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THE
GREEK STATE
When
Thessaly was liberated and annexed to Greece
in 1881, Messenikolas, with its 961 inhabitants being more populous than the
other villages of the area, became the seat of the Nevropolis Municipality. This included the following villages:
Vounessi (Morfovouni), Kerassia, Stougo (Kryoneri), Bezoula, Sermeniko
(Fylakti), Neochori, Portitsa, Agios Georgios, Blasdo (Moschato) and the Holy
Monastery of Fresh Spring (Corona).
After
the unfortunate Greco-Turkish War of 1897, the Turks recaptured the Thessalian
Plain. Therefore, Messenikolas hosted the Greek political and military
authorities of Karditsa as well as the Division of the Greek Army stationed at
Trikala.
While
the defeated Greek Army retreated, the state was unable to control the
situation. Taking advantage of this state of dissolution, a group of convicts
managed to escape from the prison of Chalkida. These fugitives raided the
nearby village of
Vounessi (Morfovouni),
where they settled and set off raiding other villages,as well. On may 23, 1897,
these bandits also attempted to raid Messenikolas, where apart from the
indigenous population, there were refugees from Karditsa. The raiders were
repelled but in the clash an aged woman was killed and three refugees were
wounded. However, after a couple of days, the bandits attacked the village
anew, which resulted in a day long battle in the north boundaries of the
village. In the afternoon hours, the raiders had to withdraw empty handed after
their leader was killed.
After
1924, the hero of Asia Minor, General and
afterwards Prime Minister Nikolaos Plastiras – coming from nearby Vounessi
(Morfovouni) – settled and lived at Messenikolas for a considerable length of
time.
The
Messenikolitans have always taken part as freedom fighters and paid a heavy
toll to the cause of freedom and independence of their country. Several have
sacrificed their lives in the war for the freedom of Macedonia. The Balkan Wars, the
World War I and the consequent defeat of the Greek Army in Asia
Minor in 1922 took the heavy toll of thirty Messenikolitans.
During
the Greco-Italian War, on the Albanian mountains, a volunteer army captain and
two other Messenikolitans fell heroically on the battlefield on 12 Nov 1940.
During
the Nazi Occupation, the inhabitants of Messenikolas along with other people
from the adjacent villages took an active part in the Resistance against Fascism
and Nazism. The guerillas wreaked havoc in the German and Italian Forces. In
retaliation in June 1943 the Italian Fascists raided the area and burnt down
the villages of the area. The conquerors also killed the priest of Messenikolas
and eleven more non-combatants. Six months later the village suffered a German
raid. The Nazis this time killed twelve villagers and burnt down the village.
After the liberation in 1944, unfortunately destruction and devastations went
on during the internecine war between nationalists and socialists, when
twenty-eight Messenikolitans of both sides lost their lives.
During
this period the army evacuated all the residents of the village and moved them
to the nearby town of Metropolis.
This compulsory evacuation that coincided with the infection of the vine crops
from diseases, as well as the tendency of urbanization that followed reduced
the population not only of Messenikolas but of the other villages, as well.
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