OROVNIK

The village of Orovnik was forcibly made to change its name by the Greek government to Karje. It is a part of the Lerin region about 25 kilometres west of the town. The village is between two hills, to the east Goritsa and to the west Golemiot Rid. It is at 21 degrees 09 minutes longitude and 40 degrees 45 minutes latitude, 940 metres above sea level, and about 6.5 kilometres squared in area.

The village borders to the northwest the village P'pli, to the east with Goritsa and the villages Zhelevo and Oshchima, to the south Bukovnik, and to the west the Mala Prespa lake.

Before the start of the Greek Civil War about 340 Macedonian residents lived in the village. They were employed in agriculture and raising livestock.

During the Greek Civil War, the residents of the village took part in the organization of NOF and the armed forces of DAG with about 65 active fighters. 13 fighters gave their lives and 4 innocent civilian lives were lost in bombing from the monarcho-fascist forces.

They were

1. Gjokov Nikola Sotir
2. Kazijovska Joshe Menka
3. Kazijovska Vasil Fota
4. Nichova Nastas Vasilka
5. Popov Stevo Joshe
6. Popovska Trajko Trajanka
7. Popovski Sagmov Trajko
8. Popovski Lazov Risto
9. Popovski Lazov Luka
10. Popovski Spirov Vasil
11. Savev Vasil Stojan
12. Spasev Spiro Boris
13. Spasev Spiro Done
14. Stavrev Nelov Anastas
15. Sterjovski Kremov Nikola
16. Sterjovski Stefo Vangel
17. Fotev Spiro Todor

Of the fallen who gave their young lives there were 13 men and 4 women.

After the Greek Civil War and emigration from and forced settlement into the village, the number of residents fell significantly. In the official census in Greece in 1991 it was recorded that there were 48 residents in the village.

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