PREFACE

The Macedonian people from Greece, fighting side by side with their Greek brothers, made countless sacrifices during the many years of fighting for liberation, in the battles for national equality, for democracy.

In the last 25 years alone, in the war against the Nazi and Italian fascist occupiers, in the battle against the Americo-British imperialism and Greek reactionaries, in the prisons and on the islands, in the face of execution squads, hundreds and thousands of Macedonian fighters fell: dirt-poor villagers and labourers, old and young, men and women, mothers and daughters, all of them being of the people. They fell along side their brothers, the Greek fighters, in the battle against the foreign aggressors and local exploiters, in the battle for freedom, democracy and peace, for a better life, a happy life. They soaked the sacred land of our beloved birthplace with their own blood and they filled renowned pages in the story of the struggle of the two peoples.

They fell, but their heroic deeds will live forever in the memory of their comrades, in the memories of future generations. Their names have passed into the pantheon of heroes and martyrs.

The publication of this book forms a small expression of respect, not only for the 370 fighters named in this book, but also for all of the other known and unknown heroes and martyrs who died in the battle.

The publication of this book is the fruit of the collective effort of a number of comrades who have written recollections on the life and activities of the fallen national fighters. However, it is nonetheless incomplete in that it does not cover every hero. Many more portraits of heroes and martyrs could have been included in the book, better monographs of their lives, recollections and other moments of their lives could be written. The omissions may be addressed, to some extent, by the publication of another part to this book.

Every fighter owes a sacred debt to the comrades who fell fighting in the same trenches, a debt that every patriot owes, to write about the fallen freedom fighters so that they may be known among the people, so they can serve as an example to today's and future generations.

We owe eternal gratitude to those freedom fighters who fell for the ideals of liberty, democracy and peace, for the happiness of the people.

The sketched portraits in this book were done by the artist G Dimu from photographs of the fallen fighters.

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

© 2009

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