By Municipal Museum of the Kalavritan Holocaust
Municipal Museum of Kalavritan Holocaust
Kalavryta City (1910)Municipal Museum of the Kalavritan Holocaust
The position of the school
The area where the school building was erected was at the time quite a few meters away from the village, close to the railway station.
Primary School of Kalavryta by Photo Stolidis.Municipal Museum of the Kalavritan Holocaust
Pathway next to the schoolyard
The Primary School of Kalavryta (1906/1910) by Gazis N.Municipal Museum of the Kalavritan Holocaust
The primary school at the beginning of the 20th Century
The Primary School was constructed at the beginning of the 20th century. The building was funded by the Greek benefactor Andreas Syggros. It is a typical four-class school with a neoclassic morphological features and a specific typology.
Kalavryta. The Primary School. (1906/1910) by Gazis N.Municipal Museum of the Kalavritan Holocaust
The school was built by the first state programme for the construction of schools, which was configured by the lawmaker of the Ministry of Education Dimitrios Kallias and was enacted by a Royal Law in 1895.
Pupils and teachers of the primary school of Kalavryta (1920-05-29) by Gazis N.Municipal Museum of the Kalavritan Holocaust
School ressources
Since the first years of operation, the school was fully equipped with teaching materials for historical, practical, technical and language subjects.
Graduation certificate (1941-12-16) by Municipal School of KalavrytaMunicipal Museum of the Kalavritan Holocaust
Final certificate of the Primary School of Kalávryta
Prisoners of War (1941-08-07)Municipal Museum of the Kalavritan Holocaust
Transformation into a Concentration Camp
During the Second World War and the Axis Occupation, the operation of the school was interrupted. The building was used as a concentration camp by the Italian Occupation Forces (picture: Prisoners in the courtyard). The school was opened only from September to December 1943.
Primary School of KalavrytaMunicipal Museum of the Kalavritan Holocaust
Operation "Kalavryta"
On December 13 1943 the first act of the Holocaust of Kalávryta took place in this building. The German Occupation Forces gathered the families in front of the school, which was guarded by armed soldiers. In the corridor ofthe building, the German soldiers separated the family members from each other. Men and boys were led to the Place of Execution, while the women and children were held hostage inside the building.
The Primary School (1945/1946)Municipal Museum of the Kalavritan Holocaust
The breakout
While soldiers set fire to the city, women and children were held hostage inside the school. Quickly, the fear that the school would also catch on fire spread among the women. By trying to break windows and to push open the doors, the mothers tried to get out and save their children. Eventually, the women and children escaped from the building.
Municipal Museum of Kalavritan Holocaust (2005-01) by Municipal Museum of Kalavritan HolocaustMunicipal Museum of the Kalavritan Holocaust
Municipal Museum of Kalavritan Holocaust
The building suffered the same fate as the other buildings in the city. The German army destroyed it on December 13th, 1943. It was rebuilt in 1950 and operated as a school until the early 90's. Since 2005, the building houses the Municipal Museum of Kalavritan Holocaust.
This exhibit was created by the Municipal Museum of Kalavritan Holocaust.
For more information visit: www.dmko.gr
