Monument of fallen Italian soldiers

The Monument of the Fallen Italian soldiers is at the top of the hill in Fanari at the city limits of Argostoli. It was constructed in 1978 in memory of the Italians who lost their lives in Kefalonia, one of the worst massacres of the Second World War: the Acqui Division was in Kefalonia, when Italy capitulated against Germans and it faced their outrage. The Italians refused to surrender to the Germans but chose to face them in battle, although there were no hopes of escape: those who were not killed on the spot, were captured. Almost 10,000 Italians were killed in Kefalonia in battles that lasted ten days as they were executed by the Germans after arrested, while about 3000 were drowned when their ship hit a mine off the island. At the point of “Casetta Rossa” (Red House) which is located near the Monument, 117 people were executed.

In the monument there are a white cross and beside this the inscriptions in Greek and Italian which remind the visitors of the horrors of war through the sacrifice of the Italians.