This book examines the mechanisms behind the emergence of a Greek national symbol in the region of Macedonia, specifically that of Doxato in Drama, during the period from the Balkan Wars to the day after World War II.

During this time, Eastern Macedonia experienced three Bulgarian occupations (1912-13, 1916-18, 1941-44), during which Doxato repeatedly paid a heavy toll in blood.

The central interpretive axis of the book is the emphasis that, while the conflicts were broader (Balkan and World Wars), “hidden” within them were phases of the historical phenomenon described by the term "Macedonian issue." Within the large international conflicts, the Macedonian issue tended to resurface, creating its own tremendous pressures—local, national, and regional.

Thus, by analyzing the process of formation of perceptions at the national level, the book also attempts to capture aspects of the experience of the average person in Eastern Macedonia – a story that has not been told until now, at least to the extent it deserves.