Popovska Angelina

She was born in 1926 in the village Dolno Kleshtina, Lerin region. She joined the ranks of EAM in 1943. In 1944 she became a member of the CPG. In August 1948 she left her three-year-old child with her parents and set off to fight for the liberation of our homeland.

On the very first day she joined the armed struggle, in a meeting of the women fighters of her company she said, "I will try to try to reach and then go beyond the older partisan women. I give my pledge that I will fully meet my obligation." And Angelina did meet her pledge. Before little time had passed, the whole company was speaking of her bravery. They all knew that Angelina would be the first to join the charge; she would be first to climb the slopes and enter the enemy trenches. There was no turning back for her.

On 17 September 1948 in the battle near the locality "Glavata na Evrejot" (Head of the Jew) on Vich she distinguished herself with her bravery. The women fighters of her company elected her as their representative. And she was beloved by all. They saw her going from one trench to another under a rain of fire and to encourage them. On 10 October 1948 the enemy applied all its powers to take back the hill "Sv. Tanas" on Mali-Madi, near the village Kosinets. Angelina's company was defending the hill. The entire enemy brigade was on the attack. The hill was burning on all sides from the fire and steel. Thousands of bombs exploded; there were mine launchers and airplanes. Her company withdrew for a bit; Angelina remained on the mountain and continued to shoot ceaselessly so that she could secure the withdrawal of her company. The enemy surrounded her but she did not capitulate - she fought until the last bullet despite being almost fatally wounded.

When, after the counter-attack, the partisan detachments took the hill back on the evening of the same day, they found the body of Angelina in the bunker. Her hands still gripped the machine gun.

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

© 2009

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