Part 30 – The Nozh Uprising

Part 30 – The Nozh Uprising

By the middle of 1907 the Macedonian people found themselves in a state of anarchy with war looming on the horizon. No one knew or could confirm with any certainty how many illegal armed bands were operating in Macedonia. Neither the Ottoman army nor the International Peacekeepers wanted anything to do with them. These Greek, Serbian, Bulgarian, Albanian and Romanian bands were paid to terrorize and victimize the Macedonian civilian population with a single aim, to eliminate the Macedonian peoples’ desire to create a free and independent Macedonia and to make it easier for whoever possessed Macedonian lands to assimilate the Macedonian people once Macedonia was partitioned. These bands were dispatched and paid for by the Greek, Serbian, Bulgarian and Romanian governments to serve their interests. By this time the Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (MRO) had recovered somewhat from the failed Ilinden Uprising but did not possess the strength or resources to respond to all the troubles that the Macedonian people were facing. However the few Macedonian Chetas that remained active fought day and night to protect the people, sometimes two or three battles per day. If they fought the Greeks, Serbians and Bulgarians in the morning then they fought the Ottoman army in the evening. The civilian population did not know what to make of all the chaos and violence and lived under constant fear and threat of war. The situation worsened when the Ottomans began to reinforce their military installations in the Bitola Vilayet with ten additional battalions. Not knowing what this military buildup was for the MRO decided to react, particularly after the Ottomans joined the Greeks, Serbians, Bulgarians and Bashibazuks in committing violent crimes against the Macedonian population. Given the dire situation, particularly in the Bitola Vilayet in April 1907, many of the Macedonian insurgents and Vojvodas who survived the Ilinden onslaught were recalled and asked to reassemble at Babuna Mountain in Bitola. The first to return were Vojvodas Petar Atsev and Tane Nikolov along with 50 experienced and well-armed insurgents. Vojvodas Mihail Chakov, Hristo Tsvetkov and Mircho Najdenov, along with their Chetas, arrived followed later by Ivan Naumov- Alabakov from Veles with his Cheta. In total there were 230 insurgents who had returned and 300 more from the local village militia. After arriving, the force of 530 insurgents relocated to the Nikodin vicinity where they were joined by more local Chetas and some from Kostur Region and southern Bulgaria. On June 6, 1907 the Council of Vojvodas held a meeting in Popadiski Chukari where they discussed strategies on how to take adequate measures to protect the population. Anticipating dramatic events, the Council ordered the local organizations to immediately prepare food for 500 persons for three days. Fortunately the dramatic events anticipated did not materialize. In the middle of June, 1907 two Serbian armed bands appeared in the village Nikodin and began to hassle the civilian population. On June 22, 1907 the Macedonian Chetas led by Mihail Chakov, Tane Nikolov, Petar Atsev, Mircho Najdenov and Hristo Tsvetkov surrounded Nikodin and began their assault on the Serbian bands. Unfortunately before the bandits could be captured most escaped the encirclement by disguising themselves as women wearing traditional clothes, or shepherds and herdsmen. When the Ottoman authorities found out that Macedonian insurgents had returned and were in the vicinity of Nikodin, they quickly dispatched their army and garrisoned all the villages including the small ones. On July 10, 1907 the Chetas, led by Nikolov, Atsev, Najdenov, Tsvetkov and Gorgi Mariovski from Mariovo numbering more than 150 insurgents reinforced with 300 insurgents from the village militia, regrouped in the vicinity between Popadija -Nikodin and Rakle and went on their way to intercept another Serbian armed band which had entered Nikodin. On July 11, 1907 the Council of Vojvodas decided to encircle the Serbian band and this time destroy it for good.

But yet again the Serbians breached the encirclement and escaped. Eager to save their own skins and get revenge on the Macedonian Chetas, Serbian agents reported the Macedonian buildup to the Ottoman authorities who in turn sent a large local army unit as well as other units from Bitola, Prilep, Voden, Lerin, Tikves and Veles to immediately depart for Babuna Mountain. Upon learning of this, the Prilep Revolutionary Committee advised the Vojvodas to quickly leave Nikodin and retreat to Mariovo. Unfortunately all the Chetas could not retreat as they were expecting other Chetas to arrive and needed to warn them of the Ottoman advance. Ivan Alabakov’s Cheta decided to stay behind while Tane Nikolov and Petar Atsev, who had major roles in the Council of Vojvodas, watched the Serbian movement and while waiting for the arrival of the Ottoman army divided their forces into two groups. The first group led by Nikolov, Atsev and Mariovski, together with the local militia, occupied the Popadiski Chukari hills. The second group led by Chakov, Tsvetkov and Najdenov occupied the Nozh hill near the village Rakle. The second group was then subdivided into two smaller groups of eight insurgents each, commanded by Sekula Oraovdolski and Velko Popadiski. One group was sent to secure Jasenova Glava peak between the villages Nikodin and Vladilovtsi. On July 13, 1907 messengers from Prilep, Topolitsa, Trojatsi and Veles reported that a column of 3,000 Ottoman soldiers led by Enver Bey, future leader of the Young Turk revolution, was headed towards Nikodin. The same day, the Vojvodas Chakov, Tsetkov and Najdenov were urged to consult with Nikolov, Atsev and Mariovski, now located near Popadiski Chukar, to decide what to do. Petko Kojchev, secretary of the Veles Cheta, in the meantime, was given the role of acting Vojvoda at Nozh to replace Ivan Alabakov who had left with his 50 insurgents the night before. Soon after the Vojvodas met they were informed that the Ottoman column was now moving towards Nozh. Messengers were immediately dispatched with orders to inform the Chetas to retreat from Nozh and head towards Popadiska Vodenitsa. After receiving the order all but 54 insurgents left Nozh. Among the remaining 54 was the entire Kostur Region Cheta numbering 30 insurgents and some volunteers who had recently joined. Command of the Kostur Region Cheta was entrusted to 19 year old assistant Vojvoda Atanas Popov from Sesteovo, Kostur Region and 19 year old Tredafil Dumbalokov from Suho, Solun Region. Dumbakov was a volunteer who had just left the Military Academy in Sofia to join the fight and be close to the Macedonian people. When Popov and Dumbalokov received orders from the Council of Vojvodas to retreat they immediately rejected the orders and refused to leave claiming that they were sent there by the people of Kostur Region to fight. They were again informed that a column of 3,000 Ottoman soldiers was about to embark on their position, but the two young men and their insurgents again refused to leave insisting that this was their destiny. They came here to fight and not retreat. This was their final decision and they were here to fulfill their obligation to the people of Kostur even if they had to fight to the death. Popov’s and Dumbalokov’s decision to fight, although astonishing, was welcome news to the village militia and to the Papradiste insurgents led by Najdo Arsov and Petko Kojchev but a disappointment to the Council because it would prove to be a senseless loss of such good fighters and patriots. But as the first Ottoman soldiers began to arrive and encircle Nozh there was a change of heart in the Vojvodas, insurgents and village militia as they tried to unsuccessfully breach the Ottoman encirclement. It was impossible to help the brave souls since by then all roads to Nozh were occupied by the Ottoman army and another large army group was approaching. Tane Nikolov and Mirche Najdenov with their Chetas took position on the highest hill, while Mihail Chakov and Tsvetko Popadiski with their Chetas climbed to another hill surprising and pushing back the Ottoman advance.

Tane Nikolov's insurgents fought the Ottomans approaching from Veles while Ivan Alabakov attacked the Ottomans headed to Nozh in order to open a gap for the Kostur Region Cheta to escape. Understanding the seriousness of the situation, the village militia too tried to punch a gap in the Ottoman encirclement but again without success. The Ottoman army was much too numerous to overwhelm and well informed of the situation at their disposal. Still refusing to budge, knowing that they would all die, the Kostur Region Cheta and its new volunteer recruits remained steadfast and determined to give their lives for the liberty of Macedonia. During the night of July 13 and 14, 1907 the brave insurgents took an oath that they would not surrender and took their position with only one thought in mind, “victory or death”. By dawn on July 14, 1907 the 3,000 strong Ottoman column had completely encircled Nozh and a vicious battle ensued. After firing the first volley the Ottomans sent a message asking the Macedonians to surrender. The Macedonians in turn rejected their offer with a counter offer saying that they preferred to fight. The Ottoman commander was not amused so he began to tighten the noose escalating the battle from all directions. The unequal battle continued, leaving many dead and wounded but without any surrenders and no attempts to escape, until noon when the last bullet was fired. Then as was previously agreed to, the 45 insurgents who were still alive huddled together, destroyed their guns, watches and other valuables so the enemy could not possess them, gathered all their ammunition and explosives, pointed their revolvers at each other and began to sing a Macedonian patriotic song. They then blew themselves up with their own ammunition. As the ammunition exploded violently their bodies were scattered with arms, legs, bones and other body parts falling everywhere. The enemy was shocked as it had never seen such self-sacrifice for idealism and with such a tragic ending. When the Ottoman commander Enver Bey arrived at the scene he too was astonished by what he saw. He had nothing but admiration for those who sacrificed their lives and he used the moment to exemplify this tragedy as an act of heroism. He called upon his soldiers and showed them how real heroes fight and die. To honour the fallen, by Enver Bey’s order, the 3,000 Ottoman soldiers shot three volleys in the air while shouting ‘Allah, Allah, Allah’. Italian gendarmerie Captain Lucius in the meantime took photos of the fallen and afterwards Enver Bey allowed the villagers to bury the corpses.