CONCLUSION

According to the above events and details in the book of recollections "Lerin in Blood and Mourning", it can be concluded that before the start of the Greek Civil War in 1945 there were 96 settled places in the Lerin region with about 85,000 residents. A majority of places were settled by Macedonians and a smaller number by Greek-Prosfigi, Albanians, Vlachs and a mixture of backgrounds.

During the occupation by the fascist forces of Germany, Italy and Bulgaria in the period 1941-45, the residents of the Lerin region actively took part in the armed forces of ELAS to liberate Greece. At the time of the most bloody Civil War which was waged in Greek in 1946-49 the residents of the Lerin region took part in the organization of NOF and in the armed forces of DAG led by KPG with more than 6,485 active fighters. At the time of those bloody battles in which brother fought against brother more than 2,063 fighters gave their lives, of whom 1,843 were men and 220 were women (according to the details I have available).

From the above details it is apparent that all the villages of the Lerin region were covered in blood and the residents draped in mourning black. This makes it clear where the title of this book comes from.

After the destruction of the armed forces of DAG, because of weakness, wrong policies and the strategy of the KPG leadership led by Nikos Zaharijadis, a large number of the surviving fighters were forced into the Republic of Albania to reach the eastern bloc socialist republics and to FNR Yugoslavia. Not a single one of the surviving fighters left the front line in good health. Most were injured to a greater or lesser degree and with huge traumas in their souls. They were compelled to pass the rest of their lives in unknown foreign lands away from their homes and hearths.

After the Greek Civil War in 1949 and after the great emigration and forced settlement, the number of residents in the Lerin region fell. This can be seen in the census undertaken in Greece in 2001, according to which in the Lerin region there were 54,751 residents and the number of settled places was reduced.

With this album of recollections, "Lerin in Blood and Mourning"", I would like to forever eternalize the names of the fallen fighters-heroes from the Lerin region who wrote the history of the Macedonian people with their own blood.

May their names be honoured and may their descendants and all Macedonian people be proud.

The Author

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