The ninth division at Xanthi

The second Bulgarian occupation of Xanthi ended on October 4, 1919, when the 9th Division οf the Greek Army entered the city under the command of Major General G. Leonardopoulos. On that day, the Kathimerini newspaper reports that “…the battalion is cheered by a dense following crowd. Old mothers that were subjected to the 6-year-old Bulgarian thrall rush to greet our soldiers. The army’s march is followed by a greeting crowd of Xanthi’s citizens that is moved to tears…”. A few months later, on March 25, 1920, the Division is photographed, having the now free city of Xanthi as their background, in the area where the city’s Municipal market is today.

Creator: Unknown (1920)
Source: Hellenic Literary and Historical Archive (ELIA) – National Bank of Greece Cultural Foundation