Metaxas Line

The Metaxas Line was a chain of fortifications constructed along the line of the Greco-Bulgarian border, designed to protect Greece in case of a Bulgarian invasion after the rearmament of Bulgaria. It was named after Ioannis Metaxas, then Prime Minister of Greece, and chiefly consists of tunnels that led to observatories, emplacements and machine-gun nests. The constructions are so sturdy that they survive to this day, some of which are still in active service. Some of them are open to the public.
German artillery shelling the Metaxas Line

The Metaxas Line consists of 21 independent fortification complexes, the largest of which is Fort Roupel as it covers 6.1 out of the 155 km of the full line and had been constructed at a height of 322 m. Illumination was initially mostly provided by oil-lamps, although generators were also installed. (Currently, the fortifications are supplied with public electricity, but they are also equipped with generators). Ventilation was achieved both naturally and artificially. Water was supplied via water-mains. The fortification works lasted four years and their cost at the time reached 100,400,000 drachmas.

List of Fortification Complexes[edit]
The following 21 forts make up the Metaxas Line, ordered from West to East along the Greco-Bulgarian border.

Popotlivitsa (Ποποτλίβιτσα)
Istibey (Ιστίμπεη)
Kelkagia (Κελκαγιά)
Arpalouki (Αρπαλούκι)
Paliouriones (Παληουριώνες)
Roupel (Ρούπελ)
Karatas (Καρατάς)
Kali (Κάλη)
Persek (Περσέκ)
Babazora (Μπαμπαζώρα)
Maliaga(Μαλιάγκα)
Perithori(Περιθώρι)
Partalouska (Παρταλούσκα)
Ntasavli (Ντάσαβλη)
Lisse (Λίσσε)
Pyramidoeides (Πυραμιδοειδές)
Kastilo (Καστίλο)
Agios Nikolaos (Αγιος Νικόλαος)
Bartiseva (Μπαρτίσεβα)
Echinos (Εχίνος)
Nymfaia (Νυμφαία)

History
Before the outbreak of World War II, the additions made to the Roupel Fortress were considered to be too weak. Thus, it was decided that further fortifications should be constructed, not only in that particular region, but also along the entire northern Greek borderline. The plans were drawn up in 1935 and work began at Kerkini in 1936. The original intention was that the full fortifications' line reach as far along the border as Ormenion. Greece, however, became involved in World War II in 1940, thus preventing completion. At the war’s outbreak, the fortification line had only reached Komotini, Thrace and was 155 km long.

Like the Maginot Line on the Franco-German border, the Metaxas Line was outflanked by German forces specifically when the Germans invaded Greece in April 1941 through Yugoslavia. The German XVIII Mountain Corps and XXX Army Corps attacked the Metaxas Line before dawn on 6 April, but they encountered fierce resistance under the leadership of Brig. General Konstantinos Th. Bakopoulos, and after three days of fighting they had only limited successes. The 2nd Panzerdivision XVIII Mountain Corps with an enveloping move crossed the Yugoslavian borders, overcame Yugoslav and Greek resistance and captured Thessaloniki οn the 9th of April. The capture of Thessaloniki forced the Greek East Macedonia Army Section to surrender on the 10th of April and the Metaxas Line battle was over.

German General Wilhelm List, who led the attack against the Metaxas Line, admired the bravery and courage of these soldiers. He refrained from taking the Greek soldiers prisoner and declared that the army was free to leave with their war flags, on condition that they surrender their arms and supplies. He also ordered his soldiers and officers to salute the Greek soldiers (Beevor 2005, p. 20). The line was also poorly manned as most of the Greek Army was fighting against the Italians, on the Albanian front.

References
Hellenic Army General Staff / Army History Directorate (Γενικό Επιτελείο Στρατού / Διεύθυνση Ιστορίας Στρατού) (1958). The Struggle in Eastern Macedonia and Western Thrace (Αγώνες εις Ανατολικήν Μακεδονίαν και Δυτικήν Θράκην). The Greek Army during World War II (Ο Ελληνικός Στρατός κατά τον Δεύτερο Παγκόσμιο Πόλεμο).
Kaufmann, J.E. (1999). Fortress Europe: European Fortifications of World War II. Combined Publishing. ISBN 1-58097-000-1.
Beevor, A. (2005). Crete: The Battle and the Resistance. John Murray. ISBN 0-7195-6831-5.
Hellenic Army General Staff / Army History Directorate (Γενικό Επιτελείο Στρατού / Διεύθυνση Ιστορίας Στρατού), Period of WW II, F.629/A/1 (1941). Field report of the Army Section of Eastern Macedonia by Lt. General Konstantinos Bakopoulos, from 2/8/1941 to 4/10/1941.

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Roupel Fort

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Roupel Fort (Greek: Οχυρό Ρούπελ) is a fortress at the north border of Central Macedonia, Greece, built in 1914. It became part of the fortifications of the Metaxas Line in the 1930s and became famous for its defence during the German invasion of Greece in April 1941. The Rupel fortifications are not far from the Serres-Promachonas national road, which leads to the Greek-Bulgarian border. They are just a short distance from the border in the narrow Rupel Gorge, through which the Strymon River flows. This place is of strategic importance for entry to Greek or Bulgarian territory and was fortified in 1914. During World War I, on 25 May 1916, under German pressure, the Greek government ordered the surrender of the fortress to the Germans and their Bulgarian allies, without a shot being fired. The German-Bulgarian troops then proceeded to occupy most of eastern Macedonia without resistance. This act led to the outbreak of a revolt of Greek Army officers in Thessaloniki and the estab
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Visit of the Supreme Joint War College to “Roupel” fortress

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On 06th June 2013, the students of the Supreme Joint War College, as part of their educational activities, carried-out a training visit, in the “Roupel” fortress. SJWC Commander paid honors at the memorial of the fallen heroes. Students of the SWSC, were briefed on the history of the aforementioned fortress, during World War II, by the Deputy Commander of the 10th Mech. Infantry Brigade. Furthermore, the students had the opportunity to visit the museum, explore the fortress’ structure, its defensive capabilities and its internal facilities and presented a gift to the personnel serving the Fortress.
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