THE STATUS OF BANITSA AFTER THE CIVIL WAR

THE STATUS OF BANITSA AFTER THE CIVIL WAR

Banitsa after the Civil War

The Macedonians who stayed after the maelstrom of the monarcho-fascists were still yet to face new ordeals, court procedures and exile to the uninhabited islands of death in the Aegean Sea. There they were asked to repent and renounce the ideals of the CPG, EAM and NOF, and to promise that in the future they would be loyal citizens and defend the achievements of the monarcho-fascist government.

The people were unable to repair the devastated villages and houses on their own. There was no help of any kind from the government and thus began a state of general famine and disease among the people. People started to migrate in massive numbers to overseas countriessuchas theUSA, CanadaandAustralia, withasmaller number going to western Europe.

The village of Banitsa, except for the 150 families who moved to Yugoslavia, saw a large-scale migration of thousands of people to CanadaandAustralia,andfrom1950to1953thevillagealmostemptied out.Only a fewfamiliesfromthe youngergeneration remained.The rest of the population was of the generation of those over 60 years old, and either did not want to leave their homeland or had nowhere to go, so they reconciled with their destiny and remained settled there.

Theprosecutionsandcourttrialsagainstthe people ofBanitsa were always exceptionally bitter and cruel.

Every fifth house was closed up and left to the ravages of time, and after a few years, these abandoned houses completely fell apart. Only ruins covered with grass and bushes could be seen of many of the houses.

DAG’s Soldiers Evacuated to East European Socialist Countries

The following people retreated from DAG’s units, first to the People’s Socialist Republic of Albania and later to the East European countries:

To USSR Lefter Olevski—later returned to Yugoslavia Gjorgi Zigomanov—returned to Yugoslavia Tane Gjergev—died in USSR Sokrati Tane Gjergev—stayed in the USSR and later went to Canada Lazo Nove—returned home to Greece Lazo Kalpakov—returned to Yugoslavia Vancho Giche Katin—died in the USSR Todor Risto Malinov—left for Canada Lazo Ricalov—died in a car accident in USSR Stojche Gjenev—drowned taking a swim in a river in USSR Ilo Gjenev—returned to Yugoslavia Fana Shisherova—returned to Yugoslavia Natse Janchev—returned to Yugoslavia Slave Dzogov—returned to Yugoslavia Andra Oleva—returned to Yugoslavia Nuna Jovcheva—returned to Yugoslavia Pando Tanev—went to Canada Gligor Kjosev—returned to Yugoslavia

Lena Gligor Kjoseva—returned to Yugoslavia Lenche Mitse Mangova—returned to her birth place in Greece

People’s Republic of Poland Metodi Apchev—returned to Macedonia Dine Ushkata—returned to Macedonia Dine Minchev—returned to the birth place, Aegean Macedonia Kiro Dzugomanov—returned to Macedonia Pande Dzugomanov—returned to Macedonia Gjorgi Dajkov—returned to Macedonia Tase Nedelkov—went to Canada Vangel Kujchev—died in Poland Marina Kujcheva—returned to Macedonia with her children Kole, Trifko, Gjorgi and Hrisula Tashko Vangel Kujchev—lives in Poland Vena Mitse Nedelkova—went to Canada Metodi Vasev—returned to Macedonia Marika Popova—returned to Aegean Macedonia Lazo Vasev—returned to Macedonia Metodi Katronov—died in Poland Ilo Filip Mangov—returned to Macedonia Slave Kostov—returned to Macedonia Pando Slave Kostov—returned to Macedonia Dika Trende Malinova—returned to Macedonia Gjorgi Olev—lives in Poland Tashko Dore Malinov—returned to Macedonia

People’s Republic of Romania Kitse Filip Kochev—went to Bulgaria Atanas Dore Malinov—returned to Macedonia

Republic of Czechoslovakia Todor Natse Kochevski-Viktor—returned to Macedonia Nune Abov—returned to Macedonia Slava Kocheva—returned to Macedonia Mitse Velikin—remained in Czechoslovakia with his family and wife, Sofika Boris Abov—remained in Czechoslovakia Boris Ilo Sariev—remained in Czechoslovakia Risto Vasev—went to Bulgaria

Republic of Hungary Kocho Hrisafov—returned to Macedonia

Republic of Bulgaria Kocho Jovcev—remained in Bulgaria Dine Toshov—remained in Bulgaria Tashko Altin—remained in Bulgaria

DAG soldiers who managed to avoid the retreat to Albania and went over to Yugoslavia are the following: Vangel Zabrtski, Stojche Gjenev, Mitse Laev, Trendo Malinov, Lazo Abov, Kine Janev-Paparusev, Blazhe Nedelkov and Metodi Gaskov (Mangov).

Other DAG soldiers, after a long time hiding in the mountains, returned to their homes in Banitsa.

Reunions Organized in Banitsa

Over200familieswholivedinmanydifferenttownsinMacedonia met for the first time on 9 June 1974 and organized a reunion in Banitsa.

People from Banitsa who lived in the countries across the oceans were also invited. A report about the participation in NOF and the Civil War in Greece, as well as the reconstruction of the country was made. The reunion has become a tradition.

Repatriation of the People of Banitsa from the East European Countries

After signing the Belgrade Declaration between Yugoslavia and Russia in 1956, the road was paved for the Macedonians from Aegean Macedonia to return to Macedonia under the leadership of the CPG. All our Macedonians started a process to bring back the other members of their families to the Republic of Macedonia. The first group arrived in 1956 from Tashkent, in the USSR, almost all of them veteran fighters. The rest of the soldiers started to arrive from the other European Countries.

Lefter Olevski’s Remembrance about the Transport from Albania to USSR

They put us on freighters in the ports in Albania and we passed through the Mediterranean and Bosporus. We arrived at a port in the USSR, then by train we arrived in Tashkent where they put us in camps maintaining organized army formations as part of DAG. After a quarantine of fifteen days, we started working in factories arranged in a unit or a company. We returned back home in the same manner.

Each worker gave half of one’s earnings for the needs of the CPG and the functionaries who did not work. The soldiers of Greek origin were sent to military and political schools, while the Macedonians did not have that privilege. They gained qualifications with practical work at their jobs. The soldier Ilo Gjenev enrolled on his own initiative and qualified as a mechanical engineer. There was a split within the ranks of the CPG after the 20th congress of the Communist Party of USSR in

1955, when the CPG’s politburo did not accept the decisions of the USSR and sided with China and Albania, on the positions of Stalinism. There were also bloody clashes between DAG fighters.

The Macedonian soldiers asked for immediate repatriation to Yugoslavia and sought help from the consulate.

After their return, they joined their families or were situated in places where they were given a job according to their qualifications received in the USSR. In Macedonia they were closer to their hometowns and after the liberalization of Greece, they began to visit their villages again.

The tribulations of the Macedonians of Aegean Macedonia continue to this day.

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