Letters to "Rizospastis" (Journal
of the Greek Communist Party)
ELECTION PROGRAM OF THE WORKERS AND PEASANTS' UNITED
FRONT, August 1932.
The United Front of the Workers and Peasants declares
that the struggle for support of the oppressed nationalities: the Macedonians,
Turks and Armenians is a general task of all the working population in
Greece. This struggle should be directed against spiritual, political and
economic oppression and against the forcible hellenization practiced in
schools. Schools in the mother tongue of the population should be demanded.
The mother tongue should be used in the various government agencies and
also in the courts of justice. A struggle should be also waged against
the fascist bands, against the massacres, against the arson supported by
the government of Venizelos and by all bourgeois parties; against the law
which separates the Jews and Turks in different voting lists; against expropriation
of the land. The right to self-determination including full secession for
all the oppressed nationalities which have been forcibly annexed to Greece
should be demanded. (Rizospastis, ar. 340, August 33, 1932, p.1)
PERSECUTION OF MACEDONIANS IN THE DRAMA REGION,
April 6, 1934
The whole bourgeois press reported yesterday that at the village of Drenova,
region of Drama, which is inhabited by Macedonians, and "anarcho-communist"
organization which intended..."to blow up and set fire to the whole town
of Drama, was discovered." A police detail from Drama raided the village
and arrested 8 peasants. In fact, this was a brutal attack against the
communists who were presented as anarchists, and whose names were compared
with those of the hated Komitajis, the obvious aim being to stifle their
struggle for the rights of the national minorities. The workers and the
peasants of Greece should protest against the deportations of the Macedonians,
rejecting the slander of an alleged agreement between the communists on
the one hand, and the Komitajis, fascist agents of the Bulgarian capitalists,
on the other. [Rizospatis, ar.27,(6963), 6.IV.1933, p.1]
COMMUNIST LEAFLETS IN SERRES, April 15, 1934
On April 15, 1934, the town square was covered with leaflets with revolutionary
proclamations calling upon the soldiers to struggle for a solution to their
problems and against the beastly reign of terror. Officers imprisoned the
soldiers who had read the leaflets, asking them to reveal the names of
the individuals who distributed them. The most barbarous methods were used
against us Macedonians, soldiers of the 6th Heavy Artillery Regiment. The
majority of us are illiterate, we do not know Greek and therefore we frequently
do not understand their orders. The officers tried to teach us to read
and write, but their efforts were abandoned too soon and were preformed
so improperly that none of us learned anything. Following this, the 12
soldiers who did not learn anything were punished by 5 days in jail, each.
Two days later we were given one tomato and stuffed pepper each, which
is not enough for anyone. The 140 soldiers, after they have been given
this food, gathered around the kettle and, in spite of the officers' threats,
demanded better food for the value of 25 Drachmas. Eventually, their bowls
were filled up with food which had been left in the kettle.Serres, April
15, 1934 A Macedonian {Rizospastis, ar.195 (7132), 25.IV.1934, p.3 }
OPPRESION OF THE MACEDONIANS IN VODEN, June
6, 1934
Voden. - Here, in Voden, and in our whole district, in the heart of Macedonia,
here where we Macedonians do not know any other language but our own Macedonian,
various agents of the Greek capitalism force us to speak Greek. Consequently,
they threaten us constantly with expulsion to Bulgaria, they call us Komitajis,
expropriate our fields which we have drenched with our sweat just to produce
a piece of bread. In addition, they deprive us of the freedom which our
fathers won after many years of struggle in which they gave thair lives
for the liberation of Macedonia. We live under the yoke of Greek capitalism,
literally as slaves.
In the elementary schools, the young children who speak their own language
are beaten every day. Particularly here in Voden, the henchman and fascist
Georgiadis beats the children if they speak their Macedonian tongue, if
they wrap their notebooks in red paper, or if they use red ink or red colors.
Second Lieutenant Tagaris is another "great hero," anti- communist and
persecutor of Macedonians. In his slandering of communism in our district,
he does not even shrink from such nonsense as saying that we are not communists
but rather Bulgarian Komitajis etc.
Not long ago, a number of Macedonian comrades were arrested, and Tagaris
threatened them with grave consequences if they did not stop agitating
among the youth. A number of other comrades, Prosfigis, were arrested together
with them. They were repeatedly told that the local people were Bulgarian
and Komitajis.
To these agents of capitalism the Macedonians keep repeating that they
cannot be intimidated by anything and that they will continue their struggle
until they attain their full liberation.
Voden, June 6, 1934 A Macedonian correspondent; [Rizospastis, ar.89
(7026), 10.VI.1934, p.3]
MACEDONIANS IN THE ANTI-FASCIST FRONT; June
8, 1934
Lerin (Florina). - It has been some time now that the whole bourgeois press
launched a campaign against the Macedonian people. It represents a part
of the fascist and military measures which the Government of Tsaldaris
carries out in its orientation towards an increasingly brutal oppression
of the people's masses in Macedonia.
The campaign is waged not only by the bourgeois press but also by all
the other agents og Greek capitalism. The Chief of the Security Forces
here, Karamaunas, whenever he meets us on the streets threatens us with
the words: "You are Bulgarians and if by any chance I discover any sort
of organized movement, I will beat you without mercy and then I will deport
you."
We Macedonians should rise with greater courage and by means of increased
activities should reject this campaign because it brings us an even more
brutal oppression, starvation, misery and war. Appropriate activities have
also been undertaken at the Anti-Fascist Congress. Five hundred drachmas
were donated to cover the expenses of our representative. However, this
will not do. We should start forming anti-fascist associations, and we
should bravely reject the yoke imposed by our oppresors, and create a free
and indipendent Macedonia.
A nationally conscious Macedonian, [Rizospastis, ar.87, (7024), 8.VI.1934,
p.1]
ARRESTS AND TORTURE OF MACEDONIANS IN THE SERRES
AREA, June 24, 1934
Macedonian peasants, especially the poor ones, are dragged through the
jails because of unpaid debts of only 60 to 100 Drachmas. Six days ago,
in addition to those arrested for their unpaid debts a number of peasants
from the village of Frashtani were arrested and accused of supplying the
Komitajis. Nine more peasants were taken to jail from Xeropotamo(?) and
charged likewise. These two villages are located within two hours walking
distance from Serres and seven hours from the Bulgarian border. All these
poor Macedonians do not know Greek and only speak their own language. Under
torture they were forced to admit that Komitajis had been passing through
their village.
Many convicts from the prisons at Serres, [Rizospastis, ar.105 (7042),
26.VI.1934, p.I]
OPPRESION AND PLUNDER OF MACEDONIANS, July
19, 1934
The following is a letter we have received from Kozani which on one
hand demonstrates the suffering by the Macedonian minority at the hands
of the captains- plunderers who are in the service of the Greek democracy,
and on the other hand, the latest reckless exploitation of woods belonging
to Macedonians by various capitalists who want to impose their monopoly
over the forestry industry and to expropriate the poor lumberjacks. Because
of this, all those employed in the wooded areas should rise against the
methods of reckless exploitation which are now being applied in he forests.
Comrade "Rizospastis,"
The knife has cut deep into the flesh and reached the bone. The Greek
government has struck us a heavy blow. It has left us at the mercy of Captain
Marko Papaterpov, an Andart and goat thief who robs us of our forests which
provide a living for 2000 Macedonian families from Dolni and Gorni Nestram.
The plundering of the woods have aroused all the villagers, young and old
alike. We oppressed Macedonians address you and ask you to help us in our
struggle becuase you have been leading us for some time now. Our village
commune demands your support as well as the support of all the workers
throughout the country.
Nestram, July 19, 1934 Many Macedonians, [Rizospastis, ar.130 (7067),
22.VII.1934, p.4]
BEATINGS AND ARRESTS OF MACEDONIAN SOLDIERS,
August 12, 1934
Voden (Edessa) August - We Macedonians make up the majority in the 30th
Regiment and therefore our life here is very difficult. Whenever anyone
utters a Macedonian word he is punished with 10-15 days in jail. We are
called "ignoramuses" and are constantly beaten. Disciplinary measures are
taken every day and we are often ordered to do forced labor. In spite of
als this we shell continue to speak our language and to sing our revolutionary
songs. We are prepared to resist the pressure against us, which is being
made in order "to throw" us into war and we shell fight fascism.
A Mecedonian correspondent from the 30th Regiment in Voden, [Rizospastis,
ar.152 (7089), 12.VIII.1934, p.5 ]
"RIZOSPASTIS" CONCERNING THE ILINDEN UPRISING, August
2,1934.
"ILINDEN, THE HEROIC UPRISING OF 'I'HE MACEDONIAN
PEOPLE"
The revolutionary traditions of the Macedonian
people who, since 1913 have been partitioned among three capitalist states
(Greece, Bulgaria and Serbia), maintains as a central bright symbol its
armed uprising on St. Elijah's Day (Ilinden), on August 2., 1903 (July
20th, according to the Gregorian calendar). It represents a most glorious
symbol, mainly because this Uprising manifested the unity of the Mace-donian
people. Only those who were acquainted not only with the cruelty of the
former Sultan's regime, but also with the terrorist and bandits' activities,
as well as with the heinous intrigues of the "liberators" from the neighboring
states, of the Greek, Bulgarian and Serbian exploiters, understood the
real significance and true meaning of this united revolutionary activity
of all Macedonians, which was not affected by their varied tribal origin...
(Rizospatis, 142/7079, 2. VII 1934.
MACEDONIANS IN THE VODEN AREA ORGANIZE, September
8, 1934.
We Are Neither Bulgarians, Nor Greek! We Are
Macedonians. Along the northern periphery of capitalist Greece, a whole
nation groans under the heavy boot of two-fold, economic and national exploitation
and pressure; that is the Macedonian people. The Greek capitalists, landowners
and generals, using fire and sword, try to "hellenize" these people and
make them slaves. However, the long-suffering Macedonian people, who have
given so many sacri-fices, are not prepared to surrender as slaves to the
clutches of their oppressors. They are struggling for their liberation
and independence. At their side as their allies stand the Greek workers
and peasants who know that "people who oppress another people cannot be
free themselves". The news report from western Macedonia, which is published
below, shows that the Macedonians are waking up and that they are finding
the true road towards their liberation. Fleeing from the harmful influence
of the fascist organization of Mihajlov-Protogerov's (I.M.R.O.), they are
entering the united revolutionary organization - the Internal Macedonian
Revolutionary Organi-zation (United), which continues the bright and glorious
traditions of the struggle for the independence of Macedonia. The village
of Arsen, district of Voden, is populated with 165 Macedonian families
and by about 80 Prosfigi. In addition to the heavy taxation which we are
paying, in addition to the poverty and misery which burdens and oppresses
us, we experience wild terrorism which is used against us by the state
agencies, of course upon orders of the Tsaldaris government, as was the
case earlier, under the government of Venizelos. We cannot go and file
complaints in the regional office because there we are kicked out of the
offices and called Bulgarian komitadjis, only because we are Macedonians.
However, we declare in full voice: "We are neither Bulgarians nor Greeks.
We are Macedonians! We shall struggle for full independence from the Bulgarian,
Greek and Serbian whip". We know that we shall be successful - provided
we are organized, and provided we enjoy the support of the workers and
peasants of Greece. At a conference which we had one of our comrades presented
the program and activities of the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization
(United). We formed two groups with ten members each, as well as a three-member
committee which will organize new groups in all Macedonian villages in
the Vrtikop area (district of Voden). We invite all the peasants from the
Lerin area and from the area of Enidze Vardar, so that we may start publishing
a newspaper for the Macedonians in western Macedonia in our own mother
language.
Arsen, September 8, 1934. The Macedonian Groups
from Arsen and Vrtikop (district of Voden). (Rizospastis, XVIII, 182/711,
12. IX 1934)
MACEDONIANS ORGANIZE IN GROUPS,
October 26, 1934.
Two groups of Macedonians with nine members each,
and another one with six members were formed in the village Eksi-Su. They
have assumed the task of enlightening the peasants and organizing the struggle
of the Macedonian people for liberation. These groups invite the other
villages: Ajtos, Zeleniche and Ljubetino to organize themselves in groups
and to make efforts to start publishing a Macedonian newspaper in our own
mother language. We should declare in full voice to our Greek masters that
we are not Greeks, nor are we Bulgarians or Serbs, but pure Macedonians.
We have behind us our history, our past with much fighting for the liberation
of Macedonia , and we shall continue our struggle until we finally liberate
ourselves. Eksi-Su, December 26,1934. Many Macedonian Fighters (Rizospastis,
24-351, 1. XI 1934, s. 3)
TERRORISM IN THE VILLAGE OF PATELE (DISTRICT
OF LERIN), October 26, 1934.
In the village of Patele a Macedonian organization
was formed to fight for the liberation of the long-suffering Macedonian
people who are groaning under a Greek reign of terror. The government terrorizes
the Macedonian fighters and has decided to deport Andreja Chipov.* The
population of Patele protested against this act and demanded an end to
the deportations, and also a release of all the deported fighters. Patele,
October 26, 1934. A Macedonian (Rizospastis, 243/7173, 1.XI.1934, s.3)
*- Andreja Chipov (1904-1956), well-known Macedonian
and Greek revolutionary. In 1933. he became a leader of the I.M.R.O. (United)
in Aegean Macedonia and member of the Central committee of the Communist
Party of Greece. In 1936-1941 he was deported to Akronavplia (Greece).
For a short period in 1941 he was secretary of the C.C. of the KKE. Participant
in the National Libe-ration Front.
"ON THE SIDE OF THE MACEDONIANS. THE MACEDONIANS
RESPOND", October, 1934. (This article was
written and published in Macedonian, in the dialect spoken in Lerin area,
however in the Greek alphabet.)
Comrades, Brother Macedonians!
Greek capitalists are making comprehensive and
intensive preparations for a new war and for establishing a fascist dictatorship(Greek
word). Greek capitalists want to create conditions in which it will be
possible to tyrannize (Greek word) and exploit you even more. They want
to take your children to Athens, the capital of Greece. The same is being
done by Simo Stanofcki who is a dog, who 1ies (Greek word), who is a representative
of Greek capitalism and who is trying to tie you up in a way you will never
be able to shake off. Beware of these spies, because they want by dictatorship
and by fire and sword to force you to learn the Greek language, to forbid
you to speak your own Macedonian language which is your mother tongue.
They want you to fight in a new war for the benefit of the rich (Turkish
word), so that they will pack up again their coffers with the blood and
bones of poor Macedonians. Everything they do, depriving you of the very
last morsel of bread, forces you to flee abroad, trying t9 make it impossible
for you to come back because you are Macedonians. Therefore, comrades,
brother Macedonians, the first thing you should do is to spit in the face
of the spy, the fascist Simo Stanofcki and not to let yourselves be deceived
again by him, not to let him take your children to Athens to work for the
profit of the rich and to your detriment. You should ask the village mayors
to return the 500 drachmas which the village gave for every Macedonian
who went to Athens and to demand that this amount should be paid back by
the royal Greek capital. You should demand to be allowed to speak Macedonian
in government offices (Greek word), in the courts of justice, everywhere.
You should demand that the children of Macedonians should be given the
right to return from abroad. You should declare in full voice all as one:
"Macedonia to the Macedonians! Down with the war and the fascist dictatorship!
Let us liberate Macedonia and Thrace". A Macedonian From Lerin (Rizospastis.
203 (7141), 3. X 1934, s. 5.)
"RIZOSPASTIS" ON THE SIDE OF THE OPPRESSED MACEDONIANS,
November 13, 1934
The Workers' and communists' "Rizospastis"
The "tiroriata" (terror) against the Macedonians in the district of
Sorvich (Amindeon) has reached its peak. Macedonian women who sell 20 kilos
of peppers in order to buy a kilo of bread and butter for their families
are taken to the market inspectorate to buy market licenses. The women
who did not know Greek went together, in order to be able to complain,
with a peasant who spoke Greek, to the market inspector. However, the inspector,
enraged, told them to submit a written complaint and asked them to immediately
pay 60 Drachmas each. This is one more reason why we should organize groups
of Macedonians in order to fight for an indipendent state.
A Macedonian, [Rizospastis, ap.213 (7151), 13.XI.1934, p.3] (The above
was published in the Macedonian language using Greek charachters).
LARGE LANDOWNERS OPPRESS THE POOR PEASANTS IN MACEDONIA,
December 1934.
Dear "Rizospastis",. We ask you who have long been on our side and who
have always helped us Macedonians who are oppressed and doubly exploited,
to publish the following letter: Here, in Enidze-Vardar the whip, curses
and heavy taxes are used against us. Our fathers fought against the Turks,
but they also fought for liberation from the Greek oppressors. Thus for
example, the landowner Zervulaki takes every day parts of the land which
was given to us by the state in 1923. He talks derisively to us saying
that the land will be ours only to make us pay taxes. However, now the
anti-popular government gives the land openly to the landowners. He wants
to enlarge his 500 acres to 1500 and even to 5000 acres, and, as he states
himself, in order to make the peasants slaves on his estate. Already for
seven years now, since 1930, we have been paying taxes only to see now
how the land is being taken from us Macedonians. All the poor people who
express their dissatisfaction say that they have understood only now that
we have been duped by all the bour-geois parties. However, by means of
our struggle in the United Front together with the workers, we demand the
abolition of all the large estates and distribution of the land to the
poor peasants; we demand cancellation of the loans given by the banks and
by usurers; we demand to be granted non-interest longterm loans. We declare
that we shall struggle against fascism and the attempts made to involve
us in the war. Enidze-Vardar Poor Macedonians (Rizospastis, 274 (7212),
13. XII 1934, s. 3)
SUPPORT THE MACEDONIANS, January 1935.
Dear "Rizospastis" We write these few lines to you who are the only protector
of the oppressed national minorities: All the Greek people have been following
these days the debate concerning the refugee problem in the League of Nations
in connection with the Greek minority living in Albania, groaning under
the yoke of the Albanian government. The Greeks in Albania, faced with
the closing down of their Greek schools, demand quite righteously observation
of the treaties signed between Albania and Greece. We, the downtrodden
Macedonian minority, wish from the bottom of our hearts that the demands
of our brothers in Northern Epirus may be realized because we, Macedonians
are in the same position, under the yoke of the Greek government. We also
demand that the whole working class and the progressive press should raise
their voice in support of our rights. We also want to be able to speak
freely our Macedonian language and to open Macedonian schools where our
children will be educated. We demand that the Greek government should implement
the treaties concerning the minorities, which it has actually been oppress-ing
for so many years, as has been the case with us Macedonians as with other
minorities - (note added by "Rizospastis"). However, the Greek government,
instead of giving us our rights, is interested only in our forcible "hellenization".
On the other hand, with the assistance of the chauvinist "superpatriotic"
press, it tends to present us as if we were not Macedonians but rather
"Slavophones", which means "pure Greeks". We also protest against the terror
of various fascist nationalist organizations which are committed to our
persecution. Together with the police, they keep arresting Macedonians,
call them "Komitadjis", beat and torture them brutally. We call upon all
our brother Macedonians to rise against this situation. United with the
Greek workers and peasants, we shall also struggle for their rights and
their freedom. We should destroy once and for all the fascist terror, so
that we will be able to use freely our language, so that we will be able
to open our own Macedonian schools. We are confident that together with
the Communist Party as our leader, we shall be victorious. Brotherly Greetings,
Many Macedonians (Rizospastis, 319 (7257) 30. I. 1935, s 1.)
A LETTER OF PROTEST BY A GROUP OF MACEDONIANS ADDRESSED
TO THE GREEK NEWSPAPERS,* February 1935.
All the Greek people have been following these days the debate in the League
of Nations in connection with the complaint of the Greek minority in Albania.
We, the undersigned Macedonians, from the bottom of our hearts wish that
the complaints of our brothers in northern Epirus may be remedied, since
the Macedonians are in the same situation under the bondage of the Greek
authorities. We demand the freedom to speak freely in our Macedonian tongue,
to open our own schools so that our children will be educated in our own
language. We demand that the Greek government should implement the treaties
concerning the minorities in regard to the Macedonian minority, which have
beet disregarded for so many years. Instead of giving us our rights, the
Greek governments are interested only in the "hellenization" of our population.
On the other hand, with the assistance of their chauvinist newspapers they
endeavor to present us Macedonians as "Slavophones" and "pure Greeks".
We protest also against the orgies which are being held by various nationalist
organizations. Together with the gendarmes, they frequently arrest Macedonians,
accuse them of being "Komitadjis" and subject them to brutal torture. We
call upon our brother Macedonians to complain against this situation. Let
us demand that an end be put to the terror, let us demand to be given the
right for free use of our own language, to open our own Macedonian schools.
(Makedonsko Delo , X/195, February 1935, p.8)
* - According to a note added by the editorial board of the newspaper
"Makedonsko delo" (The Macedonian Cause), the Greek minority in southern
Albania protested in the League of Nations against the terror of the Albanian
authorities. The League of Nations considered this protest early in 1935.
A group of Macedonians from Aegean Macedonia used this case to address
a letter of protest to the Greek newspapers against the terror of the authorities
in Macedonia under Greek rule. The letter was written in the Macedonian
language.
THE WHIP IS SYMBOL, July 3,1935.
Enidze-Vardar, June. - The whip is a symbol of class and national oppression
in our district, which is being used even more after the increase in the
number of votes given to the United Front. A few days ago, "Member of Parliament"
A. Pejos arrived here allegedly to distribute the land around the lake
to the landless and poor people. He stated, inter alia, that the land should
not be given to the natives because they were "Bulgarians", because they
were supporting the Komitadjis, and because the Greek Army had difficulties
in liberating Enidze-Vardar. We answered this fellow: we do not recognize
you as our Member of Parliament. You were appointed by the government!
As for the name Bulgarian, which you are giving us, we tell you that we
are not Greeks, nor are we Bulgarians or Serbs. We are Macedonians, with
our own language, culture, customs, and with our own history. We, who are
young, are filled with pride when we listen to our fathers telling us about
the Ilinden Uprising, about the heroism of Zlate, Petkov, Gruev, Tosev
and Delcev. Were they Bulgarians, Mister Pejo? No, they were Macedonians
and they fought for a united Macedonia. All the Macedonians from eastern,
central and western Macedonia are uniting, Mister Pejo, in order to kick
you out and all the other Greek, Serbian and Bulgarian exploiters.
Per the Groups of I.M.R.O Al. Nemas (Rizospastis, 3.VII 1935.)
THEY WANT TO SPEAK IN THEIR OWN LANGUAGE,
July 3, 1935.
Kroncelevo (District of Voden). - One hundred and twenty Macedonian families
live in this village. They are Macedonians and they do not know any other
language except Macedonian. However, nobody should envy the fate of anyone
who might be heard by the authorities speaking Macedonian. A threat hangs
above his head of being expelled to Bulgaria. All the villagers have relatives
in Bulgaria who write to them that the same thing is being done to them
by the Bulgarian authorities. However, the Macedonians in Bulgaria have
their own organization and they are struggling for their. freedom. The
latest news is that the Security Service has learnt that we receive here
our newspaper "Makedonsko delo" (The Macedonian Cause),. which has enraged
them. However, we are not afraid of them. We shall spread ever wider this
newspaper and we shall form national-revolutionary groups in all the villages
and towns in our Macedonia. we shall publish newspapers in our Macedonian
language, we shall prove to all the Macedonians that only the Macedonian
Revolutionary Organization (United) is waging a struggle for the liberation
of the oppressed Macedonians. Village of Kroncelevo, District Correspondent
948 of Voden. (Rizospastis, July 3, 1935)
DEEP IN OUR HEARTS WE KEEP THE MEMORIES OF THOSE
WHO WERE MURDERED, July 1935.
Dear "Rizospastis",
You, who are on the side of the oppressed, write also something about
us Macedonians. Older Macedonians, who had been lured by Bulgarian money
and chauvinism and who bore arms fighting for the annexation of Macedonia
to Bulgaria, have now understood that they did not do anything but defend
the interests of the landowners and bankers who dismember-ed Macedonia
and annexed parts of it to Bulgaria, Serbia and Greece. Now they are reviving
the memories of the murdered Macedonian leaders Gruev, Tosev, Delcev, who
sought self-determination for Macedonia. We, Macedonians from Voden held
a meeting at which one of our comrades talked to us about the program of
the I.M.R.O. (United) and how the minorities lived in the Soviet Union.
He told us that the Macedonians in Serbia and in Bulgaria were fighting
under the leader-ship of the communist parties for a united and independent
Macedonia. We declare that we shall struggle for our freedom under the
lead-ership of the Communist Party of Greece and that we demand to have
our schools where the Macedonian language will be taught, and we also demand
that we should not be called Bulgarians because we are not Bulgarians,
nor are we Serbs or Greeks, but only Macedonians! We demand permission
to publish and distribute our own newspaper. We invite all Macedonians
to join the I.M.R.O. (United), so that we shall all together struggle for
a free Macedonia. Per the Group from Voden G Slavos (Rizospastis, July
3, 1935.)
THEY FIND THE RIGHT PATH, September 3, 1935.
Old Petko, a Macedonian from Voden, writes to us: One day I got hold of
the newspaper "Makedonsko delo" (The Macedonian Cause) published by the
Internal Macedonian Organization (United). I read it eagerly and I thought
over past events. I thought about my criminal attitude towards the Macedonians
in the period between 1893-1896. In Macedonia armed groups were former
whose goal was the liberation and self-determination of Macedonia. During
this period Bulgaria sent the Komitadjis to Macedonia. One night, the arch-Komitadji
Apostol, a terrorist from the district of Enidze-Vardar, came to my house
with some 30 Komitadjis. He first intimidated me and then succeeded in
convincing me to become a Komitadji by promising me a pay of 50 liras a
month and free education for my children. We made war against the Turks,
but also we fought against the members of the I.M.R.O. Using terror, murder
and bribery, we succeeded in destroying the Macedonian groups. Then we
declared that Macedonia was Bulgarian and that we were fighting for her
annexation to Bulgaria. That was a great mistake! Only now do I understand
what I did. Now, when Macedonia is partitioned among Bulgaria, Serbia and
Greece, and when the Macedonians, divided into three states, suffer in
each one of them, I understand my fault and I come in spite of my age,
but with all my experience, under the glorious banner of the I.M.R.O. (United)
which is fighting for the interests of all Macedonians. Voden. Old Petko
(Rizospastis, September 3, 1935)