Operation Merkury

The conquest of Crete and its consequences, seen through the camera of Franz-Peter Weixler

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Franz-Peter Weixler’s pictures of the massacre of Kondomari are known worldwide, but hardly anyone knows the many shots made by the German war-corrospotent.
    This volume deals with the invasion of the German Wehrmacht, the paratroopers on the island of Crete and their consequences.
    For many, Operation Merkur was almost a magic word for the paratroopers‘ achievements. It was the beginning of a painful history for the Cretans. connected with the destruction of the capital Chania.
    The pictures of Franz-Peter Weixler also lead us to the struggles of the British and German forces, the long journey to Hora Sfakia, where the last troops tried to leave the island.
    But even the fateful images of the gruesome massacre of Kondomari remain unmentioned here. Rather, they should be a reminder.