The Belgian company Crain’s Militaria, which published the historical photographs, explained to Protothema.gr the reason for withdrawing the images—allegedly depicting the execution of 200 Greek resistance fighters at the Kaisariani shooting range on May 1, 1944—from an eBay auction.

According to the Belgian seller acting on behalf of Crain’s Militaria, he was shocked by the “serious damage caused yesterday to the Kaisariani monument.”

He stated that several individuals had expressed interest in acquiring the historic photographs following their publication. However, no decisions have been made regarding their future. He emphasized that he is “open to constructive dialogue with the relevant Greek state authorities.”

The photos are attributed to German Lieutenant Herman Hoyer, who served with the 1012 Festungs-Bataillon, based first in Malakasa and later in Isthmia.

Summary of his statement:

“This morning, I personally decided to close the eBay auctions related to the historical photographs of Kaisariani. I fully understand that these photos are of a sensitive historical nature, and I was deeply shocked by the damage inflicted on the Kaisariani monument yesterday. I am aware that emotions regarding this issue can be intense, and I regret that it is being politically instrumentalized.

Following the intense publicity over the past few days, I have been contacted by many private collectors expressing strong interest in acquiring the photographs. While I appreciate this interest, I wish to stress that no decision has yet been made regarding their sale, and I remain open to constructive dialogue with the relevant Greek government authorities about the future of this material.

At the same time, I respectfully request that my legal ownership rights to the photographs be acknowledged and properly treated. Images that have been artificially altered, removing my copyright protection, have been widely circulated, even distorting the faces of the victims and causing unnecessary debate over the authenticity of the photographs.

Thank you for your understanding, for respecting my privacy, and for honoring my wish not to make any further statements or give interviews to the media.”