A deeply emotional ceremony took place today, Thursday, 25 June 2026, marking the return of personal belongings belonging to four Greek victims of Nazi persecution to their families—81 years after they were taken. The items, recovered from Nazi concentration and forced-labour camps, were formally handed back during a solemn event held at the ‘Yannis Kraniotis’ Amphitheatre of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Athens.
Part of the ‘Stolen Memory’ Initiative
The ceremony was organized as part of the international Stolen Memory campaign led by the Arolsen Archives—the world’s largest documentation centre on Nazi crimes. It marked the successful conclusion of an extensive research effort undertaken by student teams from secondary schools across Greece. These students traced living relatives of the victims whose personal effects had been preserved in the Arolsen Archives for decades.
A Global First for Greece
Greece has become the first country worldwide to fully identify the families of all its citizens whose personal belongings are held in the Arolsen Archives—a milestone achieved through this coordinated national effort. In addition, Greece set another global precedent: it is the only country to have integrated school participation into a centrally designed, state-led initiative. This project was jointly implemented by the General Secretariat of Religious Affairs at the Ministry of Education and the Diplomatic and Historical Archive Service at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Objects Returned to Descendants
During the ceremony, several historically significant items were returned—including original documents from the Arolsen Archives, reproduced for the families. Among them:
- The wristwatch of Evangelos Kerasiotis was handed to Kaiti Kerasioti, wife of his brother, following research and audiovisual work by students from the Evening Vocational High School of Evosmos in Thessaloniki.
- A wallet containing coins, a ring, and a pocket watch with its chain—belonging to Dimitrios Vafeiadis—were given to his nephew, Dimitrios Vacharelis, after investigative work carried out by students from the 2nd General Lyceum of Koropi.
- The pocket watch of Giorgos Sagmatopoulos was presented to Panagiota Galani, granddaughter of his sister, thanks to the efforts of a student team from the 7th Gymnasium of Nea Ionias.
- A bracelet and a small brooch belonging to Nikolaos Fasouliotis were delivered to his surviving family members.
The event underscored both the enduring weight of history and the power of intergenerational remembrance—guided by education, archival diligence, and national commitment.