The Liberation of Western Thrace on May 14, 1920

"Thrace Returns to Mother Greece," proclaimed with enthusiasm the Kathimerini newspaper on May 15, 1920, announcing the glorious beginning of the advance of the Greek army, which had commenced the previous day, for the liberation of Western Thrace. Until the year 1913, the terms “Eastern” and “Western” Thrace were purely geographical, with the natural boundary between them being the river Evros and its tributary, the Tundzha.

Following the Balkan Wars (1912–1913), Western Thrace came under Bulgarian control, while Eastern Thrace remained under the administration of the declining Ottoman Empire. After the end of World War I (1914–1918), and amidst the rapid territorial rearrangements in the Balkan Peninsula, Thrace became a bone of contention among three states: Greece, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire.

During the Paris Peace Conference, Eleftherios Venizelos included Thrace in Greece’s territorial claims, invoking the long-standing and flourishing presence of the Greek element in the region.

The Supreme Council of the Allied Powers, meeting in Paris, ordered the evacuation of Western Thrace by the Bulgarian troops on September 17, 1919. This decision was formally ratified through the Treaty of Neuilly, signed on November 14/27 of the same year, by which Bulgaria renounced all territorial claims over Thrace.

Subsequently, on October 20, 1919, the victorious powers of the Great War decided to establish a temporary regime of Inter-Allied Administration in Western Thrace, pending the final resolution of the sovereignty issue. Supreme oversight of the administration was assumed by the French General Louis Franchet d’Espèrey, known for the decisive breakthrough on the Macedonian Front in the autumn of 1918. The political and military administration of the region was undertaken by General Charles Antoine Charpy, while diplomatic representation of Greece was assigned to Eleftherios Venizelos’s close associate, Charisios Vamvakas. The Inter-Allied regime lasted until May 1920.

According to the decisions of the San Remo Conference (April 1920), Greece was granted the right to occupy the whole of Thrace. Greek sovereignty over Western Thrace was officially approved by a special convention, which was appended to the Treaty of Sèvres (July 28/August 10, 1920). Legally speaking, the fate of Western Thrace proceeded both in parallel with and independently from the other provisions of the aforementioned treaty.

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The Liberation of Western Thrace – May 1920

On May 14, 1920, military operations for the liberation of Western Thrace officially began, marking the beginning of a historic milestone for Hellenism in the region. The Kathimerini newspaper, closely following the progress of events, announced in its May 15 edition the start of the Greek advance into Thracian territory.

Verbatim, it published:

"The Headquarters of the Army of Defense announces that this morning, the advance of the Greek army from the triangle of Xanthi began towards the occupation of Gumuljina, which has already been taken. Simultaneously, the area up to Feretzik has been occupied. The city of Dedeagatch was occupied at six this morning via a landing operation, with no incidents reported, amid general enthusiasm from the local inhabitants—Greeks and Turks alike. The French provided all necessary assistance for the landing and occupation of the city. Both the Greek and Turkish populations warmly welcomed the Greek army, expressing their relief in every possible way."

The liberation movement continued uninterrupted, culminating in the events of May 17, 1920. On that day, Kathimerini published a communiqué from the Press Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, detailing the impressive events surrounding the occupation of Komotini (Gumuljina):

"The occupation of Gumuljina was accomplished by our army this morning. The Serres Division, under General Zymbrakakis, had assembled and deployed before the city. At 10 a.m., General Charpy, accompanied by his staff and the government representative Mr. Vamvakas, came out to a certain distance from the city and saluted General Zymbrakakis, who then entered the city, which was richly decorated with flags. In the city square, an official reception was held for the general and his officers, attended by representatives of various communities and thousands of citizens—Greeks, Turks, Armenians, and Jews."

The atmosphere of the days was celebratory, emotional, and full of significance. The Greek army was received with enthusiasm not only by the Greek population but also by other communities, reflecting a shared desire for stability and peace under Greek administration. The land of Thrace, a modern-day Souli in the narrative of national history, added another glorious chapter to the epic of national unification.