KÉFALOS. INFORMATION HISTORY & ARCHAEOLOGY: KÉFALOS AND ITS PREHISTORIC PERIOD FROM THE 2nd cent. BC. HISTORIC TIMES: GEOMETRIC & ARCHAIC PERIOD. FIRST GEOMETRIC & GEOMETRIC PERIOD of 10th to 8th cent. BC. CLASSICAL PERIOD. HELLENISTIC AGE. ROMAN ERA. BYZANTINE PERIOD. SEASON OF KNIGHTS. PERIOD OF OTTOMAN RULE AT THE 19th cent. OTTOMAN RULE (1821-1912). ITALIAN RULE (1912-1943). GERMAN RULE. 43 Km away from Kos town there lies Kéfalos. It is built on two levels. The village still bearing a lot of its magnificence of the traditional village colour, with narrow lanes and white washed houses overlooking the Aegean Sea. At the highest point stands the oldest windmill, emblem of the village, untouched by the time. At the seaside the resort Kamari, has the coldest and most crystal clear waters of the island. The harbour of Kéfalos is at the western end of Kamari Bay. In its eastern end is the picturesque islet of Kastri - with the church of Agios Nicolaos build on the remains of a temple of Poseidon - and the ruins of the Basilica of Agios Stefanos, next to the well known Club Mediterrane hotel complex.In the multitude of restaurants and taverns along the sandy beach, one can taste traditional cuisine and plenty of fresh fish, after swimming and water sporting. The idyllic Limionas Bay and its panoramic fish restaurant "Limionas", is worth to be presented separately. INFORMATION Kéfalos is at the western side of Kos, in the area of the ancient City of Isthmioton and the ancient capital of the island of Astypalea. It was named probably because it was the Village in antiquity or because the shape of the region looks like vulture head. Kéfalos is at the western tip of the island of Kos. It is 42 km from the port of Kos and 16 km from the airport. It is a Village with its own rhythm of design, with an volcanic form, with a healthy climate which combines the life-giving mountain air with the cool sea breeze and with its people which are jerked vigorously persons of work and motivated people. In Kéfalos you can see kilometers of all kinds of beaches. There are pebble beaches, deep or shallow waters, secluded and quiet or crowded and busy. There is always the challenge of discovering your own beach. Kéfalos has a great and small island in the middle of the sea and the picturesque chapel of Agios Nikolaos. Also visited can be the Basilica of St. Stephen in the homonymous area.The specificity of Kefalos is that it is divided into two parts. One part is the traditional village of Kéfalos. In the settlement it remains the residents of the village during the winter. During summer, most people are staying in Kamari which is the most touristic part of the village.In the settlement, visitors can see how the old people live and able to walk in small and narrow cobblestone streets. There you are able to visit the castle, the bazaar and admire of the panoramic view of the bay of Kéfalos.You may also visit the archaeological site "Palaces", the "Zini" and "White Stone". In Kamari, visitors can enjoy fresh seafood, traditional dishes and international cuisine in one of many seaside taverns. It is also possible to enjoy a coffee or a drink in bars and Cafes which are overlooking the beautiful bay of Kéfalos and the impressive bay of Ziniou. Traditional festival of the village is the Fest of Trawl, which occurs at the end of the summer. Back to the Top of the page! History and Archaeology KEFALOS AND ITS PREHISTORIC PERIOD FROM THE 2nd CENTURY BC. The historical background to distinguish science into two major periods: In the Stone Age, from the extreme past, estimated at around 600.000 years BC to 2.800 BC about and The Bronze Age from 2.800 to 1.100 BC. The Stone Age is divided to: Paleolithic, ending in 8.000 BC. Mesolithic (8.000-7.000 BC). To the Neolithic period (7.000-2.800 BC). The first existence of life in Kéfalos, was at the cave of the White Stone and is also the first on the entire island of Kos dates back to Neolithic times. It has been brought to light by the Italian archaeologists Alessandro Delia Seta and Doro Levi in 1922. Referring to Mr. Hatzivassilious fact, points out that the island of Kos discovered important findings of the prehistoric period. They give an accurate date of excavation: 3-17 June 1922, and it is based on a relevant Italian magazine publication were it describes the findings: "It was then, over a first layer of illumination, corresponding to an oldest human fossil, which contained fragments of Neolithic pottery vessels stretched to dry cave and monolithic layers, which allowed the use of a continuous development of human life. Notable was the presence of oval pits of millstones.The outbreak, which consisted of several layers the same time, however, had several pieces of pottery, as mended, Neolithic period, rough or polished shaped stick, black, red, gray and brown". Among these was just a carved clay pot. The forms and dimensions of the vessels varied with the predominant type of tetanus rounded handles, while rare weapons, which consisted of a few blades and sharp obsidian stones (volcanic stone) we know that came from the island near Glass Nissyros and toilet articles. Finally the remains of food, found in the cave, reveal a people devoted to grazing animals. The Italian archaeologist L. Morricone has argued that the finding of the cave of the White Stone does not belong to the Neolithic period, but the first Early Bronze Age was characterized as Proto and placed between 2900 and 2100 p.Ch.2 then took place and the first movements of people of Pelagians all over the Greek area. The Pelasgians who arrived in Kos not only came from the Asia Minor and parts of mainland Greece, and left their footprints in older buildings with huge polygonal blocks. After the Pelasgians and other Pelasgika tribes the island has been visited by Kares derived from Caria, who gave their name to the island which was named "Karis 'or' Curium and Leleges. Details of the Mycenaean period or the late Bronze Age (1600-1150 BC) has been found in Kos and even in the cave of the White Stone signs that the first Greek people passed by the island. Around 1500 BC it seems to have visited the island the Phoenicians and later the Achaeans from mainland Greece. Back to the Top of the page! HISTORIC TIMES. GEOMETRIC & ARCHAIC PERIOD. During the 12th century BC the end of the Mycenaean civilization came and their historical times began. During this century and was carried the well sung Trojan War song. In this war witnessed the Second Rhapsody of Homer had participated and Kos since Homer mentions had available along with t 'other neighboring islands and thirty ships, led by Antiphon and Feidippo, sons of King Kos Thessalian, emphasis had to participate in the fall of Troy in 1184 BC. After eighty years end after the end of the Trojan War around 1100 BC started the so-called Dorian invasion Heraclid "the islands and probably the island across Asia Minor. Then stoped the Bronze Age and it began to use iron. Although some authors argue that the island was Aeolians Ionians at the same time, surviving inscriptions show that the inhabitants use the Doric dialect. In this period the hereditary monarchical form of government exists in our island. Headquartered in the largest city and capital Astypalea (old name of Kefalos). The king is a descendant of the gods and has all powers in his hands: religious, administrative and military. But the kingdom Player-marriage-slowly begins to lose its strength to get around the 7th century BC the position of the aristocracy. After deport the island of Kos by then called Meropis have known few names of kings. These were Eurypylus and Chalkonas which had as his wife Astypalea, the daughter of Phoenix and Permidis, which gave its name, and the island's capital. Back to the Top of the page! FIRST GEOMETRIC & GEOMETRIC PERIOD of 10th to 8th century BC.. Archaeological excavations have shown that culture evolves after the Doric invasion to the cave of White Stone which was used in the Geometric period, as a place of worship rural deities. Finding a few cups geometric style with pieces of decorative motifs taken from Attica and Viotia shows the connection of the form of geometric shapes of Kos equivalent to those areas-that is what Hatzivassiliou says adopting the positions of the Italian archaeologist Doro Levi. As a rural place of worship of deities the White Stone continues to exist until the Roman period. Also it has been found a crude votive document, which was devoted to the deities, worshiped in the Hellenistic period, which must be Pan, the Nymphs, as evidenced by the small children's clay figures in crouching position. The clay types are dated the 4th-3rd BC century.Founding’s in the cave even votive small oil lamps from the Roman period. Highlights of this period are the introduction of the Doric dialect all over the island, and the participation of the island of Kos in Doric “Exapolis”. The Doric was a Dorian “Exapolis” Coalition, a political organization of six cities that placed the 7th to 6th century BC. The cities which were involved were: In Asia Minor: Knidos. Halicarnassus. On the island of Rhodes: Kamiros. Ialisos. Lindos. Dodecanese islands: The island of Kos. Kos. Over the years the island became a significant social and political change. First and foremost shaped by the city-state whose members organized into genera, clans, tribes, under a sense of kinship or common origin, have agreed to live together in one place. Up at the top were small settlements, which over time have changed into wonderful villages, municipalities. The first and dominant city of Kos was Astypalea which was in the western part of the island, probably in the bay of Kamares current Kéfalos. For the ancient capital of the island of Kos, Astypalea, the E. Karpathios by having as the main source “Stravona” gives us an important testimony: "The city was called Koon by the old Astypalea, not liveable and in this case it also wasn’t build. It was a city non build "continues Karpathios' and its position made it like physical of such that the residents did not see the need of living – building there. The position that Astypalea had is the wide bay of islands Kastri. He continues: «The French archaeologist Rayet- he was a long distance traveller around 1870, notes that on the island of Kos its statement, that the people of Kéfalos at the time of the visit, named it sometimes “at the old”, which caused the opinion of the archaeologist Ludwig Ross, that there which today is called Kamarais was the city. But there is also an opposed opinion the assess-assigned by the city at the Isthmus place. And another, that Astypalea was in these hills of Kéfalos and that Astypalea and Isthmus was the one and only polis. There is also the opinion that the current place was at the position Palaces. Back to the Top of the page! CLASSICAL PERIOD. In 660 BC began to emerge in strong force the state of Lydon has exercised a loose suzerainty in all the surrounding of the islands and Kos. However in 546 BC, the Lydians conquered by the Persians, who had expansionist designs against Greece and aim to campaign against it to understand it, Kos and other islands received their attacks and subjugated them. Indeed the people of Kos forced to engage with the surrounding islands & with the Persians against the Greeks in 480 BC at Salamis. Herodotus says that the people of Kos, Nisyros and Bodrum had given 5 ships. But the victories of the Greeks against the Persians at the mainland Greece and Mykali revived the morale of the people of Kos, and in 478 BC they joined the Athenian alliance, the Delian League, which was formed by the Greeks. The Greek fleet joined at the victory in Eurymedon River in 467 BC against the Persians expelled the Persians from the Aegean, while the Kimoneios Irene gave directly the opportunity to the people of Kos to grow and create. But the Peloponnesian war that followed between the Spartans and Athenians had implications on our island. In 413-412 BC after a devastating earthquake that occurred in our area of Carthage General Astyochos Avenging the people of Kos for their alliance with the Athenians, occupied and looted the Kos-Meropidos, which was an "non build city”, and destroyed all that was left standing by the earthquake . But here we have to note that while Kos-Meropis, as Hatzivassiliou says, was close to today’s Kos, although to date the archaeological investigations have not confirmed the existing at the Emmanuel Carrpathio Kos-Meropis is none other than Astypalea in meantime the capital of the island. It founded in Thucydides states: " Astypalea the citizens that Admiral Astyochos of Carthage in 412 BC had pillaged and occupied in assisting the Project and then onwards the spouse during the earthquake. Later, near Alcibiades fortified Astypalea '.The ancient capital was called Astypalaia and Kos-Meropis by Thucydides and Strabo. It is believed that the original name of the island, which was Meropis, was replaced with its own name "Koa" or "Koos" the daughter of the king Meropis. Astypalea was the largest city and the Capital of the island until 366 BC "During the third year of one hundred and third Olympiad," says E. Karpathios, "that means in 366 BC on domestic disturbances, some of the residents of Astypalea, emigrated to Cape scandium or Skandarion. Strabo says that "people moved over (residents of Astypalea) to town, around Skandarion and renamed Kos (Astypalea). Hatzivassiliou interpret this 'attitude' as an open confrontation with the democratic and oligarchic faction to avoid bloodshed which agreed to become a "next settlement" or "settlement" of residents to a new city and to be named Kos (homonymous the Island). It is true that this happened in 366 BC. The information was confirmed by Diodorus Siculus, who says: "Cause of the removing of people of Kos into town (the Kos city today) a remarkable number of men built these walls and a luxurious haven was created and worthy. The motivation that people of Astypalea and others moved over, so that they left the western part of the island and settle in the new territory in the eastern part, unless of course by the politicians mentioned, was the searching for more fertile land and a better geographical region position to control trade with the cities of Asia Minor and for addressing easier enemies who were across, in Asia. Gradually over the years and while the city of Kos is flourishing in all areas, the old capital Astypalea enters a period of decline. As now the municipality of Isthmioton held the last western part of the island after the Isthmus, held the first or second in importance after the City of Alasarniton (current Kardámena), succeeded because it would acquire wealth and naval power. From Hellenistic inscriptions we learn that he had dedicated temples to the god Apollo, to Asklepion and Demeter. He sent even his own representatives (dealers) of Amphictyony of Delos in 250 BC. During the classical period the letters and the arts developed on the island of Kos, and of course the capital of Astypalea. Great spiritual form of this period is the poet Epicharmus. He was born around 500 BC in Astypalea and moved with his family to Sicily. Pythagorio philosopher and linguist became a genius poetic, such as Plato to see them as the top comedy writers, more than Aristophanes. During this period the most magnificent personality of the island, the founder, reformer was the father of Medicine Hippocrates. Heraclides, son of the doctor and Fainaretis was born in Kos and he delivered the ancient capital of the island Astypalea in 460 BC. Back to the Top of the page! HELLENISTIC AGE. During the Hellenistic period the City of Isthmiakon is an important city of the island. Froms key events of the era (309 BC) is the omopoliteia of Kos and Kalymnos, namely the state integration. Their effort had no effect because the Kos as biggest and richest island of Kalymnos imposed consistently the last to lose its independence and reaction to the institution. During the Hellenistic era the theater opened at the place Palaces and two temples in the same area from which the true one was dedicated to Dimitra and the other unknown to what deity. At this period was also the headless statue of the muse Clio found in the sanctuary of the temple of Dimitra at the Palaces and now it is exposed at the Archaeological Museum of Kos. The Colosseum Head of Hercules was found - which is a version of the project Aisippou. It was discovered on the 12-09-1947 and able to be seen at the Museum of Kos. Back to the Top of the page! ROMAN ERA. During the Roman domination the people of Kos had a preferential treatment by the Romans in comparison with other Greeks, because during the war the Mythridatiko Romans Treating had served at area of the Sanctuary. Also the then tyranny of Kos Nicias had good relations with the powerful of Rome. At the area of Kéfalos, we know that the cave of the White Stone is still used as a place of worship and rural deities in this votive found the oil lamp at the Roman period. The City of Isthmioton honors Emperor Vespasian (69-79 AD) seen "as a respected priest, Majority power, father homeland the fifth and the emperor Antoninus the fifth (138-161 AD)" as a pious father and his own homeland "as a show surviving inscriptions. The 1st century AC. dates the headless statue of the seated Demeter found in Kamari of Kéfalos and is now at the Museum of Kos. The City Isthmioton, is an important city of the island. This is evidenced by the archaeological finds of this period, reflecting a strong urban cultural activity and therefore in the bay of Kamari. Back to the Top of the page! BYZANTINE PERIOD. The Edict of Milan in 313 A. C., which stopped the persecution of Christians, but also the transfer of the capital of the Roman Empire in 324 AD in Istanbul had outlined to grow a large Greek-Christian-Byzantine culture. The Apostle Paul on his third tour came and preached the Christianity in Kos, but it is not known exactly when she became the first church. But this must be done before the middle of the 3rd century. It is important that it established itself as evidenced by the many magnificent churches. The Italian archaeologist Luciano Laurenzi discovered in 1932 in Kéfalos beaches opposite the island Kastri the complex of two three-aisle basilicas of St. Stephen whose reconstruction is placed between the years 461-554 AC. These two are remarkable for the richness and size of the monuments. In August 1935 was excavated from Balducci's Basilica in Kamares bay at the hill of Kefalos above the church of Agia Paraskevi at the place where the antiquity the City of Isthmioton was. There are also two minor basilicas, one near Kéfalos from which Balducci had published a photo and another 200 meters near St. Stephen. A total of six have been discovered in Kefalos, 1/3 of the king of the island, some of which are magnificent, showing the wealth and religiosity of the inhabitants. Of particular interest is the church of Panagia Palatiani position Palaces. Zarraftis believes that the Virgin Palatiani is "founded on the corners of the ancient temple to Dionysus, and it successful recognition was detected in the excavations in 1901, where it has been found many inscriptions and statues mutilated after the agreement. At this period there was a great prosperity in the region as evidenced by many finds from the excavations under the way along the beach of Kamari to Kastri. Back to the Top of the page! SEASON OF KNIGHTS. After the Fourth Crusade (1204 A.D.) where Constantinople was occupied, the master of Kos was Baldwin of Flanders and after a few years Leo Gavalas. In 1224 the Duke Vatatzi, the second emperor of Nikaia, took Kos in his possession for a while. In 1234 Leo Gavalas was it again and in 1278 the Genoese corsair John Dekalvos. In 1284 is the conqueror Jacomo Jiepolo Scopolo and in 1304 the Genoese Benedict Zakkaria. Throughout this turbulent period of Frankish it had not stopped the pirates’ raids and looting in our islands. Kéfalos and its testament to the pirate era is the small castle in Kastelli, an inaccessible area on the site "Sarakinos, which in this time give her the security to the locals from pirate attacks. In 1310 Kos was occupied by the Knights of the Order of St. John the Baptist. The Knights have organized a wonderful and excellent army cavalry. They lived in the western lifestyle while they spoke their languages; the local residents had no problem speaking their own. The Knights fortified the town and villages, repaired the forts and become capable of the immune system of the island against the Ottomans. Kéfalos on the highest point of the village has the ruins of the Castle in Kéfalos that time that although it was built with small stones because of its location, withstood all attacks from the Ottomans. In 1440 the inhabitants of Kos successfully repelled the Ottoman-Egyptian which tried to occupy the island. On May 29, 1453 the Constantinople fell to the Ottomans and the FUTURE of our islands and Kos starts to appear dark. In 1457 the Ottoman fleet burned the castle Neratzia of Kos town and residents in the Knights Castle with drawn in Pyli – near Kéfalos and Antimachia. From the first two castles because of unmet in their region, the Ottomans were forced to leave empty-handed. They concentrated with their whole army at the Castle of Antimachia. For twenty-three days they besieged, and after heavy losses forced to leave. The 1460, 1464, 1477, the Ottomans tried again to capture Kos, but without success. On 8/10/1493, a large earthquake shocked the island and the deserted. Loss happened to the castles of Kos and Kéfalos but they repaired it. In December 1522, the Ottomans will occupy Rhodes and January 6, 1523 will fall into their hands Kos, seventy years after the conquest of Constantinople. Back to the Top of the page! PERIOD OF OTTOMAN RULE AT THE 19th CENTURY. A lot of conquerors saw the island during the long history, but the Ottoman balance was the worst of all. And Zarraftis describes the living conditions during the Ottoman occupation: "Kos happened to be irresponsible and became desert on this, and the people, former and others divined origin, called rays, and named Giaonr. Then the derived of their property, they had not the right to buy their entitled grounds or their small houses. With ordinary soldier or the many times the master of an area could get married by Christians at the church or on marriage. Soumpasis or the witness and the main Lord, absolute lord of a village, take part in the religious event, as Themis and Athemita pretender”. It also describes the others crushingly on Hellenism measures which took the Ottomans as the mass kidnapping of children during the 17th century, they Islam’s the children of Christians. Kéfalos can not be seen as the heavy boot of the Ottoman occupation, since it was the most barren and remote from the capital village of Kos, but during the Ottoman population of increasingly scarce. The reduction of marine engagement (trade-fishing) because of the pirates and the barren soil, contributed to the head to be of the poorest areas of Kos, and the once mighty Astypalea island's old capital, lead to a Ottoman village. The residents lived in poverty. Back to the Top of the page! OTTOMAN RULE (1821-1912). At the revolution on 1821 there is no information whether the people of Kos brought against the Ottomans. Zaraftis however says that the revolutionary flag was raised in Kéfalos. As Hatzivassiliou notes that Hydra sea-fighter Anastasios Tsamados notes in his diary, that at the morning of July the 29th 1821 a boat from the vessel, which was moored to the harbour of Kéfalos, took on the island 30 rigged lads with the Cretan priest Jeremiah Sinai, crew member "to respond the Turks and the necessary food. And Tsamados continues: "at 2.30 skampavia (the boat) reached with all the lads the place they had to go up the mountain to get their needed food." From this text Tsamados concludes Hatzivasileiou some understandings that existed prior to the partners of the Greek naval battle with the inhabitants of Kéfalos to allow the first to leave the island and to purchase food, thus indicating that surely touched the residents of the small and remote village of Kos, the spark of revolution. "With the start of the revolution," says Spyros Trikoupis the history of the Greek Nation, "the people of Kos suffered badly. The summit of the 11 of July where slaughtered 98 of their residents. Everybody was naked, temples were destroyed, young women where bad manipulated, people which could not hide in the mountains, where taken and after three days they were set free, any payment due in modesty. The struggle we have two people of Kéfalos states in the history of the island of Kos, the Hatzivassiliou. It states that after the destruction of Chios and the burning of the flagship of Kara Ali by Konstantinos Kanaris on June 6 in 1822, said that those slipping into the darkness, Kanari suggestion in the Ottoman flagship was three people of Kos, sailors and comrades. John Sevastakis from Kéfalos, Lazaros from Pyli and George from Kéfalos. After the outbreak of the revolution, the Ottomans repaired the castles and increased their garrisons in order to avoid any attack by the Greeks. At the same time expelled the Greeks from the forts to feel safe. Only residents of Kéfalos remained "in the refuge than of the Ottomans because they feared to be isolated from the vicinity of. Enlightening is the information we provide from Emmanuel Karpathios the economic and social situation of Kéfalos shown. Building on the descriptions of the French browser Rayet, who visited Kéfalos in 1870-71, the Karpathios seem to share the view that wants Kéfalos "without directions and controller '. The food of people, continues Karpathios was mainly legumes that people of Kéfalos cultivated in arid lands. They sold more sulfur crude, and their main economic resource was the farming. Despite the miserable conditions of life for the people in Kéfalos endure poverty and not lose the opportunity of fun. Back to the Top of the page! ITALIAN RULE (1912-1943). On May 7, 1912 the Italian troops occupied Kos without facing any resistance from the Ottomans. The James N. Kazavis Notes: "To say the truth the Italians before arriving in the Capital stopped in Kéfalos and requested information from the spatial on the military power of the Ottomans. Their inhabitants where informed on the number and the morale of Muslims then turned back to their place”. The people of Kos greeted the Italians as liberators. After the promises of the Italians for independence and freedom of residents followed praises and official ceremonies. But when the time came when the Dodecanese people understood that the intention of the Italians was to keep the island as Italian, the united islanders have demonstrated their desire to join the motherland Greece. From 6.8.1924 onwards the Italians who assemble our islands and legal in Italy, no longer called the 11th colony, and the acquisition call (colonia). From 1925 the Dodecanese and of course the people of Kéfalos are Italian citizens with unique citizenship since 1933, had the right to get the full Italian citizenship if they served in the Italian army. From 1922 onwards the Italians changed their democratic mask and tried to deplete the locals. The major event of the season was the visit of King Victor Emmanuel of Italy the third in Kos on 23.5.1929. He visited the villages Pyli, Antimachia and Kéfalos. In Kéfalos was the welcome at the beach where people had to be lowered to accommodate once the road to the village was not accessible. Since 1936 when the governor of Dodecanese Mario Lago, courteous and modest man, was replaced by the fascist De Vecchi life for residents has become more difficult. The De Vecchi dictatorships ruled with absolute political and military rights. Create fascist organizations, such as those of Italy in black shirts, black hats, fascist greetings etc. He ordered the locals who studied in Athens to return to their island and all of them monitored closely. Also he prohibited the use of Greek magazines and newspapers. Since 1936 he visited the Kos demanded everyone to think and speak Italian and from 1938 taught in primary schools as a first language Italian. With the start of World War II and the Greek victories over the Italians, the situation deteriorated to the locals. On the 3.9.1943, the Italians are forced to sign an armistice with the Allies after the invasion of Sicily in the past. Five days later the English with their allies in the proposed Council Colonel Felice Leggio governor of the island to capitulate and after a few days convinced him. So allies and Italians prepared to face the Germans which would come from Rhodes. On 3/10/1943, a Sunday, the Germans arrived. The Allies and Italian visas for British left undisturbed to land. When I realized the error it was too late. The 24th Italian coastal plant dispersed without a fight. The 62nd battalion of artillery in Antimachia headed by Camilo Nasca joined the Germans. Only the 12th group of about two hundred firearms of Lieutenant Franco di Giovanni in Kamari Kéfalos resisted a little but this fall. Italian and English tried to leave the East and those who were arrested over the Castle of Kos as prisoners’ of war. Back to the Top of the page! GERMAN RULE. With a prevalence of German occupation worse than any previous starts. The Nazis loot the villages, stealing houses and shops, call for food and foods, undermine large coastal areas, and behave brutally to the locals, especially the Italians. The Nazi atrocities reached a climax with the hanging of Elijah Kapiris Square of Freedom of Kos and Zouboulis George in Antimachia. But local residents did not remain indifferent. Many are those who fought on the Allied side and damaged either by fighting them or by their espionage activity the conqueror. The people of Kéfalos, Lazos Dimitris, Pantelis Kordisto and the Sacred Band. Also Fourtouni Nick, Nicolas Antony and others in opposition. But all stood Pantelis Picos. A staunch patriot is the fold of which is a shelter all persecuted by their conquerors, British, priest sergeant and patriots, contributed to the fight. Remarkable is also the offer of Charalambos Roussos, the monk of St. John in Kéfalos. On September the 1st, 1944 Sergeant Diamandis Giannios was taken to the office to see in the premises of the German post air traffic control which was in Thymiana in Kéfalos. So I came into contact with Pantelis Pico who informed him that the men of outpost are eleven. Then he landed on a site Kéfalos Ierolohiton a group headed by the Lieutenant Andreas Erselman to blow up the outpost. On the evening of September 7, Pico led the group to post the people of Leros with grenades and automatic surprised the Germans capturing prisoners. During the scuffle, an Italian who tried to resist get killed. Allies blew up after the post disappeared. The Germans arrested Pico and had a mantra in stealthily and interrogated but was left free because they found incriminating Elements. The next day, a counteraction of this, the German Commander of Kéfalos Klever suddenly arrested and brought together by the male population of 46 persons in Kéfalos Elementary School for their enforcement. These 14 took them to Antimachia as hostages. The investigations came to fruition but not a survivor and an Austrian soldier insisted that the saboteurs were foreigners and well armed. After 15 days they left them free. The Second World War with the mining of beaches by the Germans, apart from the physical destruction, hunger and misery brought to our village and many casualties, both during and afterwards. The Oriental Dimitris killed to "Nepsa the Lagkai" by the Germans, the day of their arrival. Also killed by landmines was Anthoulis Michael at the airport, the newspaper of George B. in 'Camel' and Anthoulis John G. in Askethraka. Also from mine and a group of five children who tended their livestock in St. Stephen, the alien Demetris, Anthony Arhontoula, cripple Eleni Christodoulou respected and Zervos Mary. But later when there were only English troops on the island it continued to mourn the victims. Tsampouniaris George was killed while hauling from mines' Skethria "with the boat and thrown into the sea. Killed by grenade explosion in "Koutsouriari" her siblings John and exotic alien Anastasia and rescued the injured alien Dionysia. Killed at the River from mine was Kelepertzis John. Also a blow to Sleep "Skethria" that drove the car occupants killed Dimitris Papantoniou, Diakonikola John, Michael Diakogiannis, Kordistos Charalambos. They took as hostage in Germany for two years the Citizen Nikola and arrested him, held cause of military material. With the defeat of Germany and its allies to end the war in Europe, the Germans in Dodecanese will be delivered. This happened on the 8.5.1945. Since English military command is placed temporarily in Dodecanese, they would like to decide the fate of the Peace. This place, our village, after 740 years of occupation by Knights, Ottomans, Italians, Germans, British, regained the most precious commodity,FREEDOM. Back to the Top of the page! GEORGE & DIONISIA PAPANTONIOU.
43 Km away from Kos town there lies Kéfalos. It is built on two levels. The village still bearing a lot of its magnificence of the traditional village colour, with narrow lanes and white washed houses overlooking the Aegean Sea. At the highest point stands the oldest windmill, emblem of the village, untouched by the time. At the seaside the resort Kamari, has the coldest and most crystal clear waters of the island. The harbour of Kéfalos is at the western end of Kamari Bay. In its eastern end is the picturesque islet of Kastri - with the church of Agios Nicolaos build on the remains of a temple of Poseidon - and the ruins of the Basilica of Agios Stefanos, next to the well known Club Mediterrane hotel complex.In the multitude of restaurants and taverns along the sandy beach, one can taste traditional cuisine and plenty of fresh fish, after swimming and water sporting. The idyllic Limionas Bay and its panoramic fish restaurant "Limionas", is worth to be presented separately.
Kéfalos is at the western side of Kos, in the area of the ancient City of Isthmioton and the ancient capital of the island of Astypalea. It was named probably because it was the Village in antiquity or because the shape of the region looks like vulture head. Kéfalos is at the western tip of the island of Kos. It is 42 km from the port of Kos and 16 km from the airport. It is a Village with its own rhythm of design, with an volcanic form, with a healthy climate which combines the life-giving mountain air with the cool sea breeze and with its people which are jerked vigorously persons of work and motivated people. In Kéfalos you can see kilometers of all kinds of beaches. There are pebble beaches, deep or shallow waters, secluded and quiet or crowded and busy. There is always the challenge of discovering your own beach. Kéfalos has a great and small island in the middle of the sea and the picturesque chapel of Agios Nikolaos. Also visited can be the Basilica of St. Stephen in the homonymous area.The specificity of Kefalos is that it is divided into two parts. One part is the traditional village of Kéfalos. In the settlement it remains the residents of the village during the winter. During summer, most people are staying in Kamari which is the most touristic part of the village.In the settlement, visitors can see how the old people live and able to walk in small and narrow cobblestone streets. There you are able to visit the castle, the bazaar and admire of the panoramic view of the bay of Kéfalos.You may also visit the archaeological site "Palaces", the "Zini" and "White Stone". In Kamari, visitors can enjoy fresh seafood, traditional dishes and international cuisine in one of many seaside taverns. It is also possible to enjoy a coffee or a drink in bars and Cafes which are overlooking the beautiful bay of Kéfalos and the impressive bay of Ziniou. Traditional festival of the village is the Fest of Trawl, which occurs at the end of the summer.
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The historical background to distinguish science into two major periods:
The first existence of life in Kéfalos, was at the cave of the White Stone and is also the first on the entire island of Kos dates back to Neolithic times. It has been brought to light by the Italian archaeologists Alessandro Delia Seta and Doro Levi in 1922. Referring to Mr. Hatzivassilious fact, points out that the island of Kos discovered important findings of the prehistoric period. They give an accurate date of excavation: 3-17 June 1922, and it is based on a relevant Italian magazine publication were it describes the findings: "It was then, over a first layer of illumination, corresponding to an oldest human fossil, which contained fragments of Neolithic pottery vessels stretched to dry cave and monolithic layers, which allowed the use of a continuous development of human life. Notable was the presence of oval pits of millstones.The outbreak, which consisted of several layers the same time, however, had several pieces of pottery, as mended, Neolithic period, rough or polished shaped stick, black, red, gray and brown". Among these was just a carved clay pot. The forms and dimensions of the vessels varied with the predominant type of tetanus rounded handles, while rare weapons, which consisted of a few blades and sharp obsidian stones (volcanic stone) we know that came from the island near Glass Nissyros and toilet articles. Finally the remains of food, found in the cave, reveal a people devoted to grazing animals. The Italian archaeologist L. Morricone has argued that the finding of the cave of the White Stone does not belong to the Neolithic period, but the first Early Bronze Age was characterized as Proto and placed between 2900 and 2100 p.Ch.2 then took place and the first movements of people of Pelagians all over the Greek area. The Pelasgians who arrived in Kos not only came from the Asia Minor and parts of mainland Greece, and left their footprints in older buildings with huge polygonal blocks. After the Pelasgians and other Pelasgika tribes the island has been visited by Kares derived from Caria, who gave their name to the island which was named "Karis 'or' Curium and Leleges. Details of the Mycenaean period or the late Bronze Age (1600-1150 BC) has been found in Kos and even in the cave of the White Stone signs that the first Greek people passed by the island. Around 1500 BC it seems to have visited the island the Phoenicians and later the Achaeans from mainland Greece.
During the 12th century BC the end of the Mycenaean civilization came and their historical times began. During this century and was carried the well sung Trojan War song. In this war witnessed the Second Rhapsody of Homer had participated and Kos since Homer mentions had available along with t 'other neighboring islands and thirty ships, led by Antiphon and Feidippo, sons of King Kos Thessalian, emphasis had to participate in the fall of Troy in 1184 BC. After eighty years end after the end of the Trojan War around 1100 BC started the so-called Dorian invasion Heraclid "the islands and probably the island across Asia Minor. Then stoped the Bronze Age and it began to use iron. Although some authors argue that the island was Aeolians Ionians at the same time, surviving inscriptions show that the inhabitants use the Doric dialect. In this period the hereditary monarchical form of government exists in our island. Headquartered in the largest city and capital Astypalea (old name of Kefalos). The king is a descendant of the gods and has all powers in his hands: religious, administrative and military. But the kingdom Player-marriage-slowly begins to lose its strength to get around the 7th century BC the position of the aristocracy. After deport the island of Kos by then called Meropis have known few names of kings. These were Eurypylus and Chalkonas which had as his wife Astypalea, the daughter of Phoenix and Permidis, which gave its name, and the island's capital.
Archaeological excavations have shown that culture evolves after the Doric invasion to the cave of White Stone which was used in the Geometric period, as a place of worship rural deities. Finding a few cups geometric style with pieces of decorative motifs taken from Attica and Viotia shows the connection of the form of geometric shapes of Kos equivalent to those areas-that is what Hatzivassiliou says adopting the positions of the Italian archaeologist Doro Levi. As a rural place of worship of deities the White Stone continues to exist until the Roman period. Also it has been found a crude votive document, which was devoted to the deities, worshiped in the Hellenistic period, which must be Pan, the Nymphs, as evidenced by the small children's clay figures in crouching position. The clay types are dated the 4th-3rd BC century.Founding’s in the cave even votive small oil lamps from the Roman period. Highlights of this period are the introduction of the Doric dialect all over the island, and the participation of the island of Kos in Doric “Exapolis”. The Doric was a Dorian “Exapolis” Coalition, a political organization of six cities that placed the 7th to 6th century BC. The cities which were involved were:
Kos. Over the years the island became a significant social and political change. First and foremost shaped by the city-state whose members organized into genera, clans, tribes, under a sense of kinship or common origin, have agreed to live together in one place. Up at the top were small settlements, which over time have changed into wonderful villages, municipalities. The first and dominant city of Kos was Astypalea which was in the western part of the island, probably in the bay of Kamares current Kéfalos. For the ancient capital of the island of Kos, Astypalea, the E. Karpathios by having as the main source “Stravona” gives us an important testimony: "The city was called Koon by the old Astypalea, not liveable and in this case it also wasn’t build. It was a city non build "continues Karpathios' and its position made it like physical of such that the residents did not see the need of living – building there. The position that Astypalea had is the wide bay of islands Kastri. He continues: «The French archaeologist Rayet- he was a long distance traveller around 1870, notes that on the island of Kos its statement, that the people of Kéfalos at the time of the visit, named it sometimes “at the old”, which caused the opinion of the archaeologist Ludwig Ross, that there which today is called Kamarais was the city. But there is also an opposed opinion the assess-assigned by the city at the Isthmus place. And another, that Astypalea was in these hills of Kéfalos and that Astypalea and Isthmus was the one and only polis. There is also the opinion that the current place was at the position Palaces.
In 660 BC began to emerge in strong force the state of Lydon has exercised a loose suzerainty in all the surrounding of the islands and Kos. However in 546 BC, the Lydians conquered by the Persians, who had expansionist designs against Greece and aim to campaign against it to understand it, Kos and other islands received their attacks and subjugated them. Indeed the people of Kos forced to engage with the surrounding islands & with the Persians against the Greeks in 480 BC at Salamis. Herodotus says that the people of Kos, Nisyros and Bodrum had given 5 ships. But the victories of the Greeks against the Persians at the mainland Greece and Mykali revived the morale of the people of Kos, and in 478 BC they joined the Athenian alliance, the Delian League, which was formed by the Greeks. The Greek fleet joined at the victory in Eurymedon River in 467 BC against the Persians expelled the Persians from the Aegean, while the Kimoneios Irene gave directly the opportunity to the people of Kos to grow and create. But the Peloponnesian war that followed between the Spartans and Athenians had implications on our island. In 413-412 BC after a devastating earthquake that occurred in our area of Carthage General Astyochos Avenging the people of Kos for their alliance with the Athenians, occupied and looted the Kos-Meropidos, which was an "non build city”, and destroyed all that was left standing by the earthquake . But here we have to note that while Kos-Meropis, as Hatzivassiliou says, was close to today’s Kos, although to date the archaeological investigations have not confirmed the existing at the Emmanuel Carrpathio Kos-Meropis is none other than Astypalea in meantime the capital of the island. It founded in Thucydides states: " Astypalea the citizens that Admiral Astyochos of Carthage in 412 BC had pillaged and occupied in assisting the Project and then onwards the spouse during the earthquake. Later, near Alcibiades fortified Astypalea '.The ancient capital was called Astypalaia and Kos-Meropis by Thucydides and Strabo. It is believed that the original name of the island, which was Meropis, was replaced with its own name "Koa" or "Koos" the daughter of the king Meropis. Astypalea was the largest city and the Capital of the island until 366 BC "During the third year of one hundred and third Olympiad," says E. Karpathios, "that means in 366 BC on domestic disturbances, some of the residents of Astypalea, emigrated to Cape scandium or Skandarion. Strabo says that "people moved over (residents of Astypalea) to town, around Skandarion and renamed Kos (Astypalea). Hatzivassiliou interpret this 'attitude' as an open confrontation with the democratic and oligarchic faction to avoid bloodshed which agreed to become a "next settlement" or "settlement" of residents to a new city and to be named Kos (homonymous the Island). It is true that this happened in 366 BC. The information was confirmed by Diodorus Siculus, who says: "Cause of the removing of people of Kos into town (the Kos city today) a remarkable number of men built these walls and a luxurious haven was created and worthy. The motivation that people of Astypalea and others moved over, so that they left the western part of the island and settle in the new territory in the eastern part, unless of course by the politicians mentioned, was the searching for more fertile land and a better geographical region position to control trade with the cities of Asia Minor and for addressing easier enemies who were across, in Asia. Gradually over the years and while the city of Kos is flourishing in all areas, the old capital Astypalea enters a period of decline. As now the municipality of Isthmioton held the last western part of the island after the Isthmus, held the first or second in importance after the City of Alasarniton (current Kardámena), succeeded because it would acquire wealth and naval power. From Hellenistic inscriptions we learn that he had dedicated temples to the god Apollo, to Asklepion and Demeter. He sent even his own representatives (dealers) of Amphictyony of Delos in 250 BC. During the classical period the letters and the arts developed on the island of Kos, and of course the capital of Astypalea. Great spiritual form of this period is the poet Epicharmus. He was born around 500 BC in Astypalea and moved with his family to Sicily. Pythagorio philosopher and linguist became a genius poetic, such as Plato to see them as the top comedy writers, more than Aristophanes. During this period the most magnificent personality of the island, the founder, reformer was the father of Medicine Hippocrates. Heraclides, son of the doctor and Fainaretis was born in Kos and he delivered the ancient capital of the island Astypalea in 460 BC.
During the Hellenistic period the City of Isthmiakon is an important city of the island. Froms key events of the era (309 BC) is the omopoliteia of Kos and Kalymnos, namely the state integration. Their effort had no effect because the Kos as biggest and richest island of Kalymnos imposed consistently the last to lose its independence and reaction to the institution. During the Hellenistic era the theater opened at the place Palaces and two temples in the same area from which the true one was dedicated to Dimitra and the other unknown to what deity. At this period was also the headless statue of the muse Clio found in the sanctuary of the temple of Dimitra at the Palaces and now it is exposed at the Archaeological Museum of Kos. The Colosseum Head of Hercules was found - which is a version of the project Aisippou. It was discovered on the 12-09-1947 and able to be seen at the Museum of Kos.
During the Roman domination the people of Kos had a preferential treatment by the Romans in comparison with other Greeks, because during the war the Mythridatiko Romans Treating had served at area of the Sanctuary. Also the then tyranny of Kos Nicias had good relations with the powerful of Rome. At the area of Kéfalos, we know that the cave of the White Stone is still used as a place of worship and rural deities in this votive found the oil lamp at the Roman period. The City of Isthmioton honors Emperor Vespasian (69-79 AD) seen "as a respected priest, Majority power, father homeland the fifth and the emperor Antoninus the fifth (138-161 AD)" as a pious father and his own homeland "as a show surviving inscriptions. The 1st century AC. dates the headless statue of the seated Demeter found in Kamari of Kéfalos and is now at the Museum of Kos. The City Isthmioton, is an important city of the island. This is evidenced by the archaeological finds of this period, reflecting a strong urban cultural activity and therefore in the bay of Kamari.
The Edict of Milan in 313 A. C., which stopped the persecution of Christians, but also the transfer of the capital of the Roman Empire in 324 AD in Istanbul had outlined to grow a large Greek-Christian-Byzantine culture. The Apostle Paul on his third tour came and preached the Christianity in Kos, but it is not known exactly when she became the first church. But this must be done before the middle of the 3rd century. It is important that it established itself as evidenced by the many magnificent churches. The Italian archaeologist Luciano Laurenzi discovered in 1932 in Kéfalos beaches opposite the island Kastri the complex of two three-aisle basilicas of St. Stephen whose reconstruction is placed between the years 461-554 AC. These two are remarkable for the richness and size of the monuments. In August 1935 was excavated from Balducci's Basilica in Kamares bay at the hill of Kefalos above the church of Agia Paraskevi at the place where the antiquity the City of Isthmioton was. There are also two minor basilicas, one near Kéfalos from which Balducci had published a photo and another 200 meters near St. Stephen. A total of six have been discovered in Kefalos, 1/3 of the king of the island, some of which are magnificent, showing the wealth and religiosity of the inhabitants. Of particular interest is the church of Panagia Palatiani position Palaces. Zarraftis believes that the Virgin Palatiani is "founded on the corners of the ancient temple to Dionysus, and it successful recognition was detected in the excavations in 1901, where it has been found many inscriptions and statues mutilated after the agreement. At this period there was a great prosperity in the region as evidenced by many finds from the excavations under the way along the beach of Kamari to Kastri.
After the Fourth Crusade (1204 A.D.) where Constantinople was occupied, the master of Kos was Baldwin of Flanders and after a few years Leo Gavalas. In 1224 the Duke Vatatzi, the second emperor of Nikaia, took Kos in his possession for a while. In 1234 Leo Gavalas was it again and in 1278 the Genoese corsair John Dekalvos. In 1284 is the conqueror Jacomo Jiepolo Scopolo and in 1304 the Genoese Benedict Zakkaria. Throughout this turbulent period of Frankish it had not stopped the pirates’ raids and looting in our islands. Kéfalos and its testament to the pirate era is the small castle in Kastelli, an inaccessible area on the site "Sarakinos, which in this time give her the security to the locals from pirate attacks. In 1310 Kos was occupied by the Knights of the Order of St. John the Baptist. The Knights have organized a wonderful and excellent army cavalry. They lived in the western lifestyle while they spoke their languages; the local residents had no problem speaking their own. The Knights fortified the town and villages, repaired the forts and become capable of the immune system of the island against the Ottomans. Kéfalos on the highest point of the village has the ruins of the Castle in Kéfalos that time that although it was built with small stones because of its location, withstood all attacks from the Ottomans. In 1440 the inhabitants of Kos successfully repelled the Ottoman-Egyptian which tried to occupy the island. On May 29, 1453 the Constantinople fell to the Ottomans and the FUTURE of our islands and Kos starts to appear dark. In 1457 the Ottoman fleet burned the castle Neratzia of Kos town and residents in the Knights Castle with drawn in Pyli – near Kéfalos and Antimachia. From the first two castles because of unmet in their region, the Ottomans were forced to leave empty-handed. They concentrated with their whole army at the Castle of Antimachia. For twenty-three days they besieged, and after heavy losses forced to leave. The 1460, 1464, 1477, the Ottomans tried again to capture Kos, but without success. On 8/10/1493, a large earthquake shocked the island and the deserted. Loss happened to the castles of Kos and Kéfalos but they repaired it. In December 1522, the Ottomans will occupy Rhodes and January 6, 1523 will fall into their hands Kos, seventy years after the conquest of Constantinople.
A lot of conquerors saw the island during the long history, but the Ottoman balance was the worst of all. And Zarraftis describes the living conditions during the Ottoman occupation: "Kos happened to be irresponsible and became desert on this, and the people, former and others divined origin, called rays, and named Giaonr. Then the derived of their property, they had not the right to buy their entitled grounds or their small houses. With ordinary soldier or the many times the master of an area could get married by Christians at the church or on marriage. Soumpasis or the witness and the main Lord, absolute lord of a village, take part in the religious event, as Themis and Athemita pretender”. It also describes the others crushingly on Hellenism measures which took the Ottomans as the mass kidnapping of children during the 17th century, they Islam’s the children of Christians. Kéfalos can not be seen as the heavy boot of the Ottoman occupation, since it was the most barren and remote from the capital village of Kos, but during the Ottoman population of increasingly scarce. The reduction of marine engagement (trade-fishing) because of the pirates and the barren soil, contributed to the head to be of the poorest areas of Kos, and the once mighty Astypalea island's old capital, lead to a Ottoman village. The residents lived in poverty.
At the revolution on 1821 there is no information whether the people of Kos brought against the Ottomans. Zaraftis however says that the revolutionary flag was raised in Kéfalos. As Hatzivassiliou notes that Hydra sea-fighter Anastasios Tsamados notes in his diary, that at the morning of July the 29th 1821 a boat from the vessel, which was moored to the harbour of Kéfalos, took on the island 30 rigged lads with the Cretan priest Jeremiah Sinai, crew member "to respond the Turks and the necessary food. And Tsamados continues: "at 2.30 skampavia (the boat) reached with all the lads the place they had to go up the mountain to get their needed food." From this text Tsamados concludes Hatzivasileiou some understandings that existed prior to the partners of the Greek naval battle with the inhabitants of Kéfalos to allow the first to leave the island and to purchase food, thus indicating that surely touched the residents of the small and remote village of Kos, the spark of revolution. "With the start of the revolution," says Spyros Trikoupis the history of the Greek Nation, "the people of Kos suffered badly. The summit of the 11 of July where slaughtered 98 of their residents. Everybody was naked, temples were destroyed, young women where bad manipulated, people which could not hide in the mountains, where taken and after three days they were set free, any payment due in modesty. The struggle we have two people of Kéfalos states in the history of the island of Kos, the Hatzivassiliou. It states that after the destruction of Chios and the burning of the flagship of Kara Ali by Konstantinos Kanaris on June 6 in 1822, said that those slipping into the darkness, Kanari suggestion in the Ottoman flagship was three people of Kos, sailors and comrades. John Sevastakis from Kéfalos, Lazaros from Pyli and George from Kéfalos. After the outbreak of the revolution, the Ottomans repaired the castles and increased their garrisons in order to avoid any attack by the Greeks. At the same time expelled the Greeks from the forts to feel safe. Only residents of Kéfalos remained "in the refuge than of the Ottomans because they feared to be isolated from the vicinity of. Enlightening is the information we provide from Emmanuel Karpathios the economic and social situation of Kéfalos shown. Building on the descriptions of the French browser Rayet, who visited Kéfalos in 1870-71, the Karpathios seem to share the view that wants Kéfalos "without directions and controller '. The food of people, continues Karpathios was mainly legumes that people of Kéfalos cultivated in arid lands. They sold more sulfur crude, and their main economic resource was the farming. Despite the miserable conditions of life for the people in Kéfalos endure poverty and not lose the opportunity of fun.
On May 7, 1912 the Italian troops occupied Kos without facing any resistance from the Ottomans. The James N. Kazavis Notes: "To say the truth the Italians before arriving in the Capital stopped in Kéfalos and requested information from the spatial on the military power of the Ottomans. Their inhabitants where informed on the number and the morale of Muslims then turned back to their place”. The people of Kos greeted the Italians as liberators. After the promises of the Italians for independence and freedom of residents followed praises and official ceremonies. But when the time came when the Dodecanese people understood that the intention of the Italians was to keep the island as Italian, the united islanders have demonstrated their desire to join the motherland Greece. From 6.8.1924 onwards the Italians who assemble our islands and legal in Italy, no longer called the 11th colony, and the acquisition call (colonia). From 1925 the Dodecanese and of course the people of Kéfalos are Italian citizens with unique citizenship since 1933, had the right to get the full Italian citizenship if they served in the Italian army. From 1922 onwards the Italians changed their democratic mask and tried to deplete the locals. The major event of the season was the visit of King Victor Emmanuel of Italy the third in Kos on 23.5.1929. He visited the villages Pyli, Antimachia and Kéfalos. In Kéfalos was the welcome at the beach where people had to be lowered to accommodate once the road to the village was not accessible. Since 1936 when the governor of Dodecanese Mario Lago, courteous and modest man, was replaced by the fascist De Vecchi life for residents has become more difficult. The De Vecchi dictatorships ruled with absolute political and military rights. Create fascist organizations, such as those of Italy in black shirts, black hats, fascist greetings etc. He ordered the locals who studied in Athens to return to their island and all of them monitored closely. Also he prohibited the use of Greek magazines and newspapers. Since 1936 he visited the Kos demanded everyone to think and speak Italian and from 1938 taught in primary schools as a first language Italian. With the start of World War II and the Greek victories over the Italians, the situation deteriorated to the locals. On the 3.9.1943, the Italians are forced to sign an armistice with the Allies after the invasion of Sicily in the past. Five days later the English with their allies in the proposed Council Colonel Felice Leggio governor of the island to capitulate and after a few days convinced him. So allies and Italians prepared to face the Germans which would come from Rhodes. On 3/10/1943, a Sunday, the Germans arrived. The Allies and Italian visas for British left undisturbed to land. When I realized the error it was too late. The 24th Italian coastal plant dispersed without a fight. The 62nd battalion of artillery in Antimachia headed by Camilo Nasca joined the Germans. Only the 12th group of about two hundred firearms of Lieutenant Franco di Giovanni in Kamari Kéfalos resisted a little but this fall. Italian and English tried to leave the East and those who were arrested over the Castle of Kos as prisoners’ of war.
With a prevalence of German occupation worse than any previous starts. The Nazis loot the villages, stealing houses and shops, call for food and foods, undermine large coastal areas, and behave brutally to the locals, especially the Italians. The Nazi atrocities reached a climax with the hanging of Elijah Kapiris Square of Freedom of Kos and Zouboulis George in Antimachia. But local residents did not remain indifferent. Many are those who fought on the Allied side and damaged either by fighting them or by their espionage activity the conqueror. The people of Kéfalos, Lazos Dimitris, Pantelis Kordisto and the Sacred Band. Also Fourtouni Nick, Nicolas Antony and others in opposition. But all stood Pantelis Picos. A staunch patriot is the fold of which is a shelter all persecuted by their conquerors, British, priest sergeant and patriots, contributed to the fight. Remarkable is also the offer of Charalambos Roussos, the monk of St. John in Kéfalos. On September the 1st, 1944 Sergeant Diamandis Giannios was taken to the office to see in the premises of the German post air traffic control which was in Thymiana in Kéfalos. So I came into contact with Pantelis Pico who informed him that the men of outpost are eleven. Then he landed on a site Kéfalos Ierolohiton a group headed by the Lieutenant Andreas Erselman to blow up the outpost. On the evening of September 7, Pico led the group to post the people of Leros with grenades and automatic surprised the Germans capturing prisoners. During the scuffle, an Italian who tried to resist get killed. Allies blew up after the post disappeared. The Germans arrested Pico and had a mantra in stealthily and interrogated but was left free because they found incriminating Elements. The next day, a counteraction of this, the German Commander of Kéfalos Klever suddenly arrested and brought together by the male population of 46 persons in Kéfalos Elementary School for their enforcement. These 14 took them to Antimachia as hostages. The investigations came to fruition but not a survivor and an Austrian soldier insisted that the saboteurs were foreigners and well armed. After 15 days they left them free. The Second World War with the mining of beaches by the Germans, apart from the physical destruction, hunger and misery brought to our village and many casualties, both during and afterwards. The Oriental Dimitris killed to "Nepsa the Lagkai" by the Germans, the day of their arrival. Also killed by landmines was Anthoulis Michael at the airport, the newspaper of George B. in 'Camel' and Anthoulis John G. in Askethraka. Also from mine and a group of five children who tended their livestock in St. Stephen, the alien Demetris, Anthony Arhontoula, cripple Eleni Christodoulou respected and Zervos Mary. But later when there were only English troops on the island it continued to mourn the victims. Tsampouniaris George was killed while hauling from mines' Skethria "with the boat and thrown into the sea. Killed by grenade explosion in "Koutsouriari" her siblings John and exotic alien Anastasia and rescued the injured alien Dionysia. Killed at the River from mine was Kelepertzis John. Also a blow to Sleep "Skethria" that drove the car occupants killed Dimitris Papantoniou, Diakonikola John, Michael Diakogiannis, Kordistos Charalambos. They took as hostage in Germany for two years the Citizen Nikola and arrested him, held cause of military material. With the defeat of Germany and its allies to end the war in Europe, the Germans in Dodecanese will be delivered. This happened on the 8.5.1945. Since English military command is placed temporarily in Dodecanese, they would like to decide the fate of the Peace. This place, our village, after 740 years of occupation by Knights, Ottomans, Italians, Germans, British, regained the most precious commodity,FREEDOM.
Last update: 29-11-2012.
