Katranitsa massacre

The Katranitsa massacre (Greek: Σφαγή των Πύργων Κοζάνης) was the killing of 318 inhabitants of Katranitsa in western Macedonia, Greece, by Greek collaborators on 24 April 1944, during the German occupation of Greece. The massacre was organised by Friedrich Schubert, who led the paramilitary unit.

In 1944, Schubert and his group moved to Aegean Macedonia, where they committed numerous atrocities, including the Chortiatis massacre. With his involvement and the support of the Greek colonel and Nazi collaborator Georgios Poulos and the Security Battalions, 318 people were killed in Katranitsa on 24 April and 103 in Yenidje Vardar on 14 September. The victims were mainly members of the Bulgarian Red Cross and the Central Bulgarian-Macedonian Committee. The village was completely burned, and survivors were forced to flee to the neighbouring town of Kaylari. A monument to the victims was erected in Katranitsa.