Doxato
Encyclopedia
Doxato is a town and municipality in the Drama peripheral unit, in East Macedonia and Thrace
, Greece
. The seat of the municipality is the town Kalampaki
.
The formner municipality of Doxato was founded as a result of law 2539/1997 ("Plan Kapodistria"), by merging the former municipalities of Doxato and Megalou Alexandrou, and the former communities of Agios Athanasios and Kefalarion. According to the 2001 census, the former municipality had a population of 11,000 and the town 3,739.
s in recent history.
The first massacre occurred during the Second Balkan War
, fought between Greece and Serbia on one hand and Bulgaria on the other. According to Greek sources, on June 30, 1913, a Bulgarian cavalry unit surrounded Doxato and proceeded to massacre between 500 and 600 inhabitants (depending on source), including women and children, burning the town to the ground in the process. However, according to a report by a international commission, organized by the Carnegie endowment, the massacre had been actually committed by local Muslims armed by the Bulgarian army
The second massacre took place on 29 September 1941 during the Second World War, when Doxato was again (together with the Eastern Macedonia and Thrace) under Bulgarian occupation. During the night of 28–29 September 1941, an insurrection against the Bulgarian occupation troops was led by the Communist party of Greece (KKE). The local police station in Doxato was attacked, leading to the death of 6-7 Bulgarian policemen. Although those who participated in the insurrection were killed or fled to the mountains, reprisals were harsh. The next day, Bulgarian forces rounded up all the men in town aged 14 and over, and after dividing them into groups of ten, executed them on the night of 29. September 1941. After the revolt, a period of state terror began, involving arrests, house searches and physical violence against citizens.
East Macedonia and Thrace
East Macedonia and Thrace is one of the thirteen regions of Greece. It consists of the northeastern parts of the country, comprising the eastern part of the region of Macedonia along with the region of Thrace, and the islands of Thasos and Samothrace....
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. The seat of the municipality is the town Kalampaki
Kalampaki
Kalampaki is a village and a former municipality in the Drama peripheral unit, East Macedonia and Thrace, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Doxato, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. It is 12 km to the south of Drama...
.
Municipality
The municipality Doxato was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 2 former municipalities, that became municipal units:- Doxato
- KalampakiKalampakiKalampaki is a village and a former municipality in the Drama peripheral unit, East Macedonia and Thrace, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Doxato, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. It is 12 km to the south of Drama...
The formner municipality of Doxato was founded as a result of law 2539/1997 ("Plan Kapodistria"), by merging the former municipalities of Doxato and Megalou Alexandrou, and the former communities of Agios Athanasios and Kefalarion. According to the 2001 census, the former municipality had a population of 11,000 and the town 3,739.
History (Doxato Massacres)
Doxato was the scene of two major massacreMassacre
A massacre is an event with a heavy death toll.Massacre may also refer to:-Entertainment:*Massacre , a DC Comics villain*Massacre , a 1932 drama film starring Richard Barthelmess*Massacre, a 1956 Western starring Dane Clark...
s in recent history.
The first massacre occurred during the Second Balkan War
Second Balkan War
The Second Balkan War was a conflict which broke out when Bulgaria, dissatisfied with its share of the spoils of the First Balkan War, attacked its former allies, Serbia and Greece, on 29 June 1913. Bulgaria had a prewar agreement about the division of region of Macedonia...
, fought between Greece and Serbia on one hand and Bulgaria on the other. According to Greek sources, on June 30, 1913, a Bulgarian cavalry unit surrounded Doxato and proceeded to massacre between 500 and 600 inhabitants (depending on source), including women and children, burning the town to the ground in the process. However, according to a report by a international commission, organized by the Carnegie endowment, the massacre had been actually committed by local Muslims armed by the Bulgarian army
The second massacre took place on 29 September 1941 during the Second World War, when Doxato was again (together with the Eastern Macedonia and Thrace) under Bulgarian occupation. During the night of 28–29 September 1941, an insurrection against the Bulgarian occupation troops was led by the Communist party of Greece (KKE). The local police station in Doxato was attacked, leading to the death of 6-7 Bulgarian policemen. Although those who participated in the insurrection were killed or fled to the mountains, reprisals were harsh. The next day, Bulgarian forces rounded up all the men in town aged 14 and over, and after dividing them into groups of ten, executed them on the night of 29. September 1941. After the revolt, a period of state terror began, involving arrests, house searches and physical violence against citizens.