The three liberations of Northern Epirus and our debt

Northern Epirus is the name given to the northern part of Epirus, which is still under Albanian occupation today, although it was liberated three times in the first fifty years of the 20th century.

For the first time it was liberated during the Balkan Wars. In 1912-13, Greek military forces liberated cities and villages throughout the then unified region of Epirus.

Τα φονικότερα όπλα στην Αρχαία Ελλάδα

However, freedom did not last long. this Was because the great Powers, With the protocol Of florence (December 17, 1913), Annexed the northern part of Epirus to the state of albania, which They Themselves Had established on july 29, 1913.

The true patriots, however, in the face of this situation, did not remain idle. They formed a government and declared on February 17, 1914, in Argyrokastro, the Autonomy of Northern Epirus. The three-month struggle, which was carried out under adverse conditions, was finally crowned with success. Thus, on May 17, 1914, the Protocol of Corfu was signed by Albania, which guaranteed this Autonomy.

Ἡ ἔνταση βέβαια στήν Ἀλβανία συνεχίστηκε καί μετά τήν ὑπογραφή τοῦ Πρωτοκόλλου, μέ ἀποτέλεσμα τήν παραίτηση τοῦ βασιλιᾶ της καί τήν φυγή του ἀπ’ τήν χώρα τόν Σεπτέμβριο τοῦ 1914. Ἐξαιτίας, λοιπόν, τοῦ χάους πού ἐπικρατοῦσε, καί γιά νά προστατευθεῖ ἡ ἑλληνική κοινότητα, ὁ ἑλληνικός στρατός, μέ τήν ἔγκριση τῶν Μεγάλων Δυνάμεων, στίς 14 Ὀκτωβρίου 1914 ἔρχεται ξανά στήν Β.Ἤπειρο ὡς ἐλευθερωτής, κι ἔτσι ἡ κυβέρνηση τῆς Αὐτονομίας παραιτεῖται, ἀφοῦ ἡ ἀποστολή της εἶχε πιά τελειώσει. Μ’ αὐτόν τόν τρόπο, λοιπόν, ὁλοκληρώνεται ἡ second release of Northern Epirus.

And again, however, the joy did not last long, since the National Division gave italy and france The opportunity to Occupy, in the autumn Of 1916, Northern epirus (the First the prefecture of Argyrokastro and the second the prefecture Of korytsa) with the consent of The Entente. thus, the greek army again abandoned Northern epirus On October 10, 1916.

In fact, a few years later, on November 9, 1921, England, France, Italy and Japan decided to definitively cede Northern Epirus to Albania, which during the interwar period began an effort to decolonize the region, something that continues to this day.

End the third liberation it took place in 1940-41 when the Greek troops, after repelling the Italian attack, counterattacked and liberated a large part of Northern Epirus. However, the German attack on Greece changed the situation, resulting in the third and final withdrawal of the defeated Greek army from the holy lands of Northern Epirus.

From all these historical events, the most important conclusion that one can draw is the timeless desire of the Greeks for the liberation of Northern Epirus and its unification with Mother Greece.

We have expressed this desire this year, as every year, in Delvinaki, since it is the duty of all Greeks to fight for this cause. And if the battle seems difficult, and if the Great Powers of our time support Albania, and if our political leaders are indifferent to this burning national issue, let us not despair. We are not alone.

Those who fought all these years (a hundred and more) for the vindication Of Northern epirus and have left this world, pray to god Who will soon provide the solution, as long as we continue the struggle until the final victory.

Zavalis Georgios

Northern Epirus, still enslaved, was liberated three times. In 1912-13, 1914 and 1940-41, Greek soldiers watered its proud mountains and deep ravines with rivers of blood, leaving their sacred bones there as a legacy to remind us of their insurmountable sacrifice and our unpaid debt!

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