There are many places in Greece, where history and the natural environment coexist harmoniously and in some cases complement each other. But there are few places, where bravery, self-sacrifice, and supreme love for the country have left their own distinct imprint on the landscape.
Rupel Fort is one such place. There, where at an altitude of 1,339 meters, the human gaze gazes unobstructed over the greater part of the Greek-Bulgarian border, along Mount Agistro, near the Strymonas River. There, where everything is pure, clear, bathed in the morning sunlight, just as pure was the struggle of its defenders.
By visiting Roupel, one not only gets to know a great moment in modern Greek history, but also has the opportunity to admire up close the works of the people who defined the historical reality, the struggles that young and old soldiers, famous and anonymous officers gave, in order to keep living high values and ideals, but above all to preserve the freedom of the homeland.
A living museum of military history on the mountain
Access to the fort is easy and quick from the large highway, part of Egnatia (vertical axis A25), which leads to the Greek-Bulgarian border and the customs office of Promachona. Entry to the fort is free however it always remains a guarded military area and visitors must hand in their ID at the entrance and take it back when leaving the military compound. At the end of the route there is an organized parking area for cars and buses.
As the visitor climbs the hill of the Rupel fort, he cannot remain indifferent in front of the majesty of nature. In autumn and winter, the morning dew forms a thick cloud that can block visibility in the surrounding areas, but at the same time gives the unique feeling of being above the clouds!
The courtesy, the friendly disposition, the warm smile of the soldiers who welcome the visitors to the military complex of the fort predispose to a very interesting experience. At the same time, the standard protocol followed by military personnel suggests to all of them that they are in a sacred space, full of symbolism and messages.
A coffee in the canteen of the forts and a short break before the tour prepares the visitor to become part of all those great and important events that took place above and below the slopes of the mountains that host the fort.
Guided tours take place every day during the opening hours of the complex, from 9 am to 1 pm. It starts from the hill of "Prophet Ilias" with the modest marble fallen hero and the glass observatory towards the Greek-Bulgarian border, continues to the central gallery, which during the Second World War housed the Command Station of the complex and ends at the military museum.
The claim of lieutenant colonel Duratsos to the German invaders
The 10th of April 1941, a decisive date not only for the fate of the forts but also of Greece, is captured photographically and dominates the entrance to the central portico where the guided tour begins and ends. It is the day of the surrender of the forts by their commander, lieutenant colonel Georgios Duratsos, to the German invaders, claiming at the same time:"no German should climb the fort until the last ones leave". As it happened...
The German colonel who took over the fort congratulated the commander expressing his admiration and appreciation for the resistance and heroism of the Greek soldiers. He emphasized, in fact, that for the Germans it was an honor and pride that they had as an opponent such a heroic army. A German section was lined up outside the fort and paid tribute. Afterwards, officers and soldiers left on foot for Sidirokastro and Serres.
"Forts are not surrendered but captured"
The historical words of Lt. Col. Duratsos "the forts are not surrendered but occupied", are at the entrance of the gallery, attributing the magnitude of the heroism of the Greek soldiers. Heavy bombardments by the Germans had preceded it for days, but they had not dampened the morale of the defenders of the forts.
It should be noted that there were only 27 officers and 950 hoplites in the Rupel fort. Around the fort there were only eight cannons, divided between the artillery of Captain Kozonis and the hero Lieutenant Kyriakides, in well-hidden positions. The German military forces were armored with equipment that was superior not only numerically but also technologically to the Greeks.
At 14 dead and 38 wounded, the number of losses of the Rupel fortress in the total of four days that lasted the bombardment of the German troops. The forts were never captured thanks to the heroism of the Greek defenders who until the last moment fought with self-sacrifice. They were surrendered when the administration of the forts had already been informed of the capitulation of Greece to the Germans.
The few objects belonging to the soldiers and a Greek flag with the royal crown kept at the entrance of the portico of the command fort give only small nuggets of the great but difficult moments that the Greek soldiers lived in their daily life, defending the fort and the homeland.
The tour of the fort's portico, truly moving, captivating, is an excellent example of engineering, perfect organization, ingenuity, foresight and above all faith for the survival and defense of the homeland under very difficult political conditions, mainly economic but also social.
The self-sacrifice of Captain Kyriakides
One of the most important moments of the tour is the visit to the military museum of the forts. Inside it are exhibited uniforms, flags, weapons of the Greek and German armies during the Second World War as well as one of the two anti-tank guns that the fortress guard had in 1941.
A special place among the exhibits is occupied by the personal belongings of Captain Alexandros Kyriakides and his soldiers, as they were found in the trench together with their bones in 2001, sixty years after their heroic death and self-sacrifice in 1941.
Captain Kyriakidis refused to cease his artillery fire and thus became the target of the German Stukas. Together with his soldiers they met a tragic death in the position where the artillery shelter was located. In April 2001, on the initiative of officer Ilias Kotridis, the investigation began to find the bones of the fallen artillerymen of Captain Kyriakides.
Fort Rupel was never captured due to the unparalleled resistance of the fighters and its durable construction. Seventy-nine years now it remains there, proud on the mountain and as if it too has a soul, it gives its own testimony about the unequal but honorable struggle of the Greek soldiers and their defense for the defense and freedom of the homeland. Only in Rupel can the visitor mentally listen to the heartbeat of its defenders, walking on its "powdered" slopes and underground labyrinthine arcades.
SOURCE:APE-ME