NATIONAL DEFENSE COUP- PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT

After the burst of the National Defense Coup on August 17^th 1916, West and Central Macedonia was under the control of these coups. On September 26^th, when Eleftherios Venizelos set up in Thessaloniki his provisional government, Crete and the islands of Eastern Aegean had already acceded to the coup. In the meantime, at the end of August in 1916, the Germans and the Bulgarians had already conquered the whole eastern Macedonia as far as the Strimonas river. From West Macedonia and Northern Heperos they had conquered the lands of Florina and Kastoria. During the winter of 1916-1917 the power of the “Provisional Government” of Thessaloniki was extended to the areas of the “State of Athens”, such as Eptanisa, Cyclades North Sporades and Pieria. At the same time the Allies, conquered again Florina and Koritsa and the Italians the land of Argirokastro, which up until then was controlled by the “State of Athens”. In November 1916 in order to avoid the conflicts - between the powers of the National Defense and some units loyal to the government - the Alies traced a neutral 5-10 km zone between the areas that were controlled by the two Greek Governments. Finally, in May 1917, with the probability of Konstantinos enthronement, the French conquered the neutral zone together with the biggest part of Thessaly whereas the Italians conquered South Heperos as far as Ioannina and Parga.The French, supporting in the meantime Eleftherios Venizelos “Provisional Government”, had a strong presence on the areas that were under their control, and among others, they censored the mail distributed in the area.  

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Envelope posted from ΚΑΙΛΑΡΙΑ–ΜΑΚΕΔΟΝΙΑΣ/(KAILARIA MACEDONIAS,now PTOLEMAIS) dated 26.8.17, which was opened, censored by the French Army and stamped CONTROLE POSTAL MILITAIRE, together with the two-circled stamp ARMEE D’ORIENT 13 (CENSURE MILITAIRE), destined to Kozani. Postal rate:10 lepta for simple letter which arrives to the interior of the country.