Apostolov Mihal (Graniti)

Mihal Apostolov was born in the Kostur village Krchishta in 1923. At the age of 20 he became a member of the CPG and in 1943 he joined the ranks of ELAS where he fought heroically for the liberation of the motherland from Hitler's fascism. In ELAS, he became a leading commander.

After the Varkiza agreement, he became an activist in the struggle for independence and democracy. At the start, he worked in political organizations but later, after the establishment of DAG, he was a member of headquarters of Vich, responsible for supply.

Mihal, as with all of his family, was wholly committed to the people's struggle. His sister Elefteria served as a people's polics officer working in the heart of the enemy armies and because of the difficult conditions, her health was seriously compromised. His 19 year-old brother Apostol, a DAG fighter, was killed in 1948 shortly after the heroic death of Mihal.

Graniti demonstrated military capabilities and quickly became an officer of DAG, a battalion commissar.

In the archives of the 14th brigade of DAG, where he served as a battalion commissar, his talents are described as follows - "he was an honest, disciplined, dedicated fighter". At one briefing of cadres of DAG in February 1948, taking his turn to speak, he said "We will meet the debt to our motherland to the last drop of our blood".

Graniti fulfilled that promise with dignity. On 31 March 1948 leading the battalion into an unequal battle he fell, fighting heroically.

From: For Sacred National Freedom: Portraits Of Fallen Freedom Fighters

© 2009

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