Greek Macedonian fighter and chieftain
Dimitrios Kechagias (Greek: Δημήτριος Κεχαγιάς; Gavros, Korestia, 19th century – Zelovo, Florina, 19 November 1906) or Konstantinidis (Greek: Κωνσταντινίδης), known under the pseudonym Dimitrios Dalipis (Greek: Δημήτριος Νταλίπης), was a Slavophone[1] Greek chieftain of the Macedonian Struggle.
Biography
Dimitrios Dalipis, son of Konstantinos, was born in the middle of the 19th century in Gavros, in what was the Monastir Vilayet of the Ottoman Empire, to a family of stock farmers. His family's real last name was Kechagias. He took on the pseudonym "Dalipis" from the famous klepht and revolutionary Stefanos Dalipis, one of the leaders of the 1878 Macedonian rebellion. He was one of the most powerful chieftains in Korestia fighting for the Greek side. He initially joined the IMRO during the Ilinden Uprising. However, he later left the organisation when it turned against the Greek population. He entered the service of the Hellenic Macedonian Committee where he initially cooperated with Kottas Christou and then with Pavlos Melas. After the latter's death in 1904, he cooperated consecutively with Georgios Katechakis, Efthymios Kaoudis and Ioannis Karavitis. In 1905, he and Katechakis took part in the battle of Zelovo with Pavlos Kyrou. In November of the same year, he cooperated with Georgios Tsontos.
He was killed on 19 November 1906 in an engagement with the Ottoman Army[1][2] or in a Bulgarian ambush[3] in Zelovo, Florina, at Asvou Rachi (The Badger's Back).
His son was Anastasios Dalipis, a colonel of the Hellenic Army who later served as deputy minister of Northern Greece in the Dimitrios Maximos government, and member of EEE.
References
- ^ a b Ioannis S. Koliopoulos (editor), Obscure, native Macedonian fighters. Society for Macedonian Studies, University Studio Press, Thessaloniki, 2008, p. 76
- ^ Hellenic Army General Staff, Army History Directorate, The Macedonian Struggle and the Events in Thrace, Athens 1979, p. 107, 111, 155, 297
- ^ G. Ch. Modis, Macedonian Struggle and Macedonian leaders, Society for Macedonian Studies, second edition, Thessaloniki 2007, p. 195.
