Greece Preserves Karyas Station as Nazi Holocaust Memorial

Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni announced that the historic Karyas Railway Station will be restored and transformed into a memorial site dedicated to preserving historical truth and human dignity.

The Ministry of Culture secured the use of the railway station and surrounding area from GAIAOSE S.A. with the support of Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Konstantinos Kyranakis. The transfer marks the first step in restoring the monument and safeguarding a site closely linked to one of the darkest chapters of modern Greek history.

Mendoni stated that the initiative carries strong historical and symbolic significance, as the site bears lasting evidence of Nazi atrocities during the German occupation of Greece. She emphasised that the restoration aims to preserve collective memory and ensure that future generations understand the historical truth surrounding the forced labour of Greek Jews during the Second World War.

The Ministry of Culture has already initiated studies required for the restoration of the building complex. Authorities plan to convert the site into an accessible historical location promoting education, reflection and remembrance. Mendoni described the restoration as a moral obligation to honour victims of Nazi brutality and protect the integrity of the historic landscape.

Kyranakis highlighted that restoring the inactive station and transforming it into an exhibition space will help keep the memory of events connected to Karyas alive. He noted that the project honours Greek Jewish victims who endured forced labour in the area before being deported to concentration camps.

Historical significance

In 1943, German occupation forces forced Jewish men from Thessaloniki to carry out labour-intensive excavation works on a rocky mountainside as part of efforts to expand the railway line for military purposes. Harsh working conditions caused the deaths of dozens of labourers in what historians describe as “extermination through labour”.

The so-called “Rock Cut” excavation remains preserved as an authentic historical record of the crime and appears in the photographic archive of Walter Reßler.

Located on Mount Othrys in Phthiotis, Karyas Railway Station was officially designated a historic site by the Ministry of Culture in August 2025. Originally part of the Larissa railway network operating since 1908, the station now represents an important memorial connected to the persecution of Greek Jews during the occupation.

Plans include restoration of surviving structures such as the stone building and pre-war well, as well as preservation of the surrounding landscape, including former Wehrmacht accommodation areas and locations where Jewish prisoners worked. Authorities will also ensure safe and organised public access to the site.

The project aims to transform Karyas into a place of remembrance, education and reflection, reinforcing the importance of historical memory and human dignity.