The geography of a narrow canyon
The name of the town of Këlcyrë comes from “Klisura”, meaning “narrow canyon”. Këlcyrë sits in a strategic position between the Trebeshinë and Nemërçkë mountains, near the Vjosa. The gorge was created by the river Vjosë and lies west of the town, at approximately 40°17′51″N 20°9′54″E, in Gjirokastër County.
A narrow canyon between two mountain ranges is naturally a point armies fight over to control passage. For the terrain and local geography, see the gorge article and the history page.
The battle of January 1941
The Italian offensive against Greece began on 28 October 1940. The Greek counteroffensive began on 9 November 1940, shifting the front into the mountainous terrain of southern Albania.
The Capture of Klisura Pass took place 6–11 January 1941, during the Greco-Italian War, and is described as one of the most important Greek victories of that war. Greek forces involved were the 1st, 11th, and 7th “Cretan” Infantry Divisions; the principal Italian formation opposing them was the 3rd Alpine “Julia” Division.
The military cemetery in the pass
A Greek military cemetery for the fallen is located within the pass. The National Tourism Agency lists it among the area’s attractions as the World War II Military Cemetery. The memory of the fallen stands in the landscape with the restraint a war grave demands.
The Peshtan bridge, undated
A former piece in this journal described the suspension bridge at Peshtan and its role in the war. When we checked the sources, we found no official document dating the bridge or connecting it to the 1941 events. So this piece mentions it only as it is: a place that circulates in local memory, undocumented in the literature we check. If anyone holds a document about the bridge, this portal’s public corrections channel, once open, is the place to bring it.
Questions that recur
When did the Capture of Klisura Pass take place?
From 6 to 11 January 1941, during the Greco-Italian War in southern Albania, after the Greek counteroffensive began on 9 November 1940.
Which forces fought?
Greek forces involved were the 1st, 11th, and 7th “Cretan” Infantry Divisions; the principal Italian formation was the 3rd Alpine “Julia” Division. The engagement is described as one of the most important Greek victories of that war.
Is there a memorial site in the pass today?
Yes. A Greek military cemetery for the fallen is located within the pass, and the National Tourism Agency lists it as the World War II Military Cemetery.