During the German occupation of Greece in World War II, the village of Kalavryta in the Peloponnese was the site of one of the most horrific retaliatory massacres against civilians. Following an ambush on a German patrol by members of the Greek Resistance on December 12, 1943, which resulted in the deaths of 13 soldiers, the German command ordered a severe reprisal. On December 13, German troops rounded up the male population, executing over 500 men and boys aged over 15. They systematically looted homes, killed livestock, and set the village ablaze, destroying a significant number of buildings.The massacre was a part of a broader campaign of terror by the Nazis aimed to suppress resistance movements across occupied territories. The tragedy not only decimated a generation of Kalavryta men but also left a psychological scar on the entire community and Greek society at large. Women and children, while not executed, faced immense suffering as they lost family members, their homes, and their sense of security. Survivors became displaced, and the event intensified the resolve of the Greek resistance. This massacre stands as a testimony to the brutal realities of warfare and the lengths to which occupying forces will go to quell dissent.