Part II - Part 02

in military operations against the partisan units in the areas around Mount Vicho, and in mid-May they fought against the partisans in the area near the village Prekopana in Lerin Region. (Ibid, p. 53.) On May 24, 1944, when the German units withdrew from Kostur and Rupishsta, the pro-Bulgarian counter-band movement, under the command of Luka Damianov, took over defense of the two towns and several surrounding villages. The same day the ELAS XXVIII Battalion attacked the counter-bands, many fled and many were captured by the partisans. (Ibid, p. 53-54.)

In June 1944, an “Ohrana” unit from Voden Region arrived in Kostur Region to aid the local pro-Bulgarian counter-band movement. The “Ohrana” unit remained in Kostur Region for several days and then retreated back to Voden Region. During the “Ohrana” unit’s absence in Voden Region, local partisan units intensified their attacks on the counter-band bases in the villages Oshmeni, Gutovo, Iavoreni, Mesimeri and other villages in Voden Region. (M. Fotev, about the counter-bands, p. 54.)

A number of armed pro-Bulgarian units, created and managed by “Ohrana”, acted in central Greek occupied Macedonia which then was under German occupation. In the spring of 1944 “Ohrana”, with support from the German military authorities, formed armed counter-bands in the villages where there was no communist party presence. Such bands were formed in the villages Eksisu, Aitos, Zeleniche and Srebreno, as well as in the Voden Region villages Nisia, Gugovo, Iavoreni and Oshleni. There was also an armed counter-band detachment acting inside Voden. It was an all volunteer composition numbering about 700 men. It was led by Bulgarian officer Georgi Dimchev. (Ibid, p. 30.) These counter-bandits were armed with modern German and Italian weapons; rifles, pistols, heavy machine guns, light machine guns, hand grenades, etc. (Ibid, p. 30.) In order to amass the pro-Bulgarian combat movement against the partisans and against the people’s liberation movement, the two quisling organizations, the “Macedono-Bulgarian Committee” and the “Ohrana”, intensified their actions in the Macedonian villages and forcefully recruited and armed more Macedonian villagers.

The pro-Bulgarian counter-bands, through betrayal, were particularly interested in liquidating the leaders of SNOF. In March 1944, through treason, Vasil Aleksovski member of the SNOF Regional Committee from the village Drenoveni, Kostur Region, and Kiro Pop Vasilev member of the SNOF Regional Committee Secretariat from the village Dobrolishta were liquidated. Aleksovski was killed on March 4 near the village Chereshnitsa by Stavro Temo from the village Setoma, Kostur Region. Temo was a member of the pro-Bulgarian movement. The counter-bandits took Aleksovski’d body to Kostur and dumped it in the street outside his shop as a means of intimidating the Macedonian people, especially the families of those who were involved in the people’s liberation movement. Pop Vasilev was ambushed and wounded near his village of birth by the pro-Bulgarians and, to avoid capture, he committed suicide. (Ibid, p. 44-45.)

On June 12, 1944 a local 100 member pro-Bulgarian detachment, led by Mino Iani, a Bulgarian officer and domestic traitor, together with a company of German soldiers, attacked a partisan platoon in the village D’mbeni. A fierce battle ensued during which two Germans were killed and two were wounded. On the partisan side two were killed and nine were severely wounded. Include among the partisans killed were 19 year old Apostol Chapovski from the village Maniak and Mimi Tungaridi from Rupishsta. (Ibid, p. 45.) The wounded partisans were all captured. Two of them were hung in public and the other seven were tortured and killed. Their heads were smashed with stones by the counter-bandits. (Ibid, p. 45.) The villagers Lambro Moskov, Risto Kalkov and Vasilka Karakashova were injured during the firefight. After that 41 people were taken hostage. Included among those taken hostage were Trpo Angelkov, Andon and Dimitar Terziovski, Atanas and Kosta Musmanov, Vasil and Tpaiko Ralevski, David and Giorgi Balov, Todor Vlahov, Lambro Stanishev and Zhivko Shurkov. (Ibid, p. 45.)

The pro-Bulgarian counter-bands actively participated alongside the quisling Greek government gendarmes, the Albanian Balists and the PAO Greek armed gangs during the grand July offensive that lasted from July 3 to July 22. They joined the German forces that fought against the partisan movement and robbed and burned, mostly Macedonian villages, while terrorizing the population and carrying

out mass killings. (Ibid, p. 55.) The failure of this offensive, however, marked the beginning of the end of the pro-Bulgarian political movement. In early August the first all-Macedonian battalion took offensive actions against the counter-bands to curb their positions in Kostur Region. The local counter-band units in the villages Mokreni, Bobishta, Zagorichani and Komunichevo were disarmed first, after that the partisans destroyed their last strongholds in the villages Prekopana, Chereshnitsa, Olishta, Tiolishta, Setoma, Shestrevo and other villages. By early September the pro-Bulgarian movement in Greek occupied Macedonia was as good as liquidated; its members were disarmed, with only a few escaping to Bulgaria before Bulgaria capitulated.

All the while the pro-Bulgarian “Macedono-Bulgarian Committee” movement existed and operated in Greek occupied Macedonia, its agents Boris Stoianov, Luka Damianov, Mino Iani, Pando Makriev, Risto Naskovski, Kuze Kiriazovski, Stavro Giurbushev, Vasil Manoilov and all the others, according to Fotev, spied on over 3,000 Macedonian people who were then betrayed to the Italian and German military occupational authorities. Of the 3,000, about 1,000 were jailed long term in concentration camps, while the others were temporarily jailed and “horribly tortured”. (Ibid, p. 74.) Over 150 Macedonian girls were raped by the counter-bandits. (Ibid.) About 3,000 Macedonian homes were plundered, about 25,000 sheep and goats and about 10,000 cattle were stolen by the pro-Bulgarian counter-bands. On top of that, they completely destroyed about 2,000 Macedonian houses over 5,000 rural stables, barns, cottages and more than 100 rural mills and rural schools. With help from the occupying forces, the pro-Bulgarians completely devastated and destroyed the Macedonian villages Nestram, Chuka, Radigozhe, Nestime, Ludovo and other villages. “This is how the pro-Bulgarians guarded the Macedonian villages, the Macedonian people’s honour and the Macedonian people themselves,” said Fotev. (Ibid, p. 75.)

People’s Liberation Movement in Greek occupied Macedonia (1941-1944)

After IMRO (United) was dissolved in Greek occupied Macedonia, the Macedonian Communists took over the leading role in the

Macedonian national liberation movement. They came in step with the Comintern directive for anti-fascist unity and for the liberation movement in Greece to fall under the leadership of the Communist Party of Greece. This was also done in Serbian (Vardar) occupied Macedonia where the Macedonian communists came under the leadership of the Yugoslav Communist Party and in Bulgarian (Pirin) occupied Macedonia where the Macedonian communists came under the leadership of the Communist Party of Bulgaria. In Greece the communists began to organize actions to restore the shattered Party organizations. From May to September 1941 the communists worked hard to renew their Party organizations, particularly the communist youth organizations in the cities and most villages, through the creation of the first anti-fascist militant groups before forming EAM, the Liberation Front in Greece, in September 1941. Macedonian participation in these organizations was massive. In September 1941 the Macedonians occupied about 60% of the positions in the CPG Party organizations, the OKNE communist youth organizations and in the anti-fascist groups in Rupishta and surrounding areas. (M. Fotev, about the counter-bands, p. 15.) Special groups within the Party organizations were responsible for collecting arms, ammunition and other war material for the partisan movement. In Kostur Region these groups collected massive amounts of arms, left behind by the Greek soldiers withdrawing from the Albanian front. A large amount of arms, ammunition and other war material was also collected in the Rupishsta city streets, left there by the fleeing Greek soldiers and officers when the German forces entered Greece. These war materials belonged to a complete infantry division and to specialized military units. Included in the arms, ammunition and other military materials collected in Rupishta were 830 maliheri type rifles, 24 automatic rifles, 6 machine guns, 400,000 bullets, 1,500 hand grenades and large amounts of sanitary and other medical material. (Ibid, 16.) When the Germans surrounded Rupishta the Greek army officers and soldiers, so as not to be captured with uniforms, arms or military equipment, dropped everything they had, put on civilian clothes and joined the civilian population. (M. Fotev, about the counter-bands, p. 16.) When conditions were right the Macedonian national liberation organization was established and an armed liberation struggle to liberate the Macedonian people in Greek occupied Macedonia was initiated. The CPG, by all possible means,

tried to prevent the creation of a Macedonian liberation organization. However, responsibility for not creating a Macedonian liberation organization fell on the Macedonian communists who, as senior executives in the CPG, the likes of Atanas Hadzhis, Andrea Chipov, Kiro Pilaev-Petro, Stavro Kochev, Lazo Trpovski, Anastas Karadzha, Trifon Hadzhiianev, Trpo Kalimanovski, Ziso Delevski and others, made no attempt to form such an organization. They, according to Fotev, “did not accept or support such an initiative. They diligently implemented the policy of the Communist Party of Greece against the Macedonian National Question and promised the Macedonian people that after the victory over the fascist occupiers and the liberation of the country, they would receive equality within the Greek people’s democratic state.” (Ibid.) This unfortunately delayed the start of the organized armed resistance.

The occupying forces, in cooperation with the quisling Greek police and gendarmerie and with the pro-Bulgarian movement, fiercely repressed and slowed down the formation of ELAS partisan units in western Greek occupied Macedonia until the second half of 1942.

The partisan movement in Kostur Region

The first partisan detachment in Kostur Region was formed on December 7, 1942 and consisted mostly of Macedonian men and women fighters, with a smaller number of Greeks. Included among those Macedonians who joined the first partisan detachment were Nikola Belocrkvenets, Gligor Kiosev, the brothers Mincho and Foti Fotev, the brothers Tomo and Alkiviadi Changov, Taki Pop Dimitrovski, Stepio Mavpandsa, Aleko Ivanovski, Lazo Kachela, Hrisuli Filipovski, Anastas Manaka, Aristidi Gedzho, Kosta Kuteki, Anesti Evotatiadis, Pinelopi Manaka-Op, Korneli Pop-Ianeva, Froso Iankovska-Ivanovska, Hristos Karas, Naum Blagoi, Petros Xanthopoulos, Sideri Zigari, Vasili Veveri (all from Rupishsta), Kosta Palo, Mihail Pacho, Atanas Karakushev, Vangel Tsutsulianov, Dimitar Masadovski, Zhivko Shanev, Andon Zisovski, Foti Bochevski, Giorgi Rizopoulos, Sterio Kalchev, Stepio Kozarov, Nikola Diovski, Ilia Shabanidi, Panaiotis Kirizakis, Atanas Sulas, Panaiot Koliopoulo, Argir Karaianovski and others. Of the total number of people in the detachment 70% were Macedonians. (M. Fotev, about the counter-bands, p. 22-23.) On February 24, 1943 the

second Kostur detachment was formed from the existing partisan fighter groups in Kostur. On December 24, 1942, while clearing the terrain in the village Shak, Kostur Region, the first Kostur detachment captured seven Greek gendarmes. And because the gendarmes were cooperating with the occupier and for crimes committed against the population; terrorizing and pillaging, they were sentenced to death. They were tried in a partisan court chaired by Kosta Bezdeka from the village Loshnitsa, (M. Fotev, about the counter-bands, p. 24.)

More new partisan detachments were formed in Kostur Region in early 1943. The third Kostur partisan detachment was formed in March 1943. Each detachment consisted of about 70 fighters of whom 70% were Macedonians. The rest were Greeks and Vlachs. (Mincho Fotev, Views and notes about Blagoia Taleski’s book “The First Macedonian Aegean Brigade” Nezaboravnik, Skopje, “Communist”, 1985, p. 15-16.)

The partisan detachments and other partisan combat groups were operating in the entire western part of Greek occupied Macedonia. They continued to destroy Italian outposts and Greek gendarmerie stations, eventually creating a free territory consisting of about 60 villages, 40 of which were inhabited by Macedonians. In Kostur Region they destroyed 4 Italian carabinieri stations and 6 Greek gendarmerie stations. These were in the villages Nestram, Breshtani, Bogasko, Charchishta (Skolohori), Burbusko and Kalevishta. (M. Fotev, about the counter-bands, p. 23-24.)

Armed village partisan groups were formed in all the villages in the liberated territory and from them new partisan detachments were created. Early in 1943 the partisans in Kostur Region undertook measures to free the larger settlements. On March 3, 1943 the first Kostur detachment, led by Iani Pachura, attacked and freed Nestram, a Macedonian village with about 2,800 residents, all Macedonians. After the village was freed 20 young men and 3 young women voluntarily joined the detachment. (M. Fotev, about the counter-bands, p. 24.) From Nestram the first Kostur partisan detachment headed for Rupishta to join up with the second Kostur detachment led by Giorgi Rizopulo. On March 8, 1943 the two detachments, supported by seven local partisan groups, freed the town of 5,000

inhabitants, of whom 55% were Macedonians. Included among the other identities living in Rupishta were 20% Vlachs, 20% Christian Turkish colonists and settlers from Asia Minor and 5% Roma and Albanians. After Rupishsta was freed a National Liberation Committee was formed. (M. Fotev, about the counter-bands, p. 24.) Rupishsta was the first large town in Greek occupied Macedonia to be freed by the PLM partisans. After the town was liberated the neighbouring villages Dupiak, Maniak, Zhelino, Zhupanishta and others were also freed. New fighters began to join the partisan movement including 72 from Rupishsta and 40 others from the neighbouring villages Dupiak, Pesiak, Vitan, Gosno and others, all with their own weapons. (M. Fotev, about the counter-bands, p. 25.) Twenty-two collaborators, who collaborated with the occupiers and with the Greek quislings against the PLM, were arrested in the liberated settlements. They were tried in a revolutionary court presided by Lazo Trpovski. Of the 22 arrested 10 were sentenced to death and liquidated, the others were released. Included among those convicted were Iani Dialaki, Tode Mitruli-Karakapnia, Zisi Karatasho, Bilios the mayor of the village Dupiak and Stavrakis Pandazis a former Greek policeman. (Ibid, p. 25.)

In March 1943 partisan detachments were also formed in Lerin Region. The first detachment was formed on March 4, 1943. Towards the end of May, by a decision made by the CPG District Committee for Lerin Region, a special detachment composed exclusively of Macedonian fighters was created and Paskal Mitrevski was appointed its commander. (Ibid, p. 16.) In addition to performing combat actions, this detachment was also responsible for spreading propaganda aimed against the “Macedono-Bulgarian Committee” in convincing the Macedonian counter-bandits not to support it. (Ibid.) But despite this detachment’s successes, it was dismantled by the CPG leadership. According to Fotev, the CPG leadership disbanded the all Macedonian detachment “for unknown reasons”. (M. Fotev, Views and notes, p. 16.)

In time the Macedonian communists stepped up their propaganda campaign against the pro-Bulgarian factions in an attempt to prove to the armed counter-bandits that they were being deceived by the Bulgarians and pressured to fight for the occupiers against the people’s liberation movement. They were told not to sacrifice their

lives for someone else’s interests, to drop their arms, leave and return to their homes. They were told that the PLM struggled for the local people’s interests. The propaganda campaign worked. By making personal contact with counter-band figures Paskal Mitrevski, on March 9, 1943, managed to win over twenty-three counter-bandits who surrendered their arms voluntarily. On March 12, 1943 Paskal Mitrevski, Periklis and Mincho Fotev, accompanied by a group of partisans led by Gligor Kiosev, negotiated the surrender of weapons from the majority of the villagers from the village Starichani. (Ibid, p. 50.) In the months of March and April, about 100 counter-bandits from the Kostur Region villages abandoned their weapons and returned to their families. This was mainly a result of the great contribution made by the communists and activists Kiro Ivanovski, Mihail Dimovski-Mishe, Aleko Dimitrovski-Tsande, Sotir Ivanovski, Petro Mirchev and others, all of them from Rupishsta. (Ibid, 50.) During the summer of 1943, about 150 pro-Bulgarian members of the village movement in the villages Dobrolishta, Zhupanishta, Izglibe, Maniak and others left the movement and defected to the ranks of the partisans. (M. Fotev, about the counter-bands, p. 51.) In March and April 1943 partisan units from western Greek occupied Macedonia freed about 150 villages, which became part of the compact liberated territory. (M. Fotev, about the counter-bands, p. 25.)

(Gligor Kiosev was an ELAS fighter from Rupishsta. He participated in the PLM in Greek occupied Macedonia and was NOF District Board Secretary for Kostur Region as well as NOF Secretary for Rupishsta. He died in Rupishsta in 1946.)

Advisory meeting in Nestram

Around mid-March 1943 more attention was given to the question of laying down measures for further developing the armed liberation movement. Moreover, it was projected that an advisory meeting would take place before the end of the month. The aim of this meeting was to get all organizational leaders and activists of the CPG and other anti-fascist organizations to advise all military and political assets of the developing situation. Preparations for this began on March 14, 1943 with Lazo Trpovski’s arrival at the headquarters of the First Kostur detachment in the village Langa,

Kostur Region. Trpovski, then, was a member of the CPG Regional Committee for Greek occupied Macedonia and Thrace. He was accompanied by Periklis, CPG Regional Committee Secretary for Kostur region. There they were received by Mincho Fotev, then officer at the Detachment Headquarters. A meeting was held the same day. Also present at the meeting were Iani Pachura commander of the detachment and Theodoros Mariolis-Lefteris EAM District Committee Secretary for Kostur Region. Even though Theodoros Mariolis-Lefteris was a former sergeant of the Greek gendarmerie, he was appointed EAM Regional Committee First Secretary on September 27, 1941. (M. Fotev, about the counter-bands, p. 62.) On March 15, 1943 the CPG members, together with the PLM activists that included Paskal Mitrevski, Geros and Hristina Pupti, accompanied by a partisan unit, arrived in the village Nestram, which at the time was the centre of the CPG Regional Committee. The advisory meeting took place on March 21, 1943. Participating in it were military and political staff from Kostur Region, consisting of about 50 leaders and representatives from the various organizations including the CPG, EAM, OKNE-EA and ELAS. According to Fotev, the following people also attended the advisory meeting: Kosta Bazdeka, Mihail Pacho, Hrisuli Pacho, Evgenia Kiriakova, Lazo Kachela, Petro Xanthopoulos, Nikola Belotsrkvenets, Giorgi David - Geros, Kozma Kaloianov, Pando Terpovski and others. (M. Fotev, about the counter-bands, p. 34.)

The following items were reviewed during the meeting:

1. The general situation in Kostur Region; 2. The condition of the People’s Liberation Movement organizations; 3. The condition of the partisan movement.

After the reviews were over, the current situation with respect to the people was evaluated, particularly the readiness of the people in view of the deteriorating economic situation and repression caused by the Italian military occupational forces, the quisling Greek government and counter-revolutionary organizations and their armed formations. Also examined were measures and actions that should be taken to strengthen the partisan movement. Giorgi Ianuli, commander of the First Kostur Detachment, informed the members

of the current situation and what needed to be done to further strengthen the partisan movement. One of the things he mentioned was to increase the numbers and empower the units to act on a larger scale. (Ibid, p. 34-35.)

Paskal Mitrevski spoke about the difficulties the Macedonian people had found themselves in with regards to the Bulgarian propaganda and actions. He pointed to the danger the Bulgarian agents were posing, especially the representatives of the “Macedono-Bulgarian Committee” who were “dragging the Macedonian people towards Bulgarian imperialism and against their own national interests”. (Ibid, p. 35.) The Macedonian people faced even greater risks with the emergence of the counter-bands, the pro-Bulgarian movement and the Italian and German occupying forces. The partisan struggle was no longer simple, it was complex and difficult but, despite all that, there was mass Macedonian participation everywhere in the partisan movement. That is why it was very important for the CPG and EAM leaderships to find a political solution and to apply the appropriate policy tools to effectively manage it. It was requested from the CPG, EAM and ELAS leaderships that they appoint Macedonians in leadership functions in all bodies of the anti-fascist movement. It was asked of them to establish a special partisan unit comprised only of Macedonians to fight against members of the pro-Bulgarian counter-band movement. (M. Fotev, about the counter-bands, p. 35.)

Lazo Trpovski, in his capacity as representative of the CPG Regional Committee for Greek occupied Macedonia and Thrace, spoke last at the meeting. He spoke about the current political situation, emphasized the Party’s historical role in organizing the ELAS partisan movement and gave his impression of the PLM development in Kostur Region. (Ibid.) In speaking about the “Macedono-Bulgarian Committee” he said: “Its appearance and action have marked one of the darkest pages in the history of the Macedonian people…” (Ibid, p. 36.) His antagonists Risto Rukov, Luka Damianov, brothers Paskal and Vasil Ianakiev, Kuze Kiriazovski and the other agents of the Greek police became agents of fascist Bulgaria and collaborators of the German and Italian occupiers, and were “prepared to serve the devil”. (Ibid, p 36.) Trpovski called for increased political action to denounce them and

deter the Macedonian people from joining them, especially those who were under pressure from the occupier and from the great Bulgarian false-Macedonian propaganda, and those who had not joined to serve the occupier by their own will. All those pressured to join the counter-bands were welcome to join the people’s liberation struggle and fight for the freedom and rights of the Macedonian people, together with the Greek people, under the leadership of the CPG. It was asked that the war against the counter-bands which terrorized the people, pushing them to their own demise, be escalated. (Ibid.)

On the orders of Lazo Trpovski, on March 25, 1943, led by Iani Pachure, the first Kostur detachment invaded and crashed the “Macedono-Bulgarian Committee” counter-bands stationed in the village Dobrolishte. The counter-bands were led by Paskal Kalimanovski, one of the “Committee’s” leading personalities. (M. Fotev, about the counter-bands, p. 37.)

(After the attack on Dobrolishte, Trpovski returned to the village Nestram. On April 2, 1943 he left and, through the village Charchishta, traveled to the liberated town Tsotili, Anaseli Region, where he met with members of the CPG Regional Committee Secretariat for Greek occupied Macedonia and Thrace and with the CPG, EAM and ELAS military and political leaders. On April 9, 1943 Lazo Trpovski along with Keradis Simos, a member of the CPG Regional Committee Secretariat, and their escorts were killed near the village Imera, Kozhani Region. They were ambushed by a PAO armed unit. (Ibid, p. 38.))

In time the partisans improved their combat skills and began to inflict larger losses on the occupying forces and their collaborators. In April 1943, Italian command in Kostur Region decided to initiate offensive action to break up the partisan movement. On April 26 two infantry battalions, two artillery batteries of mountain guns, 8 mortars, 6 armoured vehicles, carrying about 250 counter-bandits in 3 squads, started their offensive against the partisans in the Nestram area. Just before the infantry forces began their attack, the Italian air force pounded the terrain for about an hour. Italian planes bombarded the Nestram area with napalm bombs and burned down many houses including partisan headquarters. After four days of

fighting, the partisans were forced out. They completely withdrew from the Nestram area during the night of April 29, 30 and went south towards Kostur and Kostenaria Region. During the four days of hostilities on the Nestram area, the villages Chuka, Stensko and Radigozha were badly damaged. The counter-bandits looted 180 and burned 130 houses, most of which belonged to partisan families. (Ibid, p. 39.)

After withdrawing from their positions in the Nestram area, the partisan units continued their armed actions. On May 1, 1943 they attacked the village Starichani, occupied by a company of 22 members of the pro-Bulgarian counter-band movement, led by Vasil Manoilov. During the battle the partisans killed five counter-bandits, among whom was Manoilov, and captured 17. On the partisan side 4 were killed and 6 wounded. Iani Pachura, commander of the first Kostur detachment, was one of the wounded. While the fighting was going on, in order to stop the villagers from joining the partisans, the counter-bandits shot and killed two young people and wounded an 18-year-old young woman who managed to escape and cross over into the partisan ranks. The two young people killed were Vangelitsa Popianeva and Nikola Todorov. Todorov was killed by Kolio Manoilov. The young woman who was wounded but escaped was Filareta Radeva. (Ibid, p. 39.) After the village was liberated, the 17 captured counter-bandits were tried in their village partisan court and 15 were sentenced to death by firing squad. (M. Fotev, about the counter-bands, p. 39.) In the days that followed, in the first half of May 1943, the partisans managed to recruit 150 new volunteers from the villages Nestram, Chuka, Kalevishta, Radigozha, Stensko, Ianoven, Pilkat and Grache. (Ibid.) Towards the end of May and early June 1943, with the arrival of new volunteers, the number of partisan units dramatically increased in Kostur Region. In the second half of June in the areas around Kostenarichko and Nestram, 7 partisan units acted with about 600 fighters of whom about 450 were Macedonians. From the liberated territory alone, consisting of about 60 villages, there were more than 500 partisans who joined the reserve of ELAS. (M. Fotev, about the counter-bands, p. 40.)

Because the Italian occupying forces and the collaborationist armed formations were unable to suppress the armed partisan movements in Kostur Region, German Military Command sent reinforcements

to assist them. Before the end of June 1943 a German SS unit of about 300 soldiers and officers and Greek collaborators formations, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Pulios, was sent from Solun to Kostur to assist. (Ibid, p. 40) So now the Italians in Kostur Region in effect had the XIII infantry battalion, one artillery battalion, 6 armoured vehicles and 150 Carabinieri. The quisling Greek government had about 200 gendarmes, the “Macedono-Bulgarian Committee” movement had a detachment of 350 counter-bandits and about 2000 armed villagers forced to fight against the partisans. (Ibid.) All these forces were effectively put in a mobile state to assume an offensive against the partisan units.

Partisan headquarters, which followed enemy preparations, as well as the CPG Regional Committee and local organizations, informed the people in the villages to hide their belongings and food and, with partisan protection, to evacuate their livestock to the mountainous areas in Grusha, Volia, Odre and Gramos. (Ibid.) To assist the evacuation, 3 partisan units with about 150 fighters arrived from Lerin Region. (Ibid.)

On July 6, 1943, enemy forces launched an attack on partisan positions in the villages Semasi, Shkrapar, Bela Tsrkva, Nestime, Zhuzhultse, Libishevo, Psore, Ludovo, Galishta, Radigozha, Chuka and Nestram. Fierce battles were fought from morning until night with enemy forces retreating to their well-protected bases in Rupishsta, Dobrolishta, Chetirok and Kostur. These tactics continued from July 6 to August 16 when a major operation was initiated. According to partisan headquarters, 52 battles were fought during this offensive. On the enemy side 182 fighters were killed and 250 wounded. On the partisan side 37 partisans were killed and 58 wounded. The enemy forces killed 29 villagers and destroyed about 500 houses, 600 buildings of food and livestock, 14 schools and a convent and the monastery of St. Archangel in the village Chuka. Included among the villages that suffered the most were Nestram, Chuka, Radigozha, Galishte, Ludovo, Nestram and Charchishta. (Ibid, p. 41.)

It was not until mid-July 1943 that the partisan units in Kostur and Lerin Regions began their large-scale operations. (Ibid, p. 52.) Particularly successful was the Lerin-Kostur “Gotse” battalion.

(Ibid, p. 51.) During the night of July 23/24, 1943, units of the 28th ELAS Regiment, Kostur Macedonian detachments and partisan detachments from Vermion, Voden Region, attacked and in a few hours took Rupishsta. During the attack on the pro-Bulgarian movement Headquarters, in a hand to hand battle, the partisans killed 15 counter-bandits led by Vasil Ianakiev who was wounded, surrendered and, along with 12 other counter-bandits, defected to the partisan side. The partisans withdrew from the town in the morning of July 24, 1943. (Ibid, p. 52.)

After Italy’s capitulation in early September 1943, the number of partisan detachments increased and so did their combat actions. On October 10, 1943 the 28 member “Lazo Trpovski” unit was formed from the partisan group led by Atanas Koroveshovski and by the newly arrived fighters, of whom 16 had just returned from Bulgaria, more precisely from Sofia and Plovdiv and joined the people’s liberation movement in Greek occupied Macedonia. (M. Fotev, Views and notes, p. 16-18.) Naum Peiov, who had just arrived from Bitola, was appointed commander of the “Lazo Trpovski” unit. According to Fotev, the decision to form this detachment was made by the CPG District Committee for Kostur Region and was done on October 10, 1943 by the ELAS Headquarters of Regiment XXVIII and political commissar Micho Shishkov. (Ibid, p. 6-17.) The unit, which lasted only two months, was part of ELAS and the fighters carried the sign of ELAS on their hats, and not the five-pointed star. (M. Fotev, Views and notes, p. 16.) At the request of the fighters and communists, the commander and political commissar were quickly changed. (M. Fotev, Views and notes, p. 16.) Dimitar Tupurkovski-Titan was appointed commander and Naum Shupurkov-Leon was appointed political commissar. (Ibid, p. 17.)

In October and November 1943 combat actions against the pro-Bulgarian movement were intensified. The partisans disarmed the counter-bandits in the villages Gabresh, Pozdivishta, Konomlati, Chernovishta, Drenoveni and Stanishta. (M. Fotev, about the counter-bands, p. 52.) During the night of November 11/12, 1943, units of the 28th ELAS Regiment attacked German and Italian positions in Rupishsta. During the attack the partisans killed 63 enemy soldiers, captured 4 Italian soldiers and 1 officer. They raided their armoury and seized 40 rifles, 1 heavy machine gun, 2 machine

guns, a large quantity of ammunition, hand grenades, other military material and 33 mules. (Ibid, 52.) By the end of 1943 a large free territory was created encompassing about 100 villages, 80 of which were inhabited by Macedonians only. The villages in the area around Mount Vicho, including Gabresh, Drenovani, Pozdivishta, Konomlati, Kosinets, Pobanitsa and V’mbel, were disarmed and freed from the pro-Bulgarian counter-band movement. This area became a secure base for the partisan movement. (M. Fotev, about the counter-bands, p. 42.)

While the German forces and the quisling Greek gendarmerie and police concentrated their effort in securing the towns and cities, the quisling, armed Greek organizations and pro-Bulgarian collaborators used their resources to secure the roads and communication channels. After the pro-Bulgarians sustained many losses, the “Macedono-Bulgarian Committee” movement gained some support from the German occupation authorities and the Bulgarian agents who still retained their structure and had impact on the Macedonian population.

While this was going on, the partisan movement continued to intensify its ideological and political struggle. Even before the end of 1943, under the CPG’s leadership, the armed Macedonian national movement began a higher stage of development.

The partisans, most of whom were Macedonians, created a large free territory in Greek occupied Macedonia and raised the question of solving vital political and national issues regarding the Macedonian people’s involvement in the people’s government, opening Macedonian schools and other such needs for the Macedonian people. The CPG unfortunately did not respond positively to these vital Macedonian interests and created much dissatisfaction in the Macedonian people. (Ibid, p. 43.) It was required of the CPG to accept the reality of the current situation and comply with the demands of the Macedonian people. It was required of the CPG to establish equality and national rights for the Macedonian people from Greek occupied Macedonia since it depended on them to further develop the joint liberation and anti-fascist struggle with the Greek people in which the Macedonians participated en masse.

Given the overall situation, the Macedonian CPG leadership in Greek occupied Macedonia deemed it necessary to take a tactical change in attitude towards the Macedonian people and their aspiration for organizing an independent PLM within the Greek armed anti-fascist movement. Due to changes in circumstances, the tactical change did not occur until the second half of September 1943 when the “new” Party line was realized. At about the same time Hristo Kalfas-Andreas, CPG District Committee Secretary for western Greek occupied Macedonia, arrived in Kostur Region. At a meeting with the CPG, EAM, ELAS and EPON leaderships, which was attended by Macedonian activists and partisan unit veterans, a number of Macedonians belonging to the CPG and ELAS spoke and highlighted the Macedonian participation and contribution to the armed anti-fascist struggle. After that the Macedonian situation and problems the Macedonian people were facing were discussed and solutions sought. This meeting was followed by a triple meeing held in Osnicheni, Kostur Region, in Sterio Buklev’s house. (Ibid, 43.) Here Kalfas met with Periklis, CPG District Committee Secretary, and Paskal Mitrevski, commander of the partisan detachment stationed in the village. During the meeting Mitrevski made a categorical request to establish a Macedonian People’s Liberation Organization which, as a national and political representative of the Macedonian people, would solve the current political problems experienced by the Macedonian people in Greek occupied Macedonia. He indicated that only a Macedonian national political organization could and would mobilize all the potential of the Macedonian people in the struggle against fascism and against the pro-Bulgarian “Macedono-Bulgarian Committee movement, as well as deal with the acute problems and issues vital to the interests of the Macedonian people. That organization would act as a carrier and a consistent scorer for the brotherhood and unity with the Greek people and for the attainment of full equality. (M. Fotev, about the counter-bands, p. 43.) This is what the CPG was asked to do in order to solve the Macedonian National Question.

After receiving the report from Kalfas, the CPG leadership began to deviate from its former attitude. A few days later the CPG Regional Committee for Kostur Region received a directive to form a Macedonian People’s Liberation Organization, with the right to form organizations in other districts of Greek occupied Macedonia.

But the directive required that the organization created be called “Slavo-Macedonian”. It would appear that the Greeks were prepared to recognize the existence of a Slavic population in Greek occupied Macedonia, which appeared as a respectable factor in the struggle against the occupation and to assist the CPG to seize power in Greece. In every case the CPG leadership consented to an autonomous Macedonian people’s liberation movement. According to Fotev: “The establishment of the Macedonian revolutionary organization SNOF and the creation of the Macedonian partisan units was the only correct decision the CPG made regarding the ‘Macedonian Question’ during the Liberation War (1941-1945)”. (M. Fotev, about the counter-bands, p. 45.) Immediately afterwards, on October 10, 1943, the Macedonian detachment “Lazo Trpovski” was formed which consisted of 27 exclusively Macedonian fighters. This affirmed the struggle of the Slavo-Macedonians fighting for their freedom and independence, for organizing and building institutions and for promoting the uniqueness of the Macedonian people.

Establishment of the Slovo-Macedonian National Liberation Front (SNOF)

The Macedonian National Liberation Front for Greek occupied Macedonia was established in the fall of 1943 under the name SNOF. The founding meeting was held on October 20, 1943 in the village D’mbeni, Kostur Region, in Kiriako Tsalev’s house. Tsalev was appointed member of the District leadership. Appointed First Secretary of SNOF was Paskal Mitrevski. (Ibid, p. 44, and M. Fotev, Views and notes, on Blagoia Taleski’s book “First Aegean Macedonian Brigade”, Skopje, NIP Nova Makedonija (1985), p. 26.) Later, on December 25, the 1st SNOF Conference was held in the village Krchishta, Kostur Region. (Ibid, p. 44, and M. Fotev, Views and notes, p. 26.) About 200 delegates from 75 villages and from Rupishta participated in the Conference. (M. Fotev, views and notes, p. 26.) Included in the delegates were representatives from the CPG, EAM, ELAS and EA district organizations. (M. Fotev, development through NOF, p. 46.) Paskal Mitrevski, in his capacity as secretary, submitted a report in which he especially emphasized the strong Macedonian acceptance of SNOF as an expression of the Macedonian people’s will to achieve their national aspirations for an

independent organization in their struggle to attain “free national, political and social development”. (M. Fotev, about the counter-bands, p. 44.) This was a big and courageous step for the further affirmation of the Macedonian people and for their struggle for democracy together with the Greek people. (Ibid.) A number of people were appointed officers of SNOF during the Conference. Kiro Popvasilev and Andon Tsalev were appointed members of the SNOF Secretariat, Vasil Aleksovski, Lazo Poplazarov, Simo Kaltchev, Lazo Hadziev and Evdokia Baleva-Vera, who was responsible for the organization of women in Kostur Region, were appointed members of the District Board. (M. Fotev, views and notes, p. 26.) Also adopted during the Conference were the national programs on educational, cultural and informational activities; opening Macedonian language schools, fostering and promoting national traditions and folk customs, organizing cultural and artistic performances, national holidays and other events that mark the Macedonian people’s history. (M. Fotev, about the counter-bands, p. 46-47.) A Bureau was created, headed by Lazar Poplazarov, to implement these cultural and educational activities. (M. Fotev, views and notes, p. 31.) There was also a newspaper under the name “Slavo-Macedonian voice”, an organ of the SNOF District Board of Kostur Region, initiated with Vasko Karadzha as its language translator and proofreader. (Ibid.)

In addition to SNOF for Kostur Region, a SNOF organization for Lerin Region was also formed with Petre Pilaev appointed as its secretary. (M. Fotev, views and notes, p. 27.) Both regional organizations acted independently and were managed by district boards. A unique SNOF national organization was never created. (Ibid, p. 28.) Due to the lack of a common governing body, the district leaderships often held joint meetings to inform each other of the situation on the ground and the position their organizations were taking. (Ibid.)

On November 10, 1943 the CPG Regional Committee leadership for Kostur Region unexpectedly made a decision to disband the all Macedonian detachment only one month after its formation. (M. Fotev, about the counter-bands, p. 71.) The dissolution of the unit was accepted without protest or resistance, even though the true CPG intentions and policy objectives towards the Macedonian

people and the Macedonian Question were not obvious. The Macedonian communists who were in the district’s leadership still remained loyal to the Communist Party of Greece and continued to implement its policies.

SNOF, amid its limited opportunities and without a unique leadership, but with “modest informational resources and total commitment of its activists, broadly awakened the national consciousness and affirmation of the uniqueness of the Macedonian people”. (M. Fotev, about the counter-bands, p. 47.) Since its establishment, SNOF acted as a political and revolutionary factor for strengthening Macedonian national unity. According to Fotev: “One of SNOF’s main tasks was to realize and strengthen the moral, political and national unity of the Macedonian people. Its formation was necessary in order, in the eyes of the people, to expose the dangerous role of the Bulgarian agents and the Bulgarian committee, and to unmask Bulgarian claims on Greek occupied Macedonia”. (Ibid, p. 45-46.)

The SNOF Kostur and Lerin Region District leaders held a meeting on January 28, 1944, in the village Tsrnovishte, Kostur Region, to review the situation and inform each other of the state of affairs of the SNOF organizations in those regions. (M. Fotev, views and notes, p. 27-28.)