The insubordination of the Maliagha Fortress, April 9, 1941
The Maliagha Fortress was part of the Karadag battle Compound under Colonel/Syntagmatarches Georgios Salvanos. During the battles of the Metaxas line, the Karadag compound fought the Germans with remarkable gallantry. Not one of its fortresses (Persek, Babazhora, Maliagha, Perithori, Partaluska) fell into the enemy's hands. On the contrary, the defenders of the fortresses, forced the German 72 INFANTERIE DIVISION (Infantry Division) to stem its advancing in the Serres valley, after having suffered heavy casualties (250 Germans were held as prisoners at the Karadag HQ at Kato-Vrontou, 102 more troops were captured & held inside the Perithori fortress. Hundreds of Germans were lying dead before the obstacles or the barbwire of the Karadag Compound Fortresses)
A Greek Fortress during the battle of the Metaxas line
The main entrance of the Nymphaeon Fortress. The bust is of its heroic CO Major Alexandros Anagnostos, The marks on the wall are actual bullit holes of the period
The main entrance of the Nymphaeon Fortress. The bust is of its heroic CO Major Alexandros Anagnostos, The marks on the wall are actual bullit holes of the period
Blue-print of a machine-gun nest:
1-machine-gun chamber
2-firing panel
3-antechamber
4-bolt hole stairs
5-auxiliary exit
6-niche with lighting fixture
7-loophole
8-observation post
At noon of April 8, the Germans, after the collapse of the Yugoslav resistance, invaded Greece from the Greek-Yugoslav border, by-passing the Metaxas line. At 14:00 the first German armored personnel carriers, entered Salonika. Thus, on 9 April, the Greek Second Army capitulated unconditionally. In the morning of April 9, Colonel Salvanos calls his sector's commanders (Lt.Col/Antisyntagmatarches Andreas Georgopoulos, Lt.Col/Antisyntagmatarches Charalambos Krassanakis) for an emergency meeting. They all reached to a unanimous decision: The struggle must continue. Col. Salvanos issues the following order to the still fighting units: "The resistance must keep on. All units are ordered to hold on to their positions till the night comes...in the night all units must withdraw the fortresses & move further to the South. We shall continue fighting the intruder".
When Lt.Gen/Antistrategos Panayotis Dedes, XO of the Division Group Command, heard of Col. Salvanos' decision, dashed at Kato-Vrontou, and ordered Col. Salvanos to obey instructions. Col. Salvanos, refused to comply. Lt. Gen./Antistrategos Constantinos Bakopoulos, CO of the Division Group Command of the Second Army, ordered Salvanos personally, to comply with the capitulation. Col. Salvanos, threatened with dishonourable discharge & with execution for insubordination, finally obeys: He orders his units to move to the town of Serres. There, with discipline, the troops will parade in the streets of Serres for the last time. Then, the troops moved in the encampment of the 19th "Serres" Infantry Regiment and while singing the national anthem, they laid down their weapons
Blue-print of a machine-gun nest and observation post:
1-observation chamber
2-observation panel
3-machine-gun chamber
4-soundproof door
5-bolt hole stairs
-6-niche with telephone
Archway uniting two machine-gun nests
Nest corridor. The marks on the wall, are actual bullit holes of the period. Machine-gun fenestra
Machine-gun fenestra with enemy bullit holes
The last interview of the 97-year old General/Strategos (ret.) Eustathios Theodoropoulos, CO of the Maliagha Fortress (as Captain/Lochagos), published in the magazine "Polemos kai Istoria (War & History), April 2001
Q: General, what was the situation in the Maliagha Fortress when the Germans invaded?
Gen: Well, I had almost 600 men under my commands. A few days though before the major Italian offensive, in March of '41, almost 200-250 men were ordered to move to Albania. So, in the eves of the German invasion we were 350 officers, ncos & men inside Maliagha. Maliagha was built on the Nevrokopi plateau, at a distance of 2 km/1.2 miles from the Greek-Bulgarian borders
Q: Were you in touch with the rest of the fortresses of the Karadg compound?
Gen: Yes we were, through the radio & the wire. Maliagha had the obligation to support Perithori fortress with our fire, because Maliagha was at the peak of a bulge, above the Perithori & Partaluska fortresses. We had 42 "St. Etienne" 8mm heavy machine guns & two 81mm mortar tubes
Q: When did the Germans attack on Maliagha?
Gen: The Germans attacked on Maliagha in the morning of April 6, at 05:00. The attack was launched by elements of the 125th German Infantry Regiment
Q: What were the first reactions after the German assault? How did your men react?
Gen: When the Germans attacked us, I was CO of the fortress for 14 months already. So, I had the time to train my men, to have them ready to overcome this difficult situation. I have to tell you this: the Greek fighter when he defends the motherland, is second only to wild beasts. He thinks nothing else but this: how to thrash the enemy. That's the only way to overcome a better-equipped enemy
Greek Major/Tagmatarchis, CO of a fortress. He's armed with the Spanish made Ruby Martian 7.65 mm pistol
Q: Can you remember a few incidents from your struggle with the Germans?
Gen: When the Germans attacked us, their first artillery shell hit on the observation post. A shrapnel from this shell hit me on my forehead, above my eye. It was nothing, just a scratch. The doctor came, examined my wound & told me that I had to leave for the field hospital. I became furious: "Doctor, are you of Greek descendance? you are sending your CO to the field hospital while his men are fighting?". The Germans kept attacking us, with assaults around the clock, to finish with us quickly. Their first attack was launched by one battalion. This assault was of no avail. A second consecutive assault was also repelled. Then the Germans launched a night assault. They managed to pass through the barbwire & climbed on top of the fortress. I called immediately on the phone Major/Tagmatarchis Kourouklis of the artillery: "Kourouklis, I want extensive artillery fire against the Germans...the target is Maliagha". He agreed and asked for a 10-minute artillery barrage. I agreed. Then, for 10 minutes, all hell broke out. After the 10-minute barrage, I shot up a flare & with a limited force, we came out of the fortress with fixed bayonets to counter-attack the Germans...the sight shocked me: Germans, dozens of them, were lying dead on the fortress and around it..youngsters, 19-20 years old..we attacked on the remaining german troops, expelled them with the bayonet & we captured a few prisoners too.
In numerous occasions, the Greek garrisons of the fortresses, had to exit & counter-attack the Germans
German troops, pinned down before a Greek fortress
Q: General, when did your resistance end?
Gen: Maliagha was never captured. We left the fortress in the night of the fifth day of the battle. We were ordered to do by the Karadag HQ. For five days and nights the Germans were trying to capture Maliagha
Q: How did the Germans behave when you meet them after you left the fortress?
Gen: When we left the fortress we encountered with no German troops. In the morning of the fourth day of the battle though, the Germans sent some messengers carrying a white banner. I ordered my men to hold fire & with a corporal who could speak the language, accompanied with 2-3 other men, came out to meet them. I asked them what they wanted & the Germans replied that they order me to cease fire & to leave the fortress, for the Greek Second Army capitulated at Salonika. I said that I wasn't aware of the latest developments & that, after all, I receive orders only by Greeks. That's why they must leave the fortress area because the battle will continue. Then, the corporal who spoke German, took the initiative and said to one of the messengers: "Listen pal, tell your officers that Maliagha will never surrender. The last standing soldier will keep fighting". when I asked him later to tell me what he said to the Germans, I congratulated him for his remark.
During the fourth day of the fighting, Colonel Salvanos called me on the phone: "Listen Theodoropoulos. Our Army capitulated. Take your brave men & leave the fortress. Go to Serres, I'll meet you there"
I answered back: "Sir, can you repeat because I couldn't get it?" When I heard his order I shouted at the top of my voice: "What's going on Sir...are you asking me to leave the battlefield? Are you ordering me to withdraw the field? The defeated withdraw the battlefield...Sir, in the language of the defenders of maliagha, the word defeat is absent! Only the words victory or death exist" and I ordered the phone operator, to avoid giving me the phone when Salvanos is at the end of the line. After repeated calls by Salvanos, the soldier came to me shivering with fear & said: "Captain, Colonel Salvanos has called many times, he says it's urgent". I took the phone & said: "Yes, sir, your orders sir". "What orders", Salvanos replied "I give orders & you refuse to comply"...one of Salvanos' staff officers was a friend of mine, Major Christeas. He, as he told me later, prompted Salvanos to keep trying calling me on the phone, because, as he said to Salvanos "He (meaning me) will burn Maliagha down" [a short pause, the General is touched with emotion]..because our mission was simple as that: "to defend Maliagha to the last man".
Salvanos continued: "listen Eustathios my son, please, take your brave men & come to Serres". "Sir, I have a big problem with my men too...they cherish this fortress more than their own homes, their own families". Salvanos then replied: "You are their god, they'll listen to you". I immediately gathered my troops & revealed them the interlocution I had with the Colonel. "We're going nowhere", "this is our home", they all started shouting. "Hold on guys" I said, "is there anyone among you who believes that I want to surrender?" "no" they all replied. "Then, let's all calm down. Each one of you has a father, a mother, a wife, children who are waiting for your return...just imagine, when all of your relatives find out that you got killed here, to no avail, what will they do? They'll start blaming me. They'll start blaming my soul 'cause I'll be dead too: This evil man who took our beloved with him...so, this is it...we've done our duty, now we must leave & fight the Germans elsewhere". So, we agreed to leave the fortress. In the night, we took our weapons, we climbed on the top of the fortress, sang the national anthem, we fired three shots as a fair well to our dead comrades & left
Q: Sir, what were the casualties from April 6 to April 9?
Gen: We had 25 men dead and about as twice as that wounded. We had three doctors, one surgeon & two pathologists. We had a full equipped preventorium. We had generators that provided the fortress with electricity for the lights & the ventilators that ventilated the fortress
Q: Did the Germans use poison or asphyxiating gas?
Gen: No, they used dynamite, hand grenades, flame throwers & offcourse their artillery
Let me tell you one more incident: On the second or the third day of the battle, the Germans captured a small hill, Syllas was its name, a few hundred yards away from Maliagha. A small fortress was on top with a small garrison, under 2nd.lt/Anthypolochagos Xenidis. This small fortress was under my commands. Xenidis informed me of the situation & I came to the conclusion that the German entrenchment occured threatening developments. So, I've decided that we should launch a night assault to clear the danger. Night operations bear great risk though, so I've decided that this assault will be carried out by volunteers. Xenidis had about 20 men. We needed 20 more. I gathered my troops & I asked for 20 men to volunteer for a risky night operation. All my gathered troops made one step forward [a short pause, the General is touched with emotion]. I picked 20 men. One of my 1st.lts. came & said to me: "I 'll go with hem sir". I suddenly realise that my picking was most distressing..."Sir, what are we, the rest of us are useless or cowards?" Seeing the distress & trying not to cause a general collapse in morale, I've decided to organise a draw. 20 men were drawn to launch the attack. These men fixed bayonets & in conjunction with the 20 men of the Syllas fortress, attacked the Germans. After a while, Xenidis called me on the phone and gave me a detailed report of the clash: We had 5-6 dead, the 1st.lt. included and about 20 wounded. The Germans had 80 dead. We captured five Germans (among them a Captain). The reason for this successfull operation is that we knew the surrounding area very well. My men, even blind-folded & in the night, could climb on Syllas undetected by the Germans
A German tank in flames, after a direct hit from the Greek artillery
Greek Sergeant Major. Note that he is armed with the M1928 Thompson sub-machine gun, a weapon perfect for close encounters
German Gebirgsjager (mountain hunters) of the 5th and 6th Mountain Divisions
General Theodoropoulos is presenting his medals
Hellenic Army History Directorate
The Battle of ROUPEL [official chronicles], April 6-10, 1941
The following extract, from the official archives of the Hellenic Army History Directorate, is the Greek perspective on the Greek-German conflict at ROUPEL, in April 1941:
A.The Kingdom of Bulgaria, by March 1, 1941, had allowed the German troops to enter into its territory. In exchange, after the battle & the German victory, Bulgaria was allowed to annex the Greek area of the Strymon valley to the Aegean sea.
B.Greece, since October, was in a state of War with the Kingdom of Italy. Despite the fact that almost her entire armed forces had been engaged in the War with Italy, Greece, without hesitation, decided to defend herself against the German agression, remaining faithful to her traditions, whatever the cost.
C.The battle of the fortresses at the Roupel gorge, took place from April 6-10, 1941.
ORDER OF BATTLE
1. German Forces:
The Twelfth Army (12.Armee-Oberkommando) under the command of Field Marshal (Generaloberst) Wilhelm List
This army composed of the following units:
-XVIII Mountain Corps (XVIII Gebirgsarmeekorps), under General der Gebirgstruppen (Lieutenant General) Franz Boehme, consisted of the 2d Panzer Division/2.Panzer-Division (at Marianopol)
5th and 6th Mountain Divisions/5.-6.Gebirgs-Division (at Petritsi & Meleniko)
72d Infantry Division (at Nevrokopi)
and the reinforced 125th Infantry Regiment (at Marianopol)
These troops moved into assembly areas in southern Bulgaria opposite the Greek frontier.
-XXX Infantry Corps (XXX. Armeekorps)
under General der Artillerie (Lieutenant General) Otto Hartmann, composed of the 50th and 164th Infantry Divisions/50.-164.Infanterie-Division (at Pasmakli & Kridjali)
-XL Panzer Corps (XL.Panzerkorps)
under General der Panzertruppen (Lieutenant General) Georg Stumme, composed of the 9th Panzer Division/9.Panzer-Division
the reinforced 1st SS Motorized Infantry Regiment (Leibstandarde SS-Adolf Hitler)
and the 73d Infantry Division/73.Infanterie-Division (at Dubnica)
In total, Germans attacked Greece with 3 Panzer Divisions, 2 Mountain Divisions, 4 Infantry Divisions.
To drive the Greek forces from the Roupel neck, Germans used the 5th Mountain Division & the independent 125th Infantry Regiment. More specifically, the responsibility to attack the direction from Roupesko to Paliouriones was taken by the 5th Division & the responsibility to attack Roupel was taken by the 125th Regiment (reinforced with one battalion of the 5th Division, plus one Engineers Battalion). 200 Airplanes supported the attacking units.
2. Bulgarian Forces:
The coverage of the Greek-Bulgarian border was undertaken by the VII Infantry Division (at Sveti-Brats), by the X Infantry Division (at Dospat) & the I Infantry Division (at Pasmakli). Bulgarian forces, did not engage the Greeks.
3. Greek forces:
The defence of the area Beles-Nestos river was put under the responsibility of the units of Eastern Macedonia Army Command or TSAM. This army was composed of the following units:
-The XIX Mechanized Infantry Division (at Kilkis).
-The Division Group (XVIII & XIV Infantry Division), covering the three-nations borderline form Beles to Strymon river-XVIII ID and from Strymon river to Nevrokopi valley-XIX ID.
-The VII Infantry Division (at Drama).
-The Nestos Brigade (at Xanthi).
-21 fortresses or bunkers, from Beles to Nestos river with 8,500 Officers and men.
In total, the Greek forces composed of a Division Group Command, 3 Infantry Divisions, 1 Infantry Brigade & 1 Mechanized Infantry Division.
-The defence of the Roupel gorge, was undertaken by the XVIII ID (at Neon Petritsi). More specifically, the Greek fortresses had been under the protection of the Oulaka Subsector under Colonel/Syntagmatarches Georgios Karpenitsiotis (at Detsista). The Oulaka Subsector composed of the I/70 Infantry Battalion, 4 companies from the 81st & 91st Infantry Regiment, 2 field artillery batteries (75mm), 2 batteries of heavy artillery (6"), an artillery squadron of 85mm guns, 4 A/T artillery squadrons (75mm) and the fortresses ISTIMENE, KELKAYA, ARPALUKI & PALIOURIONES. In total, 2 Infantry battalions, one Infantry company, 24 artillery guns & the garrisons of the fortresses.
-At the eastern bank of the Strymon river, was stationed the XIV ID (at Serres), with the Subsector of Siderokastron under Colonel/Syntagmatarches Epameinondas Zesimopoulos. The Siderokastron Subsector composed of:
II/81 Infantry Btn, one Infantry Company & the fortresses ROUPEL & KARATAS. Two Infantry Companies & the fortress KALES. The 41st Infantry Regiment (minous one Btn). In total, the Siderokastron subsector had 3 Infantry Btns, 64 artillery guns and the garrisons of the fortresses ROUPEL, KARATAS & KALES.
