Sargeant Dimitrios Itsios: The story of a modern Greek Hero – The Battle of the Metaxas Line (photos)

Exactly 84 years agone the “Battle of the Metaxas Line” begun. The “Metaxas Line” was the Greek equivalent of “Maginot Line” successful France built by Ioannis Metaxas. It was a antiaircraft enactment located successful Northern Greece on the borders with Yugoslavia and Bulgaria. The Metaxas Line comprised of a full of 21 bunkers and among them the present legendary “Rupel Bunker” (Ρούπελ), each of them equipped with anti-tank poles (dragon teeth), wires and everything that is indispensable to halt an advancing force.

In April 6th 1941 the German troops attacked Greece from some the Yugoslavian and the Bulgarian borders. A bid of astonishing and heroic fights betwixt the Greek soldiers and the Germans forces took spot which lasted astir 4 days and nights. The Germans were amazed by the heroic Greek tone and the disproportionate losses they had. Approximately overmuch much than 800 were KIA -including a large portion of the XVIII Mountain Corps- and much than 2500 were wounded, each successful conscionable nether 4 days.

It should beryllium noted that the Metaxas Line did not break. Since the Metaxas Line was not finished erstwhile the warfare began, the German forces entered from a portion of the beforehand enactment not protected by the fortresses. Greece was forced to surrender and the fortresses were ordered to halt warring arsenic it was by past pointless.

It was April 10th 1941.

The Germans, impressed arsenic they were of the warring abilities and valor of the Greeks, did thing for the archetypal and past clip successful each of World War II: they agreed connected the presumption imposed by those they had defeated. The Greek broadside demanded that:

1. No Greek was to beryllium taken POW,
2. The Greek troops were going to permission the bunkers with their weapons and the officers with their swords and finally,
3. No German worker was to participate the fortresses until the past Greek worker had near and the Greek emblem was lowered by the bunker’s garrison.

But the Germans did 1 much thing: erstwhile the Greek soldiers were coming retired of the fortresses, an honorary contingent “presented arms” and the Greek commanding officers were asked to inspect the German contingent.

Even Adolf Hitler connected his May 4th, 1941 code astatine Reichstag said astir the Greeks:

“Historical justice, however, obliges maine to accidental that of the opponents that person taken up arms against us, astir peculiarly the Greek soldiers, person fought with the top bravery and contempt of death. They lone capitulated erstwhile further absorption became intolerable and truthful useless.”

It was astir the aforesaid clip Winston Churchill stated that:

“Hence, we volition not accidental that Greeks combat similar heroes, but that heroes combat similar Greeks”.

During the “Battle of the Metaxa Line”, galore scenes of bravery took place. Probably the astir notable and bittersweet is the communicative of Sergeant Dimitrios Itsios. In the occidental side of the line, connected the Greek equine “Beles” determination were 3 fortified machine-gun nests, Π7, Π8 and Π9 (Π=Πυροβολείο=Machine-gun nest), with a fistful of soldiers. Their presumption connected the elevation is called successful Greek “Beautiful Hill” (Ομορφοπλαγιά).

(Sergeant Dimitrios Itsios)

The Germans attacked with the 6th Mountain Division nether the bid of Field Marshal Ferdinand Schörner. The onslaught connected the determination of the Beautiful Hill was relentless but the German troops were not capable to advance. Still, they kept pressing on. Inside the bunker Π8 determination was Sergeant Dimitrios Itsios. As the onslaught was continuous, it became evident to him that that yet they wouldn’t beryllium capable to halt the attack. He ordered his men to permission and spell assistance the interior defence lines. He decided to enactment and screen their retreat and instrumentality down arsenic galore Germans arsenic helium could. Two of his men disobeyed his orders and stayed with him. He fought for different 4 hours and each German onslaught against Π8 bunker failed.

(Field Marshal Ferdinand Schörner)

But, eventually, aft firing much than 38.000 rounds, Π8 went soundless arsenic the instrumentality weapon ran retired of ammunition. By past Itsios unsocial had killed 238 German soldiers and 1 Colonel, the lone precocious ranking serviceman killed successful the “Battle of the Metaxas Line”.

When the German soldiers arrested the 2 Greek soldiers and Sergeant Itsios, the German Field Marshal on with a German serviceman who spoke Greek and acted arsenic a translator, came look to look with him and arsenic testified by the 2 soldiers that had stayed, the pursuing dialog took place:

Schörner: Who is the commanding serviceman of this bunker?

Itsios: Me, sir.

Schörner: You? A Sergeant? Isn’t determination a higher ranking officer? A Colonel? A Major?

Itsios: No sir, lone maine and these 2 soldiers.

Schörner, past took Itsios to spot the sidesplitting tract with the countless dormant Germans.

Schörner: Sergeant, this is your work. I congratulate you. Do you know, that you killed astir each of the men I sent against you positive 1 Colonel?

Itsios: I’m sorry, sir, but one was defending my country.

Schörner: I’m atrocious too, but I person to bash my work arsenic well.

He ordered his men to springiness honors to Itsios by presenting arms and past helium ordered his execution.

It was the archetypal time of the German violative against the Metaxa Line and 1 time aft Itsios’ birthday. He was 35 years old.

Since, Sergeant Itsios was a POW, this was officially the archetypal of galore warfare crimes committed by the German forces successful Greece.

Today, Sergeant Dimitrios Itsios is recognized arsenic a Greek hero, with the “Beautiful Hill’ being similar the modern Thermopylae.

Ferdinand Schörner died successful 1973. He was ne'er charged for this crime…

(A photograph of Dimitrios Itsios dormant infront of Π8)

(Dimitrios Itsios’ assemblage moments aft his murder)

(The bunker Π8 arsenic it is now. It is unfastened to the public. Itsios was executed precisely 2 meters down the Greek emblem connected the foreground)

(Dimitrios Itsios’ monument astatine his colony Ano Poroia)