Skopje marks 81 years since WWII liberation
Skopje is celebrating on Thursday the 81st anniversary of its liberation in the Second World War.
Delegations from institutions and organizations will pay their respects and lay flowers at the partisan memorial cemetery in Butel and the ‘Liberators of Skopje’ monument in front of the government building, CE Report quotes MIA.
On this day, the City of Skopje traditionally presents the 13 November award to distinguished individuals and institutions in recognition of their outstanding contribution to the development and affirmation of the capital.
On November 13, 1944, the fighters of the 42nd and 50th National Liberation Divisions of the Macedonian Army, along with the 16th Macedonian Brigade, liberated the city of Skopje from fascist German occupation after several days of fierce fighting.
After days of fierce battles with the 22nd German Grenadier Division and the “Angermüller” Fortress Brigade near the Kachanik gorge, the fighters entered Skopje in a victorious march.
In the battles for the liberation of Skopje, 420 Macedonian fighters were killed, while more than 4,600 residents of Skopje lost their lives during the Second World War.
During the war, Macedonia was on the side of the anti-fascist coalition. According to historians, around 33,000 people were killed in Macedonia in the fight against the fascist occupiers, including more than 7,000 Macedonian Jews who were deported to the Treblinka concentration camp.
