GORNO AND DOLNO KLESHTINO

Gorno Kleshtino

Dolno Kleshtino

The villages Gorno and Dolno Kleshtino were forcibly renamed by the Greek government to Ano and Kato Kline. They are about 8-9 kilometres northeast from Lerin. They are on the south side of the Pelagonija valley, on the fertile Lerin plain.

Gorno Kalenik is at 21 degrees 23 minutes longitude and 40 degrees 51 minutes latitude and 630 metres above sea level. Area is 12 square kilometres.

Dolno Kalenik is at 21 degrees 24 minutes longitude and 40 degrees 51 minutes latitude and 635 metres above sea level. Area is 12 square kilometres.

The villages border to the northwest with the village Bitusha, to the north Sveta Petka and Klabuchishta, to the east with the village Gorno Kalenik and to the south the village Klodorobi.

Before the start of the Greek Civil War about 750 residents lived in Gorno Kleshtino of whom 220 were of Macedonian background and 530 were Greek-Madzhiri immigrants. In Dolno Kleshtino there were 1,130 residents of whom 900 were Macedonian and about 230 were Greek-Madzhiri immigrants.

The residents of both villages were mostly employed in agriculture and skilled trades with a smaller number in raising livestock.

In the period 1946-49, the residents of Gorno Kleshtino took little part in the Civil War while those of Dolno Kleshtino actively took part in the organization of NOF and the armed forces of DAG with more than 100 fighters, of whom 39 gave their lives.

They were:

1. Avramovi - two sons
2. Apostolidis Gligorios
3. Apostolidis Hristo
4. Apostolidis Mates
5. Apostolidu Stilos
6. Argaukio Nikola
7. Asanoseltski Vasil
8. Barbov Stefan
9. Barbov Lazar
10. Barbov Mihail
11. Barbova Todora
12. Goijo - with his wife
13. Kaklikov Gjorgji
14. Kalandzhidi Gjorgji
15. Kalandzhidi Tanasis
16. Kalandzhidu Anastasija
17. Kalandzhidu - sisters
18. Karasava Gjorgji
19. Kovalakos Ilija
20. Kozmas -
21. Kozmas - two brothers
22. Mitrovanis Kikiridis
23. Mitrovanis - two brothers
24. Mishev Kirko
25. Pileridis Mitrofanos
26. Pilkeridis Zaharija
27. Pilkeridis Harilas
28. Pilkeridis Todoro
29. Popovski Gjorgji
30. Romanidis Apostol
31. Romanidis Sostin
32. Staev Gjorgji
33. Tilkeridis Jordan
34. Tilkeridis Miho
35. Dzhumerka Iljo
36. Shumbov Efto
37. Son of Pilikos

Of the fallen, 34 were men and 5 women.

After the Greek Civil War and after the great emigration and forced emigration from Dolno and Gorno Kleshtino, the number of residents fell. This can be seen from the official census in 1991 according to which the number of residents in Gorno Kleshtino was 207 and in Dolno Kleshtino 529.

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