Introduction

Introduction

Dear Macedonians, one way to defend ourselves from the Greek onslaught and gain back our identity and dignity is to fight back to the level to which the Greeks have reduced us; that is to attack their identity as they have attacked ours. We need prove nothing to them except to expose them as the artificial identity they truly are and to uncover their design to wipe us out in order to usurp our Macedonian heritage.

There are some who say the 1903 Macedonian Ilinden Uprising was one of the greatest Rebellions Europe has witnessed since the French Revolution (Giorgio Nurigiani, “Macedonia Yesterday and Today”) yet there are others today who adamantly claim that Macedonians don’t exist. If we are to take these people seriously we not only need to examine their claims but we need to understand their motives for making such claims. Modern Greeks, who in 1912, 1913 acquired Macedonian territories by conquest and imperial means, claim not only that Macedonians don’t exist but that Macedonia is Greek for historic reasons. For modern Greeks to make such claims they will need to provide evidence to (1) prove that Macedonia does not belong to the people that were living on it before Greece annexed it in 1913 and (2) prove that the modern Greeks are indeed the rightful heirs of Macedonian lands. The purpose of this book is to examine the legitimacy of the Modern Greek claim that “Macedonia is Greek”. To do that we will need to examine (1) who are the modern Greeks and (2) why is their claim, as they put it, “the only valid claim?” When Greeks say that “Macedonia is Greek” do they mean all of geographic and historic Macedonia or just the part that was annexed by Greece in 1913? If they mean only the part of Macedonia that was annexed by Greece then we need to examine how Greece acquired it. There is plenty of historic evidence to highlight how Greece acquired Macedonian territories between Macedonia’s invasion in 1912 and the conclusion of the 1913 Treaty of Bucharest. Evidence shows that the Macedonian lands acquired by Greece were acquired by war and arbitrary means which has nothing to do with historic claims. If however all of geographic and historic Macedonia is claimed to be Greek then Modern Greeks will have to show additional proof as to (1) why they did not register their claims during the signing of the 1913

Treaty of Bucharest and (2) why they willingly allowed Serbia and Bulgaria to take 49% of Macedonian territories. The reality is that there were no definite plans on how to divide Macedonia since Macedonia never belonged to any of its neighbours. There were no national dividing lines to speak of other than the Patriarchist or Exarchist affiliated villages which existed all over Macedonia. So after the first Balkan War ended in 1912 arbitrary borders were set up more or less where the invading foreign armies stopped their advance. Serbia was looking to gain access to the Adriatic Sea but Austria-Hungary and Italy prevented that by proposing the creation of Albania. This loss of territory on the Serbian side lead to renewed conflict in the region sparking the second Balkan War involving Greece, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania. As a result of this, the original borders proposed after the first Balkan War were shifted and Macedonia was once again arbitrarily partitioned. According to military historian Dr. Vanche Stojchev, author of the book “Military History of Macedonia”, while the Treaty of Bucharest was being drafted in 1913 the occupying armies were still fighting in Macedonia. Every time one side took a hill or a ridge from the others its military commander telegraphed his counterpart in Bucharest who in turn asked the commission to modify the maps to include the new gains. Professor Dr. Vanche Stojchev uncovered various inconsistencies and anomalies in the 1913 Treaty of Bucharest which would be of interest and importance to the Macedonian people. For example not many people know that the 1913 Treaty of Bucharest was not ratified by Austro-Hungary. Austro-Hungary was the first Great Power in the Balkans. After the signing of the treaty both Russia and Austro-Hungary called for further revisions which were basically ignored. Russia only accepted the treaty because it was pressured by the other Great Powers, which in reality means the treaty may not even be valid. “The reason why Macedonian institutions are not yet affirming the idea that Macedonian roots extend from the ancient times to today is because everything that was taught in Macedonia up to now had to be politically correct. We were taught a politicized history which catered less to reality and more to political aspects on how history should be viewed,” says Professor Dr. Vanche Stojchev. However, before Modern Greeks can answer questions like “Why is Macedonia Greek?” they will need to answer the ultimate question and that is “What makes their claim legitimate?” On what basis can Modern

Greeks say that Macedonia belongs to them instead of to the people who were already living there before Greece annexed it? Here Modern Greeks will need to prove their inheritance rights above and beyond those of the indigenous people already living in Macedonia. But in order to have such legitimate rights, that is above the rights of the indigenous people, Modern Greeks will have to show that they possess a continuous Greek lineage that extends beyond that of the indigenous people living in Macedonia. To prove that this “continuous” Greek lineage exists, we will need to examine historic evidence prior to and leading up to the creation of the Modern Greek state. In other words we need to know more about the Modern Greeks and their existence before the Greek state was created in 1829. Modern Greeks have already registered their claims about Macedonia and the Macedonians. Their claims can basically be summarized as follows; 1. According to official Greece; Macedonians do not exist. 2. According to official Greece; Macedonia, particularly the Republic of Macedonia, is occupied by Slavs who came to Macedonia during the 6th century AD. 3. According to official Greece; the Modern Macedonian ethnicity is a modern creation, created by Tito. 4. Although they have not specified which part(s) of Macedonia, according to official Greece; Macedonia is Greek and has always been Greek. If we analyze these claims then, based on Greek logic alone, we can conclude that the people living in Macedonia are Slavs who came to Macedonia during the 6th century AD. So in effect the Modern Macedonians, or “Slavs” as the Greeks like to call them, according to Greek claims, have been living on Macedonian lands for say 1,500 years? Now based on the above, Modern Greeks will have to show that they have legitimate claims to Macedonian lands that extend more than 1,500 years. That means that Modern Greeks will have to prove that their ancestors owned Macedonian lands prior to the 6th century AD. Naturally if they want to be taken seriously, modern Greeks will need to prove that they are the rightful heirs of those lands. I will be more than willing to accept continuity of the nation’s culture, traditions and language. In other words, did the Greeks of the 19th century prior to the creation of the Modern Greek state share a similar culture, similar traditions and a similar language with the Greeks of 1,500 years ago?

Let us begin by looking at the culture, tradition and language of the Modern Greeks of the 19th century. Sir Charles Eliot in his book “Turkey in Europe” on page 267 says: “It would be amazing if the people who are now called Greeks are of the physical types as what are styled Ancient Greeks, which generally means the inhabitants of Athens and Sparta. The Greeks have spread around the Aegean and Black Seas, and come into contact with the inhabitants of the littoral. The Macedonian Empire must have had a large non-Hellenic substratum. Constantinople and all Continental Greece were for centuries ruled by Romans, and during many subsequent centuries invaded and colonized by Slavs. The Crusades and Latin conquests brought a large influx of western Europeans, commonly called Franks; and in later times, extensive Albanian settlements were made in Greek districts. Clearly the Modern Greek must be of very mixed blood.” Again Sir Charles Eliot in his book “Turkey in Europe” on page 299 says: “It must be confessed that, though the Greeks showed more energy than any other Christian race, those who now remain in Turkey (except the islanders) are not remarkable for physical vigour or military capacity. This, is no doubt, partly due to the fact that the people who revolted against Mahmud were largely Hellenized Vlachs and Albanians, who, under the modern system would, not be regarded as Greeks. Nowadays the robust agricultural population is rarely Hellenic in its sympathies, for, as already mentioned, there are comparatively few parts where it is really Greek.” So, what is Sir Charles Eliot trying to tell us about the Modern Greek towards the creation of the Modern Greek state? For starters he is telling us that the so-called “Greek” of the 19th century had very few to none of the traits of the ancient Greeks from 1,500 years ago. He is also telling us that the 19th century so-called Greeks were not really Greeks at all but Hellenized Albanians and Vlachs. In other words, they were Albanians and Vlachs made to feel like they were Greeks. Lucy M. J. Garnett in her book “Greece of the Hellenes” published in 1914 on page 31 says: “The height standard for the Greek army is nominally 5 feet 1 inch the average Hellene by no means being a tall man. Nor is this standard rigidly adhered to, for a recruit is not rejected on the score of height, if certified physically fit in other respects. Some of the hardiest soldiers are recruits among the Albanians and pastoral Koutso-Vlachs of Thessaly who form an important contingent.” Lucy M. J. Garnett in her book “Greece of the Hellenes” published in 1914 on page 33 speaking about the dress of the Greek Royal Guard

says: “His feet are shod with Albanian red leather shoes the upturned, pointed toes of which are finished with woolen turfs.” Lucy M. J. Garnett in her book “Greece of the Hellenes” published in 1914 on page 33 and 34 also says: “All Greek soldiers are required to be able to read and write, and if a conscript on joining has not already acquired those rudiments of education, he is put to school. Not-withstanding the educational efforts of the Government as many as 30 percent proved fifteen years ago or so to be completely illiterate, which not more than 25 percent had advanced beyond the ‘three R’s’. This may be partly accounted for by the fact that these conscripts include both Albanians from the settlements in Attica and other parts of the Kingdom and pastoral Koutso-Vlachs, all of whom habitually speak their own dialects, and learn Greek only as a foreign tongue.” So what is Lucy M. J. Garnett telling us about the Greeks of the 19th century? Here again Lucy M. J. Garnett is giving us evidence that the so-called Greeks of the 19th century were not really Greeks but Albanians and Vlachs. In other words, the immediate ancestors of today’s Greeks were not really Greeks at all! My aim in this book is to show that Modern Greeks are not only NOT entitled to the Macedonian heritage, but they should not even be entitled to be called Greeks. Underneath the highly polished “Modern Greek veneer” hides an artificially created nation constructed from the bones and ashes of the Macedonian, Albanian, Vlach and Turkish cultures that once flourished on those lands.

Essay 1 – Who are the Modern Greeks?

According to official Greece, Macedonia, particularly the Republic of Macedonia, is occupied by Slavs who came to Macedonia during the 6th century AD. Neither justified nor proven, this claim is used by Greece to negate the Macedonian identity and deny the Macedonian people their human rights. By this Greece is in violation of international norms and standards particularly in regards to the freedom of Macedonians to self identify. If the Macedonians are “Slavs” as Greeks claim then what are the Greeks, particularly in view that they both existed side by side as neighbours without borders for over 2,000 years? How will the Modern Greek identity stack up to the Modern Macedonian identity if placed side by side? Before answering the above questions however let’s examine “Who are the Modern Greeks?” Edward Blaquiere Esq. author of the book “The Greek Revolution; Its Origin and Progress” on page 21 says: “Among the numerous islands of the Aegean, arise several barren rocks, some of which are however gifted by nature with small and commodious heavens. Of this number are Hydra, Spezzia and Ipsara, the two first close to the Eastern shore of the Peloponnesus, and the later not far from Scio, on the Asiatic coast. Tyranny and Want had driven some families, whose origin like that of nearly all the peasants, who inhabited proper Greece, was Albanian, to take refuge on the desolate crags, where they built villages, and sought a precarious existence by fishing.” What is Edward Blaquiere trying to tell us in regards to the origins of the Modern Greeks, “whose origin like that of nearly all the peasants, who inhabited proper Greece, was Albanian”. By the words of Edward Blaquiere nearly all the peasants inhabiting “proper” Greece were Albanian! William St. Clair author of the book “That Greece Might Still Be Free” on page 9 says: “The Roman Catholic Greeks, who lived in the islands which had been under Venetian or Genoese rule, regarded themselves as a separate community. The Albanians of Hydra and Spetsae, many of whom could not even speak Greek, regarded themselves as Greek because their allegiance was to the Orthodox Church.” William St. Clair says “The Albanians of Hydra and Spetsae regarded themselves as Greek” which implies that the Modern Greeks living in Hydra and Spetsae have Albanian origins. Constantinos Papparigopolous in “History of the Hellenic Nation” on page 73 says: “The concept of the ‘Hellenic’ state as elaborated in

Western Europe presupposed that this was to be the heir of the Ancient Greek (Hellenic) world. Since it occupied the same territory and this territory has been liberated after the uprising of the Christian populations claiming to be their descendants, it should -it was assumed-share the same culture and the same language as its ancient ancestors. Indeed, the newly born ‘Hellenic’ state originally based its legitimacy on this heritage. However, it had to undertake a difficult struggle to convince European public opinion of the validity of its claims. Moreover, the German historian Jacob Philip Fallmerayer argued that the ancient Greeks had been annihilated during the Slavic invasions of the Greek lands and the creation of new settlements in the seventh century AD. By this account the so called Neo-Hellenes were nothing more than a mixture of Slavic and Albanian populations.” Here again we have references that the Modern Greek or Neo-Hellenic population living in the region where the Peloponnesus is today was once a mixture of Slavs and Albanians. Ironically and despite the 20th century adjustments of borders, Modern Greeks today do not hesitate to call their northern neighbours “Slavs” but adamantly reject Jacob Philip Fallmerayer’s arguments which imply that they too are the descendants of Slavs. In the book “The Vlachs: The History of a Balkan People”, on pages 124 and 125, T. J. Winifrith says: “There are two other difficulties involved in the Turkish period. In tracing the movements of merchandise and men in the Balkan Peninsula it is extremely difficult to differentiate the various races involved. Western travelers knew little, Turkish authorities cared less. Even the polyglot Vlachs themselves neither knew nor cared a great deal and until the rise of national consciousness at the end of the eighteenth century were probably happy with the label of Greek which was good enough for outside observers.” In the book “The Vlachs: The History of a Balkan People”, on page 139, T. J. Winifrith says: “One of Greece’s first and best Prime Ministers was John Kolettis, a Vlach who dressed like a Turk and had been court physician to Ali Pasha.” Speaking about 19th century migrations in the Balkans, in the book “The Vlachs: The History of a Balkan People”, on pages 119 and 120, T. J. Winifrith says: “Elsewhere there is a further source of confusion with massive immigration of Albanians into Greece.” In telling the story of the Vlachs, T. J. Winifrith gives us important clues as to the true identity of Modern Greeks. In the days when Modern Greece was molded into a nation Vlachs, a Latin speaking people, and Albanians were the primary sources of raw materials for the “making” of the Modern Greeks.

In the “Popular Science Monthly” edited by J. McKeen Cattell, published in 1915 on pages 41 and 42 we read: “Most of the old Greek race has been swept away, and the country is now inhabited by persons of Slavonic descent. Indeed there is a strong ground for the statement that there was more of the heroic blood of Hellas in the Turkish army of Edhem Pasha than in the soldiers of King George.” In the “Popular Science Monthly” edited by J. McKeen Cattell, published in 1915 on page 42 we also read: “The Modern Greek has been called a ‘Byzantine Slav.’ King George himself and Constantine his son are only aliens placed on the Grecian throne to suit the convenience of outer powers, being in fact descendants of tribes which to the ancient Greeks were merely Barbarians.” Here we are told by Popular Science Monthly that not only have the ancient so-called Greeks disappeared and been replaced by persons of Slavonic descent but that even the rulers of Modern Greece are aliens. In the “Encyclopedia Britannica” published in 1910 on page 465 in the History of Greece section we read: “In 1715 the Ottomans with a large disciplined army set themselves to recover the Morea [later renamed the Peloponnesus], the Venetians were left without support from the Greeks. The peninsula was rapidly recaptured and by the Peace of Passarowitz (1718) again became a Turkish dependency. The gaps left about this time in the Greek population were largely made up by an immigration from Albania.” I have been told by several Greeks to “read the encyclopedia” and educate myself on the true history of Greece. So following their advice I looked up the 1910 version of Encyclopedia Britannica and lo and behold it corroborates the story that the early 19th century Modern Greek population is Albanian. It also tells us that old Greece, more commonly known as Morea, a Slav word for “ocean”, was occupied by the Venetians. In “Greece of the Hellenes” by Lucy M. J. Garnett on page 32 we read: “The Athenian women are neither beautiful nor well made; they have neither the physiognomy of French women, nor the full beauty of the Roman dames, nor the pale white delicacy of the Turkish women – one sees nothing in the town but ugly creatures with broad noses, flat feet and ill-formed waists. It is because Athens, twenty five years ago, was only an Albanian village. The Albanians formed and still form, almost the whole of the population of Attica; and within three leagues of the capital, villages are to be found where Greek is hardly understood. Athens has been rapidly peopled with men of all kinds and nations; that explains the ugliness of the Athenian type.” Here Lucy M. J. Garnett comes out with it and spares us no details. Athens, at Modern Greece’s humble beginning, the seat of Modern and

Ancient Greek-Dom, the pinnacle of Greek pride and glory in the 19th century was nothing more than an “Albanian village”. Albanians, Vlachs, Slavs? Where are the so-called Greeks, descendants of the ancient Greeks, inheritors of the ancient Greek and Macedonian heritage? We don’t need to look too far or scratch too deep from the surface to find irregularities with the Greek identity. Even with the scant evidence presented from only half a dozen sources we can see that the Modern Greek identity is not what it seems. So, how dare they [Modern Greeks] challenge our Macedonian identity when their [Modern Greek] identity is artificial at best? Dear Macedonians, pay no attention to Modern Greek allegations because Modern Greeks are NOT really who they say they are. Modern Greeks are NOT the descendents of the so-called Ancient Greeks as they portray themselves to be. The so-called Ancient Greeks may have been who the world was told they were, which is yet to be proven, but they disappeared a long time ago. I can tell you with much certainty that the Modern Greeks are NOT their descendants. The Modern Greeks are nothing more than imposters and usurpers of the Ancient City State heritage. The only thing they have in common with the ancients is that they happened to live on the same lands. Dear Macedonians do not “negotiate” our sacred biblical name, our symbols and our Macedonian historical heritage with these usurpers and charlatans. We would not have to resort to this had Greece done the right thing and recognized the Macedonian people as Macedonians and provided them their human rights as prescribed by International Law. But No, we have to do this the hard way by dredging up the ugly Greek past! It’s never too late however for Greece to do the right thing!

Essay 2 – Who are the Greeks - A Macedonian Perspective

Some of you have asked me to write about the Modern Greeks and what they really think of themselves and their neighbours; a subject which I have often touched on but have never fully delved into. I would have to say that, as a general rule, it is none of my business to gossip about people unless of course they give me reason to. Believe me the Greeks have given me plenty of reasons to not only analyze them forwards and backwards without feeling guilty, but to talk about them as I see fit. In fact I would go as far as saying, “It is imperative to know thy Greeks as seen through the eyes of at least one Macedonian!” Like every other people in the world, typical Greeks fall into a number of categories; but the only categories of interest to me are those who interfere in the affairs of the Macedonian people. These Greeks fall into two distinct categories, the clueless and the ones leading the clueless. I used to think that every Greek out there knew the truth, especially about themselves, and “stood their ground” because of “self interest and self preservation”. But with time I have discovered that it is not always the case. Yes it is true that there are many Greeks who know their own true narrative but because of “self interest” have chosen to defend their mythical narrative; an alternate reality which puts them at an advantage over others, but which unfortunately comes into collision with the Macedonian narrative. In order for these Greeks to convince themselves that what they are doing is right they need to convince the rest of the Greeks to follow them in their quest. For example there are many Greeks today who know they are not Greeks of the type that are direct descendants from the ancient Greeks from 2,600 years ago, but are more like Greeks by circumstance who became Greeks by force when they were brought to Greece from Asia Minor or from the Caucasus to colonize Macedonia. Or they were Albanians or Vlachs gripped by the chokehold of 19th century nationalism which turned them into Greeks. In any case, it is irrelevant how these people became Greeks, but the fact that they are in an ideal position in Greek society today gives them ample reasons to defend their “assumed” position by defending the status quo i.e. that they are Greeks who descended from the ancient Greeks or more lately, they are Greeks who descended from the ancient Macedonians. And of course they have their followers, the clueless Greeks who believe everything they tell them. How does one recognize a clueless Greek? By the way they react to new information. Just recently I received the following “typical” e-mail from a Greek:

WRITING THESE ARTICLES PROVES YOU ARE INFERIOR, YOU CAN'T COME UP WITH ANYTHING ELSE YOUR JUST DOWN A BARBARION WHO IS DAMN JEALOUS LOL