The two Greek teenage boys who removed the Nazi flag from the Acropolis

·

On the morning of May 30, 1941, two teenaged Greek boys, Manolis Glezos and Lakis Santas, climbed up the Acropolis and took down the Nazi flag.

How did this brave act of resistance against the occupying army in Greece during WWII come about? The Greek Herald finds out.

READ MORE: Former Greek WWII resistance hero Manolis Glezos dies aged 97.

Act of resistance:

The daring plan to remove the Nazi flag from the Acropolis was born one dusk evening in Zappeion as Glezos and Santas looked up at the archaeological monument and saw the flag waving in the breeze.

READ MORE: European Parliament to name room after Greek WWII resistance fighter Manolis Glezos.

The flag lowered by Manolis Glezos and Lakis Santas from the Acropolis.

They went to the National Library and read everything about the Acropolis until they realised the only route they could take to avoid capture by the German guards was through the Pandrosi Cave.

On the morning of May 30, 1941, Glezos and Santas were informed by radio that Crete had fallen and they made the decision to implement their plan that night.

READ MORE: On this day in 2011: Apostolos Santas, Manolis Glezos’ partner-in-crime, died aged 89.

The two young men had no weapons, only a lantern and knife. They jumped the wires, crawled through the cave and upon reaching the flagpole, they removed the huge flag which measured 4 x 2 metres. Glezos and Santas quickly escaped with the flag.

Recreation sketch of the flag being removed by Glezos and Santas.

READ MORE: On This Day: Greek WWII resistance hero, Manolis Glezos, was born.

The next morning, when the German guards realised the flag had been removed, they began interrogations and quickly replaced it with a new flag.

Glezos and Santas were sentenced to death in absentia, the men of the guard were executed, the Greek commanders of the police stations in the area were relieved of their duties, while the Acropolis guards did not find any incriminating evidence.

Source: Sansimera.gr.

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

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

Advertisement

Latest News

Oakleigh Grammar commemorates ANZAC Day at special assembly

Oakleigh Grammar has honoured ANZAC Day with a moving whole school assembly to commence Term Two of 2025.

‘ANZAC Bread’: How Australian flour fed the survivors of Genocide

The Hobson’s Bay had sailed from Melbourne the previous month with thousands sacks of flour donated by Victorian farmers.

Exclusive sold-out premiere of ‘Stelios’ shines at Melbourne’s Astor Theatre

The biopic 'Stelios' premiered exclusively on Wednesday night at the Astor Theatre, with the screening completely sold out.

Professor Anastasios Tamis: The Australian Government disgraced the Greek language

The decision of the Government of Australia not to vote in favour World Greek Language Day is a historic hybris to our homeland Greece.

Direct from Greece: Elsa Mouratidou to enchant Australian audiences

Direct from Greece, Elsa Mouratidou will be playing two intimate shows in Melbourne and Sydney this weekend.

You May Also Like

From Led Zeppelin to the Flintstones: Inside the Hellenic Motor Museum

The Hellenic Motor Museum is a very eclectic museum in Athens, Greece “influenced by the Guggenheim Museum.”

‘Rule of law in classical Sparta’: Miltiadis Paikopoulos to give seminar in Melbourne

Paikopoulos will aim to shed light on Spartan legal culture, in particular that which was present in Sparta during the Classical Period.

Andriana Petrakis to represent Australia at Virtus World Tennis Championships

Australia’s top tennis players with an intellectual impairment, including Andriana Petrakis, travel for the Virtus World Tennis Championships.