Kaisariani: Photographs confirmed authentic – Preliminary agreement between the Ministry of Culture and the collector

The authenticity of the Hoyer collection -which includes documents from the final moments of the 200 Greeks executed on May 1, 1944, at the Kaisariani Shooting Range– was confirmed during today’s examination at Evergem Town Hall, where the delegation of the Ministry of Culture met with collector Tim De Craene.

Experienced officials of the Ministry and independent experts conducted a macroscopic assessment of the material, concluding that it constitutes genuine documents from the 1943–1944 period. The Ministry of Culture had been almost certain of the authenticity of the material from the outset, as the collector has already offered more than 1,350 items for sale through the same online auction platform.

According to the Ministry, he has been active for years in the field of World War II artifacts and documents and maintains contacts with historical researchers who make use of material from his collection.

The Greek delegation examined the entire collection, which includes 262 photographs taken in Greece during Hermann Hoyer’s service, as well as printed materials he had incorporated into the archive. After the completion of the process, a preliminary agreement was signed between the Ministry of Culture and the collector, and the collection was withdrawn from the online auction site where it had been posted for sale.

Statement by Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni on the acquisition of the Hoyer collection

“Today, at Evergem Town Hall, the delegation of the Ministry of Culture met with collector Tim De Craene. The delegation examined the entire Hoyer collection, which consists of 262 photographs taken in Greece during his service in 1943–1944, as well as certain printed materials he had included in it.

The macroscopic examination, conducted by experienced officials of the Ministry of Culture and independent experts, confirmed the authenticity of the material. A preliminary agreement was signed between the Ministry of Culture and the collector, and the collection was withdrawn from the online auction site.”

The Hoyer Collection Consists of 262 Photographs

The collection includes, among other items, the twelve photographs capturing the final moments of the 200 Greeks executed on May 1, 1944, at the Kaisariani Shooting Range, as well as 250 images from occupied Greece during the 1943–1944 period. The frames document scenes from Athens, Corinth, Thessaloniki, Piraeus, and other areas, featuring iconic monuments, military presence, and scenes of daily life under the German Occupation.

The case understandably triggered strong public reaction, as the material had been posted for sale on an online auction platform by Belgian collector Tim De Craene. Following developments and the intervention of the Greek authorities, the collection was withdrawn.

Of decisive importance was the opinion of the Central Council of Modern Monuments, based on which the entire collection was declared a monument due to its particular historical value. It should be noted that this recognition does not concern only the Kaisariani photographs, but the full body of images, which documents the shaping of perceptions and attitudes through photographic Art within the framework of the propaganda mechanisms of the Occupation forces.