The Fate of the Metaxas Defense Line after the Capitulation of the Kingdom of Greece in 1941 (Part I)

Bulgarian Historical Review, 53 (2025), No. 2, pp. 177-205
DOI: https://doi.org/10.71069/BHR2.25.ZL08

Zhivko Lefterov

Assoc. Prof. Zhivko Lefterov, Ph.D. - Department of History, New Bulgarian University, Sofia, Bulgaria. ORCID ID: 0000-0002-9906-2708, E-mail: jivkolefterov@abv.bg

Abstract: During World War II, the most significant Greek defense facility – the Metaxas Line – fell under Bulgarian military-political control. The present study focuses on its fate in the period 1941–1944 and is divided into two parts.
The first part examines several interrelated issues. Foremost among them is the strong interest that the line provoked in both the Bulgarian and German commands, primarily due to its technical characteristics, fortification features, and construction practices. Based on the collected and analyzed data, numerous reports and presentations were prepared. The additional experience gained in the fortification construction is significant, considering the Third Reich’s projects for building the Atlantic Wall and the plans of the Kingdom of Bulgaria for strengthening its southeastern border with Turkey. The emphasis is placed on the Bulgarian perspective regarding the Metaxas Line and how it fitted into the country’s evolving strategic plans and defensive concept. Particular attention has been given to the overall rethinking and repurposing of its facilities, most of which have been designated for demolition.
The study is based on previously little-known documents from the State Military History Archive of the Republic of Bulgaria, German documents, publications from the period, and eyewitness accounts and testimonies. To understand the broader context in which the events of interest unfolded, the achievements of modern historiography have also been utilized.

Keywords: Second World War, Greece, Metaxas Line, Kingdom of Bulgaria, military engineering, demolition.

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