Ηρώο Εθνικής Αντίστασης: A Memorial to the National Resistance

The Ηρώο Εθνικής Αντίστασης, or Hero of National Resistance, is a monument in Rethymno dedicated to the individuals who participated in the Greek National Resistance during World War II. The memorial stands as a tribute to their courage and sacrifice in the face of Nazi occupation.The monument itself is an obelisk, though sources do not indicate who erected it or when it was erected. The Panhellenic Union of National Resistance Fighters (PEAEA) erected the monument in 2004. The eastern and western sides create a continuity from the Battle of Thermopylae and the Revolution of 1821 to the 'No', the Greek-Italian War of 1940/41 and the Resistance of ELAS. The monument honors the dead of ELAS, recalls the activity and successes of the left-wing resistance, but also the civil violence after the liberation of Rethymno, and maps the centers of ELAS resistance in the Rethymno region.The southern side of the obelisk lists the names of 32 fighters. The memorial serves multiple purposes: honoring the fallen members of ELAS (the National Liberation Army), commemorating the activities and successes of the leftist resistance movement, acknowledging the civil strife that followed Rethymno's liberation, and pinpointing the strongholds of ELAS resistance throughout the Rethymno region.