Alpha News

Greek Communist Party Identifies Two Executed in Kaisariani Massacre

Published February 16, 2026, 17:26

The Greek Communist Party (KKE) has identified two of the 200 communists executed in Kaisariani on May 1st, 1944, based on its own archives. According to the party, the individuals are Thrasyvoulos Kalafatakis, a 30-year-old man, and Dimitrios Papadopoulos, of Pontic descent, who are depicted in photographs that were being sold on eBay. The KKE has published biographical information about the two men, drawn from the publication of the TO of Eastern Neighborhoods of the KKE with the title “KAISARIANI SHOOTING RANGE”. The KKE’s investigation continues to fully identify the individuals in the photographs, as well as to verify the authenticity of the material. The photographs are attributed to German Lieutenant Hermann Hoyer, who served in the 1012 Festungs-Batallion. Thrasyvoulos Kalafatakis, born in Crete in 1914, was a farmer and dairy producer, married to Aikaterini Chali and father of two daughters. He was a member of the KKE and had faced pressure to renounce the party. Dimitrios Papadopoulos, of Pontic origin, also participated in anti-dictatorial activities and was executed along with Kalafatakis and 198 other communists at the Kaisariani Shooting Range. The publication of this information is part of the KKE’s effort to preserve the memory of the victims of Nazism and fascism.