The Peace Fighter of Psiloritis

A massive stone angel stands in silent tribute to the Cretan resistance during the German Occupation.
In 1990, the people of Anogeia, together with German sculptor Karina Reich, created this monumental sculpture.
It’s both a symbol of peace between nations and a homage to the Cretan resistance fighters.

The stones used for the sculpture are the very same that locals once laid across the Nida Plateau, in an effort to block German aircraft from landing.
In retaliation for this defiance, the Nazis executed every villager they could find, razing Anogeia and neighbouring villages to the ground.

The monument lies at the eastern edge of the Nida Plateau, in the area known as Gria Aloutsa.
From the ground, you may not immediately recognise it as a figure — it only reveals its form from above.

Part of the angel’s left arm and leg lie buried in the earth, a gesture that symbolises his bond with the land.
His wings are nothing more than the blood flowing from the fallen fighter.