On 2 September 1944, a platoon of Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS) fighters ambushed a government water supply column outside Chortiatis village.

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.

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.

Schubert's previous imprisonment by the Germans, who condemned his ruthlessness and employment of former convicts during his deployment in Crete, was now disregarded, as all available forces were required for the Axis counter insurgency campaign.

The pressure from the ELAS attacks around Thessaloniki threatened the ongoing German evacuation of southern Greece; Army Group E came to the conclusion that a show of force was necessary.

[4] On 2 September, a platoon of ELAS fighters ambushed a government water supply column outside Chortiatis, killing a single driver and gravely injuring his passenger.

When the denizens of Chortiatis expressed their fears regarding a potential German reprisal towards Antonis Kazakos (the head of the ELAS platoon), he appeared dismissive, exclaiming "This area is part of a free Greece.

When the village mayor Christos Batatsiou attempted to beg the Germans for mercy he was stabbed with a knife by Schubert and taken away by his men, who proceeded to loot and burn 300 houses.

Several survivors tried to make an escape but they were stabbed and pushed back by Schubert's men, only one man and one woman absconded through the smoke when they were distracted by the village priest.