Tashovski Metodi
August 1946. He woke early in the Solun prison. Along with another
comrade they loaded us into a truck and took us to the Lerin prisons.
When we reached Lerin it was late afternoon. A warm sun was shining.
In the yard of the prison old comrades with whom he had fought against
the German occupiers in Lerin greeted us. In the wide yard prisoners
were walking back and forth; groups of two or three until the guard
blew his whistle for them to go back into the prison.
An old comrade from Ekshisovo walked toward us and greeted us. He met
the comrade who was next to me. "He is Metodi who in the EAM period
was a people's prosecutor in the people's court in our village. He spoke
in the court like a real lawyer and made correct determinations. Everyone
was happy with the people's prosecutor."
We spoke with the comrade Metodi. He asked "Where have you come
from today?"
"From the Solun prisons."
"Why?"
"For prosecution."
"I was released a few days ago but the same night, as soon as
I arrived home they caught me and brought me here. That was because
the partisans killed two gendarmes on the Ekshisovo hills."
The guard's whistle blew and the conversation was cut off.
They all knew Metodi. He was one optimistic fighter. He had a limitless
faith in the people's power and in the people's victory.
He greeted us with the words - "The people will win," and
he took his fist up to his head.
His wife came from the village every Saturday and brought him food.
One night they took him to another prison known by the name "Redzhi".
Once the English arrived, they opened two more prisons in Lerin. One
was the old prison next to the courthouse and the other in the Toli
inn and the bigger one in "Redzhi" - an old tobacco store
next to the train station. About five hundred comrades (men and women)
from Lerin were jammed into those prisons. A huge pogrom was carried
out against the Greek and Macedonian anti fascists in that region and
in the whole of Greece.
After a few days Metodi returned to our prison. He had been put to
dreadful torture.
He had black marks on his face and he had a bruised eye. As soon as
he entered the yard, walking carefully, he greeted us with his fist
and with the words "The people will win!"
We took him into our cell and he lay down. He was critically ill. Our
orderly looked after him. The doctor came to see him. He was in a critical
condition and so we asked the doctor to take him to the hospital. He
agreed but he needed the approval of the warden and the director of
the prison.
We sent a request to the warden to send the sick man to the hospital.
After two days he came to the prison personally. We told him that he
would be guilty and responsible if he left the ill man to die in prison.
Toward evening they gave an order to take Metodi to the hospital. Four
comrades and one strong man lifted him and took him to the hospital.
The doctor foresaw that Metodi would not live for many days. He was
looked after by an excellent nurse, and he was guarded by two angry
policemen.
With careful attention Metodi straightened up a little and got up one
day for a walk. The police were not there at that time. He went into
the corridor and walked away from the ward.
When the police returned and they did not see him, they were furious.
As soon as they found him, they began to beat him with their belts.
"Bulgar! You are trying to escape
?"
Metodi did not make any reply. He went quietly back to the ward. When
they got there, the police began to beat him again - with fists and
kicks, with their belts.
"Bulgar, we will kill you here. A court is not needed for you."
Metodi fell on the floor. When the nurse entered one of the police
jumped on him. Metodi was groaning.
At midnight Metodi closed his eyes. They found him clenching both his
fists. With one fist he greeted his comrades while with the other fist
he showed his hate for fascism.
A Hadzhitashkov
From: For Sacred National Freedom: Portraits Of Fallen Freedom
Fighters
© 2009
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For Sacred National Freedom: Portraits Of Fallen Freedom Fighters