By David Edenden
Captain Evans report on Macedonians in Greece captures the culture and character of the Macedonians who tried to maintain their identity under Greek government pressure.
During the Greek Civil War, Macedonian partisans were called to meeting, circa July 1948, with local Greek Communist leaders fighting the Greek royalist government ... to discuss tactics
When they arrived, their guns were taken, and they were given food to eat. One of the Macedonians surveyed the situation and realized that the Greek partisans still had their weapons and Macedonians, Albanians and Vlachs were segregated from the Greeks.
He whispered to his mates 'heads up" ... that something was wrong.
Finally the Greek leader spoke. Without an introduction or any explanation, he simply asked:
"Who do you support ... Tito or Stalin"?
One Macedonian immediately got up, and without missing a beat he said he supports the leadership of the Greek Communist Party because without the unity of Macedonians and Greeks ... all is lost.
Every Macedonian quickly agreed.
It was then explained to them that Tito and Stalin had fallen out and that the leadership had decided to follow Stalin.
I don't know if the Macedonians got their guns back, what the level of trust was, or how well these people knew each other.
In the middle of the night, all the Macedonians silently left the camp and headed to Bitola in the newly founded Republic of Macedonia ... part of the newly federated Tito's Yugoslavia.
As we know, very little in Macedonia has a happy ending. To this day they are still refugees from Greece, while their Greek comrades were given amnesty in 1982. EU values at work!
What happened to those partisans?
What did the Greek leadership think of them?
Did the Albanians, Vlachs also leave with them?
Captain Evans report on Macedonians in Greece captures the culture and character of the Macedonians who tried to maintain their identity under Greek government pressure.
"An old man at KORIFI put this aspect of the Macedonian character very clearly to me. He was a slav, yet had been proedhros (mayor) of his own village Vapsori during Metaxas 's regime. In Consequence he was now out of favour with EAM and ELAS. He told me:
- 'You see, we have had so many different masters that now, whoever comes along, we say' (placing his hands together and smiling pleasantly and making a little bow), 'Kalos orisate!' (welcome)
It was most eloquent. It is this perfect duplicity of the Macedonians which makes them difficult to know. It is hard to find out what they are thinking.
This is illustrated by a story below that I heard when i was young. However, it is low on facts. If anyone has heard of this story, please share the details ... people ... time .... place.
Florina/Lerin Greek Civil War July 1948
During the Greek Civil War, Macedonian partisans were called to meeting, circa July 1948, with local Greek Communist leaders fighting the Greek royalist government ... to discuss tactics
When they arrived, their guns were taken, and they were given food to eat. One of the Macedonians surveyed the situation and realized that the Greek partisans still had their weapons and Macedonians, Albanians and Vlachs were segregated from the Greeks.
He whispered to his mates 'heads up" ... that something was wrong.
Finally the Greek leader spoke. Without an introduction or any explanation, he simply asked:
"Who do you support ... Tito or Stalin"?
One Macedonian immediately got up, and without missing a beat he said he supports the leadership of the Greek Communist Party because without the unity of Macedonians and Greeks ... all is lost.
Every Macedonian quickly agreed.
It was then explained to them that Tito and Stalin had fallen out and that the leadership had decided to follow Stalin.
I don't know if the Macedonians got their guns back, what the level of trust was, or how well these people knew each other.
In the middle of the night, all the Macedonians silently left the camp and headed to Bitola in the newly founded Republic of Macedonia ... part of the newly federated Tito's Yugoslavia.
As we know, very little in Macedonia has a happy ending. To this day they are still refugees from Greece, while their Greek comrades were given amnesty in 1982. EU values at work!
What happened to those partisans?
What did the Greek leadership think of them?
Did the Albanians, Vlachs also leave with them?
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