Fortress Crete

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German paratroopers preparing to execute civilians in Kondomari, Crete
German assault on Crete
Arm bands of a German soldier who served in Crete and Africa

Fortress Crete (German: Festung Kreta) was the term used during World War II by the German occupation forces to refer to the garrison and fortification of Crete.

Background

The Greek island of Crete was seized by the

Rethymno) with their headquarters in Chania, whilst the Italians occupied the easternmost prefecture of Lasithi
until the Italian capitulation in September 1943.

Garrison

The first German garrison unit was the

LI Special Brigade "Lecce", which surrendered to the Germans after the Italian armistice
of 1943.

The garrison's strength rose and fell considerably, depending on the progress of the

North African and Russian
campaigns, and the perceived threat for invasion. Its peak was 75,000 men in 1943 and its nadir 10,000 at its surrender of 12 May 1945.

After the general retreat from Greece in October 1944, the Germans, along with some Italian battalions, remained in Crete and in the

B-24
bombers under Luftwaffe colours which made flights at night from Austria.

Evacuation and surrender

The eastern part of Crete was evacuated during the winter by the Axis forces and was then taken by a very weak mixed Anglo-Greek garrison. There was, then, an unofficial truce between the two parties until the final surrender order issued by the OKW in May 1945 after the unconditional surrender on 8 May. British SOE officer Dennis Ciclitira arranged for Generalmajor Hans-Georg Benthack to formally surrender all German forces on the island to Major-General Colin Callander.[4]

Commanders of the German forces on Crete

Until the Italian armistice of 1943, the Italian occupation forces were commanded by General Angelico Carta.

References

  1. ISBN 978-0-8117-3437-0
    .
  2. ISBN 9781782004400
    .
  3. ^ Crete after invasion, Axis History Forum 2006
  4. ^ "Head Shawl (Seraki)". Imperial War Museum. 2016.
  5. ^ "Commanders list of "Festung Kreta", wehrmacht-awards.com 2006". Archived from the original on 2011-07-18. Retrieved 2011-03-11.
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