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

Bulgarian Historical Review, 53 (2025), No. 3, pp. 59-84
DOI: https://doi.org/10.71069/BHR3.25.ZL03

Zhivko Lefterov

Assoc. Prof. Zhivko Lefterov, Ph.D. - Institute for Historical Studies, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 52 Shipchenski Prohod Blvd, build. 17, Sofia 1113, 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 second part provides a detailed examination of the activities surrounding the dismantling of the Metaxas Line, the reutilization of its materials for the construction of military facilities along the Aegean Sea coast, comprehensive geodetic surveying, analysis of the composition of the concrete used, etc. Special attention is paid to the partially realized idea of preserving certain parts of the defensive system for reuse – this time with a southern-facing orientation, that is, to be incorporated into the Bulgarian defensive line. Measures taken to guard the preserved elements are also discussed. An important aspect of the issue is the emergence, already during the war, of numerous articles in specialized military journals devoted to the topic. The analysis and interpretation of the Metaxas Line by Bulgarian military circles contributed to the development of military engineering thought and forces, and to the improvement of methods and tools used in the construction of fortification structures. The withdrawal of the Bulgarian troops and administrative authorities from Greece in September-October 1944 ultimately made it impossible to realize all of the intended plans regarding the Metaxas Line.

The study is based on previously little-known documents from the State Military Historical Archive of the Republic of Bulgaria, German documents, publications dating from the period, and testimonies from witnesses and observers. To provide broader context for the events under consideration, the study also draws on the achievements of contemporary historiography.

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

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