Founding of Ohrana and collaboration with the Italian and the German occupation forces Andon Kalchev

in 1942, bulgarian club asked assistance german high command in organizing armed units among bulgarian population in northern greece. purpose, bulgarian army, under approval of german forces in balkans sent handful of officers zones occupied italian , german troops attached occupying forces liaison officers . 1 of them kalchev. these officers given objective form armed bulgarian militias. bulgaria interested in acquiring zones under italian , german occupation , hopped sway allegiance of 80,000 slavs lived there @ time.

the appearance of greek partisans in areas persuaded italians allow formation of these detachments. bulgarian plan organize these slavs militarily in hope bulgaria assume administration there. appearance of greek partisans in western macedonia persuaded italian , german authorities allow formation of slav security battalions led bulgarian officers. initial detachments formed in 1943 in district of kastoria andon kalchev support of head of italian occupation authorities in kastoria lieutenant ravalli, armed local villages combat growing resistance activity elas.

the name given armed militias ohrana (bulgarian: Охрана - protection in bulgarian). reasons of locals taking arms varied. of men pre-war members of imro, , harbored deep bulgarian convictions, assist in self-defense of greek attacks, others due pro-nazi sentiments, avenge repressions inflicted on them greek authorities during metaxas dictatorship, , many others defend attacks other greek resistance movements, saw them collaborationists italian, bulgarian , german forces. in summer of 1944, ohrana constituted 12,000 local fighters , volunteers bulgaria charged protection of local population.

during 1944, whole called greeks bulgarophone (now slavophone) villages armed occupation authorities counterbalance emerging power of resistance , of greek people s liberation army (elas). on 5 april 1944, rebel group eam-elas attacked german convoy of lorries killing 25 soldiers. germans later in afternoon, arrived gathered men, women, children , elders of village , executed between 233 , 300 people.

after war, kalchev accused of having participated in atrocities in town of kleisoura known massacre of kleisoura bulgarian men of german militia.