BESFINA

Besfina had its name forcibly changed by the Greek Government to Sfika. It is a part of the Lerin region about 30 kilometres southwest of the town. It was a mountain village located on the slopes of Gorbech at 21 degrees 09 minutes longitude and 40 degrees 43 minutes latitude, 1,390 metres above sea level and with an area of 15 square kilometres.

The village borders with the following: to the west with Drenovo which as a village no longer exists, to the northwest with Bukovik, to the northeast with Trnaa and to the southeast with Rulja.

Before the start of the Greek Civil War in 1945 more than 294 Macedonians residents lived in the village. The residents were employed in raising livestock and agriculture.

During the Greek Civil War the residents actively took part in the organization of NOF and the armed forces of DAG with more than 100 active fighters. 26 gave their lives.

They were:

1. Angelevski Atanas
2. Argirovska Stefana
3. Vanov Vasil
4. Vanova Stojna
5. Grozdanov Kirjako
6. Dukovski Petre
7. Gjeorgievski Kosta
8. Kalkova Ristana
9. Kajkovski Hristo
10. Kapovski Spiro
11. Kirovski Niko
12. Krstevski Iljo
13. Nicheva Sevda
14. Nichova Gana
15. Nichovski Jovan
16. Popovski R Tode
17. Popovski R Trajko
18. Popovski Stojan
19. Skenderi Risto
20. Skenderi Jani
21. Skenderi Gjorgi - 2 brothers
22. Skenderov Spiro
23. Skenderovski L Mitre
24. Fotevski Risto
25. Cholakovski Gjorgi
26. Cholakovski Lazo

21 of the above were men and 5 women.

After the Greek Civil War and the forced emigration from the village, there is not a single resident in the village. In the official census in Greece in 1991 it is treated as a former settlement.

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