Dzhikov Vangel (Dzhikata)
Vangel Dzhikov grew up and went to school in the little town Surovichovo.
His parents came from the poor mountain village Chegan near Kajmachkalan
mountain, which they left after the Balkan wars.
Vangel was a slim man, but muscular and full of life and energy. He
was around 25 years of age when the German plague flooded our motherland.
With the help of the Lerin CPG regional committee, the party organisation
in Surovichovo reorganised and some of the older communists joined along
with new members. Among the new members of the Surovichovo party organisation
was Vangel Dzhikov. His decisiveness and activitism were such that he
quickly advanced and was allocated responsible tasks. He was elected
a member of the committee of the party organisation in Surovichko and
was responsible for military operations. That job was not easy especially
in Surovichovo which is in a central spot between the mountains Vich-Sinjachko-Vermio-Kajmachkilan.
Vangel kept in contact with the party units of ELAS, which were active
in all four mountains. He collected provisions - wheat, money, goods,
arms, and anything else that was required, by various channels, and
took care that it was delivered to the partisan units. Vangel carried
a great burden. However, he carried it well. He worked day and night
to meet the party commands, the commands of the people's liberation
movement and was forced to abandon his own affairs, although that was
dangerous.
Surovichovo is a small town and the smallest suspicion of movement
is exaggerated. The regional office of the Greek police is located there
and it had a German commander. Vangel was in the jaws of the lion. However,
as the police and the commander collected witness statements about his
work, so too did he, with his own people, collect witness statements
about the intentions of the enemy. He knew how serious and responsible
the work that he did in Surovichovo was and took all possible measures
so that he could continue his work without harm. And when he learnt
he could no longer stay in Surovichovo, the party found him other work
to do.
He then worked as an illegal activist, as a member of the Surovichovo
regional committee of CPG. He was dangerous; carrying bombs on his belt,
with a schmajzer light machine gun over his shoulder and with his pistol
in his hand, he went from village to village to carry out the party's
work. Vangel's work was excellent in this post too. However the place
was dangerous. It was on the road to Lerin, to Kostur, to Kajlari. All
of the villages are on the road. On 28 March 1944 close to the village
Ailos he encountered a German truck. An unequal battle began. Vangel
fought bravely. The Germans got within a few steps of him. Then, realising
that he would be killed, he grabbed the bomb from his belt and threw
it at the Germans. A few of them died. They died from the damage done
by the bomb thrown by the brave people's fighter.
Vangel Dzhikata
From: For Sacred National Freedom: Portraits Of Fallen Freedom
Fighters
© 2009
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For Sacred National Freedom: Portraits Of Fallen Freedom Fighters