Millions of people visit the famous rock of Acropolis in Athens every year. I honestly believe it’s one of the best things to do in Athens.
But very few realize that they also pass by a bronze sign that is a monument for one of the world’s most important WW2 resistance acts.
This sign is only in greek, unfortunately.
(honestly, I don’t know why it’s never been translated into English)
And it’s on the stone base of the greek flagpole at the edge of the Acropolis rock (on Google Maps).
Here it is:
Obviously, if you can read greek you can easily identify what it says.
Here is a quick translation by me:
“On the night of the 30th of May 1941
the patriots
Manolis Glezos and Apostolos Santas
took down the Nazi flag
from the Acropolis rock”
Manolis Glezos and Apostolos Santas
So, let me give you some context.
These two greek men (around 18 years old at the time):
literally took down the swastika flag from the Acropolis!
Nazis already occupied Athens for more than 1 month at that time and both the greek and the nazi flags were on the rock.
The two friends Manolis and Apostolos crafted a plan the day before after studying the Acropolis’ topology and its access through secret tunnels and paths.
They climbed up the archeologists’ scaffolding and came to within a few meters of the flagpole, without being spotted by any guard.
Moving quickly, they took down the hated Nazi flag.
The two students, armed with only a small knife, a lantern, and a ton of courage, had done what seemed impossible:
They climbed 34 meters (111.5 feet) up Acropolis Hill in the middle of the night under a strict curfew, approached the flag, and cut it down.
They then went 34 meters downhill, crossing the empty streets of central Athens, and quietly returned to their homes.
Surprisingly, Manolis died in 2020 at 98 years old.
Apostolos died in 2011 at the age of 89 years old.
Back in the 80’s, Manolis was asked to recreate the whole scene in that secret tunnel on the Acropolis for a TV show (it’s only in greek, unfortunately):
So, if you visit the Acropolis in Athens, among others, you will also be walking on their steps…
