ΧΑΪΔΑΡΙ ΧΑΪΔΑΡΙ - ΣΥΝΑΝΤΗΣΗ ΜΕ ΤΗΝ ΙΣΤΟΡΙΑ | Page 269

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The Chaidari camp
within historical memory
Ô
he Chaidari camp is a place of martyrdom
and historical memory. However and unlike the
German camps, Chaidari remained neglected for
many years. The camp first became a military training
centre in the late 1940’s. Until 1982 the few surviving
prisoners were not even able to re-visit the place.
D. Giachnis was the first to organise an open memorial
ceremony in front of the camp entrance. D. Skampas
maintained this practice. After the recognition of the
National Resistance, it became possible to gather in front
of Block 15. Since then there is an annual venue in
co-operation with the Municipality of Kaisariani. Block 15
became a listed monument during K. Nteniakos’ office.
In 1986, the architect N. Triantis won a Panhellenic
competition for the emblem of the Municipality of
Chaidari, with his image of Block 15 in barbed wire and a
red flower springing out of it, as a message of optimism.
The Municipality renamed Vas. Georgiou Street to
Agoniston Stratopedou Chaidariou (Chaidari Camp Fighters)
Street. This was the road that many fighters walked down
to their execution. The dead bodies of heroes followed
the same route too and their blood trickled down the road.
Thus the latter literally carries the blood of the fighters.
Today, it defines the town centre along with Stratarchou
Karaiskaki Street, Athenon Avenue and the Sacred
Way. The final enhancement of the road in 2001 gave
it a special identity, with commercial and other social
functions. The part until Athenon Avenue has been
named A. Floutzi Street after the prison doctor.
Parts of the camp have been given to the Chaidari
Municipality for two schools, the Athletic Centre, the
West Athens Hospital and sports and cultural activities.
Another part will become a Park of Historical Memory
and Environmental Consciousness. The area will include
a work by N. Saperas, with replicas of the camp wall.
The trees will remind Kaisariani, so as to tie the two
martyr towns together.
It should be noted that the Chaidari Municipality has
proclaimed the whole area as listed. However, the
promotion of the history of the camp is not complete.
It is a complex issue connected to the development
of west Athens. West Athens is composed of Agioi
Anargyroi, Agia Varvara, Aigaleo, Ilion, Kamatero, Peristeri,
Petroupoli and Chaidari. It has many problems and
residents are generally of low income.
With the destruction of the Skaramangas coast and the
inductrial use of the area, the military centres are the only
hope for a green area. Otherwise, the well-acknowledged
and provocative inequality between the east and west
parts of Athens will be furthened. Additionally, the largest
part of the military centres is actually the mountain slope
and only a small part is used.
Attempts to develop the area through intensive building
were blocked by the Municipal authorities and the people
in 1991-1992, 1999 and 2004. In 2005 the Ministry of
Defense re-located the military centres, an act that has
paved the way to the creation of the park.
The Chaidari Municipality has contacted the European
Network of World War II Concentration Camps in order
to reinforce the action for the promotion of the Chaidari
camp. Next to the camp lies the Dasos neighbourhood,
with G. Papandreou and Iroon Polytechneiou Streets, a
regional focus of recreation. Sports and park facilities
have been planned around the military area in Dasos .
The area of the Chaidari camp today.