On the verdant slope of the Rupel fort, where history and the natural environment coexist harmoniously, under the shadow of the marble monument to the heroically fallen soldiers, officers, non-commissioned officers and enlisted men, the human mind cannot help but contemplate the supreme sacrifice of the Greeks towards to the Nazi troops.

In this sacred space, on Sunday, May 14, one of the largest festivals in Greece of historical reenactment of the Second World War will take place. It is about the revival of the historical battle of the Rupel fortress in April 1941, on the mountain ridge of the Serres next to the Greek-Bulgarian border.

Those who find themselves in Rupel on Sunday morning will experience minute by minute the furious attempt of the German invaders to take the impregnable fortress and the heroic resistance of its Greek defenders, all through the use of impressive fire effects, explosions and flight simulations.

Before the start of the event, the Greek Supermarine Spitfire MJ755 will fly over the legendary Roupel, in a riveting display that will bring back memories of the World War II era when the Spitfire dominated the skies of Europe .

The honored person of this year’s event is the late commander of the Kelkaia fortress in Belles, Telemachos Zakynthinos (1904-1978).

The heroic resistance of the Greek defenders of the fort

82 years ago, the brave defenders of the legendary fortress Rupel resisted with heroism and self-sacrifice, earning the respect of the enemy and the recognition of the allies. The response of Rupel’s commander George Duratsos to the German invaders is still moving to this day: “The forts are not surrendered but occupied”. Despite the relentless pounding, Rupel was not captured by the enemy.

The aim of the event is the preservation of historical memory, the promotion of peace and the cooperation of peoples and states – so that humanity does not relive the horrors of war – as well as the promotion of historical tourism or memory tourism in the northern part of Serres.