Mass grave from Greek Civil War discovered in Thessaloniki Park

A newly uncovered mass grave containing the remains of 14 individuals has been discovered in a park near Thessaloniki, shedding light on the brutal legacy of the Greek Civil War. The bodies are believed to belong to prisoners executed at the notorious Yedi Kule (Eptapyrgio) Prison, known for holding and torturing suspected communists during and after the conflict.

Local authorities confirmed that the unmarked grave was found during a park renovation project in a suburban area of Thessaloniki. The remains were found just below the surface, according to chief engineer Haris Charismiadis, who reported the discovery to the Associated Press. The grave emerged during the installation of new benches.

This recent find is reminiscent of similar unmarked graves uncovered earlier this year in the Neapoli-Sykies district, which also contained bodies suspected to be those of political prisoners. According to historians, the prisoners were detained and executed between 1946 and 1953, many of them accused of communist affiliations.

The Eptapyrgio Fortress, a Byzantine-era structure, was converted into a prison and used extensively during the 1946–1949 civil war. During this period and the years immediately following, it served as a site for the torture and execution of leftist sympathizers.

Unlike the previous discovery in which 33 bodies were neatly arranged side-by-side, the latest grave reveals a more haphazard burial—bodies appeared to have been dumped hurriedly, some with severed heads or torsos.

Thessaloniki’s mayor, Simos Daniilidis, announced a pause in the park’s renovation to prioritize the excavation. “We insisted the digging continue,” he said, stressing the historical importance of the site. Charismiadis believes more graves could be hidden beneath nearby paved roads and has called for expanded excavations. A state-appointed archaeologist is currently overseeing the process.

Families of the victims—many of whom never received formal notice of their relatives’ deaths—are now demanding DNA testing to confirm the identities of the remains. During the civil war era, it was not uncommon for families to learn of executions through newspapers while en route to deliver clean clothes to imprisoned relatives.

DNA analysis has yet to begin, but calls for justice and historical recognition are growing louder with each new discovery.