On this day 82 years ago: "Since the morning the Athenians were free"translated

"On the night of October 11/12, the last Germans left Athens. From the morning of the 12th, the Athenians were free, decorated with flags and flowers" states the information bulletin of the General Staff of the Army of October 13, 1944. On October 12, 1944, after 1264 days of occupation, Athens is free again. The Germans lower their flag from the Acropolis at 9:45 in the morning of October 12, while at the same time part of the German army lays a wreath at the monument of the Unknown Soldier.

The collusion of the country's largest resistance organization, the National Liberation Front (EAM) with the orders of the Government of National Unity ensured that order was maintained and led to the most bloodless liberation of a European capital.

With the complete withdrawal of the Germans, a three-member echelon of the Government of National Unity was installed in Athens by ministers Filippos Manuelidis, Yiannis Zevgos and Themistocles Tsatsos to take over the power of the liberated areas.

On October 18, Prime Minister George Papandreou arrived in Athens with the members of the government and a section of British military forces under General Ronald Scobie.…