German Threats Issued

The German command reacted swiftly to the abduction. On April 27, 1944, just a day after the event, German reconnaissance aircraft dropped leaflets over the village of Anogeia, where the abduction party had briefly rested after abandoning the car. These leaflets explicitly threatened severe reprisals against the civilian population if General Kreipe was not returned within three days, signaling the grave danger faced by any communities suspected of aiding the escapees.