Anogia Crete
Beyond Gonies lies Anogeia or Anogia, nestling in the foothills of Mt.
Psiloritis and close to the boundary between the two prefectures
of Heraklion and Rethymno. Anogeia has a strong tourist
connection, being the centre of stock-breeding and production of
authentic Cretan textiles. Anogeia has a rich tradition and
picturesque customs.
The charming village of Anogia is located on the border of the
Prefectures of Heraklion and Rethymno and its inhabitants have
an idiosyncratic character making them quite different from the
rest of the Cretan population. Their dialect, food, costume and
customs are unique on the island and this tradition is very much
kept alive by the villagers. This distinctiveness is almost
certainly linked to their particular history which goes back to
the dawn of civilization and, in their local dialect, traces of
ancient Doric expressions and language can be identified. The
villagers of Anogia have also played a crucial part in the
struggles to resist conquerors and occupations. To this end, the
village has twice been destroyed. Firstly, by the Turks in 1822
and again, in 1944, by the Germans. Interesting places to see in
the immediate vicinity are Idaion Andron and Mount Ida (Psiloritis).
It is not at all uncommon to see the men of Anogeia wearing the
traditional baggy Cretan trousers tucked into their boots and
the typical Cretan head covering. Throughout the summer
traditional Cretan music concerts are held in the open air
theatre, as well as various festivals during the first couple of
weeks in August. Anogeia has its own cultural club which
organises events attracting visitors from all over Greece. In
July, a popular artistic event Yakinthia takes place and is well
worth seeing.
The history of Anogia is peppered with tales of great bravery
and tragedy. Its people have long held a revolutionary outlook
and a refusal to bow their head to anyone. They played a strong
role in 1822 fighting the Turks in Messara, and whilst away
their village was destroyed. Forty years later they resisted
further attempts to be taken over by the Turks and drove them
out of the village. During the 2nd World War, the villagers of
Anogeia put up a strong resistance to the occupation of German
troops and the men folk refused to take part in forced labour.
This was to their detriment, over a period of two and half
years, they suffered the beating of their women and children,
the theft and destruction of their livestock, and the murder of
their comrades. It culminated in the second week of August 1944,
when having been tipped off, many of the men secretly left the
village. The following day, the Germans arrived and ordered any
remaining villagers to leave. They then destroyed the village,
burning and blowing up the houses. Any elderly, infirm or
crippled villagers who had been unable to flee, were simply
murdered. This pillage and carnage continued from 13th August to
the 5th September. The official number of executions of the
villagers of Anogia is 117 .
