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DIMITRIS KOSTOPOULOS The Battle of Leros on the front page of a German newspaper of the time

In the autumn of 1943, after the Italian armistice, one after the other, the Dodecanese islands were occupied by the Germans. Leros was the only island that remained in the hands of the British and the Italians. On 12 November 1943, the Germans launched Operation Typhoon aiming at the occupation of the island. At 11:59, November 16, after five days of violent combats, Leros surrendered and passed into the hands of the Germans.

On its November 18 issue, the occupation of Leros was the main front-page story under the title “Naval base of Leros Falls” and the subtitle ‘3,200 British and 5,300 Badoglians captured. Heavy losses suffered by the enemy”.

In the inner pages of the newspaper there is a more recent correspondence from Leros with the indication “News from the Front” and the title “The first hours on the occupied port of Leros”.