Popov Zhivko

On the 5th January 1947 a group of five cadres of the CPG and other people's democratic organizations entered the village Patele, Lerin region, for an organizing matter. After the betrayal, early on 6 January, the village was surrounded by many soldiers and police. Particular houses were surrounded too; the houses where the fighters were. Each one of them was forced to fight the soldiers and the police and they fought bravely for two days. Ilija Crnakov born in Patele was surrounded by police but without losing time threw a hand grenade from the window. The police followed him step by step and shot him. But Ilija continued to fight house to house and street to street and managed to save himself. In the same way three other comrades also managed to get out of the village. Only one, Zhivko Popov from the village Popazheni, was not saved. His corpse was burned in the house where he was surrounded and from where for two days he fought heroically against the police and the soldiers. Zhivko was wounded badly and not being able to continue the battle he killed himself. The soldiers could not get into the house even after Zhivko killed himself and that is why they set fire to the house.

The heroic death of Zhivko Popov was similar to the death of another Macedonian revolutionary fighter who died in Patele 45 years before. Dine Adburmanov born in the village of Patele in May 1902, for a full three days and nights with unheard of bravery fought from his house against a many numbered Turkish army and he then fell heroically.

Zhivko Popov fell as a dignified son of the famous Ilinden fighters for the liberation of our people.

Zhivko's name and the names of the countless victims, named and nameless heroes will live forever in the soul of the people. And one day the places where they fell - the houses, the countless holy places where all of them fell, will be museums commemorating them where the people of every corner of our homeland will come to visit and pay respect to the famous heroes.

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

© 2009

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