The Battle of Lake Kastoria (Greek: Μάχη λίμνης Καστοριάς) was a military engagement fought on 15 April 1941 during the German invasion of Greece in World War II. It consisted of two parallel engagements north and south of Lake Kastoria in western Macedonia, Greece—individually known in Greek as the Battle of Argos Orestiko and the Battle of Foteini Pass—between Greek and German forces.
Date: 15 April 1941 Location: Kastoria, West Macedonia, Greece Result: German victory
Prelude
The battle originated from the Greek failure to hold the Kleisoura Pass on 13–14 April 1941, where the Greek 20th Infantry Division was defeated by the German Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (LSSAH) brigade. Following this defeat, the Greek Western Macedonia Army Section (TSDM) attempted to halt the German advance along the Bilisht–Kastoria–Grevena road, which served as the main withdrawal route for Greek forces.
Opposing Forces
Greek forces were primarily drawn from the Cavalry Division (north of the lake) and the 13th Infantry Division (south of the lake), along with elements of the 20th Infantry Division. The Greek command fell under Major General Sotirios Moutousis and Colonel Efstathios Liosis. Greek strength included the Cavalry Division, elements of the 13th Infantry Division, one reconnaissance battalion (horse cavalry), two understrength infantry battalions, one machine-gun battalion, and seven batteries of light and heavy artillery.
German forces belonged to the LSSAH, an SS motorized unit of brigade size. The main units were the reinforced Reconnaissance Battalion under Sturmbannführer Kurt Meyer (acting as the vanguard battlegroup), the III/LSSAH and II/LSSAH motorized infantry battalions, and the entire LSSAH Artillery Regiment (two battalions with 24 guns). Meyer's battlegroup included armored cars, motorcycle infantry, heavy weapons, infantry guns, Panzerjäger I tank hunters, 8.8 cm flak guns, and heavy howitzers.
The Battle
First contact occurred at 05:30 on 15 April. The initial German attack at around 06:00 was repelled, with the Greeks claiming to have hit 25 vehicles. The Germans renewed their attack at 11:00 with reinforcements and heavy artillery support. By 14:00, German forces captured the village of Ampelokipoi on the Greek right wing, where the Greek cavalry squadron commander, Captain Kleitos Hatziliadis, was killed in action.
At 17:00, the Germans launched a final attack supported by approximately 40 Luftwaffe aircraft, which destroyed four Greek artillery guns and silenced the Greek anti-aircraft defenses. The Greek artillery, fighting with its last shells over open sights, was gradually overwhelmed. By 19:00, German armor encircled and captured Argos Orestiko. Greek units unable to retreat were captured.
Casualties
Greek losses amounted to approximately 160+ killed, 12,000 captured, 34 guns destroyed, and 2 anti-aircraft guns destroyed. German casualties are not precisely recorded in available sources.
Aftermath
Throughout the night, unsuspecting Greek columns that had been engaging Italian forces to the north continued to encounter German forces at Kastoria. By the following morning, the Germans claimed to have captured 12,000 prisoners and 36 guns. The battle marked a significant step in the German advance through Greece during the broader Balkan Campaign of World War II.
