Maleme

Maleme (Greek Μάλεμε (n. sg. ) ) Is a village on the northwest coast of Crete, with 710 inhabitants. Administratively counts Maleme to the municipality of Platanias. In Germany Maleme is famous for the airborne operation during the Battle of Crete during the Second World War.

Location

The village of Maleme ( Τ.Δ. Μάλεμε ) is the most north-westerly of the municipality of Platanias. The area extends over a length of more than three kilometers along the coast of the Gulf of Chania ( kolpos Chanion Κόλπος Χανίων ), from the village of Tavronitis the municipality Voukolies in the west to the village in the municipality of Platanias Kondomari in the east. In the south, about a kilometer inland the villages Vlacheronitissa and Xamoudochori adjoin.

By Maleme runs along the old national road between Kissamos and Chania, the highway 90 runs just south of the village. To the west of the village lies the Maleme Airport ( Αεροδρόμιο Μάλεμε ). The German military cemetery and the height 107 are further south in the area of the village Vlacheronitissa.

History

Maleme was probably inhabited since the Early Christian period. The place name Maleme was first mentioned in writing in 1577 by Francesco Barozzi in the census during the Venetian rule. Also Kastrofylakas handed the name in 1583, when Francesco Basilicata was 1630, the place name Malema.

A spätminoisches dome grave was uncovered near the military cemetery.

After Adolf Hitler had ordered the conquest of Crete, Maleme was one of the main targets of Operation Merkur. In Maleme there was the largest airport of the island. On May 20, 1941 German paratroopers landed in the morning at Maleme. Against the resistance of the Allied troops, especially the British and New Zealand, supported by Cretan resistance fighters, Maleme could not be taken immediately. The following day German JU -52 landed on the airfield, which was conquered by now, but under heavy fire stood by Allied troops from the dominant height 107. Use the air superiority succeeded until the evening to push back the Allied troops something and on the third day, the airfield had become a useful base of operations for the German troops. Up to May 26, Maleme could be developed as a beachhead. In the night Per 27 May met the British High Command 's decision to abandon Crete. Maleme had the decisive importance for the entire operation and was the only airfield, the Germans could in time be brought under control.

German Military Cemetery

South of the height 107 of the German military cemetery was inaugurated on 6 October 1974. The graves of 4,465 casualties on the system. Highest rank is the grave of General of the paratroops Bruno Bräuer, which was reburied here in the 1970s.

Maleme airfield

Shortly before the German air invasion, the British had built an airfield at Maleme. The villagers Malemes had the British troops asked this space. The Maleme airfield is still in use. The Greek Air Force maintains there a site.

Maleme Stadium

In Maleme is a small stadium for 1,000 spectators, in which the neighboring Platanias FC sometimes prevents games.