Belgian collector Tim de Craene has found himself in the eye of the storm in Greece. He offered unique photographs of the execution of two hundred Greek resistance fighters during the Second World War on the auction site eBay. The Greek government is now trying to get hold of the images.
Belgian Tim de Craene runs a trading platform for documents and coins from the Second World War, called “Crain’s Militaria”.
De Craene had put the photographs, whose existence was previously unknown, up for sale online. They are images of the execution in the Athens suburb of Kaisariani on 1 May 1944. The commotion arose after the Facebook group “Greece at WWII Archives” noticed the auction. The photographs are said to show the last moments of the resistance fighters, mainly communists, just before they were shot by the Nazis.
The Greek government responded immediately on Monday. Spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis announced that the government would initiate proceedings to acquire the photos, “on condition that the owners can prove their authenticity or agree to an investigation by experts”.
The Belgian collector has since stopped the auction himself, he told the Greek newspaper Kathimerini. He says he understands that the images are particularly sensitive but emphasises that his legal right of ownership must be recognised. He did declare himself willing to enter into discussions with the Greek authorities.
In Greece, the war history and bloody repression of left-wing resistance fighters are still very sensitive issues. The photos that have surfaced have reignited this painful issue in the country. Among others, former Greek minister and intellectual Yanis Varoufakis has already spoken out very critically about the auction. “It is disgusting that the descendants of the Nazis are cashing in on this,” he said.
According to the newspaper Ta Nea, at least two victims in the photographs have already been identified by family members. The execution of the two hundred Greeks was in retaliation for the deaths of four German soldiers in the south of the country.
Illustration © PHOTO Handout / ARGENTINA’S SUPREME COURT OF JUSTICE / AFP
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