Occupied Greece in Color (1941) – Exclusive Historical Footage from Athens After the German Invasion

These remarkable exclusive color film footage was shot in Greece shortly after the German invasion began on 6 April 1941. They document everyday life in Athens and the Greek countryside alongside scenes of the German and Italian occupation forces.
The footage shows Greek farmers, fishermen, women and children riding donkeys, and panoramic views of Greece's mountains and coastline. In Athens, it captures trams, daily street life, the Hotel Grande Bretagne, the Panathenaic Stadium, Mount Lycabettus, and the Hellenic Parliament with its ceremonial Evzones.
Military scenes include coastal anti-aircraft positions, Luftwaffe personnel, field camps, troop entertainment and soldiers relaxing beneath olive trees.
A notable sequence shows an anti-aircraft gun marked "Rupel Pass – 6 April 1941", referring to the opening day of the German invasion. Rupel Pass formed part of the Metaxas Line, whose forts resisted German attacks before surrendering after being outflanked through Yugoslavia.
Additional scenes feature Italian occupation troops, Romanian soldiers with mule transports, mountain convoys and ox carts filmed from a moving train.
These rare color images provide an exceptional visual record of Greece during the first months of the occupation.
This historical footage is presented for documentary and educational purposes.

Chapters:
▷ 00:00 – Intro / Historical introduction
▷ 00:08 – Greek farmer ploughs a field with a horse
▷ 00:23 – Women and children riding donkeys along a dusty country road
▷ 00:37 – German Luftwaffe vehicle on the road
▷ 00:45 – Fishermen, boats and baskets on the Greek coast
▷ 00:54 – Panoramic views of the sea, mountains and fishing boats
▷ 01:05 – Athens: Hotel Grande Bretagne and city streets with trams
▷ 01:16 – Street scenes in Athens with civilians, soldiers and shops
▷ 01:24 – Coastal anti-aircraft position and officers
▷ 01:33 – Sunset over the sea
▷ 01:39 – Panoramic views of a Greek bay and fishing boats
▷ 02:04 – Evening views of the sea and a small Greek church
▷ 02:21 – Street scenes with Italian occupation forces directing traffic
▷ 02:26 – Exterior of the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens
▷ 02:34 – Interior views of the Panathenaic Stadium
▷ 02:43 – Athens filmed from a moving car with Mount Lycabettus in the background
▷ 02:51 – Donkeys carrying children and heavy loads through the countryside
▷ 02:58 – Mountains, clouds and panoramic views of the Greek landscape
▷ 03:26 – Sports festival of German soldiers inside an ancient amphitheatre
▷ 03:58 – Tug-of-war competition watched by hundreds of soldiers
▷ 04:11 – Soldiers drinking wine beneath colourful parasols and an ancient olive tree
▷ 04:28 – Decorative flags beneath the parasols
▷ 04:46 – Soldier writing his diary while drinking red wine
▷ 04:53 – Front theatre performance and magic show for German troops
▷ 05:12 – Women and children riding donkeys through the countryside
▷ 05:20 – German army doctor vaccinating soldiers
▷ 05:30 – Evzones guarding the Greek Parliament in Athens
▷ 05:50 – Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Greek Parliament
▷ 05:57 – Athens street scenes with trams and German soldiers
▷ 06:04 – Italian sentries and an Orthodox priest
▷ 06:09 – Meeting beneath olive trees and conversations with Greek shepherds
▷ 06:29 – German soldier operating an anti-aircraft rangefinder
▷ 06:34 – Anti-aircraft gun position protected by sandbags
▷ 06:44 – Anti-aircraft gun marked with eight victory rings
▷ 06:56 – Inscription "Rupel Pass – 6 April 1941" on the gun
▷ 07:01 – Reuters office sign and propaganda artwork
▷ 07:06 – Soldiers cleaning and maintaining the anti-aircraft gun
▷ 07:15 – "Everyone deserves their own home" sign at a front-line camp
▷ 07:22 – Tent camp with carefully maintained gardens
▷ 07:33 – Large "V" symbol made of stones
▷ 07:39 – Outdoor military instruction and soldiers singing
▷ 08:05 – Fishermen waiting along the Greek coast
▷ 08:20 – Women, children and donkeys on rural roads
▷ 08:31 – Panoramic views across the Greek mountains
▷ 08:54 – Driving through Athens
▷ 09:08 – Busy streets with civilians and Italian officers
▷ 09:12 – Rural irrigation well and agricultural work
▷ 09:38 – Woman spinning wool by hand
▷ 09:48 – Donkey tied to a tree
▷ 09:59 – Overcrowded vehicles during wartime fuel shortages
▷ 10:07 – Street shoeshine boy at work
▷ 10:11 – Romanian soldiers with mule transports
▷ 10:31 – Road sign for Eleusis (Elevsis)
▷ 10:35 – Half-tracks and military convoys
▷ 11:03 – German soldiers talking with elderly Greek farmers
▷ 11:24 – Soldiers preparing a meal during a roadside halt
▷ 11:33 – Mountain scenery and military convoy
▷ 11:47 – Ox carts filmed from a moving train
▷ 11:55 – Snow-covered forest viewed from the train

1941 © Visual archive footage licensed by Xerxes