PETRE TANUROV-DONE (1915-1948) - Part 01

PETRE TANUROV-DONE (1915-1948)

Greek nationalists and chauvinists who managed to infiltrate leading positions in the CPG and DAG secretly worked against the Macedonian national liberation movement. They hindered the advancement of Macedonian leaders in DAG and even went as far as physically liquidating them. Petre Tanurov-Done was a victim of such practices. 571 After many years of sacrifice and dedication to the struggle, in both the ranks of ELAS and DAG, Petre was found guilty of “despondency” and in July 1948 was liquidated by order of DAG General Staff.

Petre Tanurov-Done was born in 1915, in the village Baovo (Bahovo), Meglen Region, to a farming family. After he finished primary school he helped his parents on the farm.

In 1935, during his military service in Athens, Petre very quickly became acquainted with members of the CPG. 572 After completing his military service, Petre returned to his native village and, as a member of the Party, immediately connected himself to the then newly formed basic CPG cell in the city S’botsko where he operated until fascist Italy attacked Greece. 573

During the triple occupation, like many other Macedonians from his native village, Petre joined the struggle against the occupiers with vigour and great enthusiasm and because of this in 1942 he was appointed secretary of the CPG cell in his own village. 574

In the spring of 1943, partisan sabotage groups were being created in the city Voden and in Voden Region, which were tasked with

571 For more information on Petre Tanurov-Done’s revolutionary activities see Tashko Mamurovski, “Petre Tanurov-Done, a fighter in the National Liberation War and DAG” (Attachment to his biography). INI Gazette, Skopje, 1980, XXIV, no. 1, pp. 221-228. 572 According to the recollections of Nikola Tanurov from the village Baovo, Meglen Region. Nikola was a participant in the National Liberation War and in DAG. 573 Vangel Tanurov, Petre Tanurov-Done and the people of Baovo. Voice of the Aegeans, Skopje, 1952, July 2, III, no. 24. 574 Ibid. carrying out uninterrupted attacks against the occupiers and domestic traitors.

In late December 1943, ELAS partisan units ambushed a German convoy of several trucks on the main road leading from S’botsko to Voden, near the village Lukovets. During the ambush 2 trucks were destroyed and several Germans were killed. 575 A group of Macedonians from the villages Baovo and Tsrneshevo, led by Petre Tanurov, also took part in the ambush.

On January 6, 1944, ELAS units attacked the town S’botsko. Twenty five German soldiers, a major and his aide were killed and ten were wounded during the fierce battle. Of the ten wounded four died. On the ELAS side one was killed and one wounded. 576 Petre Tanurov also fought in that battle.

After the three-hour battle was over, the ELAS units withdrew in the direction of the villages Sarakinovo and Dolno and Gorno Rodivo. The ELAS reservists including Petre Tanurov’s group were sent home by ELAS Command. The Germans didn’t forget their tragic loss for a long time.

In mid-January 1944, the German occupiers organized a major offensive to clear the ground of partisan units in the Paiak-Kaimakchalan sector. On January 18, 1944, a German force of about 6,000 troops flooded the entire Meglen Valley. At the same time, their spies informed them that the people from Baovo had taken part in the S’botsko attack. 577 A short time later the occupiers blockaded the village Baovo and went from house to house searching for those who had taken part in the attack on S’botsko. With help from two or three traitors, the Germans gathered all the men between the ages 18 and 60 in the village square and, using a pre-prepared list, called on the most active people to separate themselves from the others. The spies who helped the Germans were Palikaras, Giorgi Poshinov and

575 Ibid. 576 Hristo Andonovski, Macedonians under Greece in the fight against fascism (1940-1944). INI, Skopje, 1968, pp. 136-137. 577 Vangel Tanurov, Petre Tanurov-Done and the people of Baovo... Also see Hristo Andonovski, the Macedonians under Greece in the struggle against fascism ... pp. 135 and 137. Ianis Avramidis. The Germans arrested 23 people from Baovo - all members of the ELAS reserves. Three were shot outside S’botsko on January 20, 1944. The other 20 were taken to the Pavlos Melas concentration camp in Solun where 10 were executed. Four were sent to labour camps in Germany and one who was seriously ill remained in the Pavlos Melas prison hospital. He was soon executed. Of the four villagers sent to work in Germany, two died in the Dachau prison camp. 578

In the summer of 1944, when the Voden Macedonian Battalion was being created on Mount Kaimakchalan, Petre Tanurov was among the first from his village to voluntarily join and distinguish himself with his courage and military skill. In August 1944, an unforgettable moment in time, Petre Tanurov led a group of about 150 fighters, most of them from his village Baovo, to voluntarily join the ranks of the Macedonian battalion. 579

The first unit belonging to the Voden Macedonian Battalion was created in the village Gorno Rodivo. Petre Tanurov-Done was appointed to lead it with Perikli Iovchev from Voden as its Political Commissar. The unit was well-trained in a very short time and began to carry out a successful campaign against the German fascist occupiers and Greek nationalist gangs - collaborators of the occupier. But immediately after it was put in service, Greek command of the ELAS X Division, which was suspicious of the battalion’s fast growth, sent the unit to Mount Paiak under the command of the ELAS 30th Regiment. That is how Petre Tanurov found himself on Mount Paiak. 580

One of the fiercest battles in which Petre Tanurov’s unit took part was the battle of Stara Pella, Enidzhe-Vardar Region, at the beginning of October 1944, where the Germans received heavy casualties with 150 dead and many wounded. After this battle the

578 Ibid. 579 Vangel Tanurov, Petre Tanurov-Done and the people of Baovo... 580 Pavle Rakovski, In the deep night dawn is born (memories, thoughts, knowledge). Skopje, 1976, pp. 29-30. Kept in INI. fighters of the first Macedonian unit were dressed in German military uniforms and equipped with German heavy weapons. 581

A few days later, the same ELAS force in which Petre Tanurov’s unit was included carried out a fierce attack on the town Plasnichevo, Enidzhe-Vardar Region, during which the entire collaborationist unit was shattered. The partisans captured about 400 collaborationists - members of the fascist organization PAO. 582

Due to the negative attitude of the Greek CPG and ELAS leaderships towards the Macedonian national question, and before ELAS Command had a chance to disband the Macedonian Voden Battalion stationed on Mount Kaimakchalan, a large number of Macedonian partisans from the Voden Battalion abandoned ELAS in October 1944 and crossed over the border into the Republic of Macedonia. But even if the Voden Macedonian Battalion managed to escape being disbanded, Petre Tanurov’s unit didn’t. A few days later on October 28, 1944, under special orders, the ELAS X Division Headquarters disbanded the Macedonian unit. 583 A little later, Petre Tanurov and a group of Macedonians, whom he trusted, secretly crossed into the Republic of Macedonia where he immediately joined the ranks of the First Aegean Strike Brigade exclusively made up of Macedonians from Greek occupied Macedonia.

In May 1945, after the First Aegean Strike Brigade was disbanded, Petre voluntarily returned to his homeland to fight against the new, unpopular Greek authorities who came to power with British help right after the German, Bulgarian and Italian occupiers were driven out.

The moment it took power in Greece, the new Greek regime began to terrorize the democratic population, particularly the Macedonians, especially those who fought in ELAS. In order to protect them, a new Macedonian liberation NOF was created in the Republic of Macedonia and sent to the Aegean part of Macedonia. NOF formed

581 Vangel Tanurov, Petre Tanurov-Done and the people of Baovo... Also according to the recollections of Nikola Tanurov... 582 Ibid. 583 Pavle Rakovski, In the deep night dawn is born..., p. 33. 237 its own armed groups in the Kostur, Lerin, Voden, Gumendze and Enidzhe-Vardar Regions. NOF’s headquarters for Voden Region was located on Mount Kaimakchalan and one of the most prominent fighters in its ranks was Petre Tanurov-Done. 584

The NOF detachment in Voden Region, which later grew into a battalion, was divided into three groups. The first group, which included the detachment’s headquarters, held the Kaimakchalan sector, the second group, led by Petre Tanurov, maintained the Mount Kozhuf sector around the Baovo area and the third group maintained the Mount Karakamen sector.

At the end of November 1946, after NOF and the CPG agreed to form joint partisan forces, DAG detachments began to appear on the territory of Aegean Macedonia. Petre Tanurov was appointed commander of the so-called DAG 5th neutral unit and, immediately afterwards, together with the other DAG units, was dispatched to Mounts Karakamen, Pieria and Olympus where he fought fierce battles against the enemy.

In January 1947, after returning to Voden Region, Petre’s unit attacked the villages Severni, Nivor, Kapiniani, Rudino and Ostrovo. Petre demonstrated bravery and great heroism in these battles also. 585

In February 1947, several DAG units, including Petre Tanurov’s unit, were moved from Mount Kaimakchalan to Mount Karakamen. But due to strong pressure from the enemy, the DAG units were forced to retreat to the Pionia locality in Karakamen. From there they crossed the river Bistritsa and moved to Mount Pieria in Kozheni Region. Petre Tanurov and his unit remained on Mount Karakamen to disorient the enemy and protect the units crossing the river. After successfully completing this task, Petre returned to Kaimakchalan. 586

Due to strong pressure exerted by the enemy, the DAG partisan units stationed on Mount Pieria were forced to move to

584 Vangel Aianovski-Oche, Aegean Storms..., pp. 181-182. 585 Vangel Tanurov, Petre Tanurov-Done and the people of Baovo... 586 According to the recollections of Nikola Tanurov... Kaimakchalan where they joined other DAG units and together attacked the villages Kosturiani and Ostrovo. Petre was wounded on the head during the battle for Ostrovo and was immediately taken to the Paiak-Kaimakchalan DAG Headquarters partisan hospital. 587

At the end of August 1947, Petre returned to his unit and was then transferred to the villages Setina and Popadia in Lerin Region.

At the end of September, 1947, Petre was transferred to the free territory in Prespa. In October 1947, he was moved from Prespa to Mount Gramos where he and his unit remained until July 1948 when he died.

During this period Petre’s unit fought bravely in the battles to capture the cities Metsovo and Konitsa. He then fought in the summer offensive organized by the enemy in 1948 on Mount Gramos.

In the beginning of July 1948, Petre received orders to defend the “Sveti Ilia” peak near the Gurushia locality on Mount Gramos. 588 Government forces aided by aviation and artillery kept attacking the “Sveti Ilia” peak for three days in a row. Petre’s unit fought fiercely and successfully repulsed the first enemy attack. But after the government regiments regrouped, the attack resumed for a second time. Petre sent a courier during this critical situation asking for help but no help arrived. Petre’s unit lost half of its composition and was no longer able to withstand the enemy pressure. At this point Petre concluded that all his fighters would be killed without achieving his goal as ordered. So he decided to retreat and save the lives of the remaining partisans. 589 Personally taking all responsibility for his actions, including all consequences that might result, Petre withdrew his unit. This withdrawal was the reason why DAG General Headquarters sentenced Petre Tanurov to death and then had him liquidated by shooting him.

587 Ibid. 588 According to the recollections of Kosta Tsironka from Voden. Kosta was commander of a company in the National Liberation War and fought in DAG. 589 Ibid. We don’t want to go into analyzing military regulations and we are far from thinking that Petre Tanurov was deliberately liquidated because he was a Macedonian even though this was confirmed by the shouts “Death, Death”! by a group of Greek DAG chauvinists who were told to do that while simultaneously protesting and condemning the DAG General Staff verdict of having Petre shot by honest fighters, who spared no effort for the success of the struggle. 590

It is well-known from military practice that sometimes, at critical moments, military leaders take harsh measures against any soldier who shows despair in combat and, to avoid that despair, violators of military discipline are severely punished (degraded, transferred to punitive battalions, etc.) But in this case, when DAG needed military personnel the most, the question arises: “Was the liquidation of military personnel for offenses similar to Petre Tanurov’s the best solution to raise the morale of the fighters, and whether the shooting of a valuable commander in the eyes of his comrades really raised fighter morale or did it act the other way around? And did Petre Tanurov’s entire dedication to the cause create doubt about his personal courage and loyalty to the ideals of freedom? Or by killing Petre Tanurov, or DAG brigade commander Georgi Ianoulis for that matter, did the architects of this conflict try to absolve themselves of their responsibility for the catastrophic defeat? And maybe someone thought because Petre Tanurov was Macedonian he fought primarily as a Macedonian?”

590 According to the recollections of Sido Kolichevski from the village Tsakoni, Kostur Region. Sido was a participant in the National Liberation War and in DAG. ILIA TSRNAKOV (1910-1947)

Ilia Tsrnakov was a prominent Macedonian revolutionary and activist from Lerin Region, born in 1910 in the village Patele to a poor farming family. After finishing primary school Ilia went to train as a blacksmith.

Ilia joined the revolutionary labour movement at age 16, first in the ranks OKNE, the youth organization and then in the ranks of the CPG. He was employed as a blacksmith in the town Sorovich where he joined the movement. The workshop where he worked often served as an outlet for illegal revolutionary activities. 591

During the Metaxas dictatorship, Ilia was repeatedly arrested, tortured and imprisoned by the Sorovich police but he never betrayed his like-minded associates. The torment and harassment made him fight harder. He never broke down. During the difficult times in the Metaxas dictatorship he worked tirelessly to expand and strengthen the shattered party core organizations, to preserve the CPG membership from further arrests, to raise the people’s revolutionary morale and so on. Because of his involvement he was later appointed secretary of the CPG cell in his village Patele. A little later he was appointed a member of the CPG Regional Committee for Sorovich, whose secretary was Mihali Klianev also from the village Patele. 592 Ilia Tsrnakov was determined to protect the Party organizations and their members from various attacks which were prevalent at the time. In general, the CPG in Sorovich District was only able to remain active during this difficult time because of Ilia Tsrnakov’s bravery and determination. He remained on duty until October 1940. Immediately after that he was mobilized into the Greek military and sent to the Albanian front to fight against the Fascist Italian aggressor.

After Greece was occupied by the German fascists, Ilia left the Albanian front and returned to his native village. As an experienced

591 G. Dishkov, Tsrnakov Ilia (Lazaridi). “For the holy national freedom...”, p. 293. 592 Recollections of Kosta Vragoterov from the village Patele, Lerin Region. For Kosta’s participation in the revolutionary movement in the period 1936-1949, see part I, p. 96. Kept in INI. revolutionary, he immediately began to organize and regroup the revolutionary forces, first in his own village and then in his district. From the very beginning Ilia and other like-minded individuals began to reorganize the existing party organizations and cells. Ilia took charge of the organization in the capacity of CPG District Committee second secretary for Sorovich. At the same time he served as acting secretary of the CPG cell in his native village. 593 Ilia Tsrnakov was also instrumental in making the necessary preparations for an armed struggle against the occupier and domestic traitors. In addition to that Ilia became involved in the struggle against the Bulgarian fascist propaganda in his village as well as in the surrounding area, which required political maturity and skill to successfully carry it out and with dignity.

In the summer of 1942, the CPG District Committee for Lerin Region appointed Ilia Tsrnakov a CPG instructor and sent him to tour the Sorovich District villages and prepare the people for the struggle against the occupier and domestic servants. 594 Ilia was also responsible for exposing much of the Bulgarian propaganda in the area.

As a prominent revolutionary and activist who was deeply involved in the struggle since the Metaxas dictatorship days, Ilia strongly influenced the Macedonian environment. He was able to convince many Macedonians who thought they could protect themselves from the Greek counter bands if only they had weapons. Ilia convinced them that just protecting themselves wasn’t enough. They needed to be organized and join the democratic people’s struggle. They needed to fight to gain their national and social rights. We can freely say that thanks in part to Ilia Tsrnakov’s tireless effort in this area, the resistance movement led by the CPG, EAM and EPON became very effective and massive. Later a large number of fighters voluntarily joined the ranks of ELAS.

593 Ilia Tsrnakov’s biography by Kosta Vragoterov. See memoirs pp. 28-31. 594 According to the recollections of Spiro Blagoev from the village Patele. Spiro was one of the first participants in the National Liberation War and in DAG. In the period 1946-1947 Spiro was a member of the Vicho Staff, comrade-in-arms and personal friend of Ilia Tsrnakov. Also, according to the recollections of Kosta Vragoterov. At this point it’s important to mention the fact that throughout the fascist occupation, Ilia Tsrnakov’s workshop served as a safe house for illegal immigrants, as a place for holding illegal meetings and for out of town activists to spent the night.

After the foreign occupiers were driven out of the country until March 1945, Ilia Tsrnakov was part of the CPG Regional committee headquartered in Sorovich where he continued to perform his revolutionary activities. 595 After the Greek reactionary authorities took control of Sorovich Region, and after they implemented their terror and persecution tactics against the resistance fighters, Ilia was forced to go underground. But he never stopped encouraging the people to fight against the Greek reactionary authorities. He was exposed to danger many times but was always able to escape, managing not to fall into enemy hands. Eventually he became a wanted man. The Greek authorities declared him a wanted criminal, number one on their list. 596 They searched for him everywhere and set traps to arrest him but didn’t succeed. He had the option of crossing over into the Republic of Macedonia to avoid arrest but he didn’t want to distance himself from his people.

At the end of June 1945, over 85 people were arrested en masse in Patele. Ilia again managed to avoid arrest and even under these severe conditions continued his patriotic activities until the fall of 1946. At the end of 1945, Ilia was among the first people from his village to join the ranks of DAG and continued to fight until his death.

On January 5, 1947, Ilia and five other DAG fighters were ordered to go to Patele, Ilia’s native village, on a combat mission. 597 Unfortunately the six were discovered by the enemy, which surrounded Patele with two army battalions of soldiers and gendarmes that were immediately dispatched by train from Sorovich. The six unfortunately couldn’t break through the

595 According to Kosta Vragoterov’s recollections about Ilia’s participation in the revolutionary movement in the period 1936-1949..., part I, p. 30. 596 According to the recollections of Spiro Blagoev and Kosta Vragoterov... 597 Spiridon Blagoev, On the heroic action of a group of DAG fighters (Ilia Tsrnakov, Zhivko Popov, Gigo Adzikirov and Trifko Popov). Recollections kept in INI. encirclement or take shelter in a safe place so they decided to fight. In those difficult moments, when they clashed with the Greek forces in the streets, Ilia and Zhivko Popov 598 took shelter in a barn in the eastern part of the village. Unfortunately a short time later they were discovered and immediately surrounded. Climbing over compressed straw, Zhivko slipped and dropped his machine gun on the floor at which point it fired a burst of bullets and seriously injured Zhivko. He stood there motionless.

The gendarmes immediately surrounded the barn and called on the two to surrender but they refused, so the enemy set fire to the barn. The smoke became so thick the two were gasping for air. Zhivko passed out. Under this difficult situation Ilia, not being able to help Zhivko, decided to make a run for it. The ground outside was covered with a thick blanket of snow. To break through the enemy ring Ilia threw a grenade out the window at the gendarmes and immediately jumped into the snow. The gendarmes didn’t expect this so they ran to avoid the blast, which gave Ilia enough time to distance himself from them. 599

With the machine gun in full readiness, Ilia Tsrnakov ran through the village streets and managed to lose the gendarmes. He then jumped into Pande Smilaikov’s yard and hid there. The army and gendarmerie searched but failed to find him. Severely wounded Zhivko Popov burned inside the barn. The others also managed to escape and caught up with Ilia on Mount Vicho.

In October 1947, during a battle that took place near the town Klisura in the Vicho sector, serving as a unit commissar, Ilia Tsrnakov was fatally struck by an enemy mortar shell and died. 600

This is how Ilia Tsrnakov’s life ended. He was an ardent and long-standing revolutionary.

598 More information on Zhivko Popov’s revolutionary activities is available in this book. Zhivko was from the village Papazhani, Lerin Region 599 Spiridon Blagoev, On the heroic action of a group of DAG fighters... 600 There are two versions of the date when Ilia Tsrnakov died. See “For the holy national freedom”..., p. 294. NIKOLA CHETELEVSKI (1913-1949)

German, the largest village in Prespa, as well as dozens of other Macedonian villages from this part of Macedonia, stands out for the large number of people it sacrificed at the altar for the Macedonian people’s freedom.

Nikola Chetelevski was one of the more prominent fighters from German who laid down his life for Macedonia’s freedom. Nikola was born in 1913 into a large farming family. His family, as well as many other Macedonian families from that area, lived under very poor conditions. But the peak of their poverty was reached during the Metaxas dictatorship in Greece when the villagers of German were forcibly deprived of their pastures, which were then turned into pastures for the sheep herds of the Greek nationalists, the “Sarakachans” (Vlachs). 601

From a young age, Nikola felt the weight of his fellow villagers being exploited by the Greek oppressors. But when there was a clash between his villagers and the “Sarakachans”, Nikola always supported the villagers.

When Fascist Italy attacked Greece, Nikola and dozens of Macedonians from his area, were mobilized into the Greek military and immediately sent to the Albanian front to fight against the Italian aggressor. Not wanting to support Greek capitalist interests, Nikola and a group of Macedonians abandoned the Albanian front and crossed over into Yugoslavia. For the Greek government this was desertion. 602

After Greece capitulated to the German, Italian and Bulgarian armies, Nikola went back to his native village and immediately connected with the progressive workers and began to organize resistance against the foreign occupiers.

601 Recollections of Pando Kaichevski from the village German, about his revolutionary activities in the National Liberation War and Revolution. Kept in INI. 602 Biographies of prominent people from the village German, collected and organized by Pando Kaichevski. Kept in INI. In the spring of 1943, with partisan units from the Republic of Macedonia visiting Lerin Region, Nikola and a group of his fellow villagers made sure they were well accommodated in the houses in their village and supplied with food. Also, as a sign of solidarity in the struggle against a common enemy, Nikola presented the “Damian Gruev” visiting Detachment in Pelister with a “Hotski” rifle. 603

In the second half of 1943, Bulgarian agents and emissaries from Andon Kalchev’s headquarters arrived in the village German from Kostur in order to organize a counter band movement in Prespa District. Nikola, with help from like minded villagers, managed to “convince” the Bulgarian agents that in the beginning it was enough to give the villagers 20 rifles, not 200, as they had previously planned. It is important at this point to mention that those 20 rifles were later handed over to the Pelister partisan detachment “Damian Gruev”. 604

After Nikola presented the “Damian Gruev” Detachment with the “Hotski” rifle, he and a dozen of his fellow villagers tried to voluntarily join the visiting detachment. They were also already fully armed… But for some objective reason their wish was not fulfilled. Nevertheless, Nikola never could stay outside of the conflict. Wherever the opportunity arose he was always at the forefront. When the “Damian Gruev” detachment partisans were dispatched to attack a German unit on Mount Bigla, Nikola and two of his comrades showed them the way. 605

In the beginning of 1944 Nikola, with a rifle in hand, joined the ELAS reserve that operated in Prespa Region.

In the fall of 1944, a number of Macedonian fighters left ELAS and crossed the border into the Republic of Macedonia. Nikola, with another group of Macedonian fighters, also left and immediately joined the First Aegean Assault Brigade exclusively composed of

603 Ibid. 604 According to the recollections of German Velianovski from the village German. German was a member of the NOF District Board and KOEM for Lerin Region. 605 Ibid. Macedonians from Greek occupied Macedonia. Nikola stayed with the brigade until it was disbanded. 606

In the spring of 1945, Nikola and several others from his homeland voluntarily left the Republic of Macedonia and returned to Mount Bela Voda where they continued to struggle against the new Greek regime.

Shortly afterwards, the Macedonian movement leadership from the Republic of Macedonia summoned Nikola and a dozen other fighters and charged them with collaborating with the Greek reactionaries. Of course that was a misunderstanding. Without investigating the situation, one of the leaders unjustifiably slandered the fighters accusing them of being traitors. It took them a long time to prove that they weren’t traitors but proven fighters who fought for the Macedonian liberation movement. When their charges were cleared Nikola and the others returned to the Republic of Macedonia and worked to rebuild the Yugoslav people’s economic and social life. 607

In the spring of 1946, Nikola and the other fighters were again summoned by the movement leadership and, as proven and experienced fighters, offered the opportunity to go back to Aegean Macedonia and fight against the Greek regime.

In mid-July 1946, one of the first partisan detachments consisting of about 30 fighters was formed on Mounts Vrba and Malimadi. It was led by Nikola Shapkov from the village German with Ilia Kuzmanovski as its political commissar. 608

From that moment on Nikola Chetelevski fought bravely in NOF and in DAG on Mounts Vrba, Malimadi, Vicho, Siniak, Hasia, Murgana and Epirus until his death. He fell heroically in February 1949, in the “Porta” locality on Mount Gramos. 609

606 Monograph, with a memorial album, of the village German, Lerin Region. Skopje, 1979, p. 80. 607 Biographies of prominent people from the village German... 608 Monograph with a memorial album from the village German..., p. 80. 609 Ibid. It is worth mentioning at this point that in the heroic struggle led by the Macedonian people during the Greek Civil War, Nikola’s brother Vangel was viciously killed by the Monarcho-Fascists in Lerin on October 22, 1948, along with twelve other fellow villagers. 610 The same year Nikola lost his nephew Tsvetko Chetelevski who heroically died in Meglen Region as a fighter in the DAG equestrian unit. 611

Nikola Chetelevski believed that the Macedonian people would eventually achieve victory and for that reason he sacrificed his own life.

610 Ibid: p. 52. 611 Ibid: p. 81 THE TRAGIC FATE OF NINE NOF ACTIVISTS ON MOUNT PAIAK

After the German fascist occupiers were ejected from Greece and the Varkiza Agreement was signed, ELAS, in accordance with the Varkiza Agreement, began to demobilize its units and hand over its weapons to the Greek government At the same time, the Greek government was violating the Agreement and arming its police and gendarmerie to consolidate its power. But the Greek government, run by reactionaries didn’t have enough power to be able to fully establish its rule in the entire country. As a result it mobilized yesterday’s collaborators who had supported the occupiers, such as the gangs led by Kolaras, Papadopoulos, Andon Chaush and others, and then let them loose on the population to kill, plunder and commit acts of terror.

Facing the terror waged against them, the Macedonian people in Greek occupied Macedonia were left with a couple of options, either endure all the humiliations including their physical destruction, or fight an armed struggle again with weapons in hand. In this critical situation, like before, the Macedonian people chose the path traditionally followed by previous Macedonian generations. They chose to fight and defend their honour and freedom on their own.

However, in order to avoid the wrath of the Greek Fascist gangs, a certain number of Macedonians were forced to leave their homes and flee to neighbouring countries or hide in the mountains. As members of NOF and former participants in the struggle against the occupier, many young patriots fled into the woods and began to prepare to resist the new right-wing regime. Included among the many who began to prepare a new resistance movement were activists from the village Barovitsa in Gumendzhe Region. 612 To avoid being cruelly persecuted by the Monarcho-Fascist gangs, the activists from Barovitsa fled to the forest on Mount Paiak in Sheova locality and took refuge in a barn in Letkata. 613 Prior to that, the

612 This article was also published in the magazine History, Skopje, 1979, XV, no. 2, pp. 131-136. Here we just made some small additions and clarifications. 613 Report by Angel Gatsev, dated November 19, 1945, to the NOF General Directorate on the death of the nine NOF activists on Paiak Mountain. “Aegean Macedonia in the National Liberation War, 1945”, Vol. II, doc. 193, p. 365. NOF leadership for Gumendzhe District held a meeting during which a decision was made to send some of the persecuted anti-fascists across the border, and the others to remain there and act on the ground. After spending some time on Mount Paiak, the young people from Barovitsa were scheduled to spend the winter in Gevgelia. 614 Unfortunately their hideout was discovered by spies from the village Barovitsa. So in the early hours of the morning of November 17, 1945, a detachment of 29 Monarcho-Fascists led by a sergeant from the “Security Battalions” armed with four machine guns and other automatic weapons were led there by Mitso Duiamov, the famous beast of PAO, 615 wearing a military uniform. Following him were other famous spies the likes of Hristo Pipchev from the village Kriva, Gumendzhe District, Tano Tulupov from the village Barovitsa, Tomas Tsikalidis a Turkish Christian from the Caucasus and his son Dionisos, as well as the Talkas children who resided in the village Kriva, who surrounded the barn. 616

The weather was rainy and foggy that day and the young activists didn’t have guards posted outside the barn so the Monarcho-Fascists took advantage of this and when they got close to the barn they yelled for the young activists to surrender.

But even though they had insufficient weapons to fight back, the activists refused to surrender. A fire fight broke out and because the Burandars 617 had the numbers and were better armed, they

614 According to the recollections of Vangel Nichev-Orivatis, NOF secretary for Gumendzhe District. 615 After the Varkiza Agreement was signed and ELAS was demobilized, the prisoners in Greece were taken over by the Greek government armies and the British. Thus, the “Pavlos Melas” camp in Solun was taken over, where, along with other collaborators of the foreign occupiers, Gono Duiamov and his son Mitso Duiamov, born in the village of Barovitsa, were captured and released. In June 1945, Mitso Duiamov appeared in his district and, as part of an armed gang cruised the villages, looting and killing innocent villagers, just as he had done during the occupation. 616 Proclamation by the NOF General Directorate regarding the vicious murder of the nine NOF activists on Paiak Mountain. “Aegean Macedonia in the National Liberation War, 1945”, Vol. II, doc. 206, p. 389. 617 The name Burandars was given to the Greek Quisling government soldiers who fought on behalf of Commander Burandas, an infamous criminal from Athens who served the occupiers during the occupation. He was a well-known criminal who committed crimes against his own people. overpowered the young activists. The following is a list of names of the people who died in the unequal battle:

1. Aleko Vasilev from the town Gumendzhe, born in 1914 -responsible for the NOF cells in the Gumendzhe villages.

2. Giorgi Iudov from the village Barovitsa, born in 1918 -responsible for the Gumendzhe District youth.

3. Peno Karamutkin from the village Kriva, born in 1920 - member of the NOF District Board for Gumendzhe District.

4. Gorgi Shashev Krlev from the village Barovitsa, born in 1920 -responsible for the NOF cells in the mountain villages.

5. Traio Penov Aitov from the village Barovitsa, born in 1924 -courier.

6. Giorgi Traev Shashev from the village Barovitsa, born in 1920 -assistant to Giorgi Shashev Krlev.

7. Icho G. Trtev from the village Barovitsa, born in 1922 - courier.

8. Mina P. Parlapanov from the village Barovitsa, born in 1914 – coworker.

9. Hristo D. Gatov, from the village Valgatsi, Gumendzhe District, born in 1913 - coworker. 618

Along with the others in the barn was Vasil Papadopoulos from the village Valgatsi, born in 1913. Although severely wounded, Vasil managed to escape and hide in the vicinity of the village Kupa. A soldier saw him but allowed him to escape. The soldier must have known Vasil or was somehow connected to him. But when Mitso Duiamov, leading the Burandar group, found out he killed the soldier.

618 “Aegean Macedonia in the National Liberation War, 1945”, Vol. II, doc. 193, p. 365. The village Kupa borders the place where the nine young activists were killed. And as Iovan Dzhevelekov wrote in his memoirs, the villagers who were working in their fields at the time heard the shots but didn’t know what had happened. Dragging himself through the terrain, Vasil Papadopoulos arrived near the fields where the villagers from the village Kupa were working. He was very tired and had lost a lot of blood. He fell on the road from exhaustion. Some time later, when the villagers headed for home, Maria Palamura and Giorgi Shinikov, both from Kupa, found him on the road covered in blood. He was still alive. They asked him what had happened and who’d shot him, Vasil asked them to help him as he explained what had happened. Maria and Giorgi had two horses loaded with potatoes. They unloaded one of the horses and, after bandaging Vasil’s wounds, put him on the horse and took him about 5 km near the village Kupa. They were afraid to take him inside the village because they didn’t know what the situation was like in the village that day. That’s why they took him to Vasil Zarkadov’s barn in the Strbo locality where they lit a fire and told him to spend the night there. They also told him they would immediately inform the organization and his friends would come and get him. 619

In the evening when Maria and Giorgi arrived in the village, Giorgi informed the organization about Vasil, and Maria, daughter of Risto Palamura the village mayor who was a close associate of the reactionary authorities, informed her father about Vasil. But instead of going directly to inform the reactionaries, the village mayor went to see Vasil’s associates and told them about the tragic event. At the same time he told them that he had to report the incident to the Greek authorities but he would do that the next day. In other words the mayor warned NOF what was going to happen. 620

In the meantime a Vlach somehow had also found out about Vasil Papadopoulos and the same day went to inform the Burandars about him. 621 Upon receiving the news, the Monarcho-Fascist Burandars

619 Iovan Dzhevelekov, Information about certain events in the village Kupa… Manuscript kept in INI. 620 Ibid. 621 Letter from Mincho Fotev, to Lazo Damovski regarding the death of the nine NOF activists in Paiak and other NOF activities. “Aegean Macedonia in the National Liberation War, 1945”, Vol. II, doc. 211, p. 396. rushed into action, immediately blockaded the village Kupa and began a house to house search. But they found nothing. When the situation became less tense, according to Iovan Dzhevelekov, NOF transferred the wounded Vasil Papadopoulos to the Yugoslav border. There he was taken over by a group of Macedonian patriots and looked after. 622

The only witness to the tragic death of the nine young activists was Giorgi Trtev, Icho Trtev’s father. At that time, Giorgi Trtev was staying in another barn not far from the barn were the activists were staying. When he heard the gunshots, Giorgi Trtev ran towards the barn from where the gunfire was coming and when he came close, about three hundred metres, he opened fire on the assailants. But his machine gun suddenly jammed and he failed to chase them away. When he was convinced that the Burandars had fled he went back to the barn and saw the tragedy. At this point he took his son’s body and hid it in the forest. 623

The next day, a Sunday, when the Barovitsa villagers found out their children had been murdered they went to the barn to retrieve their bodies. The Burandars also ordered them to bring back their weapons which they had failed to take the previous day. 624

When the villagers arrived they found the dead men in a horrific state. They weren’t only shot with bullets but had also been pierced with sticks. Their abdomens were cut open and their intestines were left hanging outside their bodies. These were acts that testified to the barbarism and atrocity of their killers.

The villagers from Berovitsa took the bodies of their children first. Later in the afternoon villagers from other villages came and took the bodies of Aleko Vasilev, Hristo Gatev and Peno Karamutkin. Giorgi Trtev however wasn’t with them. He had gone to see the main activist leadership and let them know about the tragic event. 625

622 Iovan Dzhevelekov, Information about certain events that took place in the village Kupa... 623 “Aegean Macedonia in the National Liberation War, 1945”, Vol. II, doc. 193, p. 365. 624 Ibid. 625 Ibid. According to Giorgi Trtev’s testimony, more than ten gunmen took part in the murder of the Macedonian NOF activists. But later it was determined that their number was 29. It was also established that Ivan Gagev’s wife from the village Barovitsa, also a famous informer, met her nephew Giorgi Krvev in the mountains with a number of activists. Immediately afterwards, she went to see the Burandars Captain Gono and his son Mitso Duiamov and told them about the NOF activists in the area. She also visited Gogo Zhelkov who informed on Icho Trtev and Peno Karamutkin. 626

So, it would appear that the group of NOF activists who were murdered were probably betrayed by Gogo Zhelkov and Ivan Gagev’s wife.

In order to intimidate the people, the Monarcho-Fascists transferred the dead bodies of the murdered from Barovitsa to Gumendzhe and left them in the village square with their intestines hanging out and kept them there for several days. Then they took them from Gumendzhe to Enidzhe-Vardar and buried them. But after people strongly protested their bodies were returned to their mothers.

Couriers who passed through the villages where the atrocity took place found out that the horrific event had shocked people and instilled fear and panic in them.

The tragic event also had a negative effect on NOF activists in the local organizations. The tragic deaths of their comrades left a wide gap in NOF’s ranks, which was difficult to fill leaving the organizations short staffed. As a result connections between Gumendzhe and the surrounding villages began to break down. 627

Even though NOF suffered a severe blow with the killing of the nine activists, the people still didn’t lose their morale and hope for a final victory. This was due primarily to the NOF leadership’s renewed contacts with the local population and the left-wing Greek press, which condemned the crime and launched a wide-ranging campaign against the Greek reactionaries, blaming them not only for the

626 Ibid. 627 Ibid: 231, p. 445. deaths of the nine activists but also for other crimes they committed against the innocent population. Public condemnation of the horrific terror by the progressive forces was also great encouragement for the general population. Special commissions were sent by the people to Solun, demanding the perpetrators of these crimes be punished.

Under strong public protest, an Anglo-American commission was set up to investigate the heinous killings of the nine activists. Unfortunately, apart from the questions they asked the local population, they didn’t take any measures to either prevent further perpetration of terror or to punish the perpetrators.

Again, under fierce protests from the population, the fascist spies and traitors were forced to flee their villages and hide in Gumendzhe. 628 With the informants out of the way the democratic forces were able to expand and intensify their struggle against the Greek reactionaries.

The tragic death of the nine activists echoed all throughout the Gumendzhe and Enidzhe-Vardar Districts causing greater resentment towards the Greek reactionaries. There were poems written and songs sung about the young activists everywhere in Voden Region. The following is one of those songs:

Listen, listen young and old, does the flute play, do the girls sing? No flute plays, no girls sing, only nine mothers cry.