PERSONALITIES - Part 03

1943 - July 20. A conference was held in the village Belkamen, Lerin Region which was attended by the Partisans active on Vicho and Western Kaimakchalan. One of the resolutions reached was the re-organization of the Partisan forces into three detachments. The first lead by Aetos was assigned to operate in Vicho, the second lead by Ilia Dimovski – Gotse was assigned to Bigla – Koreshtata and the third was ordered to go to Western Kaimakchalan. In August 1943 Hristo Kolentsev was appointed detachment commissar for Vicho, replacing Commissar Naum Shupurkovski – Leon who left for a new assignment. The vast majority of leaders and fighters in these detachments were Macedonians and this did not bode well with the Communist Party of Greece but in spite of its objections Macedonians continued to conduct business as usual and recruit Macedonian fighters from an overwhelming pool of volunteers.

1943 – July 25. This is what Yugoslav representative Svetozar Vukmanovich-Tempo, a CPY Central Committee delegate in

Macedonia, wrote in a report dated July 25, 1943, to the CPM Central Committee: “This is to inform you that among the delegates of the Supreme Headquarters of Greece, Albania and Yugoslavia, an agreement has been reached to create a Balkan headquarters…” However, the agreement was soon cancelled by the Greek side. Siantos’s leadership unexpectedly, and for reasons that we can only speculate on, changed its mind and canceled the cooperation agreement, i.e. the already signed agreement was declared null and void. This is what Svetozar Vukmanovich - Tempo wrote: “...I met with the secretary of the Greek party and I discussed with him the overall situation regarding the conclusions we reached on June 25 (1943). They have annulled all the conclusions regarding the creation of a Balkan headquarters and regarding the cooperation between our parties, especially regarding Macedonia...” Instead of joining the communist Balkan revolutionary alliance, Siantos’s CPG leadership turned to the English. On July 5, 1943, Siantos’s CPG leadership signed an agreement with the British military mission, to place ELAS under the command of British General Staff for the Middle East. British officers, mainly Intelligence Service agents, occupied posts in ELAS supreme headquarters as well as in all larger ELAS unit headquarters. Of course, they lost no time in creating their own extended networks consisting of well paid domestic spies, and they successfully did this with ease and with little to no resistance. According to information provided by Vasilis Bardzhotas, member of the CPG politburo: “All large units, divisions and groups of divisions were actually placed in the hands of the Intelligence Service...”

1943 – August. During the Tempo – Siantos talks, Siantos accepted Tempo’s suggestion to create a special Macedonian military unit in Greek occupied Macedonia for the purpose of leading, agitating and spreading propaganda in the Macedonian language. This was the first step in setting the bait; have Macedonians snare the counter-bands by an all Macedonian organization and calling it Slavo-Macedonian Liberation Front (SNOF). Let us be clear, however, about something here; this organization was not created by Macedonians and ironically, no one asked why? It was CPY representative Tempo, a Montenegrin, who proposed to the Greeks to create SNOF, a Macedonian organization to snare the Macedonian freedom fighting counter-bands and destroy them. Why

“Slavo-Macedonian”? Did Tempo, from his experience with the Macedonians in the Republic of Macedonia, not know that the people living in Macedonia were Macedonians and not “Slavo-Macedonians”? The name “Slavo-Macedonians” was introduced on an ethnic map of Macedonia in 1918 by Sotiriadis, a Greek by origin. Greek scientists were responsible for establishing the new name for the Macedonians. And here we have Tempo, without Macedonian consent, proposing to Siantos to create SNOF

1943 – September. The CPG leadership opened Greek elementary schools in the areas under ELAS control in the western part of Greek occupied Macedonia, so that Macedonian children would be taught Greek. The Macedonian people, including the Macedonian veterans of the liberation war, protested bitterly.

1943 – September. The “Lazo Trpovski” detachment was created. This new detachment was named “Lazo Trpovski” after the influential Macedonian fighter and political leader from D’mbeni who had been killed in the village Imera, Kozheni Region on April 11, 1943 by a band of collaborators belonging to the racist Panhellenic Liberation Organization. The Macedonian lead detachments were very popular with the Macedonian people and attracted massive numbers of recruits from the Macedonian population which unfortunately disturbed the Greeks. During the months of September and October 1943, the partisans were making headway in disarming the village counter-bands and managed to disarm the bands in the villages Kosinets, Lobanitsa, Aposkep and other villages. NOTE: The above however, is incorrect. According to Mincho Fotev, who was there at the time, this is how it was: “On October 6, 1943 the CPG Regional Committee for Kostur Region decided to form a detachment which was to bear the name ‘Lazo Trpovski’, named after the late, prominent Macedonian fighter and communist. The CPG District Committee’s decision was made at ELAS XXVIII Regiment Headquarters in which Mincho Fotev was serving as deputy chief of counter-intelligence services. The detachment was formed on October 10, 1943, and not in September, and it was done at the foot of Mount Malimadi near the village D’mbeni, Kostur Region. When it was formed the detachment had 28 fighters. It was created from a local partisan group of fighters, mostly of the villagers from the village Smrdesh, Kostur Region,

who earlier acted in that area under ELAS, and from a group of Macedonians who had just returned from Bulgaria. The detachment was part of the ELAS XXVIII Regiment and acted under ELAS command. The “Lazo Trpovski” unit lasted only two months before it was disbanded in December 1943 and its fighters were absorbed into the XXVIII regiment units which acted in the area of Mount Vicho. The detachment’s commander was Naum Peiov, who was replaced by Dimitar Tupurkovski- Titan only ten days after he was appointed. The claim that the fighters of the “Lazo Trpovski” unit wore the five pointed star on their hats is not true. They wore ELAS symbols just like the rest of the ELAS fighters in all other ELAS units.

1943 - September 8. After Fascist Italy capitulated the pro-Bulgarian movement found itself in a difficult situation. Partisan units of ELAS XXVIII Battalion took intrusive measures to crush it. The movement’s position became very critical. Its members individually and in groups began to leave the counter-band units to join the partisans. To maintain its integrity the “Macedono-Bulgarian Committee” turned to the Bulgarian government for help. In the second half of September 1943, the “Macedono-Bulgarian Committee” sent a four member delegation that included Paskal Kalimanovski, Risto Rukov, Dinko pop-Andonov, led by Andon Kalchev, to Sofia. The delegation traveled from Kostur via Lerin and Bitola to Sofia where it was received by the Bulgarian interior minister. The delegation, according to confirmed confidential information submitted by Giorgi Todorovski, informed the interior minister of the critical situation the “Macedono-Bulgarian Committee” movement was in and that it was in need of support from the Bulgarian state after Italy’s capitulation.

1943 - September. With orders from the 28 regiment of the National Liberation Army of Greece Ilia Dimovski – Gotse’s detachment was transferred to Gramos where it remained until December of the same year when it was again ordered to return to Vicho to help put down enemy activities in that region.

1943 – October 3. About 250 counter-bandits joined up with a German unit of about 300 soldiers and attacked the partisan positions in the areas near the villages Nestram, Radigozha and

Chuka, all populated by Macedonians. During the three days of fighting many houses were destroyed by fire and a large number of crimes were committed. Kosta Kirovski and his wife Kostandina, in the village Nestram, were burned alive inside their house.

1943 – October 10.The CPG Regional Committee for Kostur Region decided to form a detachment which was to bear the name “Lazo Trpovski”. The detachment was formed on October 10 not September as indicated earlier.

1943 - October 20. SNOF is created. The CPG, EAM and ELAS leaderships, “concerned” about the counter-band situation that existed in Greek occupied Macedonia, especially in Kostur, Lerin and Voden Regions, decided to create a separate Macedonian organization; SNOF (Slavo-Macedonia National Liberation Front) to deal with it. SNOF, for Kostur and Lerin Regions, was created on October 20, 1943 in the village Snichani, Kostur Region, and for Voden Region a little later. The people who created SNOF were Greeks who belonged to the CPG District Committee for Western Macedonia; Hristos Kalfas (Andreas), Antonis Andonopulos (Periklis), CPG District Committee Secretary for Kostur Region and Thanassis Kartsunis, CPG District Committee Secretary for Kozhani Region. Less than 6 months after it was created SNOF was disbanded. Within the six months of its existence, SNOF in Kostur Region amassed in its ranks about 2,490 men and about 2,280 women. The number of people recruited by SNOF in Lerin Region amounted to more than 10,000. SNOF emerged as a true leader and organizer of the Macedonian people’s struggle in Kostur and Lerin Regions against the foreign occupiers and against the domestic traitors. Regarding SNOF’s activities in Kostur Region, an article came out on April 3, 1944 and published in the newspaper “Slavo-Macedonian voice”. Among other things the article said: “SNOF is the only people’s liberation organization which will meet the Macedonian people’s national and social demands. SNOF is the new VMRO for the Macedonians, which will lead them to the end of the work of Ilinden...” One of SNOF’s main tasks in Kostur and Lerin Regions was to declare war on supporters of the Bulgarian Court and on Vancho Mihailov whose propaganda endeavoured to turn the Macedonian population in the wrong direction. But the Macedonians involved in the anti-fascist struggle against the foreign invaders and

against the domestic traitors, seriously upset the CPG, EAM and ELAS leaderships. It seems that by the end of April 1944 the top CPG leadership made a decision to disband SNOF in Kostur and Lerin Regions. The justification given was that SNOF’s influence was “harmful” to the popularization of the Greek masses in the ranks of EAM.

1943 - The CPG leadership established and maintained a complete informational blockade against the Macedonian people in Greek occupied Macedonia, particularly against the Macedonian ELAS partisans, about events in the other parts of ethnic Macedonia. The local newspapers, newsletters and other media did not write or transmit information from other mediums regarding the course of events, especially about the victorious end of the people’s liberation war in the Republic of Macedonia. The first time the Macedonian people in Greek occupied Macedonia heard about this was towards the end of 1943 and early 1944. This information was obtained directly from the Republic of Macedonia Macedonian army units traveling through the territory of Greek occupied Macedonia. The information blockade continued to be rigorously enforced. Party newspapers did not publish any information about the ASNOM meeting held on August 2, 1944, and about the drafting of the Macedonian national state constitution and about the Republic of Macedonia being an equal founding member of the Yugoslav federation.

1944 – January. The CPG allowed the formation of a so-called “Slavo-Macedonian” army called SNOV and placed it under the direct leadership of EAM and ELAS. Later it was from this “army” that the “Aegean Brigade” was formed and transferred to Tito’s Army in Yugoslavia. Immediately after its creation, the so-called “Slavo-Macedonian” battalions received orders to prepare to liquidate the counter-band formations. Then, on August 21, 1944, the Kostur battalion attacked several armed counter-band villages and managed to disarm a number of counter-bandits.

1944 – January 2. British classified report. The telegram to Washington and Moscow, to which the Prime Minister refers, shows that we are doing our utmost to preserve Greek territory intact and to prevent any threat to Greek Macedonia from developing. The news

that we are taking such a strong line on Greece’s behalf would certainly gratify the Archbishop and other Greek politicians and might promote unity among them. On the other hand, we must realize that if this information is given to the Archbishop and if he is allowed to pass it on, it will immediately become public property. I am very doubtful that this would be advisable at least until we know whether the United States and Soviet Governments are in agreement with us. There have been innumerable reports about propaganda which is being conducted in favour of independent Macedonia and of incursions by Yugoslav and Bulgarian partisans into Greek territory. Almost all reports state that EAM are in close touch with these Slav forces, and there is enough evidence that Bulgarian units are taking part on the attack on Zervas. If EAM are in fact assisting or even supporting these pro-Macedonian activities, they will loose a great deal of support even amongst their own members. For the moment people in Athens and most other areas of Greece have so much to think about that they cannot pay attention to events in the north, but once they have time for reflection the Slav danger to Greece should work strongly against EAM and in favour of Greek unity.

1944 - In early 1944 the counter-bandits strengthened their defensive positions against attacks from the partisans in the villages Dobrolishta, Chetirok, Tikveni, Izglebi and Gorentsi by arming the villagers in those villages.

1944 – January. The CPG leadership, through its Central Committee 10th Plenum, held in January 1944, made a request from the Allies to support Greece’s “strategic security” on its northern borders. This means that Greece was preparing to expand, occupy and annex new foreign territories.

1944 - February 24. CPG signed Plaka Agreement to end hostilities between ELAS and EDES. And finally, as part of the agreement, the CPG dissolved SNOF.

1944 - March 13. London Radio officially recognizes that “The Communists, in their eternal honour, were the first to cast themselves in the patriotic struggle against the occupiers.”

1944 - In the spring of 1944, PAO, EDES, the Vlach Legion armed gangs and the quisling Greek police systematically and brutally terrorized the population in western Greek occupied Macedonia. They undertook coordinated armed actions to terrorize the population and the partisan movement. Italian military command created an armed formation of Vlachs called the “Vlach Legion” in the Vlach populated area in the Italian occupied territory. The main aim for creating the Vlach Legion was to fight against the anti-fascist Greek and Macedonian armed people’s liberation movement.

1944 – April 2. The SNOF 2nd Conference was held in the village D’mbeni, Kostur Region, during which Paskal Mitrevski was again elected Secretary. SNOF gave itself priority to expand its forces in all districts of Greek occupied Macedonia. As a national revolutionary organization it also took it upon itself to act as the sole legitimate representative of the Macedonian people and as an equal to EAM, the anti-fascist coalition. This was the only way the Macedonian people in Greek occupied Macedonia felt they could become equal to the Greek people. The Macedonian national organization in Greek occupied Macedonia requested that only the CPG should be allowed to act in Greek occupied Macedonia and that all other Greek anti-fascist organizations, in which Macedonians were members, be dissolved. SNOF requested that all Macedonians be united and organized under SNOF and that SNOF be recognized as a Macedonian national organization by EAM and ELAS. The CPG’s response to the SNOF demands was the dissolution of SNOF in April 1944.

1944 – April 5. Partisans ambushed a motorized German unit near the village Klisura, in Dauli vicinity, killing 25 German soldiers. Upon the arrival of reinforcements from the village Sorovich, the same day, the Germans attacked the village Klisura. Klisura was then populated with Macedonians and Vlachs who were massively organized in the people’s liberation movement. The Germans set the village on fire. Out of the 215 houses, they burned down to the ground 180 houses and slaughtered 285 inhabitants, men, women, children and old people.

1944 – April 12. On April 12 and May 4, 1944 the Kostur and Lerin Region German units, along with about 200 counter-bandits,

attacked the partisan positions around Mount Vicho. The attacks were repulsed both times. During the battles the Germans and counter-bandits experienced heavy losses with 6 killed and 25 wounded.

1944 – May. The CPG’s refusal to accept the existence of a “Macedonian Question” was made very clear by Leonidas Stringos, CPG Regional Committee Secretary for Greek occupied Macedonia and Thrace, during the District Plenary meeting in May 1944, held in the village Zhupan. Stringos stated that: “There is no Macedonian National Question for the CPG.” He proved his point by making reference to the demographic changes in Greek occupied Macedonia which now, he said, hold true that 90% of the population living in Greek occupied Macedonia is Greek.

1944 – May. The Macedonian national liberation front in Greece is disbanded. During the Macedonian National Liberation Front regional conference held on April 12, 1944 Greek representatives of the CPG and Greek National Liberation Front were very pleased with the Macedonian National Liberation Front’s recent successes but a few days later the same Greeks suddenly and unexpectedly denounced the Macedonian organization calling it redundant and useless and demanding that it be dismantled and its fighters be merged with the Greek Liberation Front. They argued that “two organizations with the same aims were not needed” and “national unity could not possibly be achieved by having redundant organizations”. In the beginning of May 1944, during a CPG conference held in the village Mogila, Kostur Region, a final decision was made to break up the Macedonian organization. A similar decision was also made during a conference held in the village Lagen, Lerin Region and another one in the Macedonian ward in Voden. Naturally and justifiably the Macedonian people found it hard to accept this especially since Macedonians created this organization through struggle and personal sacrifice. The fact that the Macedonians in the Republic of Macedonia were having their own organizations, their own army, their own general headquarters and their recognized right to separate as an ethnic Macedonian identity made the Macedonians in Greek occupied Macedonia feel like they were taking steps backwards. Besides being stripped of their right to be recognized as an ethnic

Macedonian identity in Greece, these Macedonians began to lose everything they had worked for, even the rights they had achieved thus far. This was not only unacceptable, it was incomprehensible. In addition to breaking up the Macedonian National Liberation Front’s political body, the CPG leadership also disbanded its fighters and forced them to join ELAS. This was not what Macedonians wanted and naturally created negative feelings towards the Greeks which did not go unnoticed by the Fascists and directly fueled the autonomist propaganda which began to work hard to attract these disgruntled Macedonians who found themselves robbed not only of their rights but of also of their dignity. The kind of politics the CPG was conducting was neither new nor unknown to the Macedonian leadership. As early as January 1944 Lazo Damovski, the secretary of the regional council of the Macedonian National Liberation Front for Kostur Region, addressed the CPG council for Macedonia and warned of this. On January 24, 1944 Damovski wrote: “The conditions created by World War II for the liberation movements in all of occupied Europe including the Balkans have opened new roads for the self-determination of all people. Macedonians are no exception. Macedonians have spilled blood in the 1903 Ilinden Uprising and are now fighting, spilling blood and making sacrifices to gain their freedom from the Fascists. Our friends in Vardar (Republic) Macedonia are going in the right direction…” “The Macedonians in Lerin and Kostur Regions represent the majority of the population (70%) and are fighting shoulder to shoulder with the Greek people. When they become liberated, will they, according to the Atlantic Charter, have the rights to self declare? Will they be granted the promised rights?” “The CPG promised the Macedonian people equal rights within the framework of a Peoples Republic of Greece, the same way it promised the people of the Dodekanis and Cyprus. If the CPG is serious about delivering on those promises when will it then allow the Macedonian people to freely express their ethnic culture? When will it let the Macedonians fight for their own ideals and for composing something unique to show that they are truly Macedonians? Is the CPG really afraid of being criticized by the chauvinist elements? If so, how then does it propose to form “national unity” and not receive any criticism? Does the CPG truly understand the Macedonian question? Because if it doesn’t it better learn it fast and start facing reality and make the right decision…”

One by one the CPG ordered all regional Macedonian National Liberation Front wards to close down and all fighters to disband and join the ranks of ELAS. This however was not what the Macedonians wanted and some began to show dissatisfaction.

1944 – May 14. The partisans attacked the counter-band detachment in the village Prekopana, Lerin Region. While the attack was taking place, German and counter-band reinforcements arrived from the neighbouring villages Chereshnitsa and Olishta. After a two-hour battle with superior enemy forces, the partisans retreated. Six partisans were killed and five wounded.

1944 – May 24. When the German units withdrew from Kostur and Rupishcha, 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.

1944 – May. Macedonians fighters leave ELAS and cross into Yugoslavia. A large group of Macedonian fighters and activists lead by Naum Peiov separated themselves from ELAS in a symbolic protest against the dismantling of the Macedonian National Liberation Front. Ilia Dimovski – Gotse too was suspended from duty because he was in support of this separation. Similar events also took place in Lerin Region where a group of Macedonian fighters lead by Giorgi Turundzhov fled ELAS. Another group from Voden Region also fled but their leader who insisted on forming Macedonian detachments, was caught, put in jail and taken away to Mount Paiak. Pursued by Greek communist forces most of these renegade groups crossed over the Yugoslav border and fled into the Republic of Macedonia. These acts of protest demonstrated by the Macedonians were neither forgiven nor forgotten by the CPG-ELAS leaderships. The Greek communists immediately issued orders to hunt down, capture and punish these renegades. Captured and jailed were Lazo Damovski, Paskal Mitrevski and Lazo Poplazov from Kostur region. In a disgraceful manner killed at Kaimakchalan were Macedonian ward leaders Pando Dzhikov, Dimitar Leskov from Ostrovo Region, ten people from the village Chegan and three from the village Rusilovo. The CPG made no effort to explain why these

people were killed or to justify its action or to take responsibility for its part in the destruction of the Macedonian National Liberation Front which propagated these demonstrations in the first place. Instead it took the easy way out and accused these people of subversion and of creating “division” among the Macedonians in Greek occupied Macedonia by allegedly spreading “autonomous ideas” to the population. In other words the CPG lied its way out by accusing the Macedonians of wanting to split away from Greece. After the fleeing fighters crossed over to the Republic of Macedonia they joined the resistance movement there. The CPG however was not at all pleased with their action and demanded that they be immediately sent back to Greece. While the fighters explained their reasons for leaving, the CPG insisted that they were “deserters” and needed to be sent back so that “an example” could be made of them. Without bothering to explain the underlying reasons why these fighters fled Greece the CPG took their case to the Communist Party of Yugoslavia (CPY) and adamantly insisted that the fighters be immediately returned. The CPY however did not give in to the CPG’s demands and used this opportunity to put pressure on the CPG to deliver on its promises to the Macedonian people. Further, the CPY recommended that if the CPG wanted its fighters back it would have to allow them to form their own Macedonian military units in Voden, Lerin and Kostur regions.

1944 - May 20. Lebanon Agreement is signed. The CPG and EAM leaderships signed an agreement in Lebanon to form a coalition government with other civilian parties from Greece which was unwelcome to the Macedonians. The agreement was viewed with suspicion because much of its content was insulting and demeaning to the Macedonian people. The agreement called for disarming the Macedonian people and was interpreted as a means to destroy the National Liberation Front. The Lebanon agreement was the end result of the so called “national unity” with other Greek parties which the CPG so desperately desired to create. The Lebanon Agreement for forming a “National Unity Government” was signed by the CPG and EAM on one side and by the Greek government in exile on the other.

1944 – May 28. German tanks attacked Kostur and Rupishsta, forcing the partisans to retreat. They arrested Luka Damianov, a

leading figure of the pro-Bulgarian movement in Kostur Region, and shot him near the village Gorentsi as the main culprit for Kostur falling into the hands of the partisans. After Luka Damianov was liquidated, the pro-Bulgarian movement became disorganized. After the Germans withdrew from the cities, the partisans continued with their attacks on enemy positions. On May 24 to 28, 1944, during the last battles in the region, the occupying forces, the pro-Bulgarian counter-bands and the quisling Greek gendarmerie acquired many casualties with 211 killed, 114 wounded and 320, mostly counter-bandits, captured or surrendered to the partisans. Soon after that ELAS took control of all of the western part of Greek occupied Macedonia and its major road traffic along the Solun-Lerin-Bitola, Kozhani-Lerin and Kailiari-Bitola roads, and the Solun-Lerin-Bitola train line which were vital escape routes for the withdrawal of the German units heading north.

1944 – June. 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.

1944 – June 12. 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 Rupishcha. 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.

1944 – June 16. The Macedonian Voden battalion is formed in Kaimakchalan. Its appointed leaders were Pavle Rakovski-Gotse and Giorgi Atanasov-Blaze. Gorgo Urdov-Dzhodzho, organizing secretary of the Voden Region committee, was appointed later to

serve as commissar of the battalion. A Greek named Lefteris Fundulakis, a lieutenant of the Greek Army, was appointed battalion commander!” The announcement was welcome news for the Macedonian youth who began to arrive in massive numbers to join as volunteers. The battalion was camped above the village Gorno Rodivo in Kaimakchalan and every day more than a dozen youths came from the local villages with a single desire, to be soldiers in the Macedonian army.

1944 – July 3. 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. To establish control over the roads, German command initiated a major offensive which lasted 19 days inloving an armed force of 12,000 and 3,000 quisling Greek government gendarmes, PAO units, Albanian Balists and whatever remained of the Pro-Bulgarian counter-bands. The July offensive was fierce with heavy casualties on both sides. The Germans and their quislings lost about 750, killed and wounded, and the partisans lost about 200 fighters. The offensive was halted on July 22, 1944 and the German forces and their quislings retreated back to their bases. During this whole time the partisans received mass support and comprehensive assistance from the population, which sacrificed a great deal for the success of its liberation. During their military activities and particularly during their withdrawal, the occupying forces committed many crimes and devastated many settlements, mostly Macedonian. According to data collected by XXVIII ELAS Regiment Headquarters, 4,449 houses were burned down, 5,483 barns and other facilities for housing sheep and cattle were destroyed, 53 primary schools and 25 churches were wrecked, 161 people were killed, 427 men and women were arrested, 840 sheep and cattle were killed and 3, 497 cattle and 27,755 sheep and goats were stolen.

1944 – July 20. The Lerin Kostur Macedonian ELAS Battalion was formed during a meeting in the village Pozdivishta, Kostur Region. It was formed by combining existing Macedonian armed partisans

from the “Trpovski”, “Karaorman” (N. Peiov) and fighters from SNOV (M. Keramitdzhiev) groups. Aminadas (an Albanian from the village Lehovo, Lerin Region) was appointed commander of the battalion, and Ilia Dimovski - Gotse, from Lerin (originally from Statitsa), was appointed battalion commissar.

1944 - August 2. The First session of the Antifascist Council for the National Liberation of the Republic of Macedonia, ASNOM is held at the monastery Sveti Prohor Pchinski. The ASNOM presidium is formed. Metodia Andonov Chento is appointed first President. A decision is reached to constitute a modern Macedonian Republic that will become part of the new Federal Yugoslavia.

1944 – August 15.During an EAM Central Committee session, it was decided that EAM was to participate in the George Papandreou government with only five departments: finance, transport, agriculture, national economics and labour. These were the obligations undertaken by EAM and PEEA representatives just before the signing of the “National Convention” dubbed the “Lebanon Agreement”.

1944 - August 21. The Kostur battalion attacked several armed counter-band villages and managed to disarm a number of counter bands. At the end of August about 300 counter-bandits from Kostur Region joined the Lerin - Kostur Macedonian partisan battalion which, at the time, belonged to ELAS under the command of Captain Markos. But Captain Markos did not want the Macedonian battalions in Macedonia and demanded that they be transferred to Epirus with new tasks.

1944 – September 3.The first partisan platoon of the 3rd unit, commanded by Mihail Apostolov-Graniti from the village Krchishta and by political commissar Traiche Tsafara from the village Smrdesh, led by detachment political commissar Mincho Fotev, entered the city Kostur just as the German military units were withdrawing. Following the 3rd unit, Commander Tashko Boinov’s platoon entered and after that units of the ELAS XXVIII Regiment led by Iani Pachura who, as a high ranking officer, assumed responsibility for the city. The headquarters of the ELAS Regiment did not allow the Macedonian unit to take over the city. In fact the

Macedonian units were sharply criticized by Headquarters for taking action without prior authorization and therefore were ordered to withdraw from the city.

1944 – September 9. Bulgaria capitulated and with its capitulation it withdrew its army units. With the withdrawal of the German forces from Greece, a new situation was created in Greek occupied Macedonia. At this point the CPG saw to it to make it a priority, in the interests of Greece, to restore Greece to its prewar Versailles borders. The Party leadership took action to make sure no separate Macedonian units existed in ELAS. Instead of recognizing the Macedonian contribution, the CPG and EAM did a complete reversal and not only did not recognize the Macedonian contribution but refused to recognize the Macedonian people in Greek occupied Macedonia, and consequently the Macedonian national liberation movement.

1944 - September 10. Under orders from ELAS regiment 28, Kozmas Spatos – Amintas, a Greek of Albanian descent, was appointed commander of the battalion. Ilia Dimovski – Gotse was reduced to captain and Hristo Kolentsev was reduced to party secretary of the battalion. Afraid that the Macedonians would develop their own military capabilities, and perhaps slip out of its control, the CPG leadership made every effort to prevent the renewed Macedonian movement from expanding but for the time the Greek communist tricks did not work. Stringos, secretary of the CPG Macedonian bureau, questioned Renos’s rational for allowing the formation of a battalion when orders were given to only form one Cheta (unit) in Kostur Region and Karadzhova. Renos replied with a question: “And what will have been the damages if divisions were to be formed?” To which Stringos replied: “You are naïve. If the Macedonians had divisions, then we (Greeks) would not be in Macedonia…”

1944 - September 12. CPG stops Macedonians from joining the partisans. In a communiqué to the Central committee of the Macedonian Bureau on September 12, 1944 the Greek Communist Party, among other things, said: “Let it be noted that our side reckons it’s time to stop recruiting fighters from the ranks of the Slavo-Macedonians”. The commissar of the Greek division of the

National Liberation Army of Greece for Macedonia, Markos Vafiadis prohibited the Macedonian battalions from inducting new recruits, with aims of ultimately disbanding them. Decisions made by the Greek party leadership to stop the recruitment of Macedonian fighters into the Macedonian battalions were ignored by the Macedonian leadership. The Macedonian battalions continued to induct volunteer Macedonian recruits into their ranks even though the commissar of the Greek division of the National Liberation Army of Greece for Macedonia, Markos Vafiadis sent them further orders by telegraph to cease the recruitment. Later ELAS was immediate placed under the command of Georgios Papandreou’s government, in accordance with the September 26, 1944 Caserta agreement, brought into the forefront the question as to what to do with the Macedonian battalions. The rightist government as a direct commander of ELAS did not want to allow the continuation of the Macedonian units because their existence provided undeniable proof that a Macedonian population existed in Greece.

1944 - September 26. The Caserta Agreement is signed. Under the Caserta agreement all the resistance forces in Greece were placed under the command of the British. The Caserta Agreement was signed by General Wilson, Commander of Allied Middle East Command, Mr, Papandreou, President of the Greek government, General S. Sarafis, representative of ELAS and General N. Zervas, representative of EDES

1944 – October 5. Stalin and Churchill discuss Balkan division. On October 5 to 20 1944, Stalin and Churchill discussed Balkan division of spheres of influence in Yalta. The Yalta Agreement guaranteed that no socialist system would be implemented in Greece. Here is what Churchill wrote in his memoirs about the Balkans: We arrived in Moscow in the late hours of October 9, 1944. We had our first significant meeting and counseling in the Kremlin the next day, October 10. Attending the meeting were Stalin, Molotov, Eden and myself. The Majors Boris and Popov performed the translations… An agreement was reached on the division of spheres of influence. Under this deal, Greece was entirely left to the British sphere of influence with rights, if necessary, at any time to be able to intervene with all possible means. The degree of influence agreed to was as follows: Romania -

Russia 90% other 10%, Yugoslavia - Russia 50% other 50%. Hungary - Russia 50% other 50%, Bulgaria - Russia 75% other 25% and Greece - Russia 10% other 90%.

1944 – October 10. Macedonian battalion surpasses 1500 fighters. Immediately after the “Gotse” and the “Voden” battalions were formed a massive number of Macedonians began to join the ranks of the Partisans. With these kinds of numbers, it was possible to not only form brigades but divisions. When the Gotse battalion was formed it had 400 fighters. About a month later (September 16) it was numbering 650 and by October 10, 1944 the number jumped to 1,500. This was unprecedented for the resistance movement in Greek occupied Macedonia especially since the CPG had entered into the unfavorable Lebanon agreement with its enemy the “political right”.

1944 – October 10. ELAS 28th Regiment Headquarters issued a special proclamation to the veterans of the “Goche” battalion which spelled out the order and warned that those who refused to relocate to Siatishta would be charged with treason. This ELAS 28th Regiment order literally suggested that individual Macedonian fighters abandon the “Goche” battalion, weapons and all, or otherwise they would be declared deserters and traitors to the struggle. Among other things the proclamation also stated the following: “...We urge all fighters of the former battalion (meaning the “Goche” battalion) to immediately obey this order and take your arms and ammunition and go to places from where you will be picked up and delivered to the new regiment that is forming in the village Negovan... This is your last warning. Anyone who does not comply with this order will be declared a traitor...” Naturally, “Goche” Battalion Headquarters energetically rejected the orders issued by the ELAS 28th Regiment calling them unacceptable and making it clear to ELAS 28th Regiment that it reserved the right, in future, to refuse its orders and those of higher ELAS command. A little later, about mid-October 1944, the Greek CPG and ELAS leaderships (Leonidas Stringos and Ioanis Ioanidis) sent a delegation to visit with the CPM leadership and with NOV and POM Headquarters in the Republic of Macedonia, in order to discuss options for eliminating the crisis that had occurred in bilateral relations and other issues regarding the Macedonian National

Question. The delegation consisted of Renos Mihaleas representative form the ELAS 9th Division, Mihail Keramitdzhiev representative from PEEA, Kostur Region, and Lambro Cholakov CPG Party Secretary of ELAS units acting in Gramos and Vicho Regions.

1944 – October 13. To avoid bloodshed the Macedonian Lerin-Kostur Battalion crossed over the Greek-Yugoslav border in Prespa and entered the Republic of Macedonia where it was put to good use fighting against the Germans who had entered Bitola-Prilep from Lerin. The Lerin-Kostur Macedonian Battalion managed to survive in the field barely two months, from August 2, 1944 when Renos created it until October 13, 1944.

1944 – October 16. The Voden Region Macedonian battalion facing prospects of being disarmed and destroyed left Kozhuf Mountain and crossed over the Greek-Yugoslav border in Kavadartsi Region and entered the Republic of Macedonia. The Voden Macedonian Battalion lasted from June 16, 1944 to October 16, 1944.

1944 – October 18. Georgios Papandreou’s government in exile arrived in Athens from Cairo. After two reorganizations, that took place on October 24 and November 2, 1944, it fell apart. The new government, headed by Nikolaos Plastiras, lasted less than two months before it fell apart. It was replaced by a newly formed “administrative government” headed by naval officer Petros Vulgaris. After it was reorganized on August 11, 1945, Petros Vulgaris, on October 17, 1945, was forced to resign. Authority over the government was then taken over by the regent Archbishop Damaskinos, but only for a couple weeks, before it too fell apart. On November 1, 1945 a new government was formed, this one headed by Georgios Kanelopoulos. This government only lasted three weeks before it fell apart... There was imperative need to legalize and strengthen the power of the reactionaries in Greece but through “elections”. To this end, the English used their main and last trump card, the liberals headed by Themistoklis Sofoulis (November 22, 1945). During this crucial moment, the CPG came to the rescue. It came out in support of the Sofoulis government. In a press release dated November 25, 1945, the CPG Politburo told the “entire democratic world, civilian citizens as well as the armed forces, to do