FROM THE POETIC WORKS OF ATANAS KATINOVSKI

FROM THE POETIC WORKS OF ATANAS KATINOVSKI

The young miner Atanas Katinovski-Goche wrote his poems about the difficult life he had in the coalmines, poems that he wrote in the evening hours under a kerosene lamp.

Coalminers

Dear miners around the world Brothers, rise up against the adder That merciless bloodthirsty tyrant With the vigour of youth and steaming sweat Show your strength!

Coalminers, march forward with raised hands Sorrow in our burning hearts Pale faces, disease creeping in to our soul Who can endure that pitiful fate Let our troubles stop.

Coalminers, all line up to Break the heavy chains No more hungry mouths No more poor people No more miserable lives.

Coalminers stand up Our hot sweat they use Our bodies are withered by disease Our strength is torn out Our days go by in darkness.

Coalminers bravely rise up Against the adders that poison our lives Gathering riches for themselves And drain our souls mercilessly Martyrs, with all our strength go forth Let freedom be forever ours.

In honour of my friend and comrade Dimko who died heroically, I wrote this poem:

Epitaph

Oh mother dear, oh dear parents, Look what time I have chosen To be killed on the battlefield, Now when the grass is growing Now when the trees blossom, The violets spread their scent.

Oh, my sister, my friend and comrade. Look what a time I chose To fall for our freedom Now when the mountain flowers are blooming All of nature is awakening The roses are blooming and spreading their scent.

Oh, beloved fiancée of mine, Look what a time I have chosen To fall in an unequal battle Now when the snow is melting When nice dew falls all day long and flowers of the meadows are spreading their scent.

Oh, mother, sister, beloved fiancée of mine, Don’t cry for me and my youth, Don’t you shed your tears Tell my faithful friends I have fallen for my people’s freedom For the freedom of Mother Macedonia.

Dedicated to Pavle Pavlev:

Message

Spring, beautiful quiet evening A full moon on the evening sky Lights the earthly path, While partisan Goche makes haste towards Banitsa.

My dearest quiet village Fallen in a deep sleep Do the villagers dream of their troubles or fields of golden grain.

Even dogs keep quiet in their sleep Nobody walking in the streets All of a sudden a knocking is heard, A gate opens squeaking. What might it be, what message might be, Before the rooster crows Before the dog barks A message is brought into the house of Pavle.

Did something happen Did someone look for help Or is someone is coming from a distance And to bring us a good message.

Partisan standing at the gate Carrying a gun on his shoulder Ammunition on his belt, Starred hat on his head.

Dark clouds came along Dark, bloody clouds My voice, weird and sad Why a voice like this.

Where do these bloody clouds come from From Vicho mountain, the village of Prokopana The bloody battlefield Where a battle was waged all day.

All of a sudden a shrill cry was heard Still silence spread in Banitsa A message was bought to Pavle’s family Pavle Pavlev-Dimko was lost.

On a spring day Dimko was killed Fighting bloody tyrants Germans and traitors Fighting for justice and freedom. Oh, mother please don’t cry, Don’t you shed bloody tears When it was you who gave birth to a son like this Who gave his life for Macedonia.

I recited this poem for Lazo Kochev, extraordinary soldier:

Miner

Comrade, you were born in difficult times You have spent a restless childhood, Your mother’s eyes were always Filled with unshed tears You could always feel Her unbearable motherly sadness.

Comrade, born you were to be a slave To toil in the mines of Banitsa The deserted barren hills Hide in their slopes Twisted layers of coal To spend your strength digging the underground.

Comrade, born you were to lead To lead your comrade miners To lead a fight for human justice For freedom and justice for your own people To set free from the chains of labour To raise the flag of freedom for eternity.

Comrade, from the mines of Banitsa Tired miners, sick and old Exhausted they return to their homes Youth and health we all lost We worked until we lost all our strength, The others reaped the fruits of our toil.

Comrade, you grew up as a miner You fought as a conscious labourer In the first bloody battle lines You led a faithful Macedonian people To fight bloody fascists For holy freedom of the people.

Comrade, your fight has been stopped By domestic traitors and Bulgarian fascists. Into dark dungeons in Bitola they threw you The whip lashes your naked back Strong and firm as a rock, great miner You feel a bloody unbearable pain.

Comrade, you stare at the filthy ceiling With a hateful look and dimmed anger No, you cannot break me And put me under your fascist yoke Souless barbarians, angry beasts.

Comrade, the night passes by slowly For those who love the dawn and the light of the day With much suffering and bloody pains With thoughts far away in the comfortable warm homes You knew what was waiting as soon as it dawns You did not beg for mercy, nor for help nor salvation.

Comrade, you stand firm before the trial As our Great Stone, Rock and Mountain. With your eyes wide open at your execution The great do not know of this human injustice The judges decide according to their own will Do not ask if you are right or wrong But freedom was your sentence.

Comrade, your tormentors were unhappy They felt bitter in their hearts You could see the hatred in their eyes Did not want to set you free They wish you death without hiding And make plans how to do so.

Comrade, as soon as the sun rose Bulgarian executioners put you in a car From the warm house of your friend The fascists cross the border lawlessly In a green dewy meadow Beastly they shoot you in the back.

Comrade, in Banitsa, Lerin, in your home The terrible news spread quickly Lazo Kochev was killed by the terrible fascists Oh, people stand in silence for your comrade He died for freedom and justice for his people For freedom of Mother Macedonia.

My poem for Olev Leko Natse:

Commemoration

A dark fog set over Ajtos A band of partisans went into battle To oppose domestic traitors To wave the flag for freedom and justice.

A dark fog set over Ajtos A band of partisans went into battle After a dark rainy night, a whisper is heard From person to person a message is carried.

A dark fog set over Ajtos A band of partisans went into battle The brave warrior Natse Olin has fallen For freedom and social justice

A dark fog set over Ajtos A band of partisans went into battle Silence, silence my brothers and sisters Commend your faithful comrade.

A dark fog set over Ajtos A band of partisans went into battle Banitsa was in great sorrow and pain They commemorate him, may he have eternal glory.

I, Atanas Katinovski-Goche, to encourage the younger generation to follow in the footsteps of this fighter, I wrote a poem about my comrade Dine Robev:

Requiem

Silence, silence, my brothers of Banitsa Villagers, old and young, stop for a moment, Let us commemorate our comrade, Today in a heroic battle, Dine Robev, our dear sweet warrior Died for the freedom of Macedonia.

Silence, silence, my brothers of Banitsa Villagers, old and young, stop for a moment, Brutal enemies carry the body Through the streets of Lerin They drag it on the ground To frighten those who fight for freedom, To extinguish the struggle of the people.

My brothers of Banitsa, close ranks, Strike the tyrant, our executioner Sanctify our Dine Robev and all others of the town who have fallen Fifty or more in number In the struggle for a free Macedonia.

A song by the author about the battle:

A Decisive Battle

The battle is fought up at Kulata A decisive battle is fought for life and death Deafening noise and thunder can be heard on all sides From Besfina to German, all of Prespa thunders Low flying fighter jets Everywhere in the field and in the village human death is sown.

The battle is fought up at Kulata A decisive battle is fought for life and death Heroes on the battlefield fight bravely Thunder, machine guns, bombs fall silent, Only bayonets, sabres and swords shine, The howls of men are heard on all sides.

The battle is fought up at Kulata A decisive battle is fought for life and death Partisans are attacking in the last hope Eight hundred partisan heroes are killed They laid down their young lives For the freedom of their people.

A poem by the author:

Gramos

Heroes famous for fierce battles are getting ready On the heights of glorious Gramos Mountain Where the red flag flies freely.

Glorious heroes, close your ranks! Get to Gramos, our legendary fortress Defend this land soaked in sweat and blood.

Glorious heroes lead a fierce battle, one against ten An unequal bloody struggle is waged day and night The last blow is given to the monarcho-fascists.

Glorious heroes, and heavily wounded partisans Glorious heroes, partisans seriously wounded and cripples rush to get weapons and join the fight as quickly as possible.

Glorious heroes selflessly fight Their young lives, they give in battle For the freedom of their subjugated people

The monarcho-fascists attack bloodthirstily For other people’s interests are countless numbers are killed on the battlefield Every captured or wounded partisan is shot

The glorious heroes, exhausted, barefoot and hungry, With the battle of glorious Vicho and Gramos The epic of the famous partisans ends.

They could not withstand the onslaught of the wretched tyrants The river Bistrica flowed with blood. Glorious heroes, in battle order they retreat

They leave their last strongholds, They leave behind many of their loved ones, They bring wounded and sick partisans with them.

Exhausted heroes, barefoot and hungry, For the tragedy of glorious Gramos Mountain It is not your fault.

Glorious heroes of Vicho and Gramos Mountains Against you, fought the imperialist forces and domestic traitors like a bloody scum. Glorious heroes of Vicho and Gramos Mountains

Unite your fighting ranks Keep your brotherhood alive abroad The cursed monarcho-fascism must fall In our country a free flag will be flown again.

An overview of those expelled from Banitsa

1. Jane Sariev with the family: wife Lena, son Mile and daughters Niki and Violeta

2. Lazo Malinov-Kapitan

3. Sotir Gaskov

4. Kole Veljanov

5. Gligor Popdimitrov

6. Dore Malinov with family: wife Fima, sons Tashko and Atanas and daughter Trijada

7. Kocho Malinov

8. Blazhe Mangov

9. Mitse Laev with family: wife Menka, son Lefter and daughter Rina

10. Blazhe Toshev with family: wife Frosa, sons Gjorgi and Lecko

11. Kitse Dzogov with his family: wife Tsila, daughters Kalipsa, Frosa, Menka and Vangelitsa

12. Ana Mangova with her daughters: Vasilka, Roza, Kiki, Menka and Tina

13. Lefter Olevski with his family: wife Ljuba, daughter Tula, son Kole and mother Petra

14. Ruse Dzugomanov with his family: wife Sofika Dzugomanova, son Petse, daughter Mare

15. Pando Kujchev with his family: wife Prona, son Leko and daughters Marika and Avgula

16. Dine Toshev with his family: wife Lena, daughter Niki

17. Ilo Dajkov, Ilindenets with his family: wife Bitolka, son Kole, daughters Kalipsa and Tona—wife of Lazo Malinov

18. Dine Kirovski

19. Kole Malinov with his family: daughter Menka, son Pando

with his wife Mitra and their children: son Mile and daughters Niki, Efrula and Nadezhda

20. Mitse Malinov with his family: wife Dola, daughters Lenka and Sika, sons Lambo and Mihali

21. Tsile Hrisafov with his family: wife Kitsa, sons Leko and Hristaki and daughters Fima and Erfi

22. Lazo Malinov

23. Atanas Babulovski

24. Petse Vragov

25. Tane Malinov

26. Gire Janin

27. Gjorgi Kalpakov

28. State Boglev

29. Boris Malinov

30. Filip Pavlev with the family: wife Tanka and son Stojan

31. Gire Babulov with the daughter Kalipsa

32. Mitse Marikin

33. Stefo Dzugomanov

34. Marika Janeva wife of Kine Janev with the family: daughters Lenche, Stefka and Trijada and sons Bule and Vasko

35. Tsile Dzugomanov—went over to DAG 1948

36. Gjorgi Trendo Malinov—escaped DAG 1948

37. Gjorgi Metodi Apchev

38. Janko Tane Malinov

39. Kata Boris Hrisafova

40. Mile Blazhe Tasev

41. Dinka Abova, wife of Lazo Abov with the family: son Pando and daughter Trijada

42. Lazo Popdimitrov after 15 years of prison in the Greek Islands, came to Yugoslavia in 1972

43. Boris Hrisafov with wife Ana

44. Spiro Dzugomanov

45. Slave Dzugomanov

All in all, 112 people

People from Banitsa who left Yugoslavia and went to Canada, Australia or returned to Greece

Canada

1. Metodi Gaskov with his family: wife Evda, daughters Lena and Marika, sons Lazo and Kocho

2. Lazo Malinov

3. Blazhe Ricalov

4. Janko Mitse Pechinov

5. Blazhe Natse Mangov with the family: wife Proshka, son Kole and daughter

Australia

1. Lazo Metodi Gaskov

2. Tane Malinov with the family: wife Levena, sons Janko and Gjorgi

3. Avgula State Boglev

4. Pande Kujchev with his family: wife Prona, son Leko and daughters Marika and Avgula

Greece

1. Stefo Dzugomanov

2. Mitse Marikin

Overview of fighters killed in NOF-ELAS and the civil war in Greece - DAG (1941–1949)

1. Pavle Leko Pavlev-Dimko

2. Natse Leko Olev

3. Mihail Tanas Harishi

4. Andon Tanas Harishi

5. Dine Trifun Robev

6. Boris Lazo Dimanin

7. Lazo Gjorgi Rapov

8. Gjorgi Stefo Abov

9. Vangel Ziko

10. Blazhe Marko Pendzov

11. Kocho Vasil Janin

12. Gjorgi Kole Nichov

13. Vangel Ilo Nedelkov

14. Lazo Vasil Lakov

15. Goche Pande Velikin

16. Tane Gele Jovchev

17. Mitse Filip Nedelkov

18. Blazhe Lazo Tasev

19. Stojan Vasil Robev

20. Ilo Natse Mangov

21. Kole Lazo Malinov

22. Dino Nune Tanev

23. Lazo Boris Genev

24. Petse Pando Malinov

25. Dine Lazo Dimanin

26. Leko Mitse Nichov

27. Lazo Tane Gjergev

28. Lazo Blazhe Kirev

29. Tane Petse Pavlev

30. Pavle Filip Mangov

31. Makile Dine Pavlev

32. Fana Dine Robeva

33. Kitse Apche Apchev

34. Boris Tase Olev

35. Vangel Metodi Apchev

36. Blazhe Metodi Katronov

37. Lazo Ilo Dafov

Overview of the victims of fascism and monarcho-fascist regime

1. Pavle Filip Kochev

2. Dine Vasil Lakov

3. Mijale Pechinov

4. Kotse Veshov

5. Zafe Lambo Abov

6. Menka Mitse Ziskova

7. Vasil-Tsile Gligor Kalpakov

8. Lazo Kole Kochev

9. Dore Mitse Janin

10. Pavle Kitse Apchev

11. Mire Mitse Babulov

12. Gire Mitse Gaskov

13. Kitse Minde Janchev

14. Dore Vasil Malinov

15. Filip Nedelkov

16. Ilo Janin PopRusev

17. Natse Vasev-Tsarot

18. Ilo Janin Poprusev

19. Natse Vasev-Tsarot

Overview of people from Banitsa who were killed in the Greco-Turkish War 1919–1922

1. Metodi Petre Malinov

2. Dimitar N. Lumanov

3. Lazo Leko Boglev

4. Stefo Tego Lumanov

5. Metodi Dafo Dzugomanov

6. Gligor Filip Pechinov

7. Marko Dzole Pendzov

8. Trajan G. Nichev

9. Gele Kochev (another Gele Kochev)

10. Harishi Kole Lumanov

11. Mitse Stefo Dukov

12. Vasil Dzugomanov

13. Stavre F. Vasev

14. Naum P. Pendzov

15. Fote Dine Malinov

16. Sande Shisharev

17. Pande Leko Kurtov

18. Gjorgi Natse Pechinov

19. Tase Filip Popov

20. Pande Vasev

Overview of people from Banitsa who were killed in the Ilinden Epic 1892–1913

1. Natse Dzole Katin—district vojvoda

2. Dzole Stojche Gjergev—district vojvoda

3. Risto Peo Jovchev—vojvoda

4. Komiti: Gele Alushov, Natse Kurtov, Mitse Sariev, Kire Kachorov, State Stojan Tashev, Filip Shisharev, Risto Jovchev, Done Pavlev, Gjorgi Dzorlev, Dine Nichov, Dzole Dzugomanov, Dine Ruse Pendzov

List of people who broke the oath given to IMRO, and because of collaboration with the Turkish Army and the Greek andartes, were accused and punished with death by the revolutionary organization

Gele Kire Nichov, Trajko Kurtov, Jane Kochev, Father Jovan Dajkov, Trifun Kolerov and Kire Kochev.

Overview of soldiers from the First Macedonian National Liberation Assault Brigade as part of YNA, who after the demobilization stayed in Yugoslavia

1. Atanas Lazar Katinovski-Goche—the author 2. Blazhe Dajkov 3. Kirche Malinov 4. Lazo Rapov 5. Ruse Dzugomanov

6. Dine Toshev, left for Bulkes and then to Bulgaria in 1948 7. Tashko Olev 8. Pavle Dajkov

9. Stojan Katronov 10. Blazhe Toshev 11. Trifo Malinov 12. Stojan Kitse Dzogov—left Macedonia in 1972 and went to Canada

13. Dimitar Kochevski

14. Pandora Kochevska—wife of Dimitar Kochevski