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Iro Konstantopoulou

Full body sculpture of the seventeen year old heroine, Iro Konstantopoulou, executed by the Nazis.

  1. Modern and Contemporary era (1821 - )


    1944 Iro Konstantopoulou was executed on September 5.

    1977 The Academy of Athens awarded her a posthumous award for Virtue and Self-Sacrifice.

    1981 Her life became a movie.

    1983 The sculpture was created.

  2. Ottoman era (1453- 1821)


  3. Byzantine era (331 AC- 1453)


  4. Roman era (30 BC- 330 AC)


  5. Hellenistic era (322- 31 BC)


  6. Classical era (478-323 BC)


  7. Archaic era (800-479 BC)


  8. Geometric era (-1100- 800 BC)


  9. Prehistory (-1100 BC)


What I can see

The full-body marble sculpture represents Iro Konstantopoulou, the 17-year-old girl executed by the Nazis in Kaissariani, 37 days before the country’s liberation. She is represented haughty, in motion, thrusting her chest forward as if proudly awaiting her execution, and at her feet, there is a marble doll, which emphasizes her age and how a child should live. At the same time, it also serves for the better stability of the sculpture. The work of the sculptor Nikolas, who had been accused of being pro-Nazi, is placed on a marble base and the name, age, time and place of execution, as well as the following verses are written on it:

I’m dying now that it’s dawn

freedom, however, it’s worth

my youth for Greece

What I can't see

Iro Konstantopoulou was a resistance member of EPON. She spoke 4 foreign languages and according to German records, when the Germans tortured her, she “whipped” them in their language. She received tempting offers and was tortured for days to reveal her collaborators in blowing up a train which carried weaponry, but she did not give in. When the guard called her name to proceed with her execution, she said “It’s me, I’m coming.” She was executed with 17 bullets, as many as her years, to make an example of her.

Info

  • Address: Terpsitheas St.

Bibliography

Field observation by scientific editors

 

Duby G., Perrot M., (1995), Γυναίκες και Ιστορία, [Women and History] (Symposium Records) Athens