Occupied Greece during the Second World War

David BREWER, Greece, the Decade of War. Occupation, Resistance and Civil War London & New York: I.B. Tauris & Co. Ltd, 2016. p. XVI & 320. Twenty two monochrome illustrations and photographs. Four maps.

Revue des études sud-est européennes,
TOME LVII
2019
Nos 1–4, Janvier–Décembre
Comptes rendus,
pp. 375 - 377.

https://revista.acadsudest.ro/Arhiv%c4%83/Revista%202019/Revista%202019.pdf

“Jerzy Ivanov-Szajnowicz, Polish/Greek Saboteur, 10 October 1941 - 4 January 1943” paragraph excerpt, from Bernard O’ Connor’s book “Sabotage in Greece”

Bernard O'Connor's, is the first in the English literature known, Jerzy Ivanov-Szajnowicz biography & sabotage heroic activities in German occupied Greece.
In the Bernard O’ Connor’s book, titled “Sabotage in Greece”, the author deals, w/ the incredible deeds of Jerzy Ivavov – Szajnowicz, known as a “Agent Nr 1” of the British SIS, in occupied by Germans Greece, where he performed a series of successful heroic sabotage actions, that in both Greece & Poland, are considered as patriotic, making him there a national hero. The attached book’s paragraph and photos, describes the unusual history of Jerzy Ivanov. Also there are references from the book, that deal with destroyed, during April of 1941, bridges in the region of Larissa, that are of our specific interest.

Below, is the overall short outline of Bernard O’ Connor’s book, included in  the back cover: Following the Italian invasion of Albania, the British government was worried that Greece would be next. Their Intelligence Service in Athens prepared to sabotage their plans, stored explosives and trained saboteurs. When Germany came to Italy's aid, they took control of Greece, despite attempts to sabotage the road and rail links. This book investigates the success and failures of British, American and Greek sabotage missions, the attacks on the Gorgopotamos and Asopos viaducts, on roads, railways, shipping and mining operations. Using contemporary documents from the CIA and National Archives, biographies and autobiographies, it provides first-hand accounts from those involved, those who masterminded the operations and the reports of the agents infiltrated by boat, submarine or plane. It has also used historians' accounts found on websites to provide a detailed history of sabotage in Greece between 1940 and liberation in 1944.

This study is aiming at collecting and interpreting the autobiographical anecdote descriptions composed by the members of the ‘OPLA’ organization in the occupying Thessaloniki , related to the activities of the organization. It aims also a) at the intersection of the evidence with relevant material of government records and local newspapers of Thessaloniki, b) the relation between the ‘OPLA’ organization’s action and the individual demographic, economic and social problems of the city, c) the interpretation of the laws been enacted after the German’s occupation, relating to the administration of justice concerning the members of the ‘OPLA’ organization d) the clarification of the way these laws were implemented by the judicial Council of Thessaloniki e) the determination of the OPLA’s activity character in the occupying Thessaloniki. Based on the unpublished autobiographical text of Tsironi N., who was a member of the OPLA organization in Thessaloniki and on the junction with the data of the communist party’s files (period 1941-1944). Finally the material was enriched with elements a) of the Historical Archive of the Municipality of Thessaloniki and b ) of the Archives of Mixed Jury Court of Thessaloniki.

Το περιοδικό "Ξεκίνημα" (του Εκπολιτιστικού Ομίλου Πανεπιστημίου Θεσσαλονίκης) , νόμιμου φορέα της Ενιαίας Πανελλαδικής Οργάνωσης Νέων (ΕΠΟΝ), της μαζικότερης αντιστασιακής οργάνωσης νέων, υπήρξε από τα σημαντικότερα νεανικά περιοδικά της Κατοχής. Ο ρόλος του Μανόλη Αναγνωστάκη υπήρξε σ' αυτό καθοριστικός.