The period of Occupation was a dramatic one for Greece, since almost the whole population was threatened by the squalor caused by the lack of even the most essential goods. The 'black years', during which death loomed at every step, were at the same time a period in which through misery the dream of freedom and resistance sprang.
The cultural life that thrived at the time was associated with the special conditions shaped in that period and was determined by the close relationship artists had with the rest of the world, since to a great extent they were united not only by the liberating power of art itself, but also by common concerns, hardships, problems and participation in the common cause.
The artistic legacy from this historic juncture is far from poor. Literature, the plastic arts and photography were active and prolific, while in the spheres of theatre and music people from both the countryside and the city joined their voices with those of well-known artists.