Iro Konstantopoulou: A Greek heroine of the national resistance during WWII

·

The name of Iro Konstantopoulou will remain in Greek history as synonymous with bravery and patriotism.

Early Life:

Iro Konstantopoulou was born into a wealthy Spartan family in Athens on July 16, 1927. She was only 14 years of age when in April of 1941, the German army invaded Greece to establish three and a half years of tyrannical rule which left hundreds of thousands of Greeks dead.

Konstantopoulou was a high school student when she joined the resistance organisation EPON. Despite her young age, she was active in the resistance against the occupying forces, defying the danger that she knew this entailed.

Iro Konstantopoulou was born into a wealthy Spartan family in Athens on July 16, 1927.

Acts of bravery:

In early July of 1944, the teenage girl was arrested at her home by the Security Battalions, the Greek Police which cooperated with the Germans during the Occupation. However, her wealthy parents were able to use the connections they had and managed to have her released.

The second time the 17-year-old girl was arrested she was not as fortunate. Konstantopoulou was apprehended by the SS on July 31, 1944, after she participated in an act of sabotage on a train carrying ammunition for the Wehrmacht forces.

She was jailed in the Kommandantur detention facility on Merlin Street where she was tortured for three weeks in an effort to try to force her to name her comrades in the resistance.

The Germans also tried to tempt her to betray her colleagues, but to no avail. Finally, without receiving the information they desired, the Nazis put Konstantopoulou on death row at the Chaidari concentration camp.

Execution:

On September 5, 1944, Konstantopoulou was led, along with 49 other prisoners, to the Kaisariani Shooting Range, a place used by the Nazis as an execution ground.

She was shot 17 times — one bullet for each year of her life — to set an example for other resistance fighters, the Germans said. The young heroine met her end only 37 days before the Nazis left Athens, on October 12, 1944.

A statue of Konstantopoulou was erected in Terpsitheas Square, Athens.

On December 29, 1977, the Academy of Athens honored the heroine with a posthumous award for her supreme sacrifice, on the recommendation of Professor of Philosophy Ioannis Theodorakopoulos.

In 1981, scriptwriter Nikos Foskolos made a film about her short life, titled “17 Bullets for an Angel: The True Story of Iro Konstantopoulou,” which starred Mary Vidali.

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

Tina Stefanou explores Melbourne’s urban fringe in immersive ACCA exhibition

Artist Tina Stefanou’s latest exhibition, You Can’t See Speed, now showing at the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA).

Sydney man Zacharias Giatras granted bail after Rockdale crash leaves man critical

Zacharias Giatras, a 19-year-old plumbing apprentice, has been granted bail after being charged over a serious crash in Sydney’s south.

The late Jim Diamantis remembered as community-minded family man

Adelaide businessman Jim Diamantis, co-founder of Diamonds Camera, has been remembered as a hardworking and compassionate family man.

WA government dismisses Basil Zempilas’ Commonwealth Games bid

The WA government has sharply criticised Basil Zempilas’ call for Perth to launch a late bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games.

Greek Orthodox Easter celebrated Australia-wide with faith, tradition and joy

Greek Orthodox Easter was celebrated across Australia over the weekend with church services, processions, and joyful family gatherings. From solemn commemorations to festive feasts,...

You May Also Like

Traditional Greek recipes: Kourabiedes (butter cookies)

With Christmas just around the corner, it seems appropriate to start preparing the Greek biscuits Kourabiedes.

How Daniel Fisher created an Australian sports bar in the heart of Athens

Daniel Fisher moved to Athens just before the 2004 Olympics and 18 years later he owns the “Australian fun village" in Greece.

Croatian suspects detained after deadly brawl between rival football fans in Greece

17 Croatian nationals were apprehended due to their alleged involvement in violent clashes between fans of AEK Athens and Dinamo Zagreb.