The Mayor of Kalavryta and President of the Network of Martyred Cities and Villages “Greek Holocausts 1940-1945,” Thanasis Papadopoulos, launched a sharp attack on Frank-Walter Steinmeier over the issue of German reparations.

In his statement, Mr. Papadopoulos described Germany’s stance, which Mr. Steinmeier expressed, as “unacceptable, unlawful, and far removed from the need and obligation to assume its historical responsibility in practice,” a position encapsulated in the phrase “legally, the matter is considered closed.”

He claims that Germany’s stance, as expressed by Mr. Steinmeier, “remains dismissive, insulting, and provocative towards both History and Justice.”

Mr. Papadopoulos emphasized that the Network of Martyred Cities and Villages “Greek Holocausts 1940-1945” continues the pursuit of claims, “demanding that the wound caused by the German occupation forces be closed with the actual payment of the responsible parties’ debt for all outstanding dues, including war reparations, the forced occupation loan, and both collective and individual compensations.”

He further asserted that there was an urgent need for the Parliament to initiate actions to pursue German reparations, also calling for the abolition of the Greek-German Future Fund.

“We do not relinquish our claims. Our demands are legitimate, absolutely fair, justified, legally active, non-expiring, and enforceable,” the statement concludes.

Full statement by the Mayor of Kalavryta:

The Network of Martyred Cities and Villages “Greek Holocausts 1940-1945,” in response to the statement by the President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, regarding German debts, considers Germany’s stance unacceptable, unlawful, and far removed from the obligation of assuming historical responsibility in practice, a position encapsulated in the phrase “legally, the matter is considered closed.”

The stance of the German side, as expressed by Mr. Steinmeier, remains dismissive, insulting, and provocative toward both History and Justice.

For decades, the Network of Martyred Cities and Villages “Greek Holocausts 1940-1945” has kept the claim alive, demanding that the wound caused by German occupation forces be closed with the actual payment of the responsible parties’ debt for all outstanding dues, including war reparations, the forced occupation loan, and both collective and individual compensations.

In this regard:

• It is absolutely necessary for the Greek government to initiate all actions outlined in the Greek Parliament’s resolution of April 2019, with the aim, as explicitly stated, of “claiming the dues and fully satisfying all demands of the Greek State from World Wars I and II.”
• Additionally, the Ministry of Justice should undertake all necessary actions to implement the Supreme Court’s ruling that recognizes the victims of the Nazi massacre in Distomo and their relatives in the matter of German reparations.
• Furthermore, the Network of Martyred Cities and Villages “Greek Holocausts 1940-1945” demands the abolition of the Greek-German Future Fund, a structure that, as it turns out, serves to obscure German responsibility through diversionary micro-funding actions in martyrdom sites. It has proven to be a parody, fitting into the broader German plan to erase the memory of or the pursuit of dues.
• Finally, until the German side revises its unacceptable stance, we urge the Mayors of regions belonging to the Network of Martyred Cities and Villages “Greek Holocausts 1940-1945” to exclude the German Embassy from invitations to Holocaust commemorative events.

The Network of Martyred Cities and Villages “Greek Holocausts 1940-1945” reminds the German side once again of the obvious: We do not relinquish our claims. Our demands are legitimate, absolutely fair, justified, legally active, non-expiring, and enforceable.

Athanasios Papadopoulos
Mayor of Kalavryta
President of the Network of Martyred Cities and Villages of Greece