"A novel? Maybe, but with the reality to invade in it, since the author reminds us with his notes the names of the victims caused by the atrocities of the occupation forces."

"An extremely important novel."

"An fascinating and thrilling read."

1941-1944. During the Second World War, Greece suffers a triple occupation: Germans occupy the mainland and the islands, Italians occupy Western Greece and Bulgarians the Eastern Macedonia and Thrace. The Greek population of the Bulgarian occupied region suffer hunger, torture and propaganda for the Great Bulgaria of the Aegean Sea... At September the 29th civilian population is slaughtered in the cities of Drama, Doxato and Neos Skopos of Serres, while the Bulgarian forces decide to take a rough measurement to ensure that the occupied population is not going to revolt. All male population in the occupied regions should be enlisted in forced labour battalions of the Bulgarian army, becoming the so-called Dourdouvakia. In the labour camps, they had to work under aggravating circumstances at the fields and mountains of inner Bulgaria, making roads and railways, drinking 30gr. of water every two hours, suffering from malnutrition and being savagely beaten. The only way to escape this punishment was to denounce their Greek nationality and enlist as Bulgarians...

Life in the small village of Stergios Alexandris, sergeant in Paliouriones, one of the forts of Metaxa's line during the invasion of the Nazi troops in Greece, is full of painful experiences. Struggling between the debt of honour towards his country and the love for his family and friends makes his life unbearable, while he faces love, passion, the uncertain future, the suppressed pride because of the fight for survival and the fear for retaliation against his family, the test of personal relations in surroundings of propaganda and distrust and the overwhelming solidarity of the hunted and persecuted...

A sensational story based on historical facts and testimonies, a soul-deep writing and a tribute of honour for one of the darkest periods of the Land of the Macedonians.

Publisher: N. & S. Batsioulas
ISBN: 960-87794-9-9	Pages: 623
Publ. date: May/2006	Cover: Soft
Size: 17x24