Balkan Studies | Info

Forming a Royal Guard in 1868 they continued in that role until 1973 when the monarchy was abolished. During the Greco-Turkish War of 1897 they had expanded to a full regiment and served in the front lines. By 1912 they formed five full regiments (numbered and referred to as the 38th-42nd Evzones Infantry) in the regular Hellenic Army. They fought the Turks in the Balkan Wars and then the Austro-Bulgar forces on the Salonika front in World War One. Subsequent service in the Greco-Turkish and Greco-Italian Wars solidified their reputation as elite fighters.

Evzone Heroics in World War Two

On April 27, 1941 as the German forces occupied the Acropolis Evzones Konstandinos Koukidis was ordered to lower the Greek flag and raise the Nazi one. Koukidis hauled down the Greek flag, but instead of turning it over to the Germans as a trophy he wrapped himself in it and leaped to his death over the side of the mountain. No less a monster than Adolf Hitler praised the Greek courage by saying “For the sake of historical truth I must verify that only the Greeks, of all the adversaries who confronted us fought with bold courage and highest disregard of death. " after this incident. During the German occupation in World War Two members of the Evzones served with the resistance and with the Free Greek forces under the Allies.

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