(Ftelia), Greece

Macedonia (Greece)

Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of Greece in Southern Europe. Macedonia is the largest and second most populous Greek region...

. He finished his primary education in his native village, just before the beginning of the Second World War.

Before his 16th birthday, Kirjazovski became a participant in the national liberation war of Greece

Greece

Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....

. In February 1943 as a voluntary he entered the ranks of ELAS (Greek National Liberation Army), and after the Varkiza

Varkiza

Varkiza , also Alianthos is a partly urbanised area forming part of the municipality of Vari-Voula-Vouliagmeni in southern Attica, located east of the Megalo Daktylo...

 agreement for the disarming of ELAS, he enrolled in the ethnic Macedonian organization NOF (National Liberation Front of the Aegean Macedonians). He took part in the first armed battles between NOF and right-wing Greek militias, and after 1946, when the NOF united with the DSE (Democratic Army of Greece), he became a fighter in the DSE and took part in important battles in the Greek Civil War

Greek Civil War

The Greek Civil War was fought from 1946 to 1949 between the Greek governmental army, backed by the United Kingdom and United States, and the Democratic Army of Greece , the military branch of the Greek Communist Party , backed by Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Albania...

.

Because he was the only literate soldier in his detachment, the commanders gave him important roles in writing reports and command - an attribute that gave him access to first hand information which he would later use in his publications.

Kirjazovski was wounded twice during military operations on the mountain Vitsi

Vitsi

Vitsi is a former municipality in Kastoria peripheral unit, West Macedonia, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Kastoria, of which it is a municipal unit. It takes its name from Mount Vitsi which is the highest point within the municipal unit. The...

, when fighters of the DSE (composed of 60% ethnic Macedonians) were conducting heavy battles regularly.

He was a partisan from 1943 until September 1949, when the DSE was defeated and retreated to Albania

Albania

Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...

.

Scientific and publicist work

After the defeat of the Democratic Army, Kirjazovski left for the Socialist Republic of Macedonia

Socialist Republic of Macedonia

The Socialist Republic of Macedonia was a socialist state that was a constituent country of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia...

, where in 1958 he achieved a university degree. For several years he worked as a teacher in Skopje and Resen, and from 1962-1974 he was an employee in the Archives of Macedonia. After that he worked in the Institute of National History as a higher scientific cooperator. In 1978 he was elected the rank scientific councilor. In 1982 he obtained his academic degree Doctor of Sciences.

The research of Dr. Kirjazovski was focused mainly on the recent history of Aegean Macedonia (1912–1949), but he also had publications referencing happenings from the end of the 19th century.

Dr. Kirjazovski published over 150 articles in scientific magazines, digest, and newspapers; made revisions of several books; of valuable importance is his role in the collection and ordering of the archive documentation on the Greek Civil War; and also speeches, presentations, symposia, etc.

Of great interest are his articles, which are entirely written on the basis of, until then, unknown rich archive documentation which can be found today in the Archives of Macedonia (in both Greek and Macedonian languages). The field of research in his articles and scientific works was: the policy of the Communist party of Greece towards the Macedonian Question, participation of the ethnic Macedonians in the DSE, the aims of the ethnic Macedonians from Greece for the usage of the Macedonian language

Macedonian language

Macedonian is a South Slavic language spoken as a first language by approximately 2–3 million people principally in the region of Macedonia but also in the Macedonian diaspora...

 in schools, the aims and actions of the NOF and others.

Capital works

The works of Dr. Risto Kirjazovski are of enormous importance for the history of the ethnic Macedonian people, more precisely about the history of Aegean Macedonia.

Books by Risto Kirjazovski which are considered capital works are:

• Народно Ослободителниот Фронт и други организации на Македонците од Егејскиот дел на Македонија
• КПГ и Македонското национално прашање (1918–1940)
• Македонската политичка емиграција од Егејскиот дел на Македонија во Источна Европа
• Македонски национални институции во Егејскиот дел на Македонија (Ристо Кирјазовски)
• Македонците и односите на КПЈ и КПГ (1945–1949)
• Егејскиот дел на Македонија по Граѓанската Војна во Грција
• Македонски национални институции во Егејскиот дел на Македонија
• Демократски и антифашистички партии и организации во Егеjскиот дел на Македония (1941–1945)