Risto Stefov - Articles, Translations & Collaborations

[George S.]

Promotion of the sixth volume dictionary of Macedonian speeches from the South-Eastern Aegean dialects composed by Professor Dr. Kosta Peev



Skopje, November 14, 2012 (MIA) – Today the Macedonian Academy of Arts and Sciences promoted the sixth volume of Professor Dr. Kosta Peev’s Dictionary of the South-Eastern Aegean Macedonian dialects. This volume is the latest edition released by the Academy of Science and by the Faculty of Philology “Blaze Koneski” - Skopje.



“This is the last volume of this Dictionary which completes the first multi-volume Macedonian dialectal dictionary. The importance of this work is augmented by the fact that a lot of work has been done to safeguard the dialectal languages which for the last one hundred years have been subjected to strong processes leading to their extinction,” said promoter Professor Dr. Maxim Karanfilovski of the Philology Department “Blaze Koneski” -Skopje.



The Sixth Volume of this dictionary consists of a total of 468 pages. The actual dictionary, outside of the introduction, consists of approximately 400 pages, which according to Karanfilovski contains at least 2,000 words and maybe more.



“The Dictionary in its own complexity is a rare description of the Macedonian dialectology and lexicography. Its value is amplified by the fact that it was compiled by a single person, although it is not a unique case in linguistics. Dr. Kosta Peev’s labour can rightfully be called “epochal”, a “lifetime achievement”, and the highest achievement of a Macedonian in dialectology. A labour that deserves the respect of all Macedonians! The kind of work that deserves its place in Macedonian history,” highlighted Karanfilovski.



Academic Blaze Ristovski also made some overview comments regarding Professor Dr. Kosta Peev’s life and contributions in his 40-year career and on the six volumes of his Dictionary which among other things he said:



“Although the work was rare and analytical, the publication of the first volume of the Dictionary in 1999 was greeted with certain mistrust, skepticism and unexpected personal and publishing problems. However the edition was received with particular interest by our professional and international public.”



The first four volumes were published by NIP “Studentski Zbor”, the fifth volume was sponsored by the Trifun Kostovski Foundation and the sixth volume by the Academy of Science (MANU) and the Faculty of Philology “Blaze Koneski”- Skopje.



Professor Dr. Kosta Peev expressed his gratitude to the MANU President and to the Dean of Administration at the Faculty of Philology “Blaze Koneski” - Skopje who, as Dr. Peev remarked: “Found the strength at this time of financial crises to give me the opportunity to get my last volume of the Macedonian Dialectal Dictionary completed.



Dr. Peev also thanked all the participants and their families who helped him create the dictionary. md/sks/14: 15





Промовиран шестиот том од Речникот на Македонските говори во Југоистоцниот Егејски дел - од Проф. Др. Коста Пеев



Скопје, 14 ноември 2012 (МИА) - Во Македонската академија на науките и уметностите денеска беше промовиран шестиот том од Речникот на македонските говори во Југоисточниот егејски дел од проф. д-р Коста Пеев. Овој том е последниот, издание на МАНУ и на Филолошкиот факултет „Блаже Конески“ - Скопје.


- Шестиот том од Речникот на македонските говори во Југоисточниот егејски дел од проф. д-р Коста Пеев е последен том со кој завршува и се комплетира првиот повеќетомен речник на еден дел од македонските говори. Важноста на ова дело се зголемува со фактот дека се работи за говори кои веќе полни 100 години се подложени на силни процеси кои водат кон нивно исчезнување, рече промоторот на шестиот том од Речникот проф. д-р Максим Каранфиловски од Филолошкиот факултет „Блаже Конески“ - Скопје.


Материјалите во оваа шеста книга на Речникот се изложени на вкупно 468 страници. По воведниот дел следат речиси 400 страници на кои е сместен самиот Речник, кој според проценката на Каранфиловски, содржи најмалку 2.000 збора, а можеби и повеќе.


- Речникот во својата комплексност е ретка појава во македонската дијалектологија и лексикографија. Неговата вредност се зголемува со фактот што е изработен само од еден човек, иако тоа не е единствен случај во лингвистиката. Трудот на Коста Пеев со полно право може да се нарече и епохален, животно дело, врвен дострел на македонистиката и на македонската дијалектологија посебно. Труд и дело кои заслужуваат почит не само на македонистите, туку и на сите Македонци. Дело кое заслужува свое место во македонската историја, потенцира Каранфиловски.


Академик Блаже Ристовски направи пресек на животот и делото на проф. д-р Коста Пеев и за неговата 40-годишна работа врз шесте тома од Речникот.


- Иако се работи за ретко истражувачко дело, објавувањето на првиот том од Речникот во 1999 година беше пречекан со извесна недоверба, скепса и со неочекувани лични и издавачки проблеми. Меѓутоа изданието беше со особен интерес примено од нашата стручна и меѓународна славистичка јавност, потсети Ристовски.


Првите четири тома ги издаде НИП Студентски збор, петтиот Фондацијата Трифун Костовски, а шестиот е издание на МАНУ и на Филолошкиот факултет „Блаже Конески“ - Скопје.


Проф. д-р Коста Пеев изрази благодарност до Претседателството на МАНУ и деканската управа на Филолошкиот факултет „Блаже Конески“ - Скопје кои, како што рече, најдоа сили во ова кризно време од финансиски аспект да најдат можности за излегување на мојот последен том од едицијата Речник на македонските говори во Југоисточниот егејски дел.


Пеев им се заблагодари и на информаторите со кои работел, односно на нивните семејства бидејќи тие одамна не се живи. мд/скс/14:15

[George S.]

Life of the People, Encyclopedia Composed by Dr. Kosta Peev



Dnevnik October 1, 2012



Professor Dr. Kosta Peev, with his sixth and last volume Dictionary of the Macedonian language in South-Eastern Aegean Macedonia completed, has ended his two decades of research effort. The sixth volume was the last edition to be published. It was released by the Macedonian Academy of Arts and Sciences and by the Faculty of Philology “Blaze Koneski”. This volume contains words from T to Ш. А decade or more ago work on the dictionary was carried out in MANU “Macedonian dialects in Aegean Macedonia”, under the direction of academic Bozidar Vidoeski. After his death the project was cancelled and work on the dictionary was shifted to the Macedonian Language Institute. The archives of the Dialectal Section at the Institute and the Archives at MANU were used to compile the dictionary but most of the material was collected by the author himself. The first volume of the Dictionary was published in 1999 by INP “Studentski zbor”.



“It is very sad that the South-Eastern territory of Aegean Macedonia, after the Second Balkan War in Greece, was left without Macedonian dialects. The famous Macedonian language centre in Kukush was virtually wiped off the geographical map in the summer months of 1913. There is not a single native Macedonian left there from the indigenous Macedonian population. By canvassing refugees our task was to collect, preserve and make sure these living languages of the people are not forgotten,” said Dr. Peev.







Енциклопедјиа на народниот живот од Коста Пеев



Дневник 1 Октомври 2012



Со последниот, шест том, на Речникот на Македонските говори во југоисточниот Егејски дел, Македонскиот славист и Македонист Коста Пеев го заокружи својот дведецениски истражувачки труд. Шестиот том излезе од печат минатата година во издание на Македонската академија на науките и уметностите и Филолошкиот факултет “Блаже Конески”. Речникот ги содржи зборовите од Т до Ш. Пред една деценија и повеќе, Речникот се работеше како дел од проектот на МАНУ “Македонските дијалекти во Егејска Македонија”, под раководство на академик Божидар Видоески. По неговата смрт проектот беше затворен и работата врз Речникот се префрли во институтот за Македонски јазик. Во составувањето на Речникот користен е архивот на Дијалектолошкото одделение при Институтот, како и Архивот на МАНУ. Поголемиот дел од материјалот е собран од авторот. Првиот том на Речникот во 1999 година го издаде ИНП “Студентски збор”.



- За жал, нашите југоисточни говори во Егејска Македонија, во поголем дел на Втората Балканска војна во Грција, останаа без основниот постулат на дијалектот –територијата. Познатиот Македонистички центар Кукуш, во летните месеци 1913 година беше буквално избришан од географските карти, таму не остана ниту еден Македонец-староседелец, а денеска нема доволно автохтоно Македонско население. Наша задача беше, преку анкетирање бегалци, да го заштитиме и да го одбраниме од заборав народниот живот на населението – вели Пеев.

[George S.]

Noose – Chapter 1



By Stoian Kochov

Translated and edited by Risto Stefov

[email protected]

January 6, 2013



Foretellers of doom



The political committee in Bitola was dissolved around the middle of April 1945. In its place the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Macedonia (CPM) in Skopje, on April 23rd, 1945, created the Organizations NOF (National Liberation Front) simultaneously with AFZH (Women’s Anti-Fascist Front) and NOMS (People’s Liberation Youth Union of the Aegean Macedonians). These organizations belonged to the Macedonians from Aegean (Greek occupied) Macedonia. Their first message sent was: “MACEDONIAN BROTHERS! STAND FIRM AND LOOK FOR THE SALVATION THAT NOF AND AFZH WILL DELIVER!”


(Leading Macedonian activists who were convicted by the CPG (Communist Party of Greece) and had fled Greece and gone to Yugoslavia were accepted by the CPM and the CPY (Communist Party of Yugoslavia). Then with public support from the CPM and the CPY the Political Committee of Aegean Macedonia was constituted in October 1944. The First Aegean Macedonian Brigade was formed in November, 1944. In April 1945 NOF, AFZH and NOMS were simultaneously formed.)



1.



After the Second World War, trouble came to Rudino as unexpectedly as the early spring when suddenly the fields and meadows became green, the gardens flowered early and the mountains became infested with new revolutionaries and all kinds of gangs. One Sunday morning in May 1945 we heard the church bell ringing, informing us not of a death or a holiday but of something disturbing and strange. This was evident by the bell’s irregular rings and by Vane Mingov’s hoarse voice calling out: “Villagers! Oh Villagers! Go to the village square. Our people will speak to us. Don’t be afraid…”



“Newcomers! Who are these people with such mindless desire for power that makes them not only vile but also very gullible? Where do you come from, comrades? Hey friends, where are you from?” voices were heard asking.


The purpose of the newcomers visiting the village was introduced by File Jazhin, Secretary of the Main Organization, a communist and member of the immediate NOF leadership. The villagers were surprised when they discovered that the reason for their summoning was to start a revolution. But when Jazhin began to force everyone to become members of NOF and AFZH, people were even more surprised and were left with their mouths wide open. And we, the youth who had just turned seventeen, were left dumbfounded. Voices among the villagers were heard whispering: “Didn’t the war just end!?” Perhaps that was the first phase of the war but it had certainly begun a new journey for my generation.


Jazhin continued talking with a revolutionary tone of voice: “Remember your grandparents from Ilinden,” he said. “They too were not quite eighteen years of age when the first battles began and they fought with courage and dedication, becoming one of the most disciplined groups of fighters of that era. They rebelled and fought with courage as armed groups in this end of our world. Today, in this holy war, you will be led by NOF, behind which stand Marshal Tito and Generalissimo Stalin. It is time that our Macedonian cheek radiates light even at night! Nowhere has the Macedonian hero embarrassed or humiliated himself, he has always walked upright and that means a lot for all mankind, especially for us, the Macedonians.”



This is how Jazhin addressed the crowd, thus introducing this deliberate “national action” prepared by the Organizations NOF and AFZH. He continued:



“Dear villagers! Allow me to pass on to you this great joy that NOF, headed by Mitrovski, has organized its own armed units in Kostur, which are engaged in guerrilla warfare. They are the first units of our Macedonian army. NOF’s aim, directed by the Macedonian National Liberation Movement, is to apply all forms of struggle and to strive for self-determination and to unite the Macedonian people.”



2.



Ever since the first arrival of the activists in the village, Rudino was gripped by great excitement and suspicion. Six people were present belonging to the Organizations NOF and AFZH, all dressed in leather coats and brandishing Russian machine guns over their shoulders. Every man and woman in the village came to see them. There were also large groups of village children gathered in their presence. There were various stories spread about these activists. Some people were saying that they were fighters who had left ELAS (National Liberation Army of Greece) and had joined Tito's army, at General Tempo’s invitation. Now they had become hardened communists and were here to extinguish our sacred churches and monasteries. Others were whispering saying that the activists were there to extinguish their faith and pollute the holy water in which they were baptized. Yet others feared that the activists were there to defile their minds and ruin their love of God. Some were wondering if they were there to ruin their homes and erase their memories of God and their name.



But then a village woman spoke up. Her name was Ristana Shumenkova Bogdanova but in the village she was known as Traikovitsa Bogdanova, sister-in-law to Lina Goidova Bogdanova, better known as Lambrovitsa Bogdanova. During the large gathering Ristana said she had a question. The moment she spoke the entire crowd turned to listen to her. The activists frowned at her and changed their mood. Un-phased Ristana stepped forward onto the makeshift stage, standing upright and tall with her head held high and said: “I want to say something. Does it mean that we women will now all belong to the Anti-Fascist Front? Personally, I don’t believe that these organizations are Macedonian. If they are Macedonian why are they not called MNOF and MAFZH? (M for Macedonian). There is something unclear here! To what Macedonian front will you be taking us? Didn’t Germany just capitulate? Are there more Fascists? How are we going to establish this front and with what kind of weapons will we be fighting? And what kind of struggle will we be leading?



What about our children? With whom will we be leaving our children? What would be an even bigger shame is when our husbands working in America and Australia find out, what will they say? America will have the right to tell our husbands, ‘What is with you people? We employ you here so that your wives back home can pick up rifles and fight against Anglo-American imperialism?!’ You are forcing us to become Godless. And in what church will we pray then? Or are you playing a mock-war with us? If we give up our God and accept to follow your leader, who then will protect us from the anger of a neglected God? The ground that feeds us will then swallow us… Like insane women – without husbands and children. That would be the ultimate evil and we will forever walk the earth tarred…”



Ristana paused for a moment and then resumed her talk against the evil that these people were bringing upon them…



“Let me ask you again, are you not putting a NOOSE around our necks by doing this?”



Ristana Shumenkova Bogdanova stood there upright and alone with her stature. With her eyes open, arms spread out, heart wide open and as if a lump had gotten stuck in her throat, she stood there in despair but without losing hope. Her forehead became moist with sweat and she thought to herself that she had better not faint. And while feeling badly and waiting for an answer, she cursed through her teeth, “Kapka da ve udri.” She then raised her arms as if she was caught in a NOOSE.



One of the women from AFZH gave Ristana Shumenkova Bogdanova an inquisitive glance and said to her: “Your God is not a living God and cannot cause you any harm… We have all decided to fight against Anglo-American imperialism and, if need be, we will all die for the freedom of our people! And you Comrade Bogdanova, with what you said, we now know and understand that you and those like you are on the side of America.”



All at once, everyone started talking, shouting and reaching out to seize her and get her off the makeshift stage. At that moment the woman from AFZH, with a spark of a fighter in her eye and with a stern and nervous voice, said: “You are crazy – a sold out soul and here I am telling you about the communist revolution.”



Ristana at that point crossed herself and said: “God help me. Up to now we all knew that men made war. But you sister, what are you doing with that machine gun on your shoulder? Women are born to hold children on their chests, not guns that kill people! War and machine guns belong to men. The truth is that most men love war because it brings them glory and they take pleasure in fighting. Women do not enjoy war. We women are made to give birth and raise a nation, not kill one. We witnessed enough horror and barbarism in the German and Italian war; we don’t need any more wars. Why war again? Why is the AFZH calling on all Macedonian women to go to war en masse?”



Agitated by the bickering, Risto Kalchunov, at that moment, yelled at the AFZH woman saying: “You are not only wrong about God, you are wrong about us too. And you comrade should know that almost all of our men are migrant workers and are out there earning a living so that they can feed their families. And now you have declared them to be our enemies and working for the Anglo-American fascists? Why do you do that? Why do you anger and antagonize the villagers?”



Several giggling girls looked curiously at the newcomers. “Be quiet,” I said to them, “I want to hear what is going on.” I could barely keep myself from laughing because I could not believe the words coming out of the AFZH woman’s mouth. She spoke with such insolence that she reminded me of a banished bride from a good household…



We, the village boys, did not understand what was actually happening. We did not understand what was truly meant by a “revolution”. For us these were just words that File Jazhin used. I remember him whispering to me, “Look, in such a muddy situation you don’t say no! If you do, maybe tomorrow you will suffer just the same under communist rule. This is the time to say yes. You along with my son, as young people, must follow any orders given to you without objection. Were your grandfathers and mine not fighters of Ilinden? There will be no objections. You will listen and perhaps one day we Macedonians will gain our freedom...”


3.



So the people of NOF began “to lay the foundation for the ‘future’ of the Macedonian people and for Macedonia” and to fill the minds of this small nation with GREAT ILLUSIONS. Activists began to spread the message to villagers saying: “He who today does not feel the breath of Soviet-ization (which is sweeping across Europe) will be unconditionally and quickly rejected and trapped in a future classless society: in a United Macedonia within Yugoslavia.” One activist waving a newspaper showed us a statement made by Marshal Tito in Moscow in April 1945, published by the newspaper “The New York Times”, which said: “... If the Macedonians in Greece express desire to unite with the Macedonians in Yugoslavia, we will respect their wishes…”



There was a strong cry of “Hooray! Hooray, long live comrades Tito and Stalin” to this statement. The activists spoke so convincingly that one of the villagers said: “It would be terrible to stand in the way of these loyal people of ours who have dedicated themselves and directed their energies towards our salvation and towards the love of big brothers Tito and Stalin.” Another villager, unshaven, with red cheeks, sitting on the edge of the fence with his legs crossed and hands placed on his knees, smiled and jokingly spoke slowly but clearly in his Kostur dialect. He was called Sotir Gaidov-The learned. He was the son of Pop Damian Gaidov. Sotir turned towards the speaker and said: “The real reason for your visit is unclear. It sounds to me like this is someone’s fantasy, or a good strategy of a great revolutionary, a dreamer who wants to reshape the new Balkans or this is Tito’s plan to solve his internal problems on the backs of the Macedonians.



We the Macedonians are neither the first nor the last to be used in this great Balkan experiment, which you call ‘SOVET-IZATION OF THE BALKANS’. Strange are the times we live in. Balkan wars are usually fought on the backs of the Macedonians.
Every TRUE path is very difficult to take, but I want to know: First, what kind of future and government are you offering us? What are your thoughts and, according to you, would we Macedonians be able to stop the war and the eradication of our homeland? Perhaps today nobody believes that such a war could be utilized for the benefit of strangers and for us to be left with our finger in our mouth...



Surely you must know that on February 12th this year the Varkiza agreement was signed, an agreement between the CPG, EAM and ELAS on one side and the Plastiras Greek government and Skobi, the British General on the other, and that power to govern Greece was handed over to the British. Second, it bothers me that you don’t know that what you are proclaiming today as ‘the whole Macedonian people having the desire for a United Macedonia’ was also the attitude of Pijade, Rankovic, Djilas and Vlahov at the National Assembly of Serbia, held on November 10, 1944. But then, only two days later on November 12th, 1944, when Josip Broz - Tito met with a Greek delegation, he said: “The issue of unification of Aegean Macedonia with the other parts of Macedonia was never put in place.”



How about the attitude of big brother Stalin? After the Soviet Army entered Bulgaria there was talk about a Yugoslav-Bulgarian Federation, emphasizing the unification of Macedonia, which assumed the separation of Aegean Macedonia from Greece. Was this talk not the reason why Churchill traveled to Moscow on October 8th, 1944, where he and Stalin signed a mutual agreement that Greece now fully fell under the influence and control of Great Britain? Then, soon after that, British troops landed in Greece and on October 18th, 1944 the Papandreou government in exile was installed in Greece. Then on November 5th, 1944 orders were issued to disband the ELAS units. And with that the ‘SOVET-IZATION OF GREECE’ became one great big lie.



And really because you don’t know all these things you are running around, as our people would say ‘barefoot on thorns’. And by doing that are you not helping the Greek government and the British to completely stamp out our people? For what brothers and what Soviet-ization are you talking about?” asked Sotir Gaidov, continuing: “Have you really forgotten the Yalta agreement? (A meeting between the spheres of influence took place in Yalta where it was decided that all boundaries were to remain unchanged).



So I ask myself and many people ask themselves: What will happen with the formation of NOF and AFZH in Skopje under the leadership of the CPM and CPY? Are you not, with these organizations, perhaps unconsciously, being ordered by strangers to import a revolution into Aegean Macedonia? Perhaps this would be a good time to desire the past a little less and refrain from going back in time. Do you not see how the Macedonian consciousness of themselves and their reality has been fully turned into ideological activism? Don’t you see that with this, strangers are pushing us into the arms of the colonists (Greeks)? How complex can history be? Instead of seeking peace after a World War, we are now being asked to turn to fight another war, a senseless war. We are forcing our people to go to war against their will. This kind of war will never be justified! It is a deceiving enigma. Justice will be long and expensive and it could bring us genocide.


First, the Greek communists began a campaign to seize power but then ELAS turned around and surrendered its arms and turned its power over to Papandreou’s Greek government, which had just returned from exile! Second, the Yugoslav communists arrested and even killed Macedonian fighters who asked to go to Solun! And today the very same people who arrested the Macedonian fighters are the ones who are organizing NOF and AFZH! Don’t you think that they are pulling us into a dangerous trap? Don’t you think that perhaps they are putting our fate into a NOOSE, again?



There was truly a reason not to go to Solun on January 7th, 1944 because at that time the British were already in Greece and had, and still have, stationed some 200,000 troops, 400 aircraft and 3,000 tanks. Besides those, there were also 100,000 Greek soldiers. In addition to those, in Solun there were also about 10,000 Royal Yugoslav troops. All of them were still under the command of British General Skobi. Now I ask myself: ‘What are you doing here?’ Tito, the same person who justifiably prevented Macedonian fighters from going to Solun, almost a couple of months later, has sent you here?! You, in the name of NOF and AFZH are now calling the people to start a new war. But don’t you see that this is only a call to murder your own people? Don’t you see that this is a call for your own people to grab the arms that will slay them? Don’t you think that someone is perpetrating a great big lie on us?!

Why can’t you understand that your actions have nothing to do with the legitimacy or honour of our people? We Macedonians must not allow ourselves to be used in this way. We must not allow our people to be pushed to go to war. We must not allow others to impose an alien will on us. We have to accept the fact that in this way, through the call to war by NOF and AFZH, we have no realistic chance of success. But what I fear will happen is that, through these actions of NOF and AFZH, we will be crammed under the CPG umbrella and the Greeks are masters of manipulation. And just then we will not be able to defend our political ideals. Even as fighters we will not be able to defend our political stance which is beneficial to our people and to our homeland.



What do you think? Calling the Macedonian people to unite and join NOF and AFZH in good faith, is not someone else’s initiative supported by the CPG and the CPY? Has this idea been born and approved by our nation, the Macedonian people themselves? Will any one of us dare speak out against these disloyal patriotic ideas in front of these harsh totalitarian regimes? I don’t know about that! If anyone does, I am sure they will immediately be declared disobedient and rogue and you know such people are known to disappear and to end up in prison, in exile or, God forbid, under the ground as enemies of the people. Do you think we will find the strength to say, ‘Macedonian people, the leaders Tito or Zahariadis will not implement what they preach and promise?’


I am convinced that no one will understand the fraud you are perpetrating here. No one will be able to explain how through organizations such as NOF and AFZH some can perpetrate such deliberate actions. I remember the words my grandfather told me, ‘He who does not love and respect his own, will be used by strangers as many times as they need to use him’.”



4.



Radio London reported that a meeting of the “Big three” was held from July 17th to August 5th, 1945 in the palace Selienkof located in the town of Potsdam near Berlin. The meeting accomplished basically nothing except that it started the so-called ‘Cold War’. The anti-Hitler coalition allies consisting of Great Britain (Winston Churchill), the United States (Harry Truman) and the Soviet Union (dictator of the USSR, Joseph Visarionovich Stalin), who, in their final effort managed to defeat German fascism, ceased to love each other, setting the stage for our more recent history that only later became known as the Cold War era. It was at this conference in Potsdam that Winston Churchill also coined the phrase “iron curtain” which divided Europe into spheres of interest.


5.


The Greek reactionaries defined NOF as treacherous, autonomist and extremely “dangerous” to Greek national interests. Then in April and June 1945, at their XI and XII Central Committee Plenums, the CPG Central Committee made ignorant decisions to actually not recognize NOF, resulting in a frontal attack against its leading cadres and against all Macedonians who were members of this and other organizations. The following statement was made regarding NOF by the CPG Central Committee at Plenum XII in June 1945: “NOF, with its rapid popularization and with its military formations, is dangerously threatening the Greek character of Macedonia, Greece’s positions and interests therein and Greece’s territorial integrity.”



With statements such as these, especially the one about Greece’s territorial integrity being in “danger” from NOF, the CPG practically declared war on the Macedonians. This was a call on the Greek population in Macedonia and in all of Greece to fight against NOF in order to save Macedonia because the CPG feared that Tito had “aggressive plans against Greek Macedonia and wanted to annex Aegean Macedonia to Yugoslavia.”






Глава 1.



Предвесници на злото



Кон средината на април 1945 година. Политичката комисија (4) во Битола веќе беше распуштена. Наместо неа, при ЦК на КПМ во Скопје, на 23 април 1945 година се конституира, односно се формира Народноослободителниот фронт – НОФ (истовремено АФЖ и НОМС) на Македонците од Егејска Македонија и првата порака што им беше упатена гласеше:

“БРАЌА МАКЕДОНЦИ! СТОЈТЕ ЦВРСТО И ГЛЕДАЈТЕ ГО СПАСЕНИЕТО ШТО ЌЕ ВИ ГО ДОНЕСЕ НОФ И АФЖ!”



1.

Во Рудино, и по Втората светска војната, некако злото доаѓаше од недоапица; брзо како и пролетта. Одеднаш полето и планините раззеленуваа, ливадите и градините се ишаруваа со најразновидни цвеќиња, а планините се полнеа со нови револуционери и разни банди.

Едно мајско неделно утро во1945 година, ги слушаме ударите на камбаната кои не известуваат ни за мртовец ни божји за празник, туку претставуваат тревожни и чудни, безредни клепања, а потоа и тревожниот рапав глас на Ване Мингов:



“Селани! Ој селани! Ве повикувам на сретсело. Ќе ни зборуваат нашите. Не плашете се…”

“Новодојдени! Кои се овие луѓе со таква безумна желба за власт што ги прави не само подмолни туку и премногу лековерни.”

Од каде доаѓате, другари!

Еј пријатели, од каде сте?

Веста за новодојдените ја прочита Филип Јажин, секретар на Основната организација, комунист и член на потесното раководство на НОФ.

Селаните беа зачудени кога дознаа дека причината за нивното доаѓање било кревањето на револуција. Но кога почна да ги прозива дека сите треба да станат членови на НОФ и АФЖ, останаа со зинати усти, а и ние што бевме штотуку влезени во седумнаесеттата година, се острелушивме.

Се слушнаа гласови:

“Па нели војната заврши!?” – шепнеа селаните.

Можеби тоа беше првиот влез во мрежата на војната и оттогаш почна патешествието на мојата генерација.

Јажин со продолжи револуционерен тон:

-Спомнете си за вашите дедовци илинденци. И тие беа на неполни 18 години кога во првите борби со својата смелост и непоколебливост станаа едни од најдисциплинираните борци во комитските чети и бездруго најхрабри револуционери во овој наш крај. Во оваа света војна на чело со НОФ, зад нас стојат маршал Тито и генаралисимусот Сталин. Време е нашиот македонски образ и во ноќта светлина да зрачи! Јунак македонски, никаде не се посрамотил или понижил, одел со исправен ‘рбет, а тоа за човекот и особено за нас Македонците многу значи.

Така ја објасни оваа обмислена национална акција на организациите НОФ (Народноослободителен фронт) и АФЖ (Антифашистички фронт на жените) и пред насобраните продолжи:

-Драги селани! Да ви ја пренесам големата радост дека во костурско, едновремено, НОФ, на чело со Митровски, организира и свои вооружени единици, кои развија герилска борба. Тие се првите единици на нашата македонска војска. Целта на организацијата НОФ, која застана на чело на македонското националноослободително движење, е со примена на сите форми на борба, да се бори за самоопределување и обеденивање на македонскиот народ.



2.

Но уште првото доаѓање на активистите, предизвика голема возбуда во селото Рудино. Ги имаше шестмина од организациите НОФ и АФЖ, облечени во кожени палта и со нарамени руски автомати.

Секој маж и секоја жена дојде да ги види, па дури и цела сурија деца. Се ширеа разни приказни за овие луѓе, дека биле од оние борци што биле пребегани од ЕЛАС во Титовата армија, по покана од Титовиот генерал Темпо. Сега тие станале закоравени комунисти и сакаат да ни ги изгаснат светите цркви и манастири Селаните шепотеа: Сакаат да ни ја изгнасат и испоганат и нашата света вода, во која сме крстени сите ние. Да ни исчезнат и молитвите наши, сакаат да ни го помрачат умот, нашата љубов и вера. Сакаат да ни ги урнат домовите, да ни ги избришат спомените за нашиот Бог и нашето име.

Но откако една селанка, Ристана Шуменкова Богданова, која сите ја знаеја како Трајковица Богданова, (јатрва на Лина Гајдова Богданова – Ламбровица Богданова), на големиот собир рече дека има прашање, сите се опулија кон неа, а активистите се намусија и ја сменија својата настројба.

Таа подизлезе напред со исправена става и лесно крената глава, што ја засилуваше миловидната каприциозност на нејзиното лице и им се обрати:

-Сакам нешто да кажам.

Значи, сега сите ние жените ќе му припаѓаме на Антифашистичкиот фронт.

Јас не ви верувам дека овие организации се македонски. Ако се македонски, зошто не се викаат МНОФ и МАФЖ. Ова нешто е нејасно!

На кој македонски фронт ќе не носите? Па нели Германија капитулира, зар има уште фашисти? И кај ќе го ставиме тој фронт и со какво оружје ќе се бориме? И каква борба ќе водиме?

А децата? На кого ќе ги оставиме? Но уште поголем срам, кога ќе слушнат нашите мажи во Америка и Австралија, што ќе речат?

Значи, Америка со право ќе им рече на нашите мажи: “Абре луѓе, што станува со вас? Вашите жени зедоа пушки против англоамериканскиот империјализам?! Не терате да бидеме безбожни. И во која црква ќе си ја правиме молитвата? Или со нас си играте мајтап-војна.

Ако се откажеме од нашиот Бог и ако го прифатиме и следиме вашиот главатар, кој ќе не штити од гневот на нашиот запоставен Бог? Па тогаш, нека не голтне земјава што не храни… Како улавки - без мажи и деца.

Тоа ќе биде исконско зло. Така катраносани ќе шетаме по гората…

И продолжи да реди и да го колне злото што го донеле овие луѓе… велејќи:

-Но пак да ве опитам: дали со ова што правите, нам не ни ја ставате ЈАМКАТА?

Ристана Шуменкова-Богданова остана простум, сама со својот стас. Со очите отворени, со рацете раширени, со срцето отворено, чиниш ѝ застана грутка во грлото.

Чека во очај, без да загуби надеж. Челото ѝ се ороси со пот, си мислеше во себе да не се онесвести. Лошо ѝ беше и низ заби проколна “Капка да ве удри”.

Веќе ги крена рацете, чиниш се препушти на ЈАМКАТА.

Една афежистка, стана и упати испитувачки поглед кон Ристана Шуменкова-Богданова, па кон сите рече:

-Вашиот Бог не е жив и не може да ви нанесе никакво зло… Сите ние решивме да се бориме против англоамериканскиот империјализам и, ако треба, ќе умреме за слободата на својот народ!

А ти, другарке Богданова, со тоа што кажа, сега знаеме дека ти, и таквите како тебе, нам, на борците, ни е јасно дека сте на страната на Америка.

Сите почнаа да зборуваат истовремено, викаа и посегаа да ја дофатат и симнат од импровизираната бина. Во тој миг во очите на афежистката блесна искра на буден борец, а гласот ѝ стана непријателски и уплашено рече:

-Па вие сте биле улави – продадени души, а јас ви зборувам за комунистичка револуција.

Трајковица се прекрсти и рече:

-Бог да ни е на помош. Досега сите знаевме дека мажите ја прават војната. Што си се натопорила, мори сетро, со тој автомат. Жената е родена да држи дете на гради, а не пушка што убива луѓе! Војната, тие машинки за убивање им припаѓаат на мажите. Вистина е дека повеќето од мажите ја сакаат војната, зашто им носи слава и тоа им прави задоволство во борбата, жените не уживаат во тоа. Ние жените сме за раѓање и одгледување на родот за нацијата.

Видовме, каков ужас и варварство ни остави војната со Германците и Италјанците.

Зошто пак војна? Зошто македонските жени ги повикувате масовно да влезат во војна преку таа ваша организација АФЖ!?

Во тој миг Ристо Калчунов, окуражен, ѝ викна на афежистката:

-Човек да се плаши од вас, значи, вие не грешите само спрема нас туку и спрема Бога. Па вие, другарке, добро знаете дека сите наши луѓе се печалбари и со тоа си го хранеа семејството, а вие ги прогласувате за непријатели и англоамерикански фашисти! Зошто прајте така? Ги дивите и ги анатемосувате селаните.

Неколку раскикотени девојченца гледаа љубопитно во новодојдените.

Молчете. Сакам да слушам што се случува, им реков.

Едвај успеав да се воздржам и да не се насмеам, зашто не им верував на фразите со кои се служеше афежистката, беа толку излитени што во мене будеа слика на протерана невеста од домаќинска куќа…

Ние, селските момчиња, не разбиравме што се случуваше всушност. Не разбиравме што значи навистина “револуција”, само зборовите на Филе Јажин му ги паметам кога еднаш ми прошепоти и рече: - Слушај, во ваква матна ситуација нема да велиш не! Но што знаеш, можеби утре во комунизмот ќе страдаш. Такво е времето. Вие со син ми, како младинци, ќе исполнувате секакви наредби без приговор. Твоите дедовци и моите нели беа илинденци. Нема да приговараш. Ќе слушаш, можеби еден ден и ние Македонците ќе ја дочекаме слободата…



3.

И така нофтите “удирајќи ги темелите за ‘иднината’ на Македонците и Македонија”, почнаа да му пропагираат на својот мал народ ГОЛЕМИ ИЛУЗИИ.

Активистите им се обраќаа на селаните: “Тој што денес нема да го насети здивот на советизацијата (што ја зафати цела Европа), значи, безусловно брзо ќе биде отфрлен и заробен во идното бескласно општество: во една обединета Македонија во рамките на Југославија”.

А еден од нив мавта со весникот и покажува на изјавата што ја дал маршал Тито во весник “Њујорк тајмс.” Во Москва во април 1945 година, во која се вели: “…Ако Македонците од грчките области изразат желба да се обединат со другите Македонци, Југославија ќе ги почитува нивните желби…”

По ова се слушна силен вик: “Ура! Ура, да живеат другарот Тито и Сталин”.

Тие зборуваа толку убедливо што еден од селаните рече:

“Бесмислено би било да им се застанува на патот на овие наши предани луѓе кои сета своја енергија ја насочиле кон спасот наш и кон љубовта на големите браќа Тито и Сталин”.

А еден друг селанец, со прекрстени нозе, седеше на самиот крај на оградата. Образите му беа црвени, небричен, а се држеше молчаливо; со рацете отпуштени на колената. Имаше темнокостенливи очи и светлозлатеста коса. Се насмевна како на некоја блага шега. Зборуваше полека, јасно развлекувајќи ги зборовите, како што зборуваат во Костурско, а се викаше Сотир Гајдов-Ученото, син на поп Дамјан Гајдов. Се сврте кон говорникот и му рече:

-Вистинската причина за вашето доаѓање е нејасна. Ова е нечија фантазија, или добра стратегија на голем револуционер, сонувач што сака да создаде ново балканско прекројување или со тоа Тито сака да си ги реши внатрешните проблеми преку грбот на Македонците.

Ние Македонците не сме ни први ни последни што ќе бидат употребени во овој голем балкански експеримент, во кој велите: СОВЕТИЗАЦИЈА НА БАЛКАНОТ.

Чудни се времињата во кои опстојуваме. Настаните од балканските војни најчесто се случуваат зад грбот на Македонците.

Секој ВИСТИНСКИ пат е мошне тежок, но сакам да знам:

Прво, каква иднина и власт ни нудите вие? Кои се вашите мисли и дали, според вас, ние Македонците можеме да ги спречиме војната и нашето искоренување од родниот крај? Можеби денес никој не верува дека војната би можела да биде искористена во корист на туѓинците, а ние да си останеме со прстот в уста…

Кога знаете дека конечно во Грција, на 12 февруари оваа година, во Варкиза се потпиша договор меѓу раководителите на КПГ, ЕАМ и ЕЛАС, а од другата страна владата на Пластирас и британскиот генерал Скоби, и власта е во рацете на владата и на Британците.

Второ, ме чуди тоа што не знаете дека во народното собрание на Србија, што се одржа на 10 ноември 1944 година, ставовите на Пијаде, Ранковиќ, Ѓилас и Влахов биле за ставот што вие го прокламирате: “Целиот македонски народ има желба за целосно обеднување на Македонија”, но само по два дена, на 12 ноември 1944 година, Јосип Броз – Тито, кога се сретнал со грчката делегација, им изјавил: “Прашањето за обединувањето на егејскиот дел на Македонија со другите делови на Македонија не треба да се поставува”. А и ставот на големиот брат Сталин бил следниот, по влегувањето на советската армија во Бугарија и истакнувањето на идејата за југословенскобугарската федерација, а особено потенцирањето на обединувањето на Македонија, што претпоставувало одвојување на егејскиот дел на Македонија од Грција, биле силни причини Черчил да отпатува за Москва на 8 октомври 1944 година, каде што со Сталин потпишале заеднички договор со кој Грција целосно паднала под влијание на Велика Британија. Набргу потоа британските сили се истоварија во Грција, а на 18 октомври 1944 година пристигна од емиграција владата на Папандреу и тој на 5 ноември издава наредба да се распуштат единиците на ЕЛАС. А со тоа и СОВЕТИЗАЦИЈАТА на Грција станува голема лага.

Зар вие не го знаете тоа и така истрчувате, што вели нашиот народ, “боси во трње”. Зар со тоа не им помагате на легитимната влада на Грција и на Британците е да го дотолчат нашиот народ.

За какви браќа и каква советизација ни зборувате? - рече Сотир Гајдов и продолжи:

-Зар ги заборавате решенијата во Јалта (5).

Се прашувам, но и многу луѓе се прашуваат:

Што ќе се случи со формирањето на НОФ и АФЖ во Скопје под раководство на КПМ/КПЈ? Дали вие со овие организации, можеби несвесно по налог на туѓинците, правите увоз на револуција во Егејска Македонија! Можеби ова е време кога се помалку го посакуваме минатото. И враќањето назад. Зар македонската свест за себе, за својата реалност не е целосно свртена кон идеолошкиот активизам? Зар со ова туѓинците не посакуваат пак да не турнаат во преграткита на колонистите?

Колку сложена е историјата! Наместо по Втората светска војна да одиме право кон мир, сега се свртуваме кон бесмислена војна. Луѓето сосила ќе ги тераме, не прашувајќи ги за нивната волја. Таквата војна ќе нема оправдување.



Подла загатка. Правдата ќе биде долга и скапа: може да ни донесе геноцид.

Прво од грчката страна: зошто грчките комунисти не ја почнаа подготовката за заземање на власта, туку Елас го предаде оружјето и власта ѝ ја предаде на грчката влада на Папандреу што се врати од емиграција?

Второ од југословенска страна: зошто македонските војници кои посакаа да одат на Солун беа сите арестувани и некои дури ликвидирани, а денес токму тие што ги арестуваа македонските војници ни ги организираат НОФ и АФЖ и пак не сплеткуваат во опасна замка, а можеби и ни ја стават повторно судбоносната ЈАМКА.

Навистина, тогаш, на 7 јануари 1944 година, имало причини да не се оди на Солун, затоа што во тоа време Британците во Грција имале (но и сега ги има) стационирано околу 200.000 војници, 400 авиони и 3.000 тенкови. Покрај нив имало и сега има околу 100.000 грчки војници, и во Солун се наоѓале, и се уште ги има, околу 10.000 војници на кралска Југославија. Сите тие биле и се уште се под команда на британскиот генерал Скоби.

Сега јас се прашувам: Вие што сакате тука? Тито, кој тогаш, разумно ги спречи македонските војници да не одат на Солун, по неполни два месеца ве праќа вас?! Вие со оваа акција на НОФ и АФЖ вршите повик за војна? Но тоа е повик за (само)убиств на сопствениот народ. Повик да се фатиме за смртоносно оружје. Дали сега со нас не се прави една голема измама?!

Зар не можете да разберете дека оваа ваша акција нема никаква врска со оправданоста или чесноста спрема соопствениот народ? Ние Македонците не смееме да си дозволиме токму на овој начин да бидеме искористени. Да го тераме соопствениот народ во војна. Со овој чин си дозволуваме да ни се наметне туѓиот тутор, и тогаш ќе мора да се помириме со фактот дека немаме реални шанси за успех во овој повик на нашиот народ во Народноослободителниот фронт – НОФ и АФЖ. Но јас сега се плашам дека по овие акции ќе не пикнат под чадорот на КПГ, а Грците се мајстори да манипулираат со нас. И токму тогаш нема да можеме да ја одбраниме извесната политичка идеја како борци да браниме извесен политички став како полезен за нашиот народ и нашата татковина.

Што мислите? Зар тоа што сега вие го повикувате македонскиот народ да се обедини со добра волја и да влезе во НОФ и АФЖ, не е нечија туѓа иницијатива потхранета од КПГ и КПЈ, а не родена и одобрена од самиот наш народ? Не знам; во овие сурови тоталитарни режими, ако некој од нас ќе може да се дрзне и да проговори за изневерените патриотски идеали, убеден сум дека веднаш ќе не прогласат за непослушни, а за таквите непослушни е познато како исчезнуваат: на робија, во прогонство или, не дај Боже – под земја, како непријатели на народот. Што мислите, ќе најдеме ли сили да речеме: народе македонски! Водачот Тито, или Захаријадис, не го спроведува она што ни го проповедаше а и вети?

Убеден сум дека никој нема да може да ја разбере вашата измама ниту ќе може да ја објасни како е обмислена оваа ваша акција преку организациите НОФ и АФЖ.

Сега си припомнувам на зборовите од дедо ми:

“Тој што не си го сака и почитува своето, тој ќе биде искористен толку пати колку им е потребен на туѓинците.”



4.

Радио Лондон јави дека состанокот на “Големата тројка” што се одржа од 17 јули до 5 август 1945 година во гратчето Потсдам близу Берлин, во дворецот Селиенкоф, во основата бил бесполезен, освен за една историска релевантна последица – отворањето на таканаречената Студена војна. Оттогаш сојузниците на антихитлеровската коалиција, Велика Британија (Винстон Черчил), САД (Хари Труман) и Советскиот Сојуз (самодржецот на СССР, Јосиф Висарионович Сталин), кои со крајни напори успеаја да го победат германскиот фашизам, престанаа да се сакаат меѓусебе, отворајќи ја онаа етапа во поновата историја што дури подоцна ќе го добие името Студена војана.

Токму на конференцијата во Потсдам, Винстон Черчил ја формулира синтагмата за “железната завеса” што ја означи поделбата на Европа на сфери на интерес.



5.

Грчката реакција ја оквалификува организацијата НОФ како предавничка, автономистичка и крајно “опасна” за националните интереси на Грција. Но истовремено се одговори и ЦК на КПГ (април и јуни 1945 година), на XI и XII пленум на ЦК на КПГ, и донесе одлуки кои се карактеристични по игнорирањето и фактичкото непризнавање на македонското НОД, односно НОФ. И со тоа беше отворена фронтална борба против водечките кадри на НОФ, односно против сите Македонци кои членуваа во овие организации.

Во врска со тоа на XII пленум на ЦК на КПГ (јуни 1945) се вели: “НОФ, со брзото омасовување и со своите воени формации, опасно ги загрозува грчкиот карактер на Македонија, грчките позиции и интереси во неа, територијалниот интегритет на грчката држава”.

Практично, со прогласувањето на таквите ставови, односно за територијалниот интегритет на Грција, што е “загрозен” од македонското НОД, организирано и сега во НОФ, се јави како повик до грчкиот народ во Македонија и цела Грција да се бои против НОФ, да ја спаси Македонија, зашто се стравуваше дека Тито имал “Завојувачки планови против грчка Македонија и сакал да ја присоедини (анектира) Егејска Македонија”.





4 “Водечките македонски активисти, осудувани од КПГ, беа прифатени од КПМ/КПЈ. Со јавна поддршка на КПМ/КПЈ се конституира Политичка комисија за Егејска Македонија (октомври 1944), се формира Првата македонска егејска бригада (ноеври 1944), а потоа, наместо нив се формира сенародна политичка организација, народен ослободителен фронт – НОФ (истовремено АФЖ и НОМС во април 1945), чија военополитичка активност наскоро стана основен белег на времето во тој дел на Македонија.



5 На средбата во Јалта е договорена поделбата на сфери на влијанието и границите да останат статус кво.

[George S.]

Noose – Chapter 1



By Stoian Kochov

Translated and edited by Risto Stefov

[email protected]

January 6, 2013



Foretellers of doom



The political committee in Bitola was dissolved around the middle of April 1945. In its place the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Macedonia (CPM) in Skopje, on April 23rd, 1945, created the Organizations NOF (National Liberation Front) simultaneously with AFZH (Women’s Anti-Fascist Front) and NOMS (People’s Liberation Youth Union of the Aegean Macedonians). These organizations belonged to the Macedonians from Aegean (Greek occupied) Macedonia. Their first message sent was: “MACEDONIAN BROTHERS! STAND FIRM AND LOOK FOR THE SALVATION THAT NOF AND AFZH WILL DELIVER!”


(Leading Macedonian activists who were convicted by the CPG (Communist Party of Greece) and had fled Greece and gone to Yugoslavia were accepted by the CPM and the CPY (Communist Party of Yugoslavia). Then with public support from the CPM and the CPY the Political Committee of Aegean Macedonia was constituted in October 1944. The First Aegean Macedonian Brigade was formed in November, 1944. In April 1945 NOF, AFZH and NOMS were simultaneously formed.)



1.



After the Second World War, trouble came to Rudino as unexpectedly as the early spring when suddenly the fields and meadows became green, the gardens flowered early and the mountains became infested with new revolutionaries and all kinds of gangs. One Sunday morning in May 1945 we heard the church bell ringing, informing us not of a death or a holiday but of something disturbing and strange. This was evident by the bell’s irregular rings and by Vane Mingov’s hoarse voice calling out: “Villagers! Oh Villagers! Go to the village square. Our people will speak to us. Don’t be afraid…”



“Newcomers! Who are these people with such mindless desire for power that makes them not only vile but also very gullible? Where do you come from, comrades? Hey friends, where are you from?” voices were heard asking.


The purpose of the newcomers visiting the village was introduced by File Jazhin, Secretary of the Main Organization, a communist and member of the immediate NOF leadership. The villagers were surprised when they discovered that the reason for their summoning was to start a revolution. But when Jazhin began to force everyone to become members of NOF and AFZH, people were even more surprised and were left with their mouths wide open. And we, the youth who had just turned seventeen, were left dumbfounded. Voices among the villagers were heard whispering: “Didn’t the war just end!?” Perhaps that was the first phase of the war but it had certainly begun a new journey for my generation.


Jazhin continued talking with a revolutionary tone of voice: “Remember your grandparents from Ilinden,” he said. “They too were not quite eighteen years of age when the first battles began and they fought with courage and dedication, becoming one of the most disciplined groups of fighters of that era. They rebelled and fought with courage as armed groups in this end of our world. Today, in this holy war, you will be led by NOF, behind which stand Marshal Tito and Generalissimo Stalin. It is time that our Macedonian cheek radiates light even at night! Nowhere has the Macedonian hero embarrassed or humiliated himself, he has always walked upright and that means a lot for all mankind, especially for us, the Macedonians.”



This is how Jazhin addressed the crowd, thus introducing this deliberate “national action” prepared by the Organizations NOF and AFZH. He continued:



“Dear villagers! Allow me to pass on to you this great joy that NOF, headed by Mitrovski, has organized its own armed units in Kostur, which are engaged in guerrilla warfare. They are the first units of our Macedonian army. NOF’s aim, directed by the Macedonian National Liberation Movement, is to apply all forms of struggle and to strive for self-determination and to unite the Macedonian people.”



2.



Ever since the first arrival of the activists in the village, Rudino was gripped by great excitement and suspicion. Six people were present belonging to the Organizations NOF and AFZH, all dressed in leather coats and brandishing Russian machine guns over their shoulders. Every man and woman in the village came to see them. There were also large groups of village children gathered in their presence. There were various stories spread about these activists. Some people were saying that they were fighters who had left ELAS (National Liberation Army of Greece) and had joined Tito's army, at General Tempo’s invitation. Now they had become hardened communists and were here to extinguish our sacred churches and monasteries. Others were whispering saying that the activists were there to extinguish their faith and pollute the holy water in which they were baptized. Yet others feared that the activists were there to defile their minds and ruin their love of God. Some were wondering if they were there to ruin their homes and erase their memories of God and their name.



But then a village woman spoke up. Her name was Ristana Shumenkova Bogdanova but in the village she was known as Traikovitsa Bogdanova, sister-in-law to Lina Goidova Bogdanova, better known as Lambrovitsa Bogdanova. During the large gathering Ristana said she had a question. The moment she spoke the entire crowd turned to listen to her. The activists frowned at her and changed their mood. Un-phased Ristana stepped forward onto the makeshift stage, standing upright and tall with her head held high and said: “I want to say something. Does it mean that we women will now all belong to the Anti-Fascist Front? Personally, I don’t believe that these organizations are Macedonian. If they are Macedonian why are they not called MNOF and MAFZH? (M for Macedonian). There is something unclear here! To what Macedonian front will you be taking us? Didn’t Germany just capitulate? Are there more Fascists? How are we going to establish this front and with what kind of weapons will we be fighting? And what kind of struggle will we be leading?



What about our children? With whom will we be leaving our children? What would be an even bigger shame is when our husbands working in America and Australia find out, what will they say? America will have the right to tell our husbands, ‘What is with you people? We employ you here so that your wives back home can pick up rifles and fight against Anglo-American imperialism?!’ You are forcing us to become Godless. And in what church will we pray then? Or are you playing a mock-war with us? If we give up our God and accept to follow your leader, who then will protect us from the anger of a neglected God? The ground that feeds us will then swallow us… Like insane women – without husbands and children. That would be the ultimate evil and we will forever walk the earth tarred…”



Ristana paused for a moment and then resumed her talk against the evil that these people were bringing upon them…



“Let me ask you again, are you not putting a NOOSE around our necks by doing this?”



Ristana Shumenkova Bogdanova stood there upright and alone with her stature. With her eyes open, arms spread out, heart wide open and as if a lump had gotten stuck in her throat, she stood there in despair but without losing hope. Her forehead became moist with sweat and she thought to herself that she had better not faint. And while feeling badly and waiting for an answer, she cursed through her teeth, “Kapka da ve udri.” She then raised her arms as if she was caught in a NOOSE.



One of the women from AFZH gave Ristana Shumenkova Bogdanova an inquisitive glance and said to her: “Your God is not a living God and cannot cause you any harm… We have all decided to fight against Anglo-American imperialism and, if need be, we will all die for the freedom of our people! And you Comrade Bogdanova, with what you said, we now know and understand that you and those like you are on the side of America.”



All at once, everyone started talking, shouting and reaching out to seize her and get her off the makeshift stage. At that moment the woman from AFZH, with a spark of a fighter in her eye and with a stern and nervous voice, said: “You are crazy – a sold out soul and here I am telling you about the communist revolution.”



Ristana at that point crossed herself and said: “God help me. Up to now we all knew that men made war. But you sister, what are you doing with that machine gun on your shoulder? Women are born to hold children on their chests, not guns that kill people! War and machine guns belong to men. The truth is that most men love war because it brings them glory and they take pleasure in fighting. Women do not enjoy war. We women are made to give birth and raise a nation, not kill one. We witnessed enough horror and barbarism in the German and Italian war; we don’t need any more wars. Why war again? Why is the AFZH calling on all Macedonian women to go to war en masse?”



Agitated by the bickering, Risto Kalchunov, at that moment, yelled at the AFZH woman saying: “You are not only wrong about God, you are wrong about us too. And you comrade should know that almost all of our men are migrant workers and are out there earning a living so that they can feed their families. And now you have declared them to be our enemies and working for the Anglo-American fascists? Why do you do that? Why do you anger and antagonize the villagers?”



Several giggling girls looked curiously at the newcomers. “Be quiet,” I said to them, “I want to hear what is going on.” I could barely keep myself from laughing because I could not believe the words coming out of the AFZH woman’s mouth. She spoke with such insolence that she reminded me of a banished bride from a good household…



We, the village boys, did not understand what was actually happening. We did not understand what was truly meant by a “revolution”. For us these were just words that File Jazhin used. I remember him whispering to me, “Look, in such a muddy situation you don’t say no! If you do, maybe tomorrow you will suffer just the same under communist rule. This is the time to say yes. You along with my son, as young people, must follow any orders given to you without objection. Were your grandfathers and mine not fighters of Ilinden? There will be no objections. You will listen and perhaps one day we Macedonians will gain our freedom...”


3.



So the people of NOF began “to lay the foundation for the ‘future’ of the Macedonian people and for Macedonia” and to fill the minds of this small nation with GREAT ILLUSIONS. Activists began to spread the message to villagers saying: “He who today does not feel the breath of Soviet-ization (which is sweeping across Europe) will be unconditionally and quickly rejected and trapped in a future classless society: in a United Macedonia within Yugoslavia.” One activist waving a newspaper showed us a statement made by Marshal Tito in Moscow in April 1945, published by the newspaper “The New York Times”, which said: “... If the Macedonians in Greece express desire to unite with the Macedonians in Yugoslavia, we will respect their wishes…”



There was a strong cry of “Hooray! Hooray, long live comrades Tito and Stalin” to this statement. The activists spoke so convincingly that one of the villagers said: “It would be terrible to stand in the way of these loyal people of ours who have dedicated themselves and directed their energies towards our salvation and towards the love of big brothers Tito and Stalin.” Another villager, unshaven, with red cheeks, sitting on the edge of the fence with his legs crossed and hands placed on his knees, smiled and jokingly spoke slowly but clearly in his Kostur dialect. He was called Sotir Gaidov-The learned. He was the son of Pop Damian Gaidov. Sotir turned towards the speaker and said: “The real reason for your visit is unclear. It sounds to me like this is someone’s fantasy, or a good strategy of a great revolutionary, a dreamer who wants to reshape the new Balkans or this is Tito’s plan to solve his internal problems on the backs of the Macedonians.



We the Macedonians are neither the first nor the last to be used in this great Balkan experiment, which you call ‘SOVET-IZATION OF THE BALKANS’. Strange are the times we live in. Balkan wars are usually fought on the backs of the Macedonians.
Every TRUE path is very difficult to take, but I want to know: First, what kind of future and government are you offering us? What are your thoughts and, according to you, would we Macedonians be able to stop the war and the eradication of our homeland? Perhaps today nobody believes that such a war could be utilized for the benefit of strangers and for us to be left with our finger in our mouth...



Surely you must know that on February 12th this year the Varkiza agreement was signed, an agreement between the CPG, EAM and ELAS on one side and the Plastiras Greek government and Skobi, the British General on the other, and that power to govern Greece was handed over to the British. Second, it bothers me that you don’t know that what you are proclaiming today as ‘the whole Macedonian people having the desire for a United Macedonia’ was also the attitude of Pijade, Rankovic, Djilas and Vlahov at the National Assembly of Serbia, held on November 10, 1944. But then, only two days later on November 12th, 1944, when Josip Broz - Tito met with a Greek delegation, he said: “The issue of unification of Aegean Macedonia with the other parts of Macedonia was never put in place.”



How about the attitude of big brother Stalin? After the Soviet Army entered Bulgaria there was talk about a Yugoslav-Bulgarian Federation, emphasizing the unification of Macedonia, which assumed the separation of Aegean Macedonia from Greece. Was this talk not the reason why Churchill traveled to Moscow on October 8th, 1944, where he and Stalin signed a mutual agreement that Greece now fully fell under the influence and control of Great Britain? Then, soon after that, British troops landed in Greece and on October 18th, 1944 the Papandreou government in exile was installed in Greece. Then on November 5th, 1944 orders were issued to disband the ELAS units. And with that the ‘SOVET-IZATION OF GREECE’ became one great big lie.



And really because you don’t know all these things you are running around, as our people would say ‘barefoot on thorns’. And by doing that are you not helping the Greek government and the British to completely stamp out our people? For what brothers and what Soviet-ization are you talking about?” asked Sotir Gaidov, continuing: “Have you really forgotten the Yalta agreement? (A meeting between the spheres of influence took place in Yalta where it was decided that all boundaries were to remain unchanged).



So I ask myself and many people ask themselves: What will happen with the formation of NOF and AFZH in Skopje under the leadership of the CPM and CPY? Are you not, with these organizations, perhaps unconsciously, being ordered by strangers to import a revolution into Aegean Macedonia? Perhaps this would be a good time to desire the past a little less and refrain from going back in time. Do you not see how the Macedonian consciousness of themselves and their reality has been fully turned into ideological activism? Don’t you see that with this, strangers are pushing us into the arms of the colonists (Greeks)? How complex can history be? Instead of seeking peace after a World War, we are now being asked to turn to fight another war, a senseless war. We are forcing our people to go to war against their will. This kind of war will never be justified! It is a deceiving enigma. Justice will be long and expensive and it could bring us genocide.


First, the Greek communists began a campaign to seize power but then ELAS turned around and surrendered its arms and turned its power over to Papandreou’s Greek government, which had just returned from exile! Second, the Yugoslav communists arrested and even killed Macedonian fighters who asked to go to Solun! And today the very same people who arrested the Macedonian fighters are the ones who are organizing NOF and AFZH! Don’t you think that they are pulling us into a dangerous trap? Don’t you think that perhaps they are putting our fate into a NOOSE, again?



There was truly a reason not to go to Solun on January 7th, 1944 because at that time the British were already in Greece and had, and still have, stationed some 200,000 troops, 400 aircraft and 3,000 tanks. Besides those, there were also 100,000 Greek soldiers. In addition to those, in Solun there were also about 10,000 Royal Yugoslav troops. All of them were still under the command of British General Skobi. Now I ask myself: ‘What are you doing here?’ Tito, the same person who justifiably prevented Macedonian fighters from going to Solun, almost a couple of months later, has sent you here?! You, in the name of NOF and AFZH are now calling the people to start a new war. But don’t you see that this is only a call to murder your own people? Don’t you see that this is a call for your own people to grab the arms that will slay them? Don’t you think that someone is perpetrating a great big lie on us?!

Why can’t you understand that your actions have nothing to do with the legitimacy or honour of our people? We Macedonians must not allow ourselves to be used in this way. We must not allow our people to be pushed to go to war. We must not allow others to impose an alien will on us. We have to accept the fact that in this way, through the call to war by NOF and AFZH, we have no realistic chance of success. But what I fear will happen is that, through these actions of NOF and AFZH, we will be crammed under the CPG umbrella and the Greeks are masters of manipulation. And just then we will not be able to defend our political ideals. Even as fighters we will not be able to defend our political stance which is beneficial to our people and to our homeland.



What do you think? Calling the Macedonian people to unite and join NOF and AFZH in good faith, is not someone else’s initiative supported by the CPG and the CPY? Has this idea been born and approved by our nation, the Macedonian people themselves? Will any one of us dare speak out against these disloyal patriotic ideas in front of these harsh totalitarian regimes? I don’t know about that! If anyone does, I am sure they will immediately be declared disobedient and rogue and you know such people are known to disappear and to end up in prison, in exile or, God forbid, under the ground as enemies of the people. Do you think we will find the strength to say, ‘Macedonian people, the leaders Tito or Zahariadis will not implement what they preach and promise?’


I am convinced that no one will understand the fraud you are perpetrating here. No one will be able to explain how through organizations such as NOF and AFZH some can perpetrate such deliberate actions. I remember the words my grandfather told me, ‘He who does not love and respect his own, will be used by strangers as many times as they need to use him’.”



4.



Radio London reported that a meeting of the “Big three” was held from July 17th to August 5th, 1945 in the palace Selienkof located in the town of Potsdam near Berlin. The meeting accomplished basically nothing except that it started the so-called ‘Cold War’. The anti-Hitler coalition allies consisting of Great Britain (Winston Churchill), the United States (Harry Truman) and the Soviet Union (dictator of the USSR, Joseph Visarionovich Stalin), who, in their final effort managed to defeat German fascism, ceased to love each other, setting the stage for our more recent history that only later became known as the Cold War era. It was at this conference in Potsdam that Winston Churchill also coined the phrase “iron curtain” which divided Europe into spheres of interest.


5.


The Greek reactionaries defined NOF as treacherous, autonomist and extremely “dangerous” to Greek national interests. Then in April and June 1945, at their XI and XII Central Committee Plenums, the CPG Central Committee made ignorant decisions to actually not recognize NOF, resulting in a frontal attack against its leading cadres and against all Macedonians who were members of this and other organizations. The following statement was made regarding NOF by the CPG Central Committee at Plenum XII in June 1945: “NOF, with its rapid popularization and with its military formations, is dangerously threatening the Greek character of Macedonia, Greece’s positions and interests therein and Greece’s territorial integrity.”



With statements such as these, especially the one about Greece’s territorial integrity being in “danger” from NOF, the CPG practically declared war on the Macedonians. This was a call on the Greek population in Macedonia and in all of Greece to fight against NOF in order to save Macedonia because the CPG feared that Tito had “aggressive plans against Greek Macedonia and wanted to annex Aegean Macedonia to Yugoslavia.”






Глава 1.



Предвесници на злото



Кон средината на април 1945 година. Политичката комисија (4) во Битола веќе беше распуштена. Наместо неа, при ЦК на КПМ во Скопје, на 23 април 1945 година се конституира, односно се формира Народноослободителниот фронт – НОФ (истовремено АФЖ и НОМС) на Македонците од Егејска Македонија и првата порака што им беше упатена гласеше:

“БРАЌА МАКЕДОНЦИ! СТОЈТЕ ЦВРСТО И ГЛЕДАЈТЕ ГО СПАСЕНИЕТО ШТО ЌЕ ВИ ГО ДОНЕСЕ НОФ И АФЖ!”



1.

Во Рудино, и по Втората светска војната, некако злото доаѓаше од недоапица; брзо како и пролетта. Одеднаш полето и планините раззеленуваа, ливадите и градините се ишаруваа со најразновидни цвеќиња, а планините се полнеа со нови револуционери и разни банди.

Едно мајско неделно утро во1945 година, ги слушаме ударите на камбаната кои не известуваат ни за мртовец ни божји за празник, туку претставуваат тревожни и чудни, безредни клепања, а потоа и тревожниот рапав глас на Ване Мингов:



“Селани! Ој селани! Ве повикувам на сретсело. Ќе ни зборуваат нашите. Не плашете се…”

“Новодојдени! Кои се овие луѓе со таква безумна желба за власт што ги прави не само подмолни туку и премногу лековерни.”

Од каде доаѓате, другари!

Еј пријатели, од каде сте?

Веста за новодојдените ја прочита Филип Јажин, секретар на Основната организација, комунист и член на потесното раководство на НОФ.

Селаните беа зачудени кога дознаа дека причината за нивното доаѓање било кревањето на револуција. Но кога почна да ги прозива дека сите треба да станат членови на НОФ и АФЖ, останаа со зинати усти, а и ние што бевме штотуку влезени во седумнаесеттата година, се острелушивме.

Се слушнаа гласови:

“Па нели војната заврши!?” – шепнеа селаните.

Можеби тоа беше првиот влез во мрежата на војната и оттогаш почна патешествието на мојата генерација.

Јажин со продолжи револуционерен тон:

-Спомнете си за вашите дедовци илинденци. И тие беа на неполни 18 години кога во првите борби со својата смелост и непоколебливост станаа едни од најдисциплинираните борци во комитските чети и бездруго најхрабри револуционери во овој наш крај. Во оваа света војна на чело со НОФ, зад нас стојат маршал Тито и генаралисимусот Сталин. Време е нашиот македонски образ и во ноќта светлина да зрачи! Јунак македонски, никаде не се посрамотил или понижил, одел со исправен ‘рбет, а тоа за човекот и особено за нас Македонците многу значи.

Така ја објасни оваа обмислена национална акција на организациите НОФ (Народноослободителен фронт) и АФЖ (Антифашистички фронт на жените) и пред насобраните продолжи:

-Драги селани! Да ви ја пренесам големата радост дека во костурско, едновремено, НОФ, на чело со Митровски, организира и свои вооружени единици, кои развија герилска борба. Тие се првите единици на нашата македонска војска. Целта на организацијата НОФ, која застана на чело на македонското националноослободително движење, е со примена на сите форми на борба, да се бори за самоопределување и обеденивање на македонскиот народ.



2.

Но уште првото доаѓање на активистите, предизвика голема возбуда во селото Рудино. Ги имаше шестмина од организациите НОФ и АФЖ, облечени во кожени палта и со нарамени руски автомати.

Секој маж и секоја жена дојде да ги види, па дури и цела сурија деца. Се ширеа разни приказни за овие луѓе, дека биле од оние борци што биле пребегани од ЕЛАС во Титовата армија, по покана од Титовиот генерал Темпо. Сега тие станале закоравени комунисти и сакаат да ни ги изгаснат светите цркви и манастири Селаните шепотеа: Сакаат да ни ја изгнасат и испоганат и нашата света вода, во која сме крстени сите ние. Да ни исчезнат и молитвите наши, сакаат да ни го помрачат умот, нашата љубов и вера. Сакаат да ни ги урнат домовите, да ни ги избришат спомените за нашиот Бог и нашето име.

Но откако една селанка, Ристана Шуменкова Богданова, која сите ја знаеја како Трајковица Богданова, (јатрва на Лина Гајдова Богданова – Ламбровица Богданова), на големиот собир рече дека има прашање, сите се опулија кон неа, а активистите се намусија и ја сменија својата настројба.

Таа подизлезе напред со исправена става и лесно крената глава, што ја засилуваше миловидната каприциозност на нејзиното лице и им се обрати:

-Сакам нешто да кажам.

Значи, сега сите ние жените ќе му припаѓаме на Антифашистичкиот фронт.

Јас не ви верувам дека овие организации се македонски. Ако се македонски, зошто не се викаат МНОФ и МАФЖ. Ова нешто е нејасно!

На кој македонски фронт ќе не носите? Па нели Германија капитулира, зар има уште фашисти? И кај ќе го ставиме тој фронт и со какво оружје ќе се бориме? И каква борба ќе водиме?

А децата? На кого ќе ги оставиме? Но уште поголем срам, кога ќе слушнат нашите мажи во Америка и Австралија, што ќе речат?

Значи, Америка со право ќе им рече на нашите мажи: “Абре луѓе, што станува со вас? Вашите жени зедоа пушки против англоамериканскиот империјализам?! Не терате да бидеме безбожни. И во која црква ќе си ја правиме молитвата? Или со нас си играте мајтап-војна.

Ако се откажеме од нашиот Бог и ако го прифатиме и следиме вашиот главатар, кој ќе не штити од гневот на нашиот запоставен Бог? Па тогаш, нека не голтне земјава што не храни… Како улавки - без мажи и деца.

Тоа ќе биде исконско зло. Така катраносани ќе шетаме по гората…

И продолжи да реди и да го колне злото што го донеле овие луѓе… велејќи:

-Но пак да ве опитам: дали со ова што правите, нам не ни ја ставате ЈАМКАТА?

Ристана Шуменкова-Богданова остана простум, сама со својот стас. Со очите отворени, со рацете раширени, со срцето отворено, чиниш ѝ застана грутка во грлото.

Чека во очај, без да загуби надеж. Челото ѝ се ороси со пот, си мислеше во себе да не се онесвести. Лошо ѝ беше и низ заби проколна “Капка да ве удри”.

Веќе ги крена рацете, чиниш се препушти на ЈАМКАТА.

Една афежистка, стана и упати испитувачки поглед кон Ристана Шуменкова-Богданова, па кон сите рече:

-Вашиот Бог не е жив и не може да ви нанесе никакво зло… Сите ние решивме да се бориме против англоамериканскиот империјализам и, ако треба, ќе умреме за слободата на својот народ!

А ти, другарке Богданова, со тоа што кажа, сега знаеме дека ти, и таквите како тебе, нам, на борците, ни е јасно дека сте на страната на Америка.

Сите почнаа да зборуваат истовремено, викаа и посегаа да ја дофатат и симнат од импровизираната бина. Во тој миг во очите на афежистката блесна искра на буден борец, а гласот ѝ стана непријателски и уплашено рече:

-Па вие сте биле улави – продадени души, а јас ви зборувам за комунистичка револуција.

Трајковица се прекрсти и рече:

-Бог да ни е на помош. Досега сите знаевме дека мажите ја прават војната. Што си се натопорила, мори сетро, со тој автомат. Жената е родена да држи дете на гради, а не пушка што убива луѓе! Војната, тие машинки за убивање им припаѓаат на мажите. Вистина е дека повеќето од мажите ја сакаат војната, зашто им носи слава и тоа им прави задоволство во борбата, жените не уживаат во тоа. Ние жените сме за раѓање и одгледување на родот за нацијата.

Видовме, каков ужас и варварство ни остави војната со Германците и Италјанците.

Зошто пак војна? Зошто македонските жени ги повикувате масовно да влезат во војна преку таа ваша организација АФЖ!?

Во тој миг Ристо Калчунов, окуражен, ѝ викна на афежистката:

-Човек да се плаши од вас, значи, вие не грешите само спрема нас туку и спрема Бога. Па вие, другарке, добро знаете дека сите наши луѓе се печалбари и со тоа си го хранеа семејството, а вие ги прогласувате за непријатели и англоамерикански фашисти! Зошто прајте така? Ги дивите и ги анатемосувате селаните.

Неколку раскикотени девојченца гледаа љубопитно во новодојдените.

Молчете. Сакам да слушам што се случува, им реков.

Едвај успеав да се воздржам и да не се насмеам, зашто не им верував на фразите со кои се служеше афежистката, беа толку излитени што во мене будеа слика на протерана невеста од домаќинска куќа…

Ние, селските момчиња, не разбиравме што се случуваше всушност. Не разбиравме што значи навистина “револуција”, само зборовите на Филе Јажин му ги паметам кога еднаш ми прошепоти и рече: - Слушај, во ваква матна ситуација нема да велиш не! Но што знаеш, можеби утре во комунизмот ќе страдаш. Такво е времето. Вие со син ми, како младинци, ќе исполнувате секакви наредби без приговор. Твоите дедовци и моите нели беа илинденци. Нема да приговараш. Ќе слушаш, можеби еден ден и ние Македонците ќе ја дочекаме слободата…



3.

И така нофтите “удирајќи ги темелите за ‘иднината’ на Македонците и Македонија”, почнаа да му пропагираат на својот мал народ ГОЛЕМИ ИЛУЗИИ.

Активистите им се обраќаа на селаните: “Тој што денес нема да го насети здивот на советизацијата (што ја зафати цела Европа), значи, безусловно брзо ќе биде отфрлен и заробен во идното бескласно општество: во една обединета Македонија во рамките на Југославија”.

А еден од нив мавта со весникот и покажува на изјавата што ја дал маршал Тито во весник “Њујорк тајмс.” Во Москва во април 1945 година, во која се вели: “…Ако Македонците од грчките области изразат желба да се обединат со другите Македонци, Југославија ќе ги почитува нивните желби…”

По ова се слушна силен вик: “Ура! Ура, да живеат другарот Тито и Сталин”.

Тие зборуваа толку убедливо што еден од селаните рече:

“Бесмислено би било да им се застанува на патот на овие наши предани луѓе кои сета своја енергија ја насочиле кон спасот наш и кон љубовта на големите браќа Тито и Сталин”.

А еден друг селанец, со прекрстени нозе, седеше на самиот крај на оградата. Образите му беа црвени, небричен, а се држеше молчаливо; со рацете отпуштени на колената. Имаше темнокостенливи очи и светлозлатеста коса. Се насмевна како на некоја блага шега. Зборуваше полека, јасно развлекувајќи ги зборовите, како што зборуваат во Костурско, а се викаше Сотир Гајдов-Ученото, син на поп Дамјан Гајдов. Се сврте кон говорникот и му рече:

-Вистинската причина за вашето доаѓање е нејасна. Ова е нечија фантазија, или добра стратегија на голем револуционер, сонувач што сака да создаде ново балканско прекројување или со тоа Тито сака да си ги реши внатрешните проблеми преку грбот на Македонците.

Ние Македонците не сме ни први ни последни што ќе бидат употребени во овој голем балкански експеримент, во кој велите: СОВЕТИЗАЦИЈА НА БАЛКАНОТ.

Чудни се времињата во кои опстојуваме. Настаните од балканските војни најчесто се случуваат зад грбот на Македонците.

Секој ВИСТИНСКИ пат е мошне тежок, но сакам да знам:

Прво, каква иднина и власт ни нудите вие? Кои се вашите мисли и дали, според вас, ние Македонците можеме да ги спречиме војната и нашето искоренување од родниот крај? Можеби денес никој не верува дека војната би можела да биде искористена во корист на туѓинците, а ние да си останеме со прстот в уста…

Кога знаете дека конечно во Грција, на 12 февруари оваа година, во Варкиза се потпиша договор меѓу раководителите на КПГ, ЕАМ и ЕЛАС, а од другата страна владата на Пластирас и британскиот генерал Скоби, и власта е во рацете на владата и на Британците.

Второ, ме чуди тоа што не знаете дека во народното собрание на Србија, што се одржа на 10 ноември 1944 година, ставовите на Пијаде, Ранковиќ, Ѓилас и Влахов биле за ставот што вие го прокламирате: “Целиот македонски народ има желба за целосно обеднување на Македонија”, но само по два дена, на 12 ноември 1944 година, Јосип Броз – Тито, кога се сретнал со грчката делегација, им изјавил: “Прашањето за обединувањето на егејскиот дел на Македонија со другите делови на Македонија не треба да се поставува”. А и ставот на големиот брат Сталин бил следниот, по влегувањето на советската армија во Бугарија и истакнувањето на идејата за југословенскобугарската федерација, а особено потенцирањето на обединувањето на Македонија, што претпоставувало одвојување на егејскиот дел на Македонија од Грција, биле силни причини Черчил да отпатува за Москва на 8 октомври 1944 година, каде што со Сталин потпишале заеднички договор со кој Грција целосно паднала под влијание на Велика Британија. Набргу потоа британските сили се истоварија во Грција, а на 18 октомври 1944 година пристигна од емиграција владата на Папандреу и тој на 5 ноември издава наредба да се распуштат единиците на ЕЛАС. А со тоа и СОВЕТИЗАЦИЈАТА на Грција станува голема лага.

Зар вие не го знаете тоа и така истрчувате, што вели нашиот народ, “боси во трње”. Зар со тоа не им помагате на легитимната влада на Грција и на Британците е да го дотолчат нашиот народ.

За какви браќа и каква советизација ни зборувате? - рече Сотир Гајдов и продолжи:

-Зар ги заборавате решенијата во Јалта (5).

Се прашувам, но и многу луѓе се прашуваат:

Што ќе се случи со формирањето на НОФ и АФЖ во Скопје под раководство на КПМ/КПЈ? Дали вие со овие организации, можеби несвесно по налог на туѓинците, правите увоз на револуција во Егејска Македонија! Можеби ова е време кога се помалку го посакуваме минатото. И враќањето назад. Зар македонската свест за себе, за својата реалност не е целосно свртена кон идеолошкиот активизам? Зар со ова туѓинците не посакуваат пак да не турнаат во преграткита на колонистите?

Колку сложена е историјата! Наместо по Втората светска војна да одиме право кон мир, сега се свртуваме кон бесмислена војна. Луѓето сосила ќе ги тераме, не прашувајќи ги за нивната волја. Таквата војна ќе нема оправдување.



Подла загатка. Правдата ќе биде долга и скапа: може да ни донесе геноцид.

Прво од грчката страна: зошто грчките комунисти не ја почнаа подготовката за заземање на власта, туку Елас го предаде оружјето и власта ѝ ја предаде на грчката влада на Папандреу што се врати од емиграција?

Второ од југословенска страна: зошто македонските војници кои посакаа да одат на Солун беа сите арестувани и некои дури ликвидирани, а денес токму тие што ги арестуваа македонските војници ни ги организираат НОФ и АФЖ и пак не сплеткуваат во опасна замка, а можеби и ни ја стават повторно судбоносната ЈАМКА.

Навистина, тогаш, на 7 јануари 1944 година, имало причини да не се оди на Солун, затоа што во тоа време Британците во Грција имале (но и сега ги има) стационирано околу 200.000 војници, 400 авиони и 3.000 тенкови. Покрај нив имало и сега има околу 100.000 грчки војници, и во Солун се наоѓале, и се уште ги има, околу 10.000 војници на кралска Југославија. Сите тие биле и се уште се под команда на британскиот генерал Скоби.

Сега јас се прашувам: Вие што сакате тука? Тито, кој тогаш, разумно ги спречи македонските војници да не одат на Солун, по неполни два месеца ве праќа вас?! Вие со оваа акција на НОФ и АФЖ вршите повик за војна? Но тоа е повик за (само)убиств на сопствениот народ. Повик да се фатиме за смртоносно оружје. Дали сега со нас не се прави една голема измама?!

Зар не можете да разберете дека оваа ваша акција нема никаква врска со оправданоста или чесноста спрема соопствениот народ? Ние Македонците не смееме да си дозволиме токму на овој начин да бидеме искористени. Да го тераме соопствениот народ во војна. Со овој чин си дозволуваме да ни се наметне туѓиот тутор, и тогаш ќе мора да се помириме со фактот дека немаме реални шанси за успех во овој повик на нашиот народ во Народноослободителниот фронт – НОФ и АФЖ. Но јас сега се плашам дека по овие акции ќе не пикнат под чадорот на КПГ, а Грците се мајстори да манипулираат со нас. И токму тогаш нема да можеме да ја одбраниме извесната политичка идеја како борци да браниме извесен политички став како полезен за нашиот народ и нашата татковина.

Што мислите? Зар тоа што сега вие го повикувате македонскиот народ да се обедини со добра волја и да влезе во НОФ и АФЖ, не е нечија туѓа иницијатива потхранета од КПГ и КПЈ, а не родена и одобрена од самиот наш народ? Не знам; во овие сурови тоталитарни режими, ако некој од нас ќе може да се дрзне и да проговори за изневерените патриотски идеали, убеден сум дека веднаш ќе не прогласат за непослушни, а за таквите непослушни е познато како исчезнуваат: на робија, во прогонство или, не дај Боже – под земја, како непријатели на народот. Што мислите, ќе најдеме ли сили да речеме: народе македонски! Водачот Тито, или Захаријадис, не го спроведува она што ни го проповедаше а и вети?

Убеден сум дека никој нема да може да ја разбере вашата измама ниту ќе може да ја објасни како е обмислена оваа ваша акција преку организациите НОФ и АФЖ.

Сега си припомнувам на зборовите од дедо ми:

“Тој што не си го сака и почитува своето, тој ќе биде искористен толку пати колку им е потребен на туѓинците.”



4.

Радио Лондон јави дека состанокот на “Големата тројка” што се одржа од 17 јули до 5 август 1945 година во гратчето Потсдам близу Берлин, во дворецот Селиенкоф, во основата бил бесполезен, освен за една историска релевантна последица – отворањето на таканаречената Студена војна. Оттогаш сојузниците на антихитлеровската коалиција, Велика Британија (Винстон Черчил), САД (Хари Труман) и Советскиот Сојуз (самодржецот на СССР, Јосиф Висарионович Сталин), кои со крајни напори успеаја да го победат германскиот фашизам, престанаа да се сакаат меѓусебе, отворајќи ја онаа етапа во поновата историја што дури подоцна ќе го добие името Студена војана.

Токму на конференцијата во Потсдам, Винстон Черчил ја формулира синтагмата за “железната завеса” што ја означи поделбата на Европа на сфери на интерес.



5.

Грчката реакција ја оквалификува организацијата НОФ како предавничка, автономистичка и крајно “опасна” за националните интереси на Грција. Но истовремено се одговори и ЦК на КПГ (април и јуни 1945 година), на XI и XII пленум на ЦК на КПГ, и донесе одлуки кои се карактеристични по игнорирањето и фактичкото непризнавање на македонското НОД, односно НОФ. И со тоа беше отворена фронтална борба против водечките кадри на НОФ, односно против сите Македонци кои членуваа во овие организации.

Во врска со тоа на XII пленум на ЦК на КПГ (јуни 1945) се вели: “НОФ, со брзото омасовување и со своите воени формации, опасно ги загрозува грчкиот карактер на Македонија, грчките позиции и интереси во неа, територијалниот интегритет на грчката држава”.

Практично, со прогласувањето на таквите ставови, односно за територијалниот интегритет на Грција, што е “загрозен” од македонското НОД, организирано и сега во НОФ, се јави како повик до грчкиот народ во Македонија и цела Грција да се бои против НОФ, да ја спаси Македонија, зашто се стравуваше дека Тито имал “Завојувачки планови против грчка Македонија и сакал да ја присоедини (анектира) Егејска Македонија”.





4 “Водечките македонски активисти, осудувани од КПГ, беа прифатени од КПМ/КПЈ. Со јавна поддршка на КПМ/КПЈ се конституира Политичка комисија за Егејска Македонија (октомври 1944), се формира Првата македонска егејска бригада (ноеври 1944), а потоа, наместо нив се формира сенародна политичка организација, народен ослободителен фронт – НОФ (истовремено АФЖ и НОМС во април 1945), чија военополитичка активност наскоро стана основен белег на времето во тој дел на Македонија.



5 На средбата во Јалта е договорена поделбата на сфери на влијанието и границите да останат статус кво.

[George S.]

Answer to Risto Stefov, #1
Istor the MacedonianMarch 23, 2009
This article is an answer to Risto Stefovīs article entitled "Modern Greece and the Macedonian Heritage – Part 12 – Is there a Misunderstanding?ŧ and published here: http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/95448 Please, read that article and this answer in parallel.

About names we Greeks have for SlavoSkopians: First it is well known and accepted by all World, including SlavoSkopians, that we Greeks cannot call them Macedonians because the last 3000 years we have this name for the Greeks of Macedonia. Second, we have asked SlavoSkopians many times to tell us a name we should call them after. They avoided answering. So, we are free to use any name, except humiliating ones: SlavoSkopians.

We donīt deny ethnic identity of any one. We deny to any non-Greek people the monopolization of the name of Macedonia. We have no problem with SlavoSkopiansī identity. We have big problem with the name they want for that identity. I am sure that they themselves have big problems with our Macedonian identity. Thatīs why they distort Macedonian history. The fact that Macedonians have always been Greeks is obvious. Only some SlavoSkopian propagandists attempt to turn SlavoSkopians as blind as to negate it. What did Macedonians forget to do in order to convince World that they were Greeks? What did SlavoSkopian heroes forget to do in order to convince World that they were Bulgarians? http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/92469

Modern Greeks are as Greek as ancient ones. Blood and dna are not related to ethnicity, at least within a race. Whoever claims the opposite is racist by definition. Anyway, if SlavoSkopians allow us Greeks controlling their education system as Tito did we will call them Macedonians. We will not change their blood! Promise!

That 106841 decree, refereed by Risto, is about citizenship, not ethnicity. Greek state believes that whoever had Greek parents had Greek "education" within family and feels Greek. Ethnicity is not legalism; citizenship is.

SlavoSkopian refugees of Greek Civil War times are NOT political refugees. It is well known to the World and SlavoSkopians that they did not fight to change the regime in Greece but to annex Greek Macedonia to Yugoslavia and slavicize both Macedonia and Macedonians. So, they wanted to change the borders and the Greekness of Greece. It is obvious that this is what SlavoSkopians are still wanting. They have no other reason to insist to be named just Macedonians.

Yes mr Risto. Whoever feels Greek can be Greek ethnically. As Loring Danforth said " I belong to an ethnic group if I want it and they accept me". So, if a group of white human beens speak Greek and teach Greek to their pupils then they are accepted as Greeks by the big majority of Greeks. Be sure that Alexander the Great had no dna test to recognize Macedonian soldiers. Nor a tape to measure their penisesī length as lady Aleksovska pathetically did in a recent article. ( http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/95012 ). There is a second crucial term in ethnicityīs "definition" by Danforth. So, whoever likes to be Macedonian shall be accepted as such by us Macedonians. If you SlavoSkopians want to be and be called Macedonians you must speak and teach Greek to your children.



If Alexander was Macedonian then Dame Gruev wasnīt and you SlavoSkopian are not. There is nothing Macedonian on you. Actually, you are obviously Bulgarians.

We are as Greek as ancient Greeks, because we feel Greeks and we make those feelings visible for we have Greek names, toponyms, ways, heroes, language and pride for glorious and famous times of Greek history, esp for that campaign that Macedonians did to spread Greek Language and Civilization to the World. On the other hand, you SlavoSkopians are not Macedonians for the same reasons. There is nothing Macedonian on you. In fact, you are ashamed of that campaign because it was Greek. You are the death of Macedonia: http://www.network54.com/Forum/41592...age/1129231616 Two persons from different ethnic groups have the same feelings but for different reasons and things. A Macedonian feels proud of that campaign, a SlavoSkopian feels proud of Dame Gruev (because SlavoSkopians intentionally ignore that he was Bulgarian). We feel pride when reading passage 5 from http://www.starkrealities.com/fortune.html. You feel shame for that. And finally, if you SlavoSkopians are Macedonians then Turks are Yunanis. http://www.network54.com/Forum/41882...age/1205065480

Would you care about Greece if we wanted to call it Macedonia? Sign a declaration in UN that you have no problem with that. Anyway, as Greeks, we do care about Macedonian name, fame and glory and we cannot allow you monopolizing them. This does prove that we are Greeks.

Macedonia (proper) is in Greece because of the will and blood of Macedonians. Greece is not GP as to occupy foreign lands. In contrary, we have lost many regions inhabited by Greeks esp at the beginning of 20th c. Pelagonia, Eastern Roumelia, Eastern Thrace, Ionia, Pontos, ….

Is there any non "artificial" identity, bre Risto? Yours, maybe? hahahahahahahaha! Give us a break, please!

Dear Greeks, it is obvious that SlavoSkopians have realized that they are not ethnically related to Macedonians, thatīs why they attempt relating themselves to Macedonians racially and misrelating us from Greeks.

Istor

Macedonian, therefore Greek.

[email protected]

[George S.]

Answer to Risto Stefov, #2
Istor the MacedonianMarch 29, 2009
This article is an answer to Risto Stefovīs article entitled "Modern Greece and the Macedonian Heritage – Part 13 – What is Greece up to?ŧ and published here: http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/96351 Please, read that article before reading this one.

In this article the term Macedonia refers to the historic land of Macedonia that is the land from Olympus to Ohrid and from Pindus mountains to Strymon river, while Macedonian term refers to what the last 3000 years ment that is "Greek of Macedonia". Skopje never was in Macedonia. Skopje was Dardanian and Kossovian capital. Veles was Peonian capital.

Greek is whoever is proud of that campaign that Macedonians did to spread Greek Language and Civilization to the World.

Macedonian is whoever is proud of that campaign that Macedonians did to spread Greek Language and Civilization to the World.

As you see, Greek = Macedonian and Macedonian = Greek. The distinction is ONLY geographic. History chose "Greek" term as name for all Greeks. We Greeks could naturally be called Macedonians just like we are called Greeks, Hellenes or Yunan. All those names of Greeks were, once upon a time, regional names of Greek tribes.

That pride is felt when reading, amongst many-many other texts, that famous passage of Plutarch: http://www.starkrealities.com/fortune.html (passage 5). But, since pride is "invisible", one shall do some things to show it. He could get membership of a Greek union, follow Greek things, learn and speak Greek, read Greek literature, teach Greek to his children, send them in Greek school and so on.

This is what Slavs, Albanians, Vlachs, Pelasgians, Thracians …. have done long or short time ago. It was a peaceful assimilation process, due to the attractiveness of Greekness. Christian Religion was the main tool for that after early Byzantine times. If any people do what those people did then they will be Greeks. This is what happens today to economic refugeesī children who live in Greece. This is what happens to Greeks of America, Germany, Australia. This is what happened to SlavoSkopians after 1944 under Titoīs orders. In two decades, SlavoSkopians had a new Bulgarian dialect as language, a new but fake identity name, a huge hate against Bulgarians and a negation of Bulgarian ancestry.

If any white people (not just a person) speak Greek and teach Greek to their children then they are Greeks. Soon, those children will feel pride while reading those lines of Plutarchīs praise to Alexander.

Itīs up to SlavoSkopians to macedonize themselves. What they are is Macedonian nothing. You cannot be Macedonian and say Solun, Plovdiv, Vardar, Bistritsa, Crna. You cannot be Macedonian and hate Greekness. You cannot be Macedonian and teach Slavic to your children. Because if you are named Macedonian then you are identified, wanted it or not, with ancient Macedonians.

Greece has never denied existence of Macedonians. Itīs SlavoSkopians who attempt to do that. SlavoSkopians deny "de facto" our right over the name of Macedonia. A name that we Greeks of Macedonia have invented long time ago for ourselves and our children. We will never allow any non-Greek people monopolizing the name of Macedonia.



Greece got independence after 8 years of brutal bloody struggle against Ottomans which touched and motivated European peoples and countries. In that case Europe acted in accordance of its principles (enlightenment period). The struggle about Macedonia started at 1878, right after the establishment of Bulgarian state. Not by Greeks. Since then, Slavs attempted many times to occupy and slavicize Macedonia and Macedonians. They have been defeated. After each defeat, Slavs of Macedonia massively left the country for the Slavic countries, since they could not live in such īevilī country as Greece.

Greek "atrocities" in Macedonia are caress in regards to Slavic arrogance and violence against Greeks of Macedonia. At 1996, a Slavic delegation arrived in Doxato, Drama, Macedonia, Greece to say sorry to the people there whose Greek unarmed ancestors were massacred at 06-30-1913, just a day before Slavic troops left the city to the Greek liberating army. 3000 wounds in one day!

Macedonians did not exist as a nation at the times of Ottoman Empire. In fact in Macedonia were Turks, Greeks, Bulgarians, Vlachs, Jews, Albanians, … All those peoples sent deputies in first Ottoman Parliament of 1908, but not "Macedonians". Carnegie Commission Report of Greek "atrocities" in Macedonia published at 1914 doesnīt mention any "Macedonian" people.

After Macedoniaīs liberation from Turkish occupation and Slavic excruciation, Greece restored all known ancient Macedonian toponyms in Macedonia and macedoniazed all others. Thus we Macedonians proudly say Aigai, Thessaloniki, Aliakmon, Axios, Halastra, Argos, Ptolemais….while SlavoSkopians say Kutlesh, Solun, Bistritsa, Vardar, Kulakja, Hrupishta, Kajlar….

So, dear ethnic SlavoSkopians, if you want to test your macedonianess, please read that passage of Plutarch and tell us what do you feel. If you feel shame, then you are not Macedonians; if you feel pride then prove it and we will call you Macedonians.

Bre Risto, why a SlavoSkopian would like to come and live in such an evil, nazist, fascist country like Greece amongst arrogant, racist, atrocious, people?

It is obvious that Risto is raving in the bigger part of the article. He knows that all World knows that SlavoSkopians are Macedonian nothing and they must face, accept and confess the truth soon:

Dear SlavoSkopians, Somemacedonia is a good solution of the name problem. After that we could talk about other things who divide or unite our countries.

Istor

Macedonian, therefore Gree

[George S.]

00 (AUS Eastern Daylight Time)

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Answer to Risto Stefov, #4 ( Macedonian name conflict)
Istor the MacedonianApril 13, 2009
This article is an answer to Risto Stefovīs article entitled "Modern Greece and the Macedonian Heritage – Part 15 – More questions ŧ and published here: http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/98095 Please, read that article before reading this answer.

It is impossible for any literate and mindful people to deny Macedoniansī Greekness: http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/92469

SlavoSkopians shall realize that they have nothing in common with Macedonians be ancient or modern. In fact they are ashamed of Macedonian past. Not only culture but the entire identity of them is Slavic. They are proud of belonging to the group of Slavic peoples, they are proud of "Civilizing" Slavs, as if Kyrillos and Methodios monks were Slavs. They have Slavic names, toponyms, ways, heroes, language and pride. All elements of their identity are Slavic. Donīt tell me about blood. Blood and dna are not related to ethnicity, at least within a race. http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/91930

Dear ethnic SlavoSkopians, if you want to be recognized and accepted as Macedonians you must macedonize yourselves that is you must reject your Slavicness. Otherewise there is nothing Macedonian about you. Macedonian is whoever is proud of that campaign that Macedonians did to spread Greek Language and Civilization to the World. Therefore Macedonians have always been Greeks.

Along with you, many other populations have lived in Macedonia. If you cannot realize that you are not Macedonians please realize that they are as Macedonians as you. But then, are Turks Yunanis for they settled the entire Ionia? No! Is Macedonian term geographic?

The region you live today has never been in Macedonia, except Pelagonia. Skopje was capital of Dardanians and then of Kosovars. Veles was capital of Peonia. Only 15% of FYROMīs land is in historic Macedonia. But that part had its own name, Pelagonia, which is free for you.

Do peoples change ethnicity when changing language? Of course. New language means new nation. If you donīt believe that then you have reached a solution of the name problem: You make Greek official Language in FYROM, you change Language of education to Greek and we will call you Macedonians!. What about that?



Risto Stefov is so miserably and pathetically anti-Greek that he is obviously blind. He wrote that you changed language at +6c but you havenīt changed the name of your language! You spoke Macedonian before +6c, you changed language after that and you are still speaking Macedonian today! Should I laugh or cry? Should I insult him, you or your leaders? MERCY, DAMN IT!

No, Mr. Stefov, we Greeks do not relate ethnicity with ancestry. Despite the big majority of us have direct ancestry from ancient Greeks we do know that this is not what makes us Greeks. Since the times of Herodotus and Issocrates we do know that Greekness is a matter of education ( at home or not). Ethnicity is software, race is hardware. Thatīs why many peoples around have Greek blood in their veins but are not Greeks any more.

The second half of Ristoīs article is written only to humiliate Greeks. No, it doesnīt deserve any serious comment. It is just pathetic. To see Greeks ( that is Hellenes, Yunan, Danaans, Achaeans, Argeians, …) around at any time after -20c, just open your eyes.

But let me inform Risto that Santa Claus did exist and was Greek. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Claus

Never forget:

Greek is whoever is proud of that campaign that Macedonians did to spread Greek Language and Civilization to the World.

Macedonian is whoever is proud of that campaign that Macedonians did to spread Greek Language and Civilization to the World.

Yunan is whoever is proud of that campaign that Macedonians did to spread Greek Language and Civilization to the World.

SlavoSkopian is whoever is ashamed of that campaign that Macedonians did to spread Greek Language and Civilization. SlavoSkopian is whoever is ashamed of Macedoniansī doubtless Greekness.

Istor

Macedonian, therefore Greek.

[George S.]

Answer to Risto Stefov, #5 ( Macedonian name conflict)
Istor the MacedonianApril 19, 2009
This article is an answer to Risto Stefovīs article entitled "Modern Greece and the Macedonian Heritage – Part 16 – On to Macedoniaŧ and published here: http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/98986 Please, read that article before reading this answer.

It is impossible for any literate and mindful people to deny Macedoniansī Greekness: http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/92469

In contrary to what Risto says, we Greeks do know the existence of Macedonians since the times of King Karanos, as a Greek tribe that lived to the North of the other Greek tribes. Those Macedoniansī proud descents defended Macedoniaīs Greekness through centuries against Slavic excruciation and Ottoman occupation. SlavoSkopians deny Macedoniansī Greekness and thus existence of Greeks in Macedonia. As if they are intentionally blind.

Smartly doing, as a good propagandist of evilness, Risto Stefov reduces discussion about Macedonia at the times after +6c when Slaves came in Balkans . He clearly stated in recent article that before that, Macedonians did not spoke Slavic; yet he denies accepting that they spoke Greek. But, no mindful people can deny this any more.

So, Macedonians did not exist since +6c but since very older times. That is since -8c, when, led by King Karanos, they left Argos (Peloponnesus) to live in the eastern slopes of Pindus and brink civilization there. And, of course, they were Greeks. Proved ones.

If SlavoSkopians deny this truth then no serious talking could take place with us. If they accept it though then they shall prove that fact by, lets say, adding an article in their constitution like "Macedonians of Alexander times have been Greeks"

All those references to Macedonian people cited by Risto in that pdf file are geographic or made by ignoramus or politician people. If those Ivan Ierakar and Marko Kraida and Dimitri Georgi Popovic were proud of that campaign then they were Macedonians. Otherwise they were not and Macedonian term is wrong or refers to gypsies or Vlachs of Macedonia. Risto dear, donīt ask us to deny the definition of a Macedonian cited below because some ignoramus claimed Macedonian.

Yes, SlavoSkopian nation did not exist before 20th c. Because:

1. Macedonian is whoever is proud of that campaign that Macedonians did to spread Greek Language and Civilization to the World. This is what humanity means when it says Macedonian the last 3000 years. If SlavoSkopians mean something else they shall change name.

2. ALL SlavoSkopian heroes mentioned in SlavoSkopian anthem clearly stated that they were Bulgarians. Delcev, Gruev, Misirkof, Miladinof, Sarafov, ….. all of them wrote and said, sometimes in secret, that they were Bulgarians. For instance lets see what Dame Gruev said. At September of 1903, that is just a month after Ilinden uprising, that SlavoSkopian consider the most famous "Macedonian" liberation action, he sent a telegram to Sofia, Bulgaria, begging for Bulgarian schools to open in Macedonia and Skopje regions:

" Considering the critical and terrible situation that the Bulgarian population of the Bitola Vilayet found itself in and following the ravages and cruelties done by the Turkish troops and irregulars, ... considering the fact that everything Bulgarian runs the risk of perishing and disappearing without a trace because of violence, hunger, and the upcoming misery, the Head Quarters finds it to be its obligation to draw the attention of the respected Bulgarian government to the pernicious consequences vis-a-vis the Bulgarian nation, in case the latter does not fulfill its duty towards its brethren of race here in an imposing fashion which is necessary by virtue of the present ordeal for the common Bulgarian Fatherland...



Being in command of our people's movement, we appeal to you on behalf of the enslaved Bulgarian to help him in the most effective way - by waging war. We believe that the response of the people in free Bulgaria will be the same.

No Bulgarian school is opened, neither will it be opened... Nobody thinks of education when he is outlawed by the state because he bears the name Bulgar...

Waiting for your patriotic intervention, we are pleased to inform you that we have in our disposition the armed forces we have spared by now.

The Head Quarters of the Ilinden Uprising

Damian GRUEV, Boris SARAFOV, Atanas LOZANTCHEV "

The telegram is in Sofia but SlavoSkopian leaders avoid examining it and of course they donīt inform SlavoSkopian people about it. Other arguments are here: http://www.network54.com/Forum/41592...ge/1126215175/

How can anyone say that those heroes were Macedonians? Mercy, damn it!

3. At 1908, that is only 5 years after famous Illinden uprising, the second Ottoman Parliament has been imposed and established. There were elections in the Empire after "Young Turks" movement. All populations of the Empire were called to elect their deputies. Guess what! No "Macedonian" deputy was elected !!! There were Turks, Arabs, Greeks, Bulgarians, Armenians, Jews etc even Vlachs. But no "Macedonian" !! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_...hilip_Mansel-0

4. And finally, at 1913 the Bucharest treaty council had taken place. Even Albanians were there. But no SlavoSkopians !! Why? Why Gladstone hasnīt imposed their presence?

So, how is it possible for "Macedonians" to fight for liberation while being absent from official councils and institutions?

Reading the hatred that Risto Stefovīs articles exhale against Greeks, I am wondering what would he do after the solution of the name problem. What would he tell to Greeks or to SlavoSkopians? Sorry? Well, the answer is pathetic: Risto doesnīt work for the solution of the problem but against any solution. He wants just to humiliate Greeks because he cannot loose a good source of money by keeping SlavoSkopian people in the darkness of Underground.

Dear ethnic SlavoSkopians, if you really love Macedonian name and notion that much then Hellenize yourselves. You cannot be Macedonians and Slavs. So, since you cannot (?) des-slavicize yourselves: Novomacedonia(n).

Happy Easter. Happy Easter Risto. I am sure that, some day, when the solution of the name problem comes, you will say sorry to us. Then we will drink raki with tzatziki and souvla in famous Aposkepos ( Aposkep!!), while dancing "kori Eleni" (Eleno mome), after visiting Aianiīs museum where I read for you the older Macedonian inscriptions: ŦΑΡΠΑΛΟΣ ΕΡΙΑŧ, ŦΙΠΠΟΜΑΧΑΣŧ

[George S.]

00 (AUS Eastern Daylight Time)

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Answer to Risto Stefov, #6 ( Macedonian name conflict - Education)
Istor the MacedonianApril 27, 2009
This article is an answer to Risto Stefovīs article entitled "Modern Greece and the Macedonian Heritage – Part 17 – Educationŧ and published here: http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/100122 Please, read that article before reading this answer.

Educators cannot lie, Mr Stefov. They respect children as no SlavoSkopian propagandist could respect them.

Educators of the World shall search, learn and teach the truth to the children of the World. Because ONLY truth will lead them to peace and friendship. Peace cannot raise upon lies or half-truths. No good thing could raise upon lies.

The identification of Macedonians with Greeks is natural. In fact, it is impossible to distinguish Macedonians and other Greeks but if you ask for regional identities. Look:

Macedonian is whoever is proud of that campaign that Macedonians did to spread Greek Language and Civilization to the World and belongs to the white race, right?

Greek is whoever is proud of that campaign that Macedonians did to spread Greek Language and Civilization to the World and belongs to the white race, right?

Do you see any difference? So, how could any mindful people distinguish Macedonians from Greeks? Didnīt Macedonian have Greek names, toponyms, ways, heroes, gods and dialect? Didnīt they proudly spread Greek Language and Civilization to the World? Didnīt they name after Greek names every city they built or renamed? Macedoniansī Greekness is doubtless.

What is that modern SlavoSkopians' vice against Macedoniansī Greekness? Are you ashamed of your Slavic identity? Do you feel threatened by lack of identity because you live near Greeks who are very and rightfully proud of our identity? (the question is rhetoric). Why do you lie to your own children about Macedonian and SlavoSkopian histories? http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/97071 Donīt you respect them at all? Are you really that fascist society? What is Macedonian about you Mr Kondoff? What is Macedonian about you Mr Stefov? What is not Slavic about you, dear ethnic SlavoSkopians? Names, toponyms, ways, heroes, gods, dialect or maybe pride for that campaignīs Greekness?



Enough, damn it! Respect yourselves and your identity, damn it! If you really love that much Macedonian name then macedonize yourselves. Stop being proud of Bulgarian heroes, language, names and toponyms. Start by toponyms: Donīt Solun any more: Thessaloniki. Donīt Plovdiv any more: Philippoupolis. Donīt let Titoīs dream, that is Macedonia's killer, to poison your identity, Macedonian dignity or peace of the Balkans.

Dear educators of the World, teach our children what we Greeks do teach them. Nothing but data and arguments about Macedonians and SlavoSkopians. Do not hide anything. When they grow up they will make right conclusions. For instance this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pella_curse_tablet is a Greek inscription written by a Macedonian girl in love, because this was her Macedonian language. This http://www.starkrealities.com/fortune.html ( passage 5 at least) is what southern Greeks wrote about Macedonians. This http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posidippus is a Macedonian poet of 1c AD. And this http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/98290 is what SlavoSkopians donīt teach their children.

I would call SlavoSkopian teachers to follow Worldīs teachers, but I know that they will loose their jobs if they do it. Anyway, if any teacher wants more information about Macedonian and SlavoSkopian histories let him ask me about.

It is impossible for any literate and mindful people to deny Macedoniansī Greekness: http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/92469

Istor

[George S.]

Answer to Risto Stefov, #7 ( Macedonian name conflict - Answer to Stephen G. Millerīs letter ..)
Istor the MacedonianMay 22, 2009
This article is an answer to Risto Stefovīs article entitled " Answer to Stephen G. Millerīs letter to President Obamaŧ and published here: http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/103039 Please, read that article before reading this answer.

First let me tell you that history has decided that Macedonians have always been Greeks. Whoever denies that is a SlavoSkopian propagandist.

R: Why ask a politician to "clean up" "historical debris?"

I: Because, despite history has approved Greek claims, you still denying historyīs conclusions: Macedonians have always been Greeks. Macedoniansī Greekness was and is so obvious that only an illiterate would deny it. Thus the problem is political now. You could convince us that it is an historical problem if you let history decide about Macedonian identity. So reject any Macedonian name until history decides about it.

R: How does recognizing a country whose name was chosen by its people by referendum, repeal or cancel geographic and historic facts?

I: Childish question. SlavoSkopians are lying to themselves. If they knew the whole truth about Macedonians and themselves they wouldnīt be named Macedonians. What about Greeks who have chosen to be called Macedonians right after they arrived in Pindus, led by King Karanos at 800 BC?

R: How is "revisionism" dangerous when it is "scientific research" based on "historic facts"? Is revisionism "a bad thing"? Should revisionism have been "avoided" when it was discovered that the earth was not flat? Should we pretend to believe the earth is flat to avoid "revisionism"? "

I: Your revisionism is not based on historic facts but on propagandaīs orders. You have axiomatically accepted that you are Macedonians and you are working on raping history and common sense in order to approve your claims. Do you remember those pathetic Tentovīs claims about Rosetta stone third inscription? Do you remember the "letter" that Alexander has sent to Aristotle? http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/alexfake.html

R: Was Macedonia not Alexanderīs homeland? If it was then how is the Skopje government "misappropriating" Alexander the Great? Putting it another way "do you mean to tell me that the Modern Greeks, descendents of the Slav, Albanian and Vlach immigrants who came to reside in Greece during the 6th and 11th to 14th centuries and later the 1.1 million Christian Turk colonists deposited in Greece have more "rights" to the Macedonian heritage than the indigenous Macedonians who lived in Macedonia for millenniums? "

I: Blood and dna are not related to ethnicity, at least within a race. FYROMīs land was ex Dardania, Peonia, and Pelagonia. Macedonian is whoever is proud of that campaign that Macedonians did to spread Greek language and Civilization to the World. You are ashamed of that campaign, dear ethnic SlavoSkopians. No person can be Macedonian if it is not Greek.

R: The facts Mr. Stephen G. Miller? Do you now peddle Modern Greek propaganda as the facts? Why do you want to present the "facts" from 2,500 years ago and not the "facts" from two centuries ago when the Modern Greek state was created for the first time in 1829? "

I: So, before starting any further discussion dear Risto, confess that Macedonians have been Greeks and that you have no arguments against their Greekness. This will be your biggest contribution to your peopleīs liberty from Underground they live thanks to your lies and half-truths. Confess that Macedonians did spread Greek Language and Civilization to the World. Then, be sure, SlavoSkopians will solve the name problem naturally: Somemacedonia.

R: How about letting President Obama know how the Western Philhellenes created the Modern Greek state? How the Philhellenes made the Modern Greeks out of the ashes of the Slav, Albanian and Vlach ethnicities and cultures that lived there in the late 18th and early 19th centuries? "

I: Do you say, bre Risto, that Vlachs, Arvanites and other non Greeks did create a Greek state in absence of Greeks? Is this an excuse for the creation of your "Macedonian" state, bre Titozombies ?? Bre Risto, how much tones of humiliation could you suffer before opening your eyes and realizing your criminal behavior towards SlavoSkopians? Arenīt you SlavoSkopian? Donīt you respect them a bit? Why do you LIE to them?

R: How about discussing with President Obama more recent historic events like how Greece and its partners Serbia and Bulgaria invaded, occupied and brutally partitioned Macedonia and the atrocities they subsequently committed against the Macedonian people? How about discussing what Greece did with the Macedonian language? (http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/102469). "

I: Lets talking about that! If you dare! There were Greeks in Macedonia, the Macedonians, and they revolted against Ottoman Empire at the time that southern Greeks did that, and when they failed, most of them went south to join their brothers. And when you Slavs attempted to slavicize Macedonia and Macedonians our ancestors defended their Greekness successfully against your brutal attempt to rename Thessaloniki to Solun. You SlavoSkopians, being relics of that pathetic attempt of Panslavism, you still continue miserably to slavicize Macedonia through new and smart means: Steal the name and then fame and land of Macedonia.

R: Or, how about telling President Obama of the lack of human rights for the Macedonian people living in their ancestral lands in Greece today? How come these issues are missing from your one-sided biased letter? "



I: How about informing Barack Obama about democracyīs index in FYROM and Greece built by neutral international ngo ?? How about telling him that Greece is EU member? How pathetic can you be Mr. liar?

R: Perhaps these subjects might be a bit "too real" for you so youīd rather talk about abstract things that may or may not have happened 2,500 years ago. Since you are so keen in discussing "old issues" then how about clicking on the following link and answer Mr. Gandetoīs questions. http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/102727 "

I: Can someone avoid talking about ancient times when talking about Macedonia, bre Risto? Mercy bre! Isnīt Macedonia on earth since 800 BC?

R: We do not understand how the modern inhabitants of Greece who are the descendants of Slav, Albanian, Vlach and Christian Turk immigrants, who spoke Slavic, Albanian, Vlach and Turkish and who were ….."

I: Bre Risto, would you or we call us Greeks if we didnīt speak Greek and if we felt ashamed of Greek history and past? Arenīt we clearly Greeks? Are you Macedonian anything today? What is Macedonian on you, DAMN IT ??

R: Alexander the Great was thoroughly and indisputably Greek. [Says who?] "

I: Common sense and history, dear Risto. We know that SlavoSkopian propagandists do lack of that intentionally. Open your eyes: Alexander was Greek because he did spread Greek Language and Civilization to the World. If any modern white people do what Macedonians did we Greeks will call them Macedonians, if they want it.

R: Frankly Mr. Stephen G. Miller we are tired of the same old, same old! We have heard these arguments dozens of times from the Greek propagandists and we have more than once answered them already. You can find our answers at this link; http://www.americanchronicle.com/authors/view/3446 "

I: And still you insist claiming that Macedonians werenīt Greeks? For Godīs sake! What did they forget to do if they wanted to tell us loudly that they were Greeks bre Risto? Didnīt they write Greek? Didnīt they spread Greek Language and civilization to the World? Didnīt they name after Greek names ALL the cities they built or renamed? Didnīt southern Greeks honor, thank and haunt them for that? http://www.starkrealities.com/fortune.html

R: Mr. Stephen G. Miller why was the language of Greece Greek after 1829 when we know for a fact that the so-called king of Greece was a Bavarian prince? Why am I writing in English when I am Macedonian? Are these supposed to be "convincing" arguments?"

I: Are you raving bre Risto? Isnīt this a contradiction to your claim that Philhellenes created Greece upon non-Greek populations? Do you SlavoSkopians speak English when talking to each other? Well, Macedonians did speak Greek to each other. Have you seen Pella curse table written by a Macedonian girl in love?

R: Speaking Greek hardly has anything to do with ones own ethnicity. We use English today because of convenience. Many more people worldwide will understand me if I speak and write in English."

I: Well, Mr Risto, do you realize that you have reached the solution of the name problem? Look: if you SlavoSkopians make Greek an official language in FYROM and abort Slavic then you will not change ethnicity and we will call you Macedonians, as long as you do that! Go ahead! Language has nothing to do with ethnicity, said you above! We will not ask to change your "Macedonian" blood, PROMISE!

R: Why are the Modern Greeks, the descendants of Slav, Albanian, Vlach and Christian Turk immigrants who are "Greek" in name only, abducting a Macedonian figure such as Alexander the Great and make him into their national hero, especially since he conquered and subjugated the very same people modern Greeks today try to emulate?"

I: Because he wrote his name in Greek, maybe? Because you need our help to read what he wrote and said, maybe? Because you donīt dare to write his name as he wrote it, in his statue you are about to build in Skopje?

R: If Macedonians are "Slavs" what then are the modern Greeks? "

I: Greeks. Greek language has never stopped being heard in Greece and around. Macedonia wasnīt Macedonian only when it wasnīt Greek. You are Macedonian nothing. What is Macedonian on you? heroes, maybe? language, maybe? WHAT ??

R: One more thing Mr. Stephen G. Miller, are any of those who signed your letter aware that by supporting Greece they are in fact supporting Greeceīs anti-minority policies? "

I: What? Greece is EU member. Since the first Constitution of Greek state, written at 1822, "any person who comes in Greece is free from the very first moment". The banner "freedom or death" inspired not only Greeks but Slavs of Balkans, 100 years later. And because we both know pretty well what are you referring to, let me add that all what SlavoSkopians of Greece ( about 20,000 souls) ask is to read, write, teach and learn Macedonian. Well, this is exactly what Greece grants them. If they want something else they must ask it by name.

Dear good northern neighbors, stop living in Underground. It is shining but it is a fake World. You cannot lie to your children any more. They will live in an opened society and World. Protect them from international humiliation.

[George S.]

you know risto has written a hell of lot in other articles about what happened to the macedonian minorities.I do mean a hell of a lot.

[momce]

obviously this guy misses the entire point that the Macedonian population were victimised by all the partition states during and after the Balkan Wars..and greeks will call asia minor a greek genocide while remaining silent that they were conducting horrible atrocities against the turkish population of anatolia during the asia minor war(so bad the British told the greekos to stop flying their flag during the war)blah blah the history of greeko irrendentism is a sad evolution but I have to hand it to them greekos have won the propaganda war so far and theyre the biggest liars and whiners but now they have lost credibility

[George S.]

Modern Greeks like to Bend the truth to suit their Agenda
Risto StefovOctober 26, 2008
How do Greeks deflect attention away from the atrocities their army committed in Macedonia in 1913?

By accusing me of "historical revisionism" for reporting the atrocities and by nitpicking on semantics.

If Chris Philipou and Akritas had read the articles in question they would have understood that the articles are not about semantics but about the atrocities and genocide the Greek army committed in Greek occupied Macedonia in 1913. Regardless of which ethnicity these people belonged to they were people first, people that died horrible deaths at the hands of the Greek army. But Chris Philipou and Akritas chose to ignore all that and delved deeply into accusations that I somehow have committed some wrong by supposedly misrepresenting the ethnicity of these people!

Here is what Akritas (an anti-Macedonian internet warrior propagandist) has to say:

http://modern-macedonian-history.blogspot.com/2008/09/risto-stefovaka-chris-stefou-vs.html

Chris Philipou in his blog has written a great article that expose Stefov as about the Carnegie Commision Report "claims". Read the article and you will realize why this person is a expert of the Slavmacedonian (FYROM) Historical revisionism

http://history-of-macedonia.com/wordpress/2008/05/30/stefov-vs-carnegie-commission/

In 1914 the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace published a report regarding the conduct of the nations that participated in the Balkan Wars. The report was written by an international commission that was dispatched to the region in order to investigate the actions of the Balkan armies as well as to investigate the causes of the various conflicts that took place during the wars.

Risto Stefov, who also publishes books under the name "Chris Stefou", has used the 1914 Carnegie Commission Report on the Balkan Wars as a primary reference for many of his articles. He has written a whole series titled "Greek attrocities in Macedonia" which can be found on www.maknews.com at the following links:

http://www.maknews.com/html/articles/stefov/stefov61.html

http://www.maknews.com/html/articles/stefov/stefov64.html

http://www.maknews.com/html/articles/stefov/stefov67.html

http://www.maknews.com/html/articles/stefov/stefov72.html

http://www.maknews.com/html/articles/stefov/stefov76.html

http://www.maknews.com/html/articles/stefov/stefov80.html

In these articles Stefov engages in a heavy dose of historical revisionism. He implies that the Carnegie Commission report describes atrocities committed against "ethnic Macedonians" when in fact the report made no mention of any "ethnic Macedonian" population. The fact that the report made no mention of "ethnic Macedonians" does not phase Stefov who shamelessly converts the Bulgarians the report described into "ethnic Macedonians". Stefov retrospectively molds the population descriptions found in the report to adhere to his nationalist historiography. He and his followers imply that the reason the report described "ethnic Macedonians" as Bulgarians was because the authors of the report were categorizing by religious affiliation. Their theory suggests that because 'ethnic Macedonians' attended the Bulgarian church (Exarchy) they were described as Bulgarians.

The report demolishes this theory in 2 ways:

The report makes it clear that those who attended the Bulgarian church were of Bulgarian nationality. If these people were actually "ethnic Macedonians" why would the authors of the report make the following statement?:

2. The report clearly states that the Serbs were amongst the first to categorize the Slavs of Macedonia as a distinct group from the Bulgarians for political purposes. The authors of the report clearly viewed the Slavic population as Bulgarian despite the claim of Serbian scholars who attempted to distinguish this group from the Bulgarians in order to diminish Bulgaria's claim to the region:

It should be sobering for Stefov's readers to actually read the pages of the report and to see for themselves how the "ethnic Macedonians" Stefov describes in his articles were actually recorded as Bulgarians by the international commission. As an example Stefov goes into length describing atrocities committed in Kukush by the Greek army.

Regardless of Stefov's attempts to focus only on the actions of the Greek army in order to demonize the Greek state as much as possible, the fact is that the 1914 Carnegie Commission report also describes atrocities committed by the other combatants.



The report was published during an era when the "Macedonian" ethno/national identity was still in it's infancy stages. The report provides the reader with valuable contemporary insight into how contemporary geopolitical dynamics fostered the notion that the Slavs of the region were a distinct ethnic group. Up to the period of the Balkan Wars the Slavic population of the region was largely regarded as Bulgarian. The 1914 Carnegie Commission report was authored by an international commission that spent time in the region. Their observations of the Slavic population of the region concurs with a vast number of other contemporary first hand accounts. Stefov and his nationalist cronies engage in a dishonest practice when they misrepresent the commission's first hand observations and reconstruct the Bulgarians described in the report as "ethnic Macedonians".

Implying that the Carnegie Commission failed to record what Stefov et al allege was the largest ethnic group in the region is akin to a modern international commission going into Palestine and not recording any Palestinians!]

Regardless of what you call them gentlemen these people who died at the hands of the genocidal Greek army were people first, yet you mention nothing about that. Furthermore you say that I call those people Macedonians when in fact the report calls them "Bulgarian". You however fail to mention that I also call Macedonian those people that the report calls "Greeks" and "Serbians"! Is that not selective reporting on your part? I emphasized that all these people were Macedonians not just those labeled "Bulgarian" by the report.

You also mentioned that I "intentionally" tried to make the Greek army the villain by failing to mention that the Serbian and Bulgarian armies too committed atrocities. Is that not deflecting attention on your part Chris Philpou and Akritas? Will the Greek army be any less guilty if I did? If you had read the articles, you would have found out for yourselves that Greek soldiers, by their own admission from their letters written to their relatives, have committed these inexcusable atrocities which were sanctioned by the Greek King himself.

Even though I mentioned in one of my articles that my focus of this study was "Greek Atrocities", had it not occurred to you that these particular articles as their title implies are about "Greek Atrocities"? Why would I mention Serbian and Bulgarian atrocities when my study is about atrocities committed by Greece?

I know exactly what the Carnegie Commission report said and I can show you a dozen more reports that say "No ethnic Macedonians Existed anywhere in geographic Macedonia" yet here we are! Serbia registered "No Macedonians" in its occupied Macedonian territory in 1913 yet now there is a Republic of Macedonia today registering a majority of ethnic Macedonians on those same lands! How do you explain this Chris Philipou and Akritas?

Greece too has registered no Macedonians living in Greece yet again here we are! I, along with hundreds of thousands of other people are claiming to be ethnic Macedonians from Greece where supposedly no Macedonians exist! How do you explain that?

The truth is the Greek state along with its partners Serbia and Bulgaria illegally invaded, occupied and partitioned Macedonia in 1912 and 1913. All three states then viciously attacked the Macedonian people committing genocide in an attempt to exterminate them. Later these same three states committed historical revisionism to cover up their crimes.

Chris Philipou and Akritas I am not here to commit historical revisionism, I am here to set the record straight.

As to why Macedonians were labeled "Greeks", "Serbians" and "Bulgarians" in the Carnegie Commission Report I can easily explained but it will have to be in a future article.

By the way, thank you gentlemen for bringing this to my attention, it will give me a chance to revise it and explain the issues a little better.

I encourage everyone to read my articles and find out what all the fuss is about;

http://www.maknews.com/html/articles/stefov/stefov61.html

http://www.maknews.com/html/articles/stefov/stefov64.html

http://www.maknews.com/html/articles/stefov/stefov67.html

http://www.maknews.com/html/articles/stefov/stefov72.html

http://www.maknews.com/html/articles/stefov/stefov76.html

http://www.maknews.com/html/articles/stefov/stefov80.html

[George S.]

Risto Stefov - YouTube
risto stefov

[George S.]

Risto Stefov [ Chris Stefou ] Author on Macedonian Matters - YouTube
Risto Stefov [ Chris Stefou ] Author on Macedonian Matters