Macedonian Struggle For Independence By Risto Stefov Macedonian Struggle For Independence Published by: Risto Stefov Publications [email protected] Toronto, Canada All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system without written consent from the author, except for the inclusion of brief and documented quotations in a review. Copyright 2008 by Risto Stefov e-book edition 2 Index Index ............................................................................................................3 Part 1 – Introduction ....................................................................................5 Part 2 – Roman Occupation.........................................................................7 Part 3 - A New Beginning..........................................................................12 Part 4 – Cultural Revival ...........................................................................17 Part 5 - Establishing a Macedonian State ..................................................23 Part 6 - Uprisings against Byzantine Rule .................................................31 Part 7 – The Hrs, Strez and Dragota Uprisings..........................................37 Part 8 – Ottoman Occupation.....................................................................44 Part 9 – Early Uprisings against Ottoman Rule.........................................51 Part 10 – The Karposh Uprising ................................................................61 Part 11 – Macedonians in the Diaspora .....................................................74 Part 12 – Turn of the 19th Century and the Negush Uprising ....................81 Part 13 – The Razlovtsi Uprising...............................................................89 Part 14 - The Kumanovo-Kriva Palanka, Pijanets and Kreshna Uprisings96 Part 15 - Formation of the Macedonian Provisional Government and the Macedonian League.................................................................................104 Part 16 – Birth of the Macedonian Revolutionary Organization .............111 Part 17 - Preparations for a National Uprising.........................................119 Part 18 – The Ilinden 1903 Uprising .......................................................129 Part 19 – The Smilevo Uprising ..............................................................138 Part 20 – The Krushevo Uprising ............................................................142 Part 21 - The Kichevo, Karbunitsa, Dushegubitsa and Gjavato Uprisings .................................................................................................................147 Part 22 - The Demit Hisar, Prilep and Margara Uprisings ......................153 Part 23 - The Ohrid and Resen Uprisings ................................................159 Part 24 - The Kostur Uprising..................................................................167 Part 25 - The Lerin Uprising....................................................................172 Part 26 - The Skopje and Strumitsa Uprisings.........................................177 Part 27 - The Solun Uprising ...................................................................185 Part 28 - The Seres Uprising....................................................................191 Part 29 - The Ilinden Aftermath...............................................................195 Part 30 – The Nozh Uprising ...................................................................203 Part 31 – The Young Turk Uprising ........................................................207 Part 32 – Prelude to the Balkan Wars ......................................................218 Part 33 – The First Balkan War ...............................................................227 Part 34 - Macedonians in the Greek, Serbian and Bulgarian Armies ......235 Part 35 – Macedonia’s Occupation by the Allied Armies .......................242 Part 36 – The Tikvesh Uprising against Serbian Occupation ..................249 Part 37 – The Second Balkan War and Macedonia’s Partition................254 Part 38 – The Ohrid – Debar Uprising.....................................................261 Part 39 – Macedonian Involvement in WW I ..........................................266 3 Part 40 - Macedonia between the Great Wars .........................................277 Part 41 - Macedonian involvement in pre-World War II.........................285 Part 42 - Conclusion ................................................................................293 4 Part 1 – Introduction Macedonia’s history begins 1,000 years before Christ with a tiny kingdom located near modern day Kostur. It has been said that its first king was Karan (Caranus), most likely a tribal king. The tiny kingdom was obscure and backwards until about the fifth century BC when Alexander I became king and made considerable expansions adding both territory and people to his kingdom. Macedonia however, was still an ordinary place until the fourth century BC when Philip II became its ruler. In his short life Philip II expanded Macedonia’s territory, unified the various tribes he conquered and made great political, economic and military strides which transformed Macedonia from an ordinary state into a super power. Then under Alexander III’s rule, better known as Alexander the Great, Macedonia was transformed into an empire spanning from Eastern Europe to the western borders of China and engulfing most of the then known world. Unfortunately after Alexander III’s death the Macedonian empire broke up and several centuries later, it fell into foreign hands. Ever since then Macedonia has been invaded and occupied many times by many conquerors and subsequently the Macedonian people have been struggling to free themselves. This is a story of a long struggle that begins with the Roman occupation in the first century BC and continues to this day. It has been a silent struggle drowned out by the louder voices of Macedonia’s neighbours who now hold Macedonian lands and proclaim the Macedonian struggles never happened because Macedonians don’t exist. In the chapters that follow the reader will discover that Macedonians do indeed exist and have existed for many centuries not only in name but also as actors in a never ending struggle for freedom and the desire to live unconstrained lives. Macedonia’s history includes wars, battles, rebellions and uprisings waged by ordinary people which more often than not have resulted in tragedy. Yet the Macedonian spirit persists over and over again as history has shown, believing that it is better to struggle and fail than to forever live in bondage. This sprit was never more alive than during the 1903 Ilinden National Uprising when ordinary people came together and took up arms against a greater foe, throwing themselves into battle under the slogan “Liberty or Death”. “The Ilinden rising, declared on 2nd August 1903, will always arouse admiration in the hearts of later generations since its powerful exploits and romantic heroism are above all expressions of that intense will for freedom and the desire for national and political independence which sum up all the 5 Macedonian ethnic characteristics.” (Pages 43 and 44, Nurigiani, Giorgio. Macedonia Yesterday and Today) “The Ilinden rising is an achievement of great importance for the Macedonian people. There are things in it which stagger the imagination and cause this general insurrection to be ranked as a great historical event. The whole people rose with a frenzied, irresistible urge for immediate freedom. The Macedonian people’s faith made them believe in their creative possibilities, for only a people strong in spirit is able to pluck up courage and with full confidence venture on a historic undertaking. Through this courageous rising, unique of its kind for noble daring, the Macedonia people expressed not only its love of freedom and justice, but also its moral power. This rising remains even today an unrepeatable human attack and an act of supreme self-sacrifice for a people’s freedom.” (Page 46, Nurigiani, Giorgio. Macedonia Yesterday and Today) The Macedonian spirit rose again in the 1940’s and Macedonians again took up arms to liberate and reunite their Macedonia. Unfortunately that struggle too went unrewarded, not for lack of trying on the part of the Macedonian people but simply because it was not to be. Macedonians however, did succeed in one respect, they formed their own republic inside the Yugoslav federation and thanks to that success today they have their own sovereign and independent state, the Republic of Macedonia. This however is not the end of the story, it is only the beginning. “Although they have suffered greatly, Macedonians know no fear before storms and precipices. Their determination to attain their aspirations has been tried and proved inflexible. In their drive towards the future and in their development, firmly rooted in their glorious past, the Macedonians stride forward with sure steps, proud and self-confident. Their heads are held high, their moral strength is great, their faith is invincible.” (Page 31, Nurigiani, Giorgio. Macedonia Yesterday and Today) Long live all true sons of Macedonia who fight for justice and freedom! 6 Part 2 – Roman Occupation In the beginning, having lived free for centuries, Macedonians found life very oppressive under Roman occupation. The last