New graves of executed civil war prisoners found in Thessaloniki park
- Fourteen unmarked graves of civil war-era prisoners have been uncovered in Thessaloniki, Greece.
- These individuals were executed between 1946 and 1953 after being held as prisoners in a local fortress.
- The discovery sheds light on the brutal history of the civil war, prompting calls for further investigation into the identities of the deceased.
In a municipal park in Neapolis-Sykies, near the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki, a new series of unmarked graves containing 14 bodies linked to Greece's civil war era have been discovered. These executions occurred between 1946 and 1953, primarily targeting alleged communists and their sympathizers. The graves were unearthed during a renovation project aimed at improving the park, which included installing new benches. The site was previously home to the Yedi Kule castle, a former prison where many dissenters faced horrific treatment. Local engineer Haris Charismiadis, overseeing the park project's renovation, estimated that the graves were not situated far beneath the surface and emphasized the urgency of excavating the area to uncover additional potential burial sites. While the municipality is not prioritizing the park's renovation, Charismiadis insisted on continuing the dig to reveal the historical truths tied to the area. In previous findings, 33 bodies were located earlier, noted to be lying side by side, in stark contrast to the most recent 14 discovered, which were found in a disordered heap with separated torsos and heads—indicative of a hasty burial. An archaeologist is currently aiding in the ongoing excavations and remains confident about the possibility of finding more graves in the vicinity, including those beneath the adjoining streets. Historically, families of the executed individuals often remained unaware of the fate of their loved ones, with reports of relatives learning about executions through newspaper articles. The violent context of Greece's civil war involved a tumultuous struggle between Western-backed government forces and left-wing insurgents, resulting in mass violence, forced displacement, and a significant death toll. Many families continue to seek closure regarding their lost relatives, with calls for DNA testing on the remains to confirm identities of the deceased, yet such testing has yet to commence.