STUDENTS FROM SAMOBOR ON VACATION IN OHRID

STUDENTS FROM SAMOBOR ON VACATION IN OHRID

The newspaper “Voice of the Aegeans” made it its mission to monitor and report on the refugee children’s lives and activities in Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Voivodina and those in the homes in the People’s Republic of Macedonia. So we can safely say that many articles were written about the refugee children. This was also the case with regards to the refugee children from Aegean Macedonia housed in the children’s home in Samobor, People’s Republic of Croatia, who were sent on Vacation to Ohrid. By doing so the newspaper has given us a picture of their conditions for development. Here is what the article said:

“All students from the Samobor home, Aegean Macedonians and Croatians, spent their vacation together in Ohrid. They were placed in the ‘Goritsa’ and ‘Sveti Stefan’ summer homes. Their vacation lasted 22 days during which they swam, visited places and read books. They visited the surrounding areas and were acquainted with the abounding cultural and historical monuments in this region. Upon completion of their stay they sent a letter to the editorial office of the newspaper ‘Voice of the Aegeans’ in which they said that they were very satisfied with their stay in Ohrid and that they would now embark on their education with renewed force...”

LIFE - COLLECTED IN A BUNDLE

Ilinka Oliacha Bukovich’s recollection of the refugee children’s arrival from Aegean Macedonia to the Tsrikvenitsa children’s home in Croatia is a very valuable testimony for the simple reason that,

through her, we can see and experience the drama that occurred on the “other side” of the refugee ordeal. In fact, her testimony is true because it reveals how the children were treated by those in charge during those dramatic moments. Here is her testimony:

“I was in charge of the hotel kitchen in Tsrikvenitsa, when one day my manager Toma called me and confidentially said: ‘Listen carefully, tomorrow we will be receiving some very unusual guests.’ I was a bit confused and did not understand what exactly he meant by that so he quietly said: ‘You will see, prepare yourself’.

During a subsequent preparation meeting I found out that we would be receiving ‘refugee children from Aegean Macedonia’ who we needed to look after and help in order for them recover from everything that was happening to them. When I heard that I felt a sharp pain in my heart and a constriction in my throat like there was not enough air for me to breath. After that we accelerated our preparations to accommodate the children. The kitchen had to be readied like never before.

They were supposed to arrive by ship from Rieka, so I occasionally rushed to the terrace of the hotel to see if the ship had arrived. Finally when we heard the ship whistle blow, I ran to the terrace. It was a sight that I will never forget. The sea was calm and the sun was setting and just below it was a column of children holding hands and moving towards our hotel. Their little well-disciplined bodies moved slowly in unison and in complete silence. I felt as if something in me had broken and out of my soul came a cry stronger than the strongest thunder. At that very moment it became clear to me that indeed I was truly waiting for someone who meant more to me than anything. I ran down the stairs to the children. When I watched the children, who were coming towards me, it was as if I was watching myself. It was an emotional scene. The children were dressed in rags and almost all of them, with their skinny little hands, held onto a bag, a small bundle of things, containing all their earthy possessions. They clung to the little bags that they had brought from home, given to them by their parents, whose whereabouts now was unknown, or even worse, who now may be dead. Perhaps that’s why they held onto their small bundles fiercely, as if they were carrying everything from their lives both past and present, holding onto their

future and to their hope. The poor children were exhausted from their long and arduous trip, suffering from fear and uncertainty. Their eyes seemed somehow impersonal, as if looking at blank space, but only seemingly. When I looked in their eyes I saw immense sadness, pain, suffering, fear, despair and a boundless sense of powerlessness. I continued to search through their pale and sunken faces. I saw an image of human sadness, unhappiness, pain and suffering in the children entering the hotel, two by two, holding hands. We put them in rooms with two children per bed. Unfortunately we had more children than beds, which made me feel infinitely sadder and gave me terrible pain which tore at my chest.

When we began to serve dinner the children quietly sat at the tables and then something wonderful happened. We heard children’s voices, quiet at first, then louder and louder. I felt like life was coming back again. I felt as if something was reborn. This overwhelmed my heart. I felt like life was strong and nothing could stop it.

A few days later the children started to behave more like children. I made every effort to devote every free moment of my time to them, to give them something I had never received as a child: love, at least a little bit of love and understanding. I often played with them on the hotel terrace, which was a big enough place to accommodate all of them. I gathered them around me and the poor children enjoyed my company and the love I had for them, a mother’s love because none of them knew where their mothers were.

One day a quiet child came up to me. He did not talk much but wanted to be with me. I think his name was Angel. Since then, even though we had a little trouble communicating, we became inseperable; Angel did not want to leave me. Another day I looked down the coast line and saw a child playing in the sand alone. Who knows what he was thinking and dreaming and who he was missing? I went to him and played with him a while. This child too became attached to me. I think his name was Kosta.

Since my own childhood was crippled, I tried as best as I could to help the refugee children, with whom I lived for a period of my life.

And I know, even though they were not aware, they helped me a lot too.

Among the first people I came into contact with was a woman, who for me at that time was an adult. Her name was Stefania Micheva and her husband’s name was Atanas. This woman and her children were refugees from Aegean Macedonia. We often spent hours together telling stories about our destinies that had similar characteristics: pain, suffering and anguish...” concluded Ilinka Oliacha Bukovich.

We have more testimonies about the studying of trades in Osiek, Croatia, from Hristina Tambov, married name Petrovska. She is one of the many girls who came to this city to learn a trade in a course that lasted from 1949 to 1952. She graduated with a diploma. All these girls eventually returned to Skopje where they were employed as skilled workers in the various factories. This is what she said:

“In 1948 we were forced to leave our native village Kosinets. I left with my older sister and cousin and with many other 11 to 15 years old children from Kostur Region. Strictly speaking, this was the second group that left Aegean Macedonia and went to the People’s Republic of Macedonia.

We left barefoot and traveled on foot to the village Liubojno, Resen Region, and from there by truck to Bitola where we slept over.

Then we took a freight train which brought us to Brailovo, Prilep Region. A few days later they took us to a monastery in the village Slepche where we spent 30 days. Then we took a train to Skopje and traveled on foot to Matka where again they placed us in a monastery. The Skopje Red Cross organized and took care of our travels from Liubojno to Matka.

After a few months of stay in Macedonia, the Macedonian Red Cross submitted us to the Serbo-Croatian Red Cross which then placed us in Tsrikvenitsa. There we were housed in hotels. After that we were separated by age and the younger children were sent to Bela Tsrkva, Autonomous Province Voivodina.

I was not sent with the younger children because I refused to leave my older sister Elena. After that 80 girls, including myself, were sent to Osiek on vocational training. I was selected to learn the craft of sewing. Training lasted from 1949 to July 1952.

Our education was conducted in the Serbo-Croatian language. But because of the difficulties we had studying in a language we did fully understand, we sent a request to the Ministry of Education in People’s Republic of Macedonia to send us Macedonian teachers who could help with language interpretation. Our request was fulfilled and we managed to successfully complete our education, thanks to our Macedonian teachers Liupco, Vera and Danitsa.

Our desire was to return to Macedonia. The Macedonian government fulfilled our wishes and after we arrived we were all employed in our vocations.

I want to express my gratitude to the then Red Cross, which took care of us during the entire time we stayed in the children’s homes and boarding schools and for our education...”