The German Cemetery (Deutscher Soldatenfriedhof) is located in Maleme, a small village and military airport 16 km (9.9 mi) to the west of Chania on the North Western part of Crete and it is considered among the most important monuments of World War II in Crete.
World War II began in Crete when German paratroopers landed in Maleme on May 20, 1941 to what is considered one of the biggest airborne invasions in military history.
Cretan people fought with any means available to them. It was the first time in history of World War II that the German Army encountered such strong resistance from a civilian population.
German forces occupied Maleme airport after suffering heavy casualties As they met heroic resistance by the locals and the allies. There are 4465 German soldiers buried in the cemetery fallen from 1941 – 1945. 3352 of them have fallen in the battle of Crete from May 20 – June 1 1941.
The German military cemetery is one of the two cemeteries in Greece where burials of German soldiers are found. Over 15.000 German soldiers lost their lives during World War II in Greek territory.
There is free entry and the cemetery remains open throughout the day. There is also free parking. If you are interested in World War II this is one of the most interesting sites to visit.
Permanently Open
