Dumkova Katina
Twenty-year-old Katina Dumkova, heroic girl, fighter for DAG, does
not live among us today. She died in the area of Vulgara-Kotelsko (Gramos)
fighting courageously in the front line for freedom, independence and
democracy.
Katina was born in the beautiful and heroic village Ekshisovo in the
Lerin region, to a poor farming family. She grew up with the burden
of poverty and hard work. She was short in stature, full of life and
active.
When our motherland was subjected to Nazi fascism and the voice of
the doubly enslaved people called us to fight for freedom, this young
girl joined the ranks of EPON. As a member of EPON, an "eponitka", she
was tireless in her work. Her fiery heart was full of hate for the tyrants
and desire for the emancipation of the people steered her to revolution.
These were the reasons she gave her all in battle.
After Varkiza, Katina felt her people had again been enslaved. Her
life was hard. She could not bear the disgrace imposed on her family
or her beloved EPON by the monarcho-fascists. Before her very eyes,
two of her neighbours, sisters Vesa and Niki Srezhovi were burned alive
in the village square.
Despite seeing that brutal terror and torture the young revolutionary
was not afraid, she did not bow her head for even a moment but rather
continued to work tirelessly, she worked illegally in the ranks of EPON.
In 1947 her revolutionary heart led her to the free mountain where she
joined the ranks of DAG. She put a rifle over her shoulder and vowed
revenge against the people's tyrants. In the harshest battles Katina
distinguished herself and was an example of bravery.
She was ready for anything and always happy, spreading cheer, smiles
and faith in revolution. In the campaign she was an outstanding fighter,
a mother and sister, a leader, an example for her comrades and revolutionaries
in the battalion. They all spoke about her golden heart, her strength.
Fear was unknown to her. Her words and works repeated and strengthened
the men and women fighters. She became a sergeant and was responsible
for the women in her unit. She was like a mother to the young girls
in the unit and all of them loved and respected her. The fighters in
the unit treated her with the respect they would have shown their own
sister and all of them called her "pride of our unit."
On 2 April 1949 on the march from Vich to Gramos, in the midst of the
enemy lines, the small DAG fighter was tireless. She ran around and
helped the young girls with a motherly manner. And on the mountain pass
at Alevica, when her unit was cutting the barbed wire set up by the
enemy, Katina showed real courage.
Early in the morning 5 April 1949 Katina's unit was pressed against
a cliff, near the Kotelska hill (Pirgos Kotilis) from which two years
earlier, three DAG warriors threw themselves to avoid being captured
by the enemy. Katina remembered those three brave DAG members and took
courage from their brave example. The intense battle started very early.
Two enemy battalions attacked the unit. Specially selected people's
fighters tore the enemy battalion apart and together with the other
DAG units freed Gramos again. Katina fought bravely and fearlessly on
the Vulgara hill as always. With the sub machine gun and bombs in her
hands she aimed the people's wrath and vengeance at the enemy. And standing
upright she went from one place to another, from one young woman to
another and gave words of encouragement to the young women fighters
- "Do not be afraid, we will eat them alive," she called fearlessly.
"They are fighting for foreigners, for the American interests." Then
she turned to the honourable solders and officers of the fascist battalion
and with her words she sowed love and accord. She invited them to stop
the battle in which brother was killing brother.
It was 11 in the morning and Katina was fighting with a song on her
lips. For a moment she stood up to see, to help another young woman
who was close to her. And just at that moment an enemy grenade wounded
her in the stomach, the leg and arm. Katina realised she was hit but
did not shed even a tear at the pain and sadness, and continued with
the same belief and calm, to ensure that the others were not worried,
and gathering her last strengths, she called: "Comrades! I am dying
for the people, for the party, for democracy. You keep fighting."
The comrades lifted her up and took her to the rear and bandaged her
wounds. Katina was half dead but still she could not stay at the rear.
She made an effort to lift her head, to see the battle, but she could
not manage, and, with all her remaining strength she said, "Men, shoot."
And she lost consciousness, her body slackened and she fell off the
cliff. She fell in that holy place below the Kotelska hill where the
three heroes had fallen two years before.
Katina died but her example, the example of heroism and self sacrifice
remained forever strong in the memories of her comrades and led them
in the battle for Freedom, Democracy, Peace. And tomorrow when our motherland
is liberated, the people will erect a tall memorial on the Kotelska
hill as a mark of recognition in honour and eternal fame of the immortal
heroes of the Liberation.
From: For Sacred National Freedom: Portraits Of Fallen Freedom
Fighters
© 2009
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For Sacred National Freedom: Portraits Of Fallen Freedom Fighters