REPORT

REPORT

From: The NOF leadership in Kostur Region To: The NOF main leadership Subject: Plundering the village Kumanichevo

On April 26, 1945, a gang of up to 60 armed bandits, led by Dimitar Minelis and Atanasios Psalmodakis, attacked the village Kumanichevo from all sides and began to loot the houses. On top of looting the houses they also stole 1,000 sheep and goats, 110 heads of cattle and 50 pigs.

On May 4, 1945 a group of armed bandits from the village Loshnitsa, led by the Monarcho-Fascist Giorgos Douflas, stole 1,500 sheep and 50 cattle. After invading Kumanichevo they raided the houses and stole wine and rakia and helped themselves to the people’s food. They then took what was left and began to intimidate the unprotected population with their knives and swords yelling,

“We will kill you filthy Bulgarians and you will not be able to escape to Bulgaria and Yugoslavia…” The village was severely devastated... Doors and windows were broken… right in front of the people as they were watching. Many of the residents fled their homes and are now hiding in the mountains.

On May 5, 1945, Douflas’s gang returned to the village Kumanichevo and stole about 750 kilos of grain. After that they smashed the grain bins and storage barns, stole a number of chickens and eggs and left. A few days later they came back and went straight to the house belonging to Metodi, Toma and Giorgi Samara and plundered it. This house had not been plundered before.

Some time later a rumour was circulating that the government in Athens had ordered these gangs to return the plundered livestock and materials to the original owners. Following the rumour the gangs from the village Loshnitsa that committed the plunder informed the residents of Kumanichevo to go to Loshnitsa and take their belongings back. The people from Kumanichevo had a meeting to figure out what to do and decided that Damian Kiorkafa and Pandelis Papafilipos should go and be accompanied by all the older women and young children who had not been persecuted by the robbers because they were their servants. In the end 20 women and 10 children were selected to accompany the two men riding on mules.

When they arrived in the village Loshnitsa they met the robbers in the village square. Their first question was: “Where are your men…?” One of the women told them that the men were working. The gang of robbers then attacked the women and children and punished them. Their plan was to lure the men, capture them and put them in jail.

List of people robbed in the village Kumanichovo

1) Nikola Kutureli 2 oxen, 1 cow, 1 mule, 160 sheep. 2) Dimitar Kiosev 2 oxen, 70 sheep. 3) Methodi Samardzhiev 2 oxen, 1 cow, 150 sheep. 4) Pavle Samardzhiev 2 oxen, 1 cow, 160 sheep. 5) Ivan Cholakov 1 donkey, 40 sheep.

6) Ristidi Papataki 150 sheep. 7) Hristo Konukov 1 ox, 1 cow. 8) Dim. Papatanasi 2 oxen, 1 cow, 30 sheep. 9) Ilia Samardzhiev 1 cow, 1 donkey. 10) Blagoia Dinkov 3 cows, 20 sheep. 11) Filip Konukov 1 donkey. 12) Dimitar Duev 3 oxen, 1 cow, 2 donkeys, 170 sheep. 13) Hristo Samardziev 2 cows, 1 donkey, 100 sheep. 14) Nikola Goglev 20 sheep. 15) Nikola Popvasilev 1 cow, 1 donkey. 16) Slavko Panteliev 1 cow, 1 donkey. 17) Vangel Konukov 1 donkey, 15 sheep. 18) Ivan Popvasilev 1 cow, 130 sheep. 19) Vangel Engelana 2 cows, 1 donkey. 20) Giorgi Popvasilev 2 oxen, 1 cow, 1 donkey, 60 sheep. 21) Methodi Duev 1 ox, 2 cows. 22) Andon Dinkov 1 cow, 1 donkey. 23) Damianidi Angelia 1 ox, 2 cows, 1 donkey. 24) Vangel Penev 1 ox, 2 cows, 1 donkey, 40 sheep. 25) Diamidi Michov 2 oxen, 1 cow, 1 donkey, 8 sheep. 26) Dimitar Michov 2 oxen, 4 cows, 80 sheep, 1 horse. 27) Methodi Michov 2 oxen, 4 cows, 90 sheep, 1 horse. 28) Vasil Vlahov 1 cow, 1 donkey, 50 sheep. 29) Kosta Dinkov 3 cows, 3 donkeys, 90 sheep. 30) Dimitar Chinov 3 cows, 1 donkey. 31) Vasil Samardzhiev 5 oxen, 6 cows, 1 donkey, 160 sheep. 32) Nikola Ivanov 2 cows, 110 sheep. 33) Kosma Papagiorgi 2 oxen, 1 cow, 1 donkey. 34) Andrea Kanuntse 1 ox, 1 cow, 50 sheep. 35) Lambi Neshov 1 ox, 1 mule, 30 sheep. 36) Gorgi Neshov 1 ox, 1 mule, 20 sheep. 37) Hristo Karadzhov 1 cow.

5. Another document on looting

Report on looting in the village Dobrolishta.

The first attack on Dobrolishta took place on March 17, 1945. The robbers were armed Madzhiri (Christian Turkish colonists from Asia Minor settled in Greek occupied Macedonia by the Greek

government) from the village Papratsko. Here is what they stole. They plundered Andon Kalimanov’s house and stole 38 sheep. They robbed Hristo Kalimanov’s house and stole 31 sheep. They stole 35 sheep from Spiro Vlahov, 20 sheep from Dimitar Vlahov, 28 sheep from Nikola Gapkovski, 25 sheep from Andon Poplazarov, and 12 sheep from Nikola T. Kalimanov. They also pillaged the Nikola T. Kalimanov home and brutally beat Nikola’s mother and wife. They stole 8 sheep from Paraskeva Kotorkova, pillaged her house and brutally beat her. They stole 6 sheep from Kosta Hadzhiev, 5 sheep from Tome Hadzhiev, 5 sheep from Atanas Hadzhiev, 4 sheep from Zizo Kalimanov and pillaged his home, 7 sheep from Micho Kalimanov, 4 sheep from Sterio Kalimanov, 4 sheep from Iane Kalimanov, 14 sheep from Anastas Dimovski and pillaged his home, 10 sheep from Vangel Kalimanov, and 8 sheep and 15 chickens from Pavle Mitkovski and pillaged his house.

On April 4, 1945, the same armed Madzhiri from the village Papratsko and some from the village Sveta Nedela, led by spies Antonis and Giorgos, plundered Stavre Mirkovski’s house and stole 15 sheep and all his furnishings. They then mercilessly beat his wife and aunt.

On April 15, 1945, Madzhiri from the village Zhelegozhe stole 7 sheep and 1 ox from Vasil Tashalukiv. They plundered Ilo Gubidenov’s house and stole 6 sheep. They plundered Mihali Gubidenov’s house and stole 5 sheep. They plundered Andrei Timiovsk’s house and stole 8 sheep, 50,000 drachmas, 40 Albanian Napoleons, 2 lires and 500 kilos of tobacco. They stepped on and completely destroyed the tobacco on location. From Panaiot Timiovski they stole 5 sheep and 7 from Mihali Timiovski. They robbed Hristo Gapkovski’s house and completely trashed it. They stole all of Katerina Evangelova’s utensils and clothing and took her ox. They took everything from Damian Kirovski’s house. They pillaged Nikola Petrovski’s house and took his ox. They took everything from Iani Mirkovski’s house. From Barbara Mirkovska they stole 6 sheep and all her furniture and clothing. From Todor Mirkovski they stole 13 sheep. They plundered Vasil Hristovski’s house. They plundered Giorgi’s house and stole 19 sheep. They stole 11 sheep from Nicholas D. Kalimanov and plundered his house. They stole 4 sheep from Argir Hristovski. This time they

completely robbed Mihail Kalimanov’s house and tossed a hand grenade into it, wounding his son. They also beat Mihail, his daughter Kiratsa and his son Ziso.

All the stolen livestock was appropriated by the Madzhiri from the village Zhelegozhe. The household items and everything else was appropriated by the Madzhiri from the village Sveta Nedela…

6. One more document on looting

Report on looting in the village Chetirok.

Every day from April 25 to April 30, 1945, there were multiple reports of looting and other crimes committed by the armed Madzhiri and the spies from the villages Chetirok, Sveta Nedela and Grleni. The Madzhiri attacked villages and turned them into wasteland. Leading the Madzhiri in these robberies and raping of women were Parharidis and Lazaridis. Apart from the Madzhiri committing crimes there were also the “Burandari” (Greek soldiers and policemen fighting for the Greek government against the people). The following women and girls were raped: 1) Maria Argirova, 2) Sofia Vlahova, 3) Constantina H. Vlahova. They tried to rape other women but failed.

The following people/households were looted:

1) Lazo Zabiev’s house was plundered and he was beaten. Additionally the thieves stole 5 cattle and 45 sheep.

2) Giorgi Zabiev’s house was plundered and he too was beaten. The thieves stole 2 cattle and 20 sheep.

3) Naum Shopov’s house was looted and the thieves stole 3 cattle and 12 sheep.

4) Panaiot Shopov’s house was robbed and the thieves stole 16 sheep.

5) Manio Svetonedoski’s house was plundered and 1 ox and 20 sheep were stolen.

6) Ilo Tsapedov’s house was plundered and the thieves stole 1 ox.

7) Argir Girovski’s house was plundered and he was beaten. Additionally the thieves stole 1 ox and 7 sheep.

8) Giorgi Bachev’s house was looted and 10 sheep were stolen.

9) Paskal Bachev lost 10 sheep.

10) Konstantin Iurukov’s house was plundered and 12 sheep were stolen.

11) Argir Popdimitrovski’s house was plundered and he lost 1 ox and 20 sheep.

12) Paskal Popdimovski’s house was plundered and he lost 3 cattle and 3 sheep.

13) Nikola Papunchev’s house was plundered and he was beaten. The thieves also stole 2 cattle and 10 sheep.

14) Lazar Papunchev’s house was looted and the thieves stole 1 ox and 30 sheep.

15) Atanas Megas’s house was plundered and 12 sheep were stolen.

16) Hristo Megas’s house was plundered and 18 sheep were stolen.

17) Nikola Mega lost 6 sheep.

18) Kota Megas’s house was plundered and 3 sheep were stolen.

19) Pando Anastasov’s house was looted and 25 sheep were stolen. Pando was also beaten.

20) Ziso Trendafilov’s house was looted and he was beaten. Additionally the thieves stole 25 sheep, and 2 cattle.

21) Argir Apulchev’s house was plundered and 4 sheep were stolen.

22) Vangel Apulchev’s house was looted and 20 sheep were stolen.

23) Andon Andonovski’s house was plundered and 10 sheep were stolen.

24) Atanas Natsev’s house was looted and 1 ox and ... sheep were stolen (the original text has no number for how many sheep were stolen).

25) Risto Kuzevski’s house was looted.

26) Pando Karchov’s house was plundered and 20 sheep were stolen.

27) Gligor Karchov’s house was looted and he was beaten.

28) Vangel Karchev’s house was plundered and the thieves stole 3 cattle and 25 sheep.

29) Ilo Michalchev’s house was looted and 20 sheep were stolen.

30) Vasil Traikov’s house was looted and Vasil was beaten. The thieves also stole 1 ox.

31) Vangel Deliev’s house was looted and 5 sheep were stolen.

32) Konstantin Natsev’s house was plundered and 1 ox and 8 sheep were stolen. Konstantin was beaten.

33) Anastas Vlahov’s house was looted and Atanas was beaten, 2 cattle and 35 sheep were also stolen.

34) Tome Alektsiev’s house was plundered and he was beaten. The thieves stole 1 ox and 15 sheep.

35) Rizo Karsho’s house was robbed and he was beaten, the thieves also stole 2 cattle.

36) Andrea Girevski’s house was plundered.

37) Andon Makrievski’s house was looted and his was beaten. The thieves also took 1 ox.

38) Pando Makrievski’s house was plundered and he lost 3 sheep.

39) Filip Vlahov’s house was looted, he was beaten and 1 ox was stolen.

40) Gligor Novachev’s house was plundered and 2 cattle and 20 sheep were stolen.

41) Nako Novachev’s house was plundered and he lost 2 cattle and 20 sheep.

42) Foti Novachev’s house was looted and he lost 2 cattle and 25 sheep.

43) Pando Deliev’s house was plundered and 1 ox and 10 sheep were stolen.

44) Sideri Kachauani’s house was plundered.

45) Pando Tipov’s house was plundered.

46) Stati Naumov’s house was plundered and he lost 10 sheep.

47) Sotir Shagarov’s house was plundered.

48) Lazo Kiratsulev’s house was plundered and the thieves stole 5 sheep.

49) Vangel Kalimanov’s house was looted and he lost 1 ox and 15 sheep.

50) Trpe’s ... (there is no last name in the original text), house was plundered and he was beaten. The thieves also stole 2 cattle and 20 sheep.

51) Pando Mihalchev’s house was looted, he was beaten and the thieves took 8 sheep.

52) Mihali Mihalchev’s house was looted, Mihali was beaten and the thieves took 18 sheep.

53) Atanas Tsapelov’s house was plundered and he lost 1 ox.

54) Stavro Lenov’s house was plundered and Stavro was beaten. The thieves stole 5 cattle and 120 sheep.

55) Panaiot Kariev’s house was looted and he lost 12 sheep.

56) Vangel Papratski’s house was looted and he lost 10 sheep.

57) Dimitar Papratski’s house was plundered.

58) Pavle Papratzki’s house was plundered and he lost 2 cattle and 30 sheep.

59) Nikola Papratski’s house was looted.

60) Lefter Natsev’s house was plundered and the thieves stole 2 cattle and 10 sheep.

61) Ilo Natsev’s house was plundered and 10 sheep were stolen.

62) Paskal Papuchiev’s house was looted.

63) Konstantin Dorovski’s house was looted.

64) Pavle Karev’s house was looted.

65) Dimitar Tsapelov’s house was plundered and 15 sheep were stolen.

66) Pando Dorovski’s house was looted and 8 sheep were stolen.

On March 7, 1945 the robbers killed Maria Goteva...

7. General condition of the democratic forces

Almost all the villages here in Kostur Region and many in other regions experienced a similar fate as the one’s described above.

The democratic forces were no exception and they too suffered at the hands of the reactionaries. Their trouble started early in April 1945, as was indicated in a CPG Central Committee 11th Plenum report dated April 10, 1945:

“The resistance movement which rejoiced Greece... is under persecution. The fighters are being pursued, jailed and killed. Participation in the national liberation struggle is considered a crime and those participating are prosecuted. The ELAS fighters and officers are not being admitted to the new army, which is treated more like a class army of anti-national and fascist character. The abusive collaborators who cooperated with the occupiers are being rewarded for their treacherous activities. The entire state apparatus is dominated by people from the August 4th fascist regime and by collaborators from the fascist occupation. The treacherous security battalions are now integrated into the National Guard. The Fascist organizations are being armed and special armed fascist gangs are formed in the interior from occupier collaborators and these forces now represent the essential and true state...” (AM, collection: Aegean Macedonia in the national liberation war, 1945-1949, AE: 65.)

Shortly afterwards the EAM Central Committee sent a telegram to the three major power leaders, the Soviet Union, America and England, protesting over the terrorist orgy taking place in Greece. Within four months of the signing of the Varkiza Agreement more than 500 national resistance fighters were slain and more than 30,000 were sent to prisons. There were around 150 illegal armed terrorist gangs operating on the ground with over 20,000 armed right-wing terrorists. The EAM Central Committee telegram also emphasized that there was danger of a right-wing coup and sought to apply the Yalta decision in Greece with help from the Allied Commission. (Chronicles of War, CPG Central Committee edition 1952, p. 52.)

Chris Gunthouse, head of the English military mission in Greece, wrote a book entitled “Apple of discord”. Parts of this book were then published in the newspaper “Elevtheria” from June 1 to October 1, 1948. Despite the author’s wishes to the contrary, this book is a material document that reveals the political crimes committed by the English in Greece. Even this Intelligence Service Agent (Chris Gunthouse) acknowledges that, “thanks to London’s effort in Greece, ELAS and the former partisans primarily ended up in prisons, while battalions of soldiers who collaborated with the occupiers took their place in the armed forces on the ground…” (“Elevtheria”, October 9, 1948, G. Kiriakidis: Greek Civil War, p. 10.)

Wanting to gain power at any cost, the English puppet Greek bourgeois “government of national unity” was willing to publicly induct into military forces and organizations anyone who supported its cause, including yesterday’s German, Italian and Bulgarian collaborators. All fascist occupier agents, traitors, public and secret associates of the German, Italian and Bulgarian occupiers were welcome. They all rallied behind the English tanks, spent English money and resolutely and ferociously committed unprecedented terrorist crimes against the democratic forces in order to disorganize and eventually break them down. It was no wonder that on May 9, 1945, “Victory Day” over fascist Germany was not celebrated, especially in the Greek occupied part of Macedonia.

There was a period of “uncertainty” following the Varkiza Agreement and the dissolution of ELAS during which a “unilateral civil war” was waged. The first to feel its effects were our Greek comrades from the Party middle base... They were obliged not to resist and not to defend themselves so as not to “breach” the Varkiza Agreement. When I mentioned this to a Party instructor and his comrades, with whom I had a conversation in Dolno Rodovo, that the Greek people always mock this attitude of “kill me so that I can become a martyr saint…” he shrugged his shoulders confusingly and smiled. But he and his comrades did acknowledge that the opposing bourgeois party did nothing to honour that Agreement. The bourgeois had abandoned the Varkiza Agreement a long time ago. In fact, that Agreement never existed for them...

This attitude was very characteristic of the top CPG leadership even under extreme conditions such as these. They allowed ELAS to capitulate and become liquidated and called it a political victory. It was also characteristic of them to keep the people passive. They called on them to “endure” and remain calm and disciplined which, objectively, aided the murderous attack against the democratic forces and the people and helped the bourgeoisie consolidate their power.

At the same time the CPG top leadership decisively resumed its hostilities against the Macedonian national liberation movement that it had started during the fascist occupation. In other words the CPG had adopted the same policies against the Macedonian movement as had the Greek bourgeoisie...

8. Report - June 27, 1945

On June 1, 1945, I was again in the field where I remained until June 25th. As per my June 27, 1945 report, the situation in Voden Region looked like this:

In the city Voden: Terror is raging. The police, the special security forces and the National Guard openly and officially persecute the Macedonian people and punish them for speaking the Macedonian language. Organs of the “Idiki Asfalia” (Special Security) tried to arrest Kosta Chornilov because he spoke Macedonian but he escaped. The same day Petre Zarakinchev was arrested on charges of publicly speaking the “Slavic language”. They held him for 24 hours, beat him up and let him go. On June 5, a police officer beat Marika Naleva because she spoke Macedonian. Another policeman insulted Kosta Nisiankov’s elderly mother in front of the entrance to her own house calling her an “ugly Bulgarian bitch!” Her niece responded in Greek and told the policemen that he was “rude” and that he should “have some respect for the 70 year old woman!”

The Burandari (Greek bourgeois armed forces) attacked L’got, the locality under the waterfalls, and attempted to detain Traian Sapunov and Anastas Akrepov, who at the time were working in their gardens. Akrepov was fired upon but managed to escape. Sapunov was captured and imprisoned. He was subjected to severe

torture for six days before he was released. He was severely mutilated but is now recovering in his own bed.

On June 2, a policeman attacked the children on the street “Almopia” near the “Kiupri” block, for speaking Macedonian while they were playing. Frightened, many of the women in the neighbourhood locked themselves in their homes. The children ran away. Angry, the policeman grabbed Maria Akrepova, as she was fleeing for shelter in a house, and ordered her to tell all the mothers to prohibit their children from speaking Macedonian.

On at least several documented occasions, special security agents Ioanis Pertsemlis and N. Gerimdzhis accompanied by the son of fascist Major Fotiadis, and some others, systematically and continuously provoked the ELAS fighters and, above all, ranted at the Macedonian people yelling: “Sofia-Moscow, that is our dream!”, “What are the Bulgarians doing in Macedonia...”, and kept yelling: “Get rid of the Slavs…! Let them go to Bulgaria and Yugoslavia…!”

The situation was tense and getting worse from day to day. Our people (the Macedonians) were afraid that the fascist Greeks would massacre them. There was also terrible news spreading that a list with 400 names of Macedonian people was drawn up in the city and they were to be arrested. The people no longer slept at home, they hid outside the city, in the fields and gardens. After a thorough investigation, the NOF City Council verified that such a list did exist but it was uncertain whether the arrests were to take place immediately or sometime later. Some suspected that these names were compiled so that these Macedonians could be arrested in the event the “Slavs started an uprising...”

In the villages: On June 14, 1945, an order was issued to the presidents of the village municipalities to submit lists of Macedonian people who were away from the village and had joined the Macedonian army, that is, the army of the People’s Republic of Macedonia. Many of the villages did not submit such lists. The lists were to be simultaneously forwarded to the district command and the National Guard command.

In order to spy on the Macedonian people, particularly on NOF and its activists, the reactionaries also began to employ well-known anti-people civil guards. These civil guards were responsible for aiding the frequent blockades of Gorno Rodovo, Sarakinovo and the frequent Burandari (Greek army) attacks in the Kronalevo and Teovo zones. Their aim was to capture one or more of our (NOF) activists or to ambush and capture one of our groups. These civil guards, with pistols in hand, also often attacked children walking on the road and forcibly searched them, thinking that the child may be carrying a written message. A NOF regional conference was held on June 20, 1945, during which NOF delegates and village representatives demanded that these civil guards be liquidated.

On June 16, 1945, four tanks, one armoured car carrying a number of Englishmen and three armed Greek civilians inspected the border at Kaimakchalan. On their way back they blockaded the village Zhervi, on the Ostrovo Region side, and arrested and took one person with them. The person was charged with allegedly delivering supplies to the “autonomist armed groups”.

On June 19, 1945, an armed unit of reactionaries from Lerin arrived and blockaded the village Ostrovo. The Burandari began to discharge their firearms from all sides, terrorizing the residents. Then after searched the houses and plundering them, they gathered the people in the village square and one of the officers, in an intimidating tone of voice, among other things, also said the following:

“If those people who left the village and joined the Macedonian army do not return to the village within ten days, their property will be confiscated. Tell them to desert from there and come back here...”

After leaving a platoon of soldiers in the village, the armed unit left and took the road along the border towards Kaimakchalan. With much protest the people managed to recover some of their things that were plundered but most of the gold items, including their jewelry and gold coins, had disappeared and were never returned.

A strong movement of Fascist organizations such as EPEN (All-Greek National Union of Youth), Scouts and other groups, has been present in the city Voden with members arriving from neighbouring cities such as Negush, Lerin and Solun. They come on trucks every Sunday decorated with Greek and English flags, singing monarchist and anti-Macedonian songs. They also, and most often, chant “Sofia-Moscow, that’s our dream…” They perform various manifestations throughout the day with aims at intimidating and scaring the Macedonian people. There is great pressure on the Voden youth to join these Fascist organizations. They will not leave them alone until the young sign up and join at least one of their nationalist organizations. According to the NOF City Council, our youth, with insignificant exceptions, are giving them strong resistance and stifling their Greek Fascist plans.

NOF and the CPG: Many CPG activists continue to consider our struggle as dishonest and treacherous. They see our activists as traitors and Trotskyites. In other words, the Party continues its fight against NOF, slandering our struggle and, above all, our activists.

“These people are half-wits, if you follow them they will lead you to ruin. Don’t trust them. Nobody trusts them!” This is what our CPG comrades used to say to people about NOF, its leaders and activists. It is also well-known that Macedonians by nature are not trusting and were especially afraid of coming to us voluntarily and alone. So, for that reason, on June 20, 1945, I convened and held a district meeting a few kilometres outside of Voden. We did not, however, get the desired attendance we expected. No delegates from Voden and Meglen Pole attended. Those from Voden could not attend because the city was blockaded. Those from Meglen Pole did not get the invitations on time because the courier had an incident along the road and was delayed. However, 125 delegates from 28 separate villages did attend. The meeting went well and took a serious and splendid tone being chaired by a grey-haired, old man from the Ilinden era.

This was the agenda:

1) The international situation in general (Hristo Andonovski-Simo).

2) The ideological foundations of our struggle and ways of leading it, organizational issues (Pavle Rakovski-Gotse). 3) Economic issues (Vangel Aianovski-Oche). 4) Options for the NOF District Board. 5) Miscellaneous.

The next morning all the delegates left for their villages full of faith in the justification of our struggle and in its sure success. After this the District Board undertook the following tasks:

1) Extend NOF everywhere in the Macedonian villages. 2) Establish national liberation boards everywhere where conditions exist and where they can function normally as an authority. 3) Organize NOMS. 4) Organize AFZH. 5) Organize actions to collect voluntary contributions for the economic needs of the organization.

A particularly important task to be performed by the District Board was to organize a Party organization inside NOF’s ranks and, through NOMS activists, organize the communist youth within NOMS.

NOF has already formed the following leadership bodies: the District Board, the City Board in Voden, two regional boards and local boards in 34 villages. There are individual connections in the rest of the villages and they are on their way to forming local boards.

The NOMS activists have already set up local NOMS boards in 13 villages in the Krontselevo Region.

Mirka Ginova, a former CPG activist, approached our liberation movement and was appointed leader of the AFZH organization. We are sure that this well-known teacher and revolutionary will quickly create, and there are conditions for this, a sizable organization of Macedonian women.

From the activities of the NOF armed groups: On Sunday June 17, 1945, at 11 o’clock the fascist and nationalist groups from Voden,

Lerin and Solun had gathered together at the “Kupri” catering centre in Voden to celebrate the King. They cheered, yelled and sang fascist songs while eating their lunch. They were also ranting about “Sofia and Moscow” and that no “Slavic root should be left in Macedonia”. They did this to terrorize and frighten the Macedonian population.

At that very moment three of our NOF fighters suddenly attacked them with a strong barrage of gunfire and sent them running in panic. Some were killed and many were wounded. Fascist command was silent and nothing was published. It wanted to conceal the incident from the general public. But, in the end, it failed. Our people everywhere, even in the remote villages, found out about it.

While holding the district meeting just outside Voden, on the night of June 20-21, 1945, I received information that the English and Greek soldiers stationed in Subotsko, Tresino, Vladovo and Chegan were preparing to go out and liquidate “autonomist groups”. Because of that I made sure that the conference ended by early dawn, before we were attacked. I suggested to the delegates that they collect some firewood, load it up on their donkeys before returning to their villages and they had best do it alone or in two’s. And if anyone stopped them on the way to tell them they saw nothing and know nothing. It was only right that they return with a load of firewood because, before leaving their village to go to the meeting, they had left word that they were going to the mountains to collect firewood.

In order for us to avoid a clash with the English and Greek soldiers, especially near a village, we decided to retreat to Kaimakchalan Region, somewhere above the Tresenska Koria, at about 2,000 metres above sea level, where there were no trees and the terrain was naked. Then, during the morning of June 22, 1945, they suddenly appeared in front of us. They had climbed to the top of the mountain and had gone as far as the Greek-Yugoslav border and now they were returning. We clashed. The firefight lasted about 10 minutes before we had them surrounded in a half circle. Six soldiers surrendered and the rest fled. We seized 1 “Brent” machine gun, 2 automatic rifles, five English rifles, ammunition for all the guns, 13 new long English coats, 14 new English blankets, eight military

bags, bread and cans of meat, two summer coats, two pairs of summer trousers and three gas masks.

One of the captured soldiers handed me a document that identified him as an ELAS operative and member of the Party. He then went on to tell me that he was in charge of the 5th unit belonging to the 304-battalion stationed in Subotsko. He also said that the other five soldiers were members of the Party. After that I told them they were free to leave but they refused and said that if they returned they would be subjected to torture and something even worse might happen to them. I explained the goals of our struggle to them but they were afraid to stay with us. They preferred to go to Yugoslavia and claim asylum as political refugees. They gave us their military clothes and we gave them civilian ones and they left.

Later we encountered a small unit consisting of 14 Greek army soldiers led by the Tresino base commander. We were twice as many. After that, our armed group was divided into five smaller groups, which were sent in various directions through the forest.

Before I end this chapter I want to mention that the CPG Party organization in Voden bribed Comrade Aleko Pechinov, secretary of the NOF City Council. His family was in a very difficult financial situation and the CPG used this opportunity to “help” him under the condition that he abandon his position and leave NOF. They also made a similar proposition to Iani Chirkindzhiev. The CPG offered him 400,000 drachmas if he was to abandon the NOF City Committee, but he refused the bribe. He told them: “If I wanted money, I would have kept my own money, which was much more than what you are offering…!”

And this is one of the methods that the CPG used in the fight against NOF...