Many sources that devote a line or two to Kalavryta give figures of 1,300 to 1,400 or more for the death toll. Inside Hitler's Greece, by M. Mazower gives the figure of 694 (I think, I don't have the book before me).

However, the real number is may well be in the range of 500. This is based on Mr. Meyer's correspondence with me and the list of sources he reports he has consulted. It also squares, he reports, with the known size of the village at that time - it just wasn't large enough to have 1,400 men and boys.

Of course, no one is trying to minimize the significance of the tragedy by reducing the death count. 500 instead of 1,400 does not make the massacre acceptable. I have received a number of letters, some polite, some not so polite, disputing my lower figure. Please understand I have no interest in making the number smaller or larger. I would like to be accurate, and, at this point, with the information I have available, the figure of 500 seems more likely to be true.

Also note that there were a number of killings around Kalavryta both before and after the main massacre that may have confused the issue.

I have no idea how the larger numbers got into circulation.