As we honor all those who took a stand against fascism and tyranny during World War 2 in Greece, we cannot forget the unsung heroines of the Greek Resistance. Not enough spotlight has been cast on the women’s role in the war. Because they were not forced to enlist, their contributions are hushed in the shadows of history. However, the women’s role in the war was as great as their male counterparts. Many women fought side by side with their fathers, brothers, husbands. They took part in clandestine operations supplying weapons, ammunition, food, and medicines to the guerrilla fighters hiding in the hills and mountains. Others risked their lives by harboring guerrillas or English stragglers wanted by the Germans. They nursed soldiers in the dark nights under threat of bombardment. They cooked literally for an army. And they did all this in addition to their normal duties: taking care of infants, some still nursing; upkeeping the farms and the harvest in the fields; bringing water from the well; baking bread; mending clothes; cleaning up. Although this post is very short because of lack of time to research the tremendous contributions women made to the war front, I have only managed to uncover the stories of two heroines.
Born in 1926 on the island of Crete, in the town of Sitia, Greece, Terpsichori was one of the many Cretan women who responded eagerly and passionately to the national call by the Greek government to fight Nazi occupation of Greece during World War II. Hidden in the monastery of Toplou, (Greek: Τοπλού), her experience as a wireless operator helped the resistance movement.
She was arrested and sentenced to death by the Germans. She was taken to Ayia Jail and executed in June 1944. Before her execution she manifested unprecedented courage. Οn the wall of her cell she wrote, «I am Ι8 years old and sentenced to death. The firing squad will be here in a minute. Long live Greece! Long live Crete!».”Είμαι 18 χρονών. Με καταδίκασαν σε θάνατο. Περιμένω από στιγμή σε στιγμή το εκτελεστικό απόσπασμα. Ζήτω η Ελλάδα. Ζήτω η Κρήτη!”)
Maria Glymidaki-Manolaraki was from Chrysavgi, Kissamos. When she discovered a German paratrooper fighting her younger brother, she attacked the paratrooper, took his gun, hit him and left him unconscious. As a result, she and her brother were arrested and sentenced to death by the German military court in Chania. Her sentence was commuted by Hitler and changed to life imprisonment. She and her brother were sent to a POW camp in Zemun, near Belgrade. In 1943, she was transferred to a prison camp in Auschwitz, Poland. While there, she essentially lost her identity and became a number when they stamped her left hand with the number 82211. From Auschwitz, she was transferred to Ravensbruck, Germany, where she was forced to work in a war factory with the Moschogiannaki sisters from Iraklio. When they discovered the Germans were leaving Crete, the three Cretan girls left the camp and walked back to Greece,from Haravgi, Chania. She was arrested and sent to Auschwitz for her resistance work. The serial number engraved on her arm is still visible. (Crete Magazine, May 2014).
Helen Marketaki was convicted and executed for the same reason as Chrysoulaki-Vlachos, and was also from Sitia. After the execution, the men of the firing squad in Agia returned to their unit, keeping the spoils of their assignment: the shoes of the two executed girls. Marketaki was only 30 years old. Helen’s mother was another example of superiority and mental fortitude that exemplified the love she had for her homeland. After her daughter was executed, Germans plundered her home and took her wedding ring and eyeglasses. Through an interpreter she said: “Tell the officer to give me my glasses so that I can make him a coffee to honor the memory of my daughter.”
Terpsichore Adamaki-Chatzopoulou was also from Sitia. She was accused of relaying information to the allies in the Middle East by broadcasting information by radio from the Toplou monastery. She was first captured by the Italians. After six months of incarceration in the prison of Neapoli, she was freed but then returned to prison by the Germans. After being tortured in Agios Nikolaos, she was transferred to the Agia prison, where among other things, she witnessed the executions of patriots. Because no incriminating evidence was found against her, the Military Court of Chania imposed house arrest on her. After the liberation, the English honored her with the gold Medal of Valor.
Katina Papadakis Eleftherakis, a resident of Sitia, was charged with concealing an allied radio in the outskirts of Toplou. Helen Marketaki, also from her village, took full responsibility for hiding the radio so that Katina would not be executed. Because Katina was so young, the Military Court of Chania did not find her guilty and condemn her to death but, instead, tortured her. Katina was arrested in May 1943. At first she was imprisoned and abused in Agios Nikolaos. She was then transferred to Agia prison. Then for 50 days she was imprisoned in Vanitsa, Belgrade. From September 1944 to April 1945 she was in the dreadful camp Oranienburg in Berlin. She was released from the Hamburg camp because of intervention from the Americans.
Virginia Galanoudaki-Kanellou was from Agios Nikolaos and had a charming beauty. The Italians called her the “Bella Virginia.” She was a great help to the resistance. With special permission and under the pretext that she was conducting fundraisers “in favor of the poor,” she raised money for the resistance. As a nun volunteering for the Red Cross, she arranged for the release of many prisoners by falsifying medical certificates and x-rays. Once, by special permit, she visited political prisoners in the monastery of Kroustallenia in Lasithi, and brought them food and sweets. However, a pack of cigarettes that concealed a letter she was not aware of betrayed her. She was arrested and during the harsh interrogation, took responsibility for the letter. Since there was no incriminating evidence against her during the trial, she was given a three-month suspended sentence.
Evangelia Kladou was born in Anogia. During the German-Italian occupation, she was a teacher in Crete. She was also recruited as one of the first members of the national resistance and became one of the most active members within its ranks. She took to the mountains and was given the title of “kapetanissa.” The legendary teacher and kapetanissa was arrested because she did not back down from her ideals and was subsequently executed in Chania on December 6, 1949.
Maria Lioudaki was born in Latsida, outside of Mirabello. She was an enlightened and charismatic teacher, who became a folklorist and great visionary pioneer of educational reform during her era. She emerged at the same time as a fighter of freedom and democracy. She took part in the liberation struggle of the people and later fell victim to the political fanaticism of the time. She was captured while serving in Ierapetra and executed in 1947 in Iraklio.
Maria Drandaki was born in Ierapetra and took part in the national resistance. She established, with Mary Lioudaki and other women, the organization of the women’s section of EAM (the National Liberation Front) of Ierapetra. She also was a member of the organization, “National Solidarity.” She was executed with Lioudaki in 1947.
How many more heroines of the Greek Resistance exist? Their names are buried in obscurity until a team of researchers, writers, and videographers does the vital work of telling their story.
The important thing to remember is that it takes more than one hero to win the war. It takes a village.