regiment. These forces, however, were limited, arsenic the main assemblage of the 1st Division, led by Aris Velouchiotis, was attacking Zervas, leaving the “gates” of Pindos unguarded.
For a afloat week, the 4th Regiment, nether Lt. Colonel A. Papathanasiou, fought bravely. Their artillery, utilizing Pinerolo shells, provided captious support. Second Lieutenant Stavros Pannés, commandant of the battery, was killed portion directing his men’s last volleys.
The ELAS fighters yet abandoned their artillery, taking the breechblocks to render the guns unusable. The Germans captured Kalabaka and past precocious to Kastania, wherever the 1st Division’s HQ was located. They burned down the village, on with adjacent Ventista (Amarantos).
Amidst each this, determination was besides a large fiscal nonaccomplishment for some the Greeks and the British.
The office of the Thessalian Division and the detachment of the Allied Military Mission moved toward Kranea. The British insisted connected having their beverage (!) astatine 5 p.m.
While they were preparing their “tea kit” successful the wood betwixt Ventista and Kranea, they were attacked by the Germans. The detachment, which ignored the Greeks’ warnings, abandoned a highly invaluable cargo: 100 okades (128.2 kilograms) of golden sovereigns, on with the mules carrying them…
Meanwhile, the Germans who had started from Ioannina occupied Metsovo 2 days later, wherever ELAS forces were present. The 2 German columns joined forces and precocious toward the country wherever the “little civilian war” was taking place.
The concern changed dramatically.
The III Division of ELAS and the units straight nether Aris Velouchiotis abandoned their unit connected EDES and moved toward the Gardiki–Mesochora axis.
There, they faced intense aerial bombardment and suffered heavy casualties.
At the aforesaid time, the Epirus Expeditionary Force of ELAS, led by Papastamatiadis, came nether German attack and was pushed backmost to the eastern slope of the Achelous River.
ELAS recovered itself successful a dire position.
It proclaimed that EDES had allied with the Germans against them.
S.N. Grigoriadis writes:
“But this was a cardinal error—whether intentional oregon not. Because astatine the precise aforesaid time, the German battering ram was striking EDES with adjacent force. And its main thrust was directed toward the portion of Vourgareli, wherever the General Headquarters of EOEA was located…”
The German Attack connected Vourgareli
Vourgareli today
In the Tzoumerka region, EDES had important forces:
- The section bid nether Cavalry Captain Agoros,
- Three battalions from the General Headquarters, well-equipped,
- And the Officer Cadet School, led by Lt. Colonel K. Konstantopoulos, with 30 officers and 180 cadets.
Within Vourgareli, the bulk of these forces was gathered, on with hundreds of Italian deserters, numerous governmental figures, and visitors from Athens of some sexes. Also contiguous was the “Pinerolo” subject band, adding a festive aerial to the setting.
But connected October 22, the Germans launched their attack. By October 24, moving rapidly done Gavrovo, they burned the villages of Kastania and Seklitsa, and appeared earlier Nevropoli Tetrakomis. The Officer Cadet School, stationed connected the surrounding heights, fought bravely. However, the combat was unequal. One Major, 2 different officers, and 19 cadets were killed.
On October 25, EDES forces retreated toward Stavros Theodoriana.
The advancing Germans burned villages, captured the EOEA tract hospital astatine Agia Kyriaki, executed immobile hostages, and by the greeting of October 28, 1943, had reached the outskirts of Vourgareli. They did not enter the town, however. Instead, they bombarded it with mortars and past withdrew. But connected October 30, arsenic Zervas’s forces returned to Vourgareli, 2 beardown ELAS columns precocious against them—from Gavrovo and Mesochora. Zervas believed the Germans had already retreated to their bases. But helium was mistaken: Shortly aft his instrumentality to Vourgareli, his forces came nether renewed German attack from troops who had hidden successful adjacent forests and ravines.
Zervas hardly managed to escape. He reached Theodoriana, and from determination Neraida, successful the Thessalian Pindos. He present had lone 79 officers and partisans with him! The rest had either returned location oregon been captured. Suddenly, Zervas and his remaining men recovered themselves look to look successful Neraida with Aris Velouchiotis and the harsh, fanatical Kapetan Koziakas…
German Attack connected Pertouli – ELAS Maneuvers
The German violative against some EDES and ELAS unexpectedly benefited Zervas’s organization, arsenic it disrupted ELAS’s plans.
Simultaneously with the onslaught connected Vourgareli, the Germans attacked Pertouli, wherever ELAS’s headquarters was located. Three German columns outflanked the 4th ELAS Regiment, the VIII Division, and Velouchiotis’s Expeditionary Force. On November 1st, the 3 columns converged astatine Pertouli and burned it down. The Little Civil War 1943–1944, Part II: Did Velouchiotis stab EDES successful the backmost and did Zervas state with the Germans?
Zervas with his associates With a bold maneuver, the General Headquarters of ELAS managed to scope Koryschades successful Evrytania via Karditsa – Rentina – Karpenisi, and from determination to Kerasovo.
This relocation of 500 partisans, on with ample amounts of equipment, done areas wherever German patrols were rampant, was a remarkable feat. However, the Nazis dealt a dense blow to ELAS.
General Sarafis wandered astir Thessaly for days, returning from Macedonia, without being capable to find ELAS Headquarters!
The snow-covered Pertouli today
Despite setbacks, ELAS continued its attacks connected the Germans, inflicting superior losses.
On November 13th, an full German engineering unit, repairing the Nea Koutsoufliani bridge connected the Kalambaka–Metsovo road, was wiped out by ELAS. 72 officers and soldiers were killed, and the bridge was destroyed. A convoy of 32 German vehicles, sent to assistance the engineers from the Mourgkani bridge, besides suffered dense losses, arsenic 11 vehicles were destroyed. After the extremity of operations successful Thessaly and parts of Epirus, the Germans—about 20,000 men—returned to their bases. They had secured full power of the Kalambaka–Ioannina road and inflicted heavy casualties connected ELAS, which mislaid around 500 fighters, but even greater losses were suffered by EDES.
German vessel troops successful Greece
Both absorption organizations soon regrouped.
Besides Thessaly, the Germans turned their attraction to Western Macedonia and Roumeli, wherever lone ELAS forces were active. On November 7th, 1943, they entered Karpenisi, partially destroying it.
At the aforesaid time, another German file moved retired from Agrinio. Eventually, connected November 13, the Germans withdrew to their bases successful Lamia and Agrinio, and ELAS fighters re-entered Karpenisi. The Germans besides carried retired operations successful the Nevropoli region, without discovering the secret airfield astatine Neraida, and successful the Pieria Mountains. By late November, the German clearing operations came to an end.
The ELAS–EDES Conflict Temporarily Ceases
The ELAS–EDES conflict was temporarily halted. Their demarcation line was the Arachthos River.
On November 23, Zervas established his headquarters successful the villages of Plaisia and Kalenzi. Despite the heavy blows some suffered from the Germans, some sides began reorganizing, aiming to clash again. Notably, ELAS received motivation support from EKKA (Greek Republican League) led by Dimitrios Psarros, who was assassinated a fewer months aboriginal by Major Zoulas, and from the Union of People’s Democracy (ELD), the second astir influential party successful EAM, aft the KKE, with beardown beingness successful Roumeli.
British, American, and Soviet Appeals for Unity
As expected, the “little civilian war” alarmed the Allies, who, portion lavishing praise connected the Greek radical and their resistance, demanded an extremity to the ELAS–EDES clashes and called for agreed resistance against the “horrid Germans.” The archetypal to talk was General Wilson, Commander-in-Chief of the Middle East, connected October 21. He was followed astatine the extremity of December by U.S. Secretary of State Cordell Hull, who, aft congratulating Emmanouil Tsouderos connected the enactment of a government, clearly stated that the ELAS–EDES struggle indispensable end.
Initially, Moscow did nothing. When Soviet Foreign Minister Molotov was asked by his American and British counterparts to nonstop a congratulatory connection to Tsouderos—which would connote condemnation of the civilian strife—he refused, according to Reginald Leeper, the British ambassador to Athens, saying:
“Unfortunately, I cannot bash so, based connected the accusation I person from Greece.”
However, connected December 31, 1943, Radio Moscow broadcasted an “Appeal to the Greeks”, urging them to unite their blows against those who had enslaved them. Implicitly but clearly, Moscow called for an extremity to the civilian conflict. Indeed, from that constituent on, ELAS importantly scaled backmost its actions…
Ask maine anything
Explore related questions
Greek (GR) · 
English (US) ·