Family Tree - A Greek in the Family (Yikes!) and a Greek from Albania (Northern Epirus)

My grandfather had at least two real Greek friends both of whom were
leftists (aka "commies").

One of them was married to a distant cousin. He was born in Athens
(more likely a small village nearby) and was "half Magir". He met his
wife while on army duty in "Northern Greece". They married, lived in
"the village" and worked the family farm, and believe it or not, he
learned to speak Macedonian like a native. They had children moved to
Canada. I did not know that he was "a real Greek" since he spoke
Macedonian, as did his children, came to all the Macedonian dances,
picnics and the weddings at the Macedonian church.

The other Greek was from Albania and worked with my grandfather at the
same company. He sat at the same "slav lunch table" (Croatians, Poles,
Slovak, Ukrainian, etc). There were no Greeks working there but there
were a few Grkomans who shared a table. These Grkomans were
"royalists" and this guy could not stand them. Apparently, they also
spoke bad Greek, unlike my grandfather.

Both these Greek friends talked politics over the years with my
grandfather and they seemed to come to a consensus as to how things
should have worked out. Below is a rough outline as I understood it.
Not bad for people with a grade six education.

1. It was a big mistake for Greece to have a German King in the first
place (Catholic or Protestant ... who cares). They should have gone to
a Russia for an Orthodox king if they really wanted one. It was a huge
mistake for the Greeks to fight against the fellow the "Orthodox" in
the Balkans during the "Macedonian Struggle". This was the fault of
those "Bishops under Turkish control" and Melas was their dupe. Turkey
was the real enemy and Constantinople was the real goal ... even
today. It was a mistake to ally with Protestant England against
Orthodox Russia after WW2.

2. If Stalin had not put the boot Tito, the communists in Greece would
have won, a Balkan Federation would have become a reality and solved
all the problems of the Balkans. Everyone in the Balkans would be
free! (with the help God and Stalin!).

3. The proposal for a "united Macedonia" was a bad idea because too
many Magirs in Greek Macedonia, especially in Solun. This cost the
communists Greek support during the Greek Civil War. Unless the
Magirs could be sent back to Asia Minor, a "united Slav Macedonia"
including Pirin would be OK, but minor border changes to include
Macedonian speaking villages in the new United Macedonia. (especially
our village). This would have given the Republic a huge Macedonian
minority.

4. With Serbia, Greece and Bulgaria about the same size, no country
would dominate the Balkan Federation. Rivalry between Serbia and
Bulgaria would have meant that the Slavs could never gang up on
Greece. Croatians, Macedonians, Slovenians, and Albanians (yikes!)
would have been eager to put the screws to any republic that got out
of line.

5. Russia should have helped Greece to re-take Constantinople and to
allow the return of Magirs to Asia minor. This would have kept "the
Dardanelles" in the hands of the friends of Russia. (naturally no
Turks would have been allowed back in the Balkans ... screw the
Turks).

6. Epirus should be united and part of Greece. (screw the Albanians
... except the Orthodox)

7. Unification of Cyprus with Greece should have been part of the
'Balkan Federation" plan.

It may sound like these people were living in a "Pan Orthodox Fantasy"
(I think they were) and it may not have worked out that way. However,
today we can see that in the Balkans everyone is at each others
throats.

Also, after a century of racism and xenophobia (a greek
word!). Greece has no friends in their fight against "their real enemy
- Turkey". Somehow this all works out in favour of the US, which like
Britain, has sold out Greece in the past, and will in the future, if
the price is right.