In a chilling episode during the occupation of Greece in World War II, German forces carried out a mass execution of 92 civilians in the village of Lingiades. The incident occurred within the context of increasing resistance against the Nazi occupation, as local partisans had been carrying out sabotage and attacks against German troops. The execution was a direct response to these insurgent activities, intended to deter further resistance by instilling terror within the civilian population.

On that fateful day, German soldiers rounded up the men, women, and children of Lingiades, indiscriminately selecting those they deemed guilty of collaborating with or hiding partisans. The village, historically significant and picturesque, witnessed horrific violence as families were torn apart and innocent lives were extinguished. After the executions, the German forces set the village ablaze, reducing homes to ashes, which symbolized the catastrophic consequences of opposition to the occupiers.

The massacre of Lingiades is emblematic of the brutal strategies employed by Nazi Germany across occupied territories during the war. It was not an isolated incident; rather, it reflected a pattern of collective punishment enacted against communities perceived to support resistance movements. The event underscored the harsh realities faced by civilians during wartime and the lengths to which occupiers would go to maintain control and instill fear.