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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For Sacred National Freedom: Portraits Of Fallen Freedom Fighters
