Operation Steinadler ( 3 – 13 July 1944 ) was the last counter-insurgency operation carried out by German forces in Macedonia . Although wide in its scope it ultimately failed to achieve its objectives as ELAS fighters successfully evaded the German patrols , returning to their hideouts once the operation was over . The civilian population thus became the main target for Axis reprisals . Shortly afterwards the German 1st Mountain Division and the 4th SS Polizei Panzergrenadier Division departed from the country , while in August Army Group E declared Greece a war zone . German shops and cultural institutions were closed , while civilians and older member of the army , secret police and SS were evacuated . Under Adolf Hitler 's orders the Wehrmacht adopted the policy of total war , in response to the rise of ELAS subversive activity which had hampered the summer harvest in areas still controlled by the collaborationist government . Army Group E 's staff deemed the preceding Distomo massacre and 1 May 1944 Kaisariani executions as excessive and even damaging to the image of the occupational authorities . The staff stressed the need to arrest insurgents rather than resorting to the collective punishment of civilians . Nevertheless , those orders were disregarded and atrocities continued unhindered . Between June and August , ELAS attacks led to the death of 30 German soldiers , 14 were wounded and 9 more were missing in action . German reprisals in their turn included the execution of 254 people
Distomo massacre
Distomo massacre
Chortiatis massacre