Published: October 2017

River Evros in 1967, Greek-Turkish borders, a few months after the April coup and the ensuing military Junta. A 20 years-old man is setting out for his national service as a reserve officer. Somewhat naïve, without political links, he is transferred to the border site and starts recording a journal of life there, “the Evros notepad”. The journal depicts an intriguing mosaic of borderland Greece during the Junta: military fanatics, former civil war fighters, distraught soldiers, gamblers, swindlers, bootleggers, and suicide commandos; but also, beautiful young girls, promiscuous widows and lovebirds.

When things get tough with Turkey, his unit camps by the river, under heavy snow, and waits for the order to attack. Only it never comes, as the Junta leadership will yield humiliated to the Turkish ultimatum. Journal entry: We lost without a fight. The tragedy escalates, army officers are murdered, a total devastation.