Fallschirmjäger memorial
Encyclopedia
The Fallschirmjäger memorial is a Nazi
war memorial
for German parachutists
who fell during the ten-day
Battle of Crete
in World War II
. The memorial, known to Cretans as the German bird
or the Evil bird ,
was erected in 1941 by the occupation forces
and is located about 3 kilometers west of Chania
on the road to Agii Apostoli.
Despite their victory, the elite German paratroopers suffered such heavy loses that
Adolf Hitler
forbade further airborne operations of such large scale for the rest
of the war.
The memorial was erected at the end of a stone staircase leading to the top of a small hill.
It consisted of a tall pedestal built from stone blocks, atop which stood a concrete
diving
eagle gripping a swastika
in its talons. The eagle's posture was that of the
Fallschirmschützenabzeichen paratrooper insignia. The latter was a badge awarded to soldiers
of the Luftwaffe
after completion of parachute training and the required number of jumps.
buildings and has lent its name to the surrounding area. Apart from the swastika
which was covered with cement soon after the liberation of Crete, the memorial stood more
or less intact until the early 2000's. In the winter of 2001, a storm demolished most
of the eagle's body.
Today, the pedestal and its inscription are in a derelict state and mostly covered with graffiti. There have been some discussions and controversy whether it should be restored or demolished.
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
war memorial
War memorial
A war memorial is a building, monument, statue or other edifice to celebrate a war or victory, or to commemorate those who died or were injured in war.-Historic usage:...
for German parachutists
Fallschirmjäger
are German paratroopers. Together with the Gebirgsjäger they are perceived as the elite infantry units of the German Army....
who fell during the ten-day
Battle of Crete
Battle of Crete
The Battle of Crete was a battle during World War II on the Greek island of Crete. It began on the morning of 20 May 1941, when Nazi Germany launched an airborne invasion of Crete under the code-name Unternehmen Merkur...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The memorial, known to Cretans as the German bird
or the Evil bird ,
was erected in 1941 by the occupation forces
and is located about 3 kilometers west of Chania
Chania
Chaniá , , also transliterated Chania, Hania, and Xania, older form Chanea and Venetian Canea, Ottoman Turkish خانيه Hanya) is the second largest city of Crete and the capital of the Chania peripheral unit...
on the road to Agii Apostoli.
Background
The invasion of Crete in May of 1941 was the first major airborne assault in history.Despite their victory, the elite German paratroopers suffered such heavy loses that
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
forbade further airborne operations of such large scale for the rest
of the war.
Structure
It consisted of a tall pedestal built from stone blocks, atop which stood a concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
diving
eagle gripping a swastika
Swastika
The swastika is an equilateral cross with its arms bent at right angles, in either right-facing form in counter clock motion or its mirrored left-facing form in clock motion. Earliest archaeological evidence of swastika-shaped ornaments dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization of Ancient...
in its talons. The eagle's posture was that of the
Fallschirmschützenabzeichen paratrooper insignia. The latter was a badge awarded to soldiers
of the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
after completion of parachute training and the required number of jumps.
Present state
Originally in the countryside, Germaniko pouli is today encompassed by dense urbanbuildings and has lent its name to the surrounding area. Apart from the swastika
Swastika
The swastika is an equilateral cross with its arms bent at right angles, in either right-facing form in counter clock motion or its mirrored left-facing form in clock motion. Earliest archaeological evidence of swastika-shaped ornaments dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization of Ancient...
which was covered with cement soon after the liberation of Crete, the memorial stood more
or less intact until the early 2000's. In the winter of 2001, a storm demolished most
of the eagle's body.
Today, the pedestal and its inscription are in a derelict state and mostly covered with graffiti. There have been some discussions and controversy whether it should be restored or demolished.