LSSAH Cemetery Greece- Unternehmen Marita

[Lloyd I.]

This is likely already known and I just don't own the right references. Too much focus on 12th SS all these years however this particular spot for whatever reason is something Ive returned to for years without delving further.

Where in Greece was this cemetery located?

• On one photo caption it states its near the Greek and Yugoslavian border as well as Klidi-Pass, which I doubt, another as Florina. Yet another gives Klidi-Pass-Vevi-Keh-Florina-Bistoly(Bitolj)
• There were 41 graves located here
• Initially the smaller cross was erected before the larger Iron Cross was built and put in its spot with the Waffen-SS motto
• Das Schwarze Korps published an image of it in their periodical however I do not own a copy of that edition.
• 1./LAH is all that is identified in one caption
• 11-12 April 1941 is the date given
• mention is made of Stubaf. Witt

Some of these images I was not able to acquire but kept for my own file folder on Unternehmen Marita. I do collect them including one on the way.

The first 2 images show the cemetery as it initially was before the 2nd cross was erected in the last 2 images.

Thank you for any help in pinning the location down.

Servus!

[Lloyd I.]

An image I sadly was sniped on that would've led to identifying some of the graves here. It may possibly be Hill 997 as that is where Witt's I. Battalion would've been on 11-12.4.1941.

[Lloyd I.]

It is not the same cemetery as this friedof which means there were at least 2 Freidhof the Leibstandarte had in Greece during Marita. I believe this is Dionyssos-Rapendoza where many AA were buried.

[Lloyd I.]

location ID'd in 2 primary sources

1st image 'Die Waffen-SS' by Herbert Walther ID's it as Klidi-Pass

2nd image 'Grenadiere' by Kurt Meyer IDs it as Klidi-Pass

I had the references after all. Still not sure why some period images have different locations for this Heldenfreidhof written on them.

Does anyone else have images of this cemetery with any inscriptions on the reverse?

[S Ballantyne]

Klidi

Hi,

The cemetary was at the top of the Klidi Pass, and was built by the men of the Pionier Zug from the 5th Kompanie, I Bataillon LSSAH. This Zug had lost a number of men on the 10th while repairing a bridge at Florina, when a RAF bomber managed to hit a truck carrying explosives, with men taking shelter underneath.

The difference in the crosses, shows the first version (simple) and the more elaborate upscaling performed later. As the LSSAH passed this point again on the way to Brno in May 1941, photos were taken at two different times.

The 3rd Kompanie from the Pionier Bataillon had supported the I Btl in the storming of the Pass, and likewise lost a lot of men killed and wounded. Their dead lie in the first row of the graves on the left.

Source: I Btl Kriegstagebuch, Balkans.

Cheers
Steve

[Lloyd I.]

Bin sehr dankbar

Steve,


Many thanks to you for taking the time to provide the location and also history behind it. I really need to pick up some more primary texts such as Lehmann's volumes or ,Leibstandarte' in Greichenland - Das I. Bataillon im ,Unternehmen Marita 1941'


Wonder what that spot looks like now and if the graves were moved to the larger Dionyssos-Rapendozanear Athens.


Again, thank you


Lloyd