The Military Section
In December 1940, the 19th section was generously donated to the British Government (Imperial War Graves Commission) for the creation of a Military Cemetery dedicated to British forces who lost their lives during the war. Over time, it evolved into an Allied Cemetery (Section for Foreign Military Authorities), where American airmen who perished in bombing raids were also laid to rest. Following liberation, the remains of 250 British soldiers were transferred from the Third Cemetery to the Allied Military Cemetery in Faliro.
Today, the 19th section is officially recognized as the “Military Section” and is dedicated to the memory of Greek fallen soldiers. At its heart lies an underground ossuary, which contains the remains of these brave soldiers, elegantly adorned with a monumental marble composition.
The Occupation Forces Cemetery
The occupying forces also sought space for their fallen soldiers. In 1942, a decision was made to expand the cemetery to establish an Italian Military Cemetery, and by mid-1943, this area had been allocated to the Germans.
Initially, in 1941, land within the Protestant section of the First Cemetery was seized for the burial of German soldiers. As this space quickly became inadequate, a second German Military Cemetery was established in the Third Cemetery. Over time, the Germans occupied and developed three sections of the cemetery, funded by the City of Athens. By early 1944, plans were initiated to expand the eastern side for a fourth section. The rise in fatalities among the occupying forces was undoubtedly linked to Resistance activities.
In 1965, a bilateral agreement between Greece and the Federal Republic of Germany facilitated the transfer of these soldiers’ remains to the German Military Cemetery in the Rapendosa area of Dionysos.
The Jewish Cemetery
In 1943, a Jewish section was established in the cemetry due to the overcrowding in the existing section at the First Cemetery. Nevertheless, it was hardly used due to the persecution of Jews. The current layout and extent of the Jewish Cemetery were developed in the post-war period.
The Newborn Section
The heartbreaking wave of infant and child mortality during the Occupation led to the establishment of a section dedicated to newborns, many of whom left this world without the warmth of family. The children who lost their lives during this period form a separate category among the deceased.