On 11 October 1941, in the city of Prilep, a small but determined group of fighters from the First Prilep Partisan Detachment attacked the Bulgarian police station and the telephone-telegraph office. That courageous act lit the first spark of organized resistance against the fascist occupation.
The very next day, 12 October, the sound of the first gun echoed in Kumanovo, spreading the uprising’s flame across the land.
This historic event continues the centuries-old struggle of the Macedonian people for freedom and dignity, a struggle deeply rooted in the Karpoš Uprising, the Revolts of Razlog and Kresna, the great Ilinden Uprising, and all the battles fought for social and national liberation during the Balkan Wars and World War I.
By standing on the side of the anti-fascist coalition, Macedonia joined the ranks of the free and progressive world, opposing fascism - the darkest ideology of the modern era and the fiercest enemy of civilization, peace, and democracy.
The Macedonian people fought with their own strength and determination. From a small partisan group, the National Liberation Army of Macedonia grew into a strong and organized force of over 110,000 soldiers, structured into corps and divisions.
During the occupation, 58,000 Macedonians were imprisoned or deported, and countless civilians suffered under brutality and economic ruin. Yet, their spirit was unbroken.
The crown of this struggle came on 2 August 1944, with the historic decisions of ASNOM, when the dream of a free and sovereign Macedonian state was finally realized. The ideals of liberty, equality, and brotherhood became reality, shaping the foundations of modern Macedonia.
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