On June 10, 1944, a German SS unit invaded the village of Distomo and murdered 228 villagers. The perpetrators and their accomplices were never prosecuted, and the amount of 28 million euros was never (or only partially) paid to the victims and their families, who demanded compensation. To this day, the massacre is still recognized by the German side as a “war-related event” rather than a war crime.
The performance was created in 2016 following the initiative of Sabine Kuhn and Sebastian Woess to study the subject, recall historical memory, and activate public opinion in Germany.
The historical event of the brutal SS attack, Germany’s stubborn refusal to pay reparations, the survivors’ legal battles, and the recent “remembrance and honor” gatherings of retired German officials are the key themes of the performance “Unsettled Accounts.” Documents and testimonies are used to highlight Germany’s policy on reparations and to illustrate the lengthy judicial process for achieving justice. Excerpts from the book by A. Sfountouri, “I Mourn for Germany – The Distomo Example,” are also featured.
As a group of artists, we stand against the strategies of covering up Nazi war crimes. We want to remind the public of the victims of the German Nazi massacres. We express our solidarity with the economic and political demands of the survivors and their descendants, and we support their just cause.
The performance has been presented in theaters, community spaces, and schools in Germany in cities including Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Plauen, Hanover, Weimar, Kassel, Dresden, Leipzig, Köthen, and in 2017 it was honored with the Hans Frankenthal Award from the Auschwitz Committee Foundation.
Creative Team
Concept, Dramaturgy: Sabine Kuhn, Sebastian Wöss Research, Direction, Performance, Production organization and execution: Sabine Kuhn, Mascha Brammer, Leo/ni Weyreter, Sebastian Wöss, Artemis Dourou, Katerina Adamara, Ioanna Gerou, Stella Grigkovits, Yolika Poulopoulou, Betty Papadaki Interviews: Katerina Adamara Video art: Dimitra Mitsaki Guest on stage: Historian Tasoula Vervenioti
Special thanks to the Museum of Nazi Victims in Distomo, Christos Papanikolaou, Eleni Sfountouri, Tasoula Vervenioti, and Ilektra Kyng for their valuable assistance.
