European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 04, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Is Bob Wose . Soldiers from the Berlin brigade inspects finnish armoured personnel Carrier used by . Troops in Macedonia. V. Macedonia suffers from War next door by Bob Klose staff writer he bridegroom a White kerchief flowing from his extended Arm moved carefully but confidently Forward. The Groom s grandmother was next in the line dance that snaked out into the crowded wedding reception in the banquet room of the grand hotel in Macedonia s capital of Skopje. Behind her followed the Groom s father and then other members of his family Antl friends. Driven by the melodic clarinet and accordion Folk music of the Balkans the Groom looked ahead As he led the Way occasionally turning Back As if to make sure no one was falling behind. The dancers their clothing soaked in sweat wove through the 400 guests crowded into the banquet room of the grand hotel. They strutted and dipped and curved around every obstacle in a defiant act of Faith not unlike the expression of resolve their country made less than two years ago when Macedonia Cut itself free of the old yugoslav federation and embarked on a treacherous journey into the world of free Independent nations. One wedding party guest fled to an outside courtyard for some fresh air and macedonians dance at a wedding amid austerity and uncertainty. Is Bob Klos quiet. But he could not escape the irony of the bold extravagance of such an affair in a country where motorists line up hours for gasoline some workers Haven t been paid in months and the. Nation s ability to defend itself is in question with some fear War on the horizon. It is unusual to have such a big wedding party in a country so poor he said. But the newlyweds and their guests partied All afternoon. Then the couple piled into the Back seat of a tiny old Sedan of bygone socialism and bravely roared away toward an Uncertain future. Macedonians next month will Mark their second year of Independence free of War having successfully avoided the ethnic bloodletting that has swept Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the meantime there Are mundane things to worry about like How to pay the Bills in an Economy teetering from the strains of International Trade sanctions against neighbors Serbia and Montenegro. I Don t know How Long it is going to take to survive this said Blazenka Kim ova a 23-year-old Soldier in the macedonian army. I think it will be years and  a random polling of taxi Drivers on issues facing Macedonia revealed an even split. Not much Money. No work said one cabbie flapping an open Palm in continued on Page 18 closer look self taught Linquist Man of Many tongues american soldiers heading into Skopje Macedonia will meet a people who speak a unique language among the Balkan states. To the Layman s ear macedonian is somewhere Between Serbo croatian and bulgarian. Many macedonians speak at least a Little English and americans with the command of a few Serbo croatian words and phrases can accomplish Basic communication. But if you run into Dimitar Manevski in this City do not fear being unable to Converse. Manevski 59, Speaks More than a half dozen foreign languages and teamed All of them by writing in his own hand dictionaries for each of them. Me also writes encyclopedias and studies the sciences. I m an original Manevski said. Geography mathematics history All languages they Are my  Manevski is a former Home builder living off his pension and investments. He makes his rounds on a bicycle welcoming visitors to his country warmly. Then he challenges them. You re English he asks. A american. How Many languages do you speak i speak nine he volunteered not waiting for an answer. English French German greek russian italian latin Serbo croatian and  he s eager to show off his books. Coma to my House for turkish Coffee and see my Library he said. It s not far. Two Hundred meters. I la take bicycle. It s  two Hundred meters turns into a 1vi-mile walk through Central Skopje to a quiet neighbourhood where he lives in a two room basement Flat in a building occupied by his brother s family. He s a widower. His wife died of cancer and he has no children. Great tragedy he said preparing cups of thick turkish Coffee on the two Burner stove. Manevsky s Kitchen is also his study and studio. A Small table is covered with a Large tray of pens and pencils Felt markers an old cassette tape recorder made in the former soviet Union and hundreds of tapes. I have about 500 language tapes he said. To inserted one smiled and listened to his voice schooling himself in German. But he s most proud of his Library in four rooms on the third floor of the building. There behind locked doors in Large cabinets Are shelves filled with the dictionaries and encyclopedias Manevski authored by hand Over the years. Shreds of paper litter the floor under tables on which Manevski wrote the words he mastered. Sometimes his dictionaries included direct translations. A word was written first in his Mother Tongue then in the foreign language. And then explained by a drawing. A this is How i Learned my languages " he said. Dimitar Manevski at Home. Bob Klose wednesday August 4, 1993 the stars and stripes 17