'Stichling' was the German codeword to be used by Generaloberst Alexander Löhr, the Oberbefehlshaber 'Südost', to signal any Allied invasion in the Aegean Sea region and the launch of pre-planned countermeasures by elements of Löhr’s Heeresgruppe 'E' (4 January 1944/spring 1945).

The German preparations had been completed by 15 January 1944.