Dawn of Devastation: Memorial Service in Alikianos

I recently had the opportunity to join Professor Vamvakas and 11 of my peers on a month-long study abroad program to Crete, Greece. While staying in the village of Alikianos in rural western Crete, our group was invited to the community's memorial service for 42 Greek villagers who were summarily executed by the Nazis in retribution for killing four German occupiers in 1941. We were graciously welcomed and provided with English translations of the service. In this blog, I will briefly describe the tragedy suffered by the people of Alikianos, the service, and the broader lessons I learned about society and memory. 

During the Second World War, Greece faced a rapid and brutal invasion by the German Third Reich. Despite the overwhelming disparity of forces, Nazi paratroopers faced gunfire from locals before their feet touched the ground. The fighting was intense, and it took days and hundreds of casualties for the Germans to establish control of Alikianos and the surrounding villages. The Germans were forced to build five cemeteries on their way from Alikianos to the coast, one every two kilometers. 

For those cemeteries, the invaders demanded revenge. On the morning of June 2nd, the soldiers surrounded the village and dragged every family into the courtyard of the Church of the Holy Cross. There, they selected 40 men and captured two women who attempted to escape before forcing them to dig a mass grave next to the church. When it was complete, they stripped the villagers of their valuables and planted a machine gun atop the steps of the church. For those 42 people, time stopped forever.

Today, a memorial stands over their final resting place. But places do not forget. The stones, the walls, the olive trees, and the courtyard still hold their breath. 

I was struck by the role of the children in the ceremony. After songs and statements by musicians and local leaders, the elementary school students performed a play. The children emphasized that "We did not live through it, but we carry it with us. Because memory is not the past. It is a responsibility," adding that, "Evil does not always arrive shouting. That is why we stand together. So that memory never fades."

Watching the ceremony, I realized that the memorial was not simply about preserving the past. It was about renewing the community in the present. It was in this moment that I was struck by the importance of collective memory and the sheer lack of it in my own community at home. For Alikianos, this traumatic memory is also a point of pride; they fought back, and they preserved their honor. More importantly, it acts as a signifier of who they are and connects them to the place they call home and to the people in their community. The children were not learning history as a collection of dates or facts; they were inheriting a shared identity and a responsibility to carry it forward. The annual act of remembrance transformed memory into something living, strengthening the bonds between generations and reinforcing a sense of common purpose.

In my hometown of Northbridge, and frankly across the United States, I believe we often lack this sense of "collective memory." We favor private life; we behave as individuals, and we have grown alienated from the land and our history.

Now, many have argued that America's relative lack of deep historical and traditional bonds makes it easier for us to embrace new ideas and to innovate. Tocqueville, in particular, viewed our lack of a common history as beneficial to creating a democratic civil society. But, later, Hannah Arendt argued that communal bonds, particularly in small units, create collective power. She argues that this power arises when citizens freely "act in concert" and, in my opinion, this should be the immediate goal of all societies. 

The establishment of collective structures is often rejected in the United States due to concerns over civil liberties. Still, without strong local communities, individuals stand alone against both their government and the powerful economic interests that increasingly shape public life. In my view, we should move closer to Arendt's understanding of political community. If we are to live up to our founding documents and be a country of the people, by the people, and for the people, we must relearn our history, reconnect with our neighbors, and organize forms of "people power."

This opportunity gave me a view into another world and showed me a possible blueprint for building a trust-filled and functional society. Now, it is time to do the work of reconstructing our own collective memories and creating structures of "people power" that can effectively articulate the voice of the people. 

Cyprus thoughts

 

We have just returned to home base after our weeklong excursion around the mediterranean. We visited Malta and Cyprus which was very interesting to hear from different people than last year as well as some of the same. One thing that really stuck with me during this trip was being able to go into no man’s land in the Turkish occupied side of Cyprus. What we saw resembled a scene from a zombie movie. The eeriness of the abandoned hotels, homes and stores made it very eye opening to what really happened here. Visiting Cyprus you can really conceptualize the conflict between the two states that occupy it but after visiting Famagusta I have an even greater idea. This was such an eye opening experience to me because seeing even how empty this one area of the green line is, it makes you wonder what the rest of it really looks like. It is heartbreaking walking to the end of the street and seeing beach chairs and tourist trap areas that line the coast but right behind them there are remnants of homes and peoples lives. It seems like there is no consideration for the great loss that has been experienced here because people are now able to rent scooters and bikes and ride down the street but you can’t drive here. People whose homes and businesses reside here can’t go back. It was very intense to walk through here and very upsetting to think of the future of it and the tourist center that it will become once again.

Reflections on Week 2

 Early Saturday morning, we departed for the Samaria Gorge which is arguably the most challenging excursion within this program. Setting off with a quick pace and lots of jokes, we enjoyed the cooler weather which was a Godsent especially after the three day heat wave in Chania that kept us in the classroom. Time flew by and before I knew it we were already at the exit about to enjoy some orange juice and ice cream. My favorite part of the trip was seeing the pink oleanders in full bloom crossing the bridges and near the river at the end. After our break, about half of us waited for the bus to the beach and the other half left for the Ottoman Ruins. The second optional hike is a more demanding and vertical trail however, it is also a very rewarding exercise as well. Looking up to the top where the Greek flag is stationed, it looks near impossible (and pretty much feels that way the entire trek up) but as you exit the gate on the other side and look back up to ruins you just stood in, you feel a sense of pride and self-confidence having just done something physically and mentally really difficult. In the U.S. those opportunities feel few and far between unless you purposefully seek them out. 

Early into the hike

Aforementioned pink oleanders

This year, at the top, I noticed graffiti etched into the corner back of the inside structure. It is unfortunate to see a piece of history deliberately vandalized but, it is also in its own way beautiful too. It’s cool to think of all those that have traveled up before us and those that will after. Its ironic that those expressions and names on the ruins stem from a desire to not be forgotten and to leave (literally) a mark of where you’ve been yet, one day that structure will inevitably collapse and just become a memory in history itself. 

Lilli, Thalia, and I at the Ottoman Ruins

On Sunday, we had a lazy morning resting before our trip to Malta in the afternoon. Our tour of Valetta on the second day demonstrated what an amalgamation of culture Malta is through the architecture, people, and different languages as a lingua-franca. In the Lower Barrakka Gardens there is a sculpture of Enea (Aeneas) pointing to both the left and right on a bended knee symbolizing Malta as the bridge between Europe and Africa. I remember discussing countries like Malta or Cyprus in some random building of admin at Emmanuel as mere names -  Places that felt about as proximate to me as the moon. However, traveling here unlocks an ability to conceptualize the theories and policies that dominate our political science discussions. It also gives you greater perspective on how unrealistic the solutions proposed by our Western mindset are in the wider world. As political scientists, we know perspective is everything so being able to have preconceived notions and assumed comfortabilities challenged is priceless. 

Excursion week!

Goat with Goat

 This weekend was a tough one! A handful of days that showed our resistance and strength. We conquered the Samaria Gorge, some of us for the first and others for our second or third time. We kept our heads high and our spirits higher with a good pace and respect for everyone in our group. After we finished we sat for a few with a glass of orange juice (or two) and some ice cream! Then some of us gained the courage to take the goat paths up to the ottoman ruins which have such an incredible view of the ocean, surrounding islands and the beach down below. Such a rewarding experience (except when Dr. Vamvakas summoned a goat by accident…). The architecture of the structure is powerful and provides a glimpse into the past where you can imagine what life could have looked like for these people. Taking the path down shows how hard it could have been to take over because of how difficult and steep it was. After a quick dip and a lemon fanta, we were off, from the boat to the bus and back to the institute where we were greeted by the love and joy from the mamas. The next day we were all packed and heading to the Chania airport, a very quick turn around that was met with some stress and excitement. Touchdown in Malta and off to the University of Malta where we got a good meal to eat and a comfy place to sleep after a long weekend. This week will kick off our travel to both Malta and Cyprus before our return home to Alikianos for our last week. Having a great time and learning so much about this area just by getting the immersive learning experience.

The Samaria Gorge!

We've officially arrived in Malta, our second stop in our journey across the Eastern Mediterranean. We are here until Wednesday night, right next to the city of Valletta. We haven't explored quite yet, but have a tour later today to do so.

This past weekend has been difficult mentally and physically, tackling the Samaria Gorge. We hiked from the top of the path down to the bottom, stretching about 16km. It was absolutely beautiful, we got to witness a wide variety of plants and landscapes and even a few mountain goats. We started the hike at 7:15am, and continued until around 2pm.

The beginning of the hike

Of course the hike was physically taxing, but it was a big test of mental toughness as well. With the heat and length of the gorge tolling down on you, you have to find a way to keep determination and the mindset to keep going. It was hard to do so, and you learn about yourself in the process. But, what helps is when you have 12 other students alongside you doing the same thing.

Some pictures in the Gorge

After the gorge hike, we got some big glasses of fresh squeezed orange juice and some cold water. After that break and our refreshments, we then had the option to take a second hike, 2km this time. This second hike was straight up and down the side of a small mountain on goat paths, and at the top was the ruins of an Ottoman castle. I decided along with a few others to take this second hike, and it was definitely a challenge, again, both mentally and physically. The view very rewarding, looking to the South we could see the islands of Gavdos and Gavdopoula.

Photos at the top of the second hike

After walking back down on the other side, we went down to the beach to cool off after about 11 miles of walking that day. We then took the ferry back to meet the bus to get us back to Alikanas.

The Ottoman Castle Ruins

I'm looking forward to exploring Malta for the next few days and beginning to understand the geopolitical importance of this island.

- Kaitlin Wojcik

Life in Crete so Far!

Γειά σου! Hello! It's officially almost the end of the second week of the program, and time is flying by. I knew coming into this that time was going to go by quick, but living at the Institute makes me understand why it feels like I got here yesterday.

Christian, Tin, Caroline, Julia & I with Tin's new souvenir       

Our days have been packed with engaging classes, incredible meals, beautiful beaches, and rich cultural experiences. We spent our first week mostly getting used to our location, our schedule, and debating which beach we liked the most (we can never decide... there's so many).

Beaches!

After we got adjusted, our regular schedules began. Our classes have been directly connected to what we've been doing across the island and have provoked so many moments of reflection and realization of the importance of this location. We have visited a few historic sights, like the Monastery of Arkadi, the Military Museum of Chromonastiri, and the Allied War Cemetery in Suda Bay. Each site has come with new lessons about the geopolitics and history of Crete and the region as a whole. We have also been fortunate enough to receive lectures at the University of Crete regarding sustainability in the Mediterranean this past Tuesday and also the issue of immigration in and around the Mediterranean this past Wednesday. There are so many opportunities to learn; it's been incredible to be surrounded by so much history and knowledge.

Suda Bay Allied War Cemetery

      

The Monastery of Arkadi

The Military Museum of Chromonastiri

Along with learning about this island has come learning more about myself. I've learned that I really should try new things (including the snails below) because it's truly a way to enrich the experience and find new things you love. I've also learned how to become comfortable with adjusting very quickly to a brand new place and culture, and even begin to speak the language. Speaking of, we got to attend a local concert with local artists performing Cretan music, and I've realized how much I love it. We even got to get up on stage and learn how to dance to the music together. I am truly appreciating being pushed out of my comfort zone, and continue to want to do so each day.

Local concert!

New dish!

 

On our walk around the village (with a view)

This Saturday, we'll be headed to cross the gorge, which will be another push out of our comfort zones. Updates to come! We'll also be departing for Malta on Sunday... there's still so much time and learning left to do on this trip, I can't wait for all that's to come :)

- Kaitlin Wojcik

Rethymno Visit!

This Tuesday, we left the institute to visit Rethymno and take classes at the University of Crete. Throughout the past 2 days, we took a class on climate change & sustainability as well as a class on the issue of migration in the eastern Mediterranean. Both of the professors teaching these courses were very insightful and helped build upon the themes of security and energy discussed in our classes with Professor Vamvakas. We also had the opportunity to visit the Monastery of Arkadi (see pictures below!) It was so pretty, and we had time to walk around and look at the architecture, and art museum inside.

Upon our return to the hotel, we spent time in Rethymno walking around before dinner, it was so nice to visit another city in Crete. Despite the hot weather, we have gotten plenty of time at the beach to cool down. Before heading back to the institute, we were welcomed by the soldiers of the Chromonastri military museum where they gave us a tour. Everything is so beautiful and rich in culture. The locals here are so welcoming, their hospitality does not go unnoticed! Feeling grateful to be a part of such a unique and immersive academic experience abroad with such a great group of people.