A Lost Macedonian Ecosystem: The Land Reclamation and Politicisation of the Philippi Marshes in Interwar Greece

Abstract

The article focuses on the land reclamation of the Philippi Marshes in eastern Greek Macedonia during the interwar period, in order to demonstrate the political implications of hydraulic engineering projects. It is argued that the land reclamation was not simply a technical project, but a tool for the Greek state to extend its grip across its northern frontiers and impose land management policies that aligned with its political goals. The article is divided into three parts. The first reconstructs the ecosystem and the interaction between the adjacent communities and the marshland. The second gives the historical context for the reclamation, and the third speculates on the course of the state’s land-management policies, hypothesising that these were an attempt to appease the radicalised communist and socialist threat in the area. The article adds to recent historiography exploring the dimensions involved in grand technical works and the role of technocrats in serving political agendas.