52 Days, 1943

  

The “Queen Olga” Destroyer ship and the Battle of Leros.

42 meters deep, a German transport aircraft appears in front us and we come across human bones, that send shivers down our spines. The wreck of the war ship “Queen Olga”, a legend of the Greek Navy, lightens up after 60 years. An Italian antisubmarine boat was bombed on its start side by an aircraft and sank straight away. A German landing boat is heavily attacked, burns up on fire and then sinks to the bottom, while many are being burned alive. A carrier German ship is sunk with 4.184 Italian prisoners still inside it. Liquid, deserted tombs of people that made history.

 

  

Desserted, massive, military facilities, big canones like the ones of Navarone, a submarine base, a huge rusted crane from Torino, used to lift hydroplanes, tunnels dug under the mountains, shelters and secret facilities, an underground surgery room under the heart of the mountain, all compose a movie like adventure. Sentimental human stories by Greeks, Italians, English and Germans, tough soldiers crying, executions, love stories and adventures, take us back in time like a time machine, to the hatch of the airplane where soldiers jumped out to conquer Leros…

«52 Days 1943» is the title of a historical photographic album, which was published in June 2004, by Kastaniotis Publications. It tells the story of the legendary ship “Queen Olga” and the battle of Leros. The battle lasted for 52 days, starting from the day that “Queen Olga” sank, until the day that Leros island was totally taken over by German forces.

The album is the result of nearly five years of research. Hundreds of photographs, over thirty hours of digital video, underwater shots of war finds, tens of hours of conversation and interviews with survivors from Greece and abroad, all gave the possibility to create this album with unique exclusive photographs. They are all accompanied by short texts, a real marathon of human memories that are being told for the first time and light up unknown parts of our history.

Second edition includes also a DVD. The album is available in Greek and English.

Info

Kastaniotis Publications
Dimensions: 30cmx23cm
Pages: 274
Price: 60,00 €
ISBN: 960-03-3710-1
Central Retail: Zalogou 11, 106 78 Athens 
Tel : 210-33.01.208 – FAX: 210-38.22.530
www.kastaniotis.com e-mail: info@kastaniotis.com