'Roupel 1941. Battle for Greece's defence' micro-exhibition, at National Museum of Romanian History

The micro-exhibition "Roupel 1941. The battle for Greece's defence", organized on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Marita Operation, will be open, as of Friday, April 9, until Saturday, May 9, at the National Museum of Romanian History (MNIR).

"Roupel 1941. The battle for Greece's defense" presents a significant moment during the Second World War, which took place on the Balkan Peninsula, the history of a confrontation between the troops of Wehrmacht and the Greek defenders who maintained an important defensive position for several days, despite being in a disadvantageous military situation. Not very known to the Romanian public, the battle of Fort Roupel (6-10 April 1941) represents in Greece a page of rare heroism, an example of will for overcoming obstacles and a proof of the desire to fight to the supreme sacrifice in order to defend one's country," MNIR informs through a press release sent to AGERPRES.

Within the exhibition, visitors will be able to see objects with historical value and uniforms and military equipment replicas which were borrowed from Khaki Depot, Military Uniforms, Quality Reproductions for Exhibits and Reenactments (Greece).

The main piece of the exhibition is a helmet model 1934/1939, a protective element which was part of the equipment of the Greek Royal Army during the period of 1939-1945. The helmet comes from the area of Fort Roupel, which is in Northern Greece, the province of Central Macedonia and was used by a soldier during the battle for conquering the military objective during the period of April 6-10, 1941.

Among the objects which come from the area of the fort, the exhibition shelters a fragment of concrete, barbed wire, metal signs, cartridges and soil.

The arrangement is completed by two military uniform replicas with the specific equipment, representative for the Greek Royal Army and the Wehrmacht, so that visitors can better know the equipment differences between the two armies.

Fort Roupel was the most important strategic reinforced point on the Metaxa Line, its military value being given due to its proximity to the Bulgarian border.

Understanding the historical and memorialistic importance of the fort, the Greek authorities rehabilitated a segment which was introduced in the tourist circuit. Fort Roupel is part of the Salonic War Museum and is visited by a significant number of students, teachers, military history enthusiasts, as well as numerous tourists.

Starting with 2016, the Sintiki Municipality of the Central Macedonian Region, at the initiative of SOC. C. BU. Agkistro Action, is organizing "Roupel 1941. The Revival", the most important event of the historical-military re-enactment in Greece, dedicated to the period of the Second World War.AGERPRES