Message to Rebels in Athens
In the heart of Athens during the tumultuous years of World War II, an extraordinary story unfolded. A 38-year-old primary school teacher from Hohenems in Vorarlberg, Austria, named Rudolf Bilgeri, made a bold decision that would change the course of his life.
Rudolf, drafted into the Wehrmacht in mid-1943, was sent to Greece as a technical drawer. However, on September 3, 1944, he discarded his Wehrmacht uniform and donned civilian clothes provided by the ELAS (National Liberation Front of Greece). Along with two companions, he disappeared from their unit's headquarters in Vyronas and surrendered to an ELAS partisan group.
This remarkable turn of events is detailed in Rudolf's diary, titled "Diary Leaves," which he wrote during his captivity with the British Army in Egypt between December 1944 and December 1946. The diary leaves were safeguarded by his wife Ida for 75 years.
The diary provides a unique historical source, shedding light on the transformation of a privileged occupation soldier into a fugitive dependent on the help of the population. It offers a rare glimpse into the lives of those who chose to desert the Wehrmacht and join the resistance in Athens.
Rudolf's diary was initially used in a course at the University of Innsbruck to engage students in transcription and source criticism. Lena Fohrer, Michael Ganahl, Eva Haslinger, Hannah Schrott, and Sebastian Staudacher contributed significantly to the publication of the diary. Reinhold Bilgeri, Rudolf's son, also contributed memories of his father for the publication.
Iason Chandrinos, a Greek historian and a lecturer at the University of Regensburg, was consulted to provide insights into the situation of the population of Athens during the German occupation and the resistance of the partisans. Chandrinos, who has also co-authored a book presented in September 2024 about the fate of Greek forced laborers, brings valuable perspectives to the table.
The first review of Bilgeri's notes revealed that it was a unique historical source. The diary leaves form part of a research project focusing on the history of deserting soldiers in the Second World War from Tyrol and Vorarlberg.
During his time in Greece, Rudolf created circuit diagrams for the communication system of the German coastal defense installations. This technical expertise, combined with his courageous decision to desert, makes Rudolf Bilgeri's story a fascinating and important addition to the annals of World War II history.
