Goce Delchev

Goce Delchev (Гоце Делчев, also transliterated Goce Delčev, Gotze Delchev and Gotse Delchev; 1872-1903) was a 19th century Bulgarian revolutionary. He was the leader of the Bulgarian Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Committee (BMARC), SMARO from 1902.^[1] that was active in Ottoman Macedonia and Thrace at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century. He is considered an ethnic Macedonian in the Republic of Macedonia. Goce Delchev, This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Goce Delchev, This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... The statute of BMARC, 1896 (in Bulgarian) Statute of Bulgarian Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Committees Chapter I. - Goal Chapter II. - Structure and Organization The statute of IMARO, 1906 (in Bulgarian) Statute of Internal Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Organisation (amended at the general congress in 1906) Chapter I. - Goal Chapter II. - Means The... Motto: (Macedonian: Слобода или Смрт) (English: Liberty or death) Anthem: Macedonian: Денес Над Македонија (Transliteration: Denes Nad Makedonija) (Translation: Today Over Macedonia) Capital Skopje Largest city Skopje Official language(s) Macedonian1 Government President Prime Minister Parliamentary republic Branko Crvenkovski Vlado Bučkovski Independence Declared From Yugoslavia September 8, 1991 Area  - Total    - Water (%)   25,333 km² (146th...

Biography

Born on January 23, 1872 in Kilkis (Кукуш; Kukush), present day Greece, Delcev finished the local junior high school and the Bulgarian high school "St Cyril and Methodius" in Thessaloniki. He entered the Military academy in Sofia in 1891, but was expelled because he was a member of a socialist circle. Delchev became a Bulgarian language teacher in a school in Stip in 1894, where he met Dame Gruev, the leader of the local committee of BMARC. As a result of the close friendship between the two, Delchev joined the organization in 1895 becoming before long its leader. Goce Delchev's involvement in BMARC was an important moment for the history of the Macedonian liberation movement. The years between 1894 and 1903 represented the final and most effective revolutionary phase of his short life. January 23 is the 23rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1872 (MDCCCLXXII) was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... Kilkis (Greek: Κιλκίς, Bulgarian/Macedonian (Slavonic): Кукуш; transliterated KukuÅ¡ or Kukush) is a small provincial city in Central Macedonia, Greece. ... Middle school and junior high school cover a period of education that straddles primary education and secondary education and serve as a bridge between them. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Official website: sofia. ... 1891 (MDCCCXCI) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... The neutrality of this introduction is disputed. ... Bulgarian is an Indo-European language, a member of the Southern branch of the Slavic languages. ... Jonnabuz (talk) 11:42, 24 May 2005 (UTC) Categories: Possible copyright violations ... 1894 (MDCCCXCIV) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Damjan Jovanov Gruev (Macedonian: Дамјан Јованов Груев; Bulgarian: Дамян Йованов Груев) - (January 19, 1871, Smilevo - December 10, 1906) was a 19th century revolutionary. ... 1894 (MDCCCXCIV) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1903 (MCMIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ...

Delchev fought for Macedonian autonomy. As most of the other leaders of BMARC at the time, Delcev had a vision of a multiethnic Macedonia under Bulgarian control. The international, cosmopolitan views of Delchev that elevated him far ahead of his time, could be summarized in his proverbial sentence: "I understand the world solely as a field for cultural competition among nations".

His correspondence with the other BMARC members covers extensive data on supplies, transport and storage of weapons and ammunition in Macedonia. Delchev envisioned independent production of weapons, which resulted in the establishment of a bomb manufacturing plant in the village of Sabler near Kyustendil in Bulgaria. The bombs were later smuggled across the Ottoman border into Macedonia. Kyustendil is a city in western Bulgaria, the capital of the Kyustendil Province, with a population of 47,196 (as of 2005). ...

The inclusion of the rural areas into the organizational districts contributed to the expansion of the organization and the increase in its membership, while providing the essential prerequisites for the formation of the military power of the organization, at the same time having Goce Delchev as its military advisor (inspector). Delchev's work-style defied the discrepancy between words and deeds. Inspector is a rank in many police forces. ...

The primary question regarding the timing of the uprising in Macedonia implicated an apparent discordance among the representatives, at the Sofia Conference in 1903 with Delchev opposing the uprising as premature. Official website: sofia. ... The term conference can be used to describe any meeting of people that confer about a certain topic. ... 1903 (MCMIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ...

Delcev died on May 4, 1903 in a skirmish with the Turkish police near the village of Banitza, located in the Serres region, present day Greece, while preparing the Ilinden uprising in Macedonia. Delchev's remains were transferred to Bulgaria in 1923 where they rested until after the Second World War when they were transferred to the People's Republic of Macedonia ^[2], on October 10, 1946. The following day, they were enshrined in a marble sarcophagus which is until present displayed in the yard of the "Sv. Spas" ("Holy Savior") church in Skopje. May 4 is the 124th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (125th in leap years). ... 1903 (MCMIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Banitsa (Greek Καρυαί - Karié) is a former village in Macedonia known as the place where the 19th century revolutionary Goce Delchev was killed by the Turks. ... Serres prefecture Seres or Serrai (Greek: Νομός Σερρών Nomos Serron) is a prefecture located in east northeastern Macedonia and is the second northernmost not in point. ... The Ilinden Uprising as seen by the English daily The Times, Aug. ... Skopje (Macedonian: Скопје, Albanian: Shkupi, see also other names of Skopje) is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Macedonia, as well as the political, cultural, economical and academic centre of the country. ...

Goce Delchev is important for Macedonians as his activities as a leader of BMARC/SMARO provide an ideological basis for the latter development of Macedonian statehood. His revolutionary activities were primarily directed against Ottoman rule, towards which a general resistance was expressed by the majority of the Macedonian peoples. As a result, Delchev raised the collective awareness and spirit of all Macedonians and his cosmopolitan and wordly views have provided an invaluable example for the generations to come. Certain ideologues of Macedonian statehood seek direct inspiration from Delchev's life and work and assert a linkage to the Krushevo Republic (a mostly vlach town at the time) and the Pseudo-Ilinden uprising as a foundational events for the Macedonian state. In this sense, present-day Macedonian politics and the establishment of the state of the Republic of Macedonia may be better understood by taking note of Delchev's revolutionary activities and views. The Ilinden Uprising as seen by the English daily The Times, Aug. ... Motto: (Macedonian: Слобода или Смрт) (English: Liberty or death) Anthem: Macedonian: Денес Над Македонија (Transliteration: Denes Nad Makedonija) (Translation: Today Over Macedonia) Capital Skopje Largest city Skopje Official language(s) Macedonian1 Government President Prime Minister Parliamentary republic Branko Crvenkovski Vlado Bučkovski Independence Declared From Yugoslavia September 8, 1991 Area  - Total    - Water (%)   25,333 km² (146th...

In Bulgaria Delchev is regarded as the most important revolutionary from the second generation of freedom fighters who continued the struggle for political autonomy or independence in the Bulgarian-populated parts of Macedonia and the Adrianople vilayet after the establishment of the autonomous Bulgarian principaility in 1878. His memory is honoured especially among the descendants of Bulgarian refugees from Aegean Macedonia, as well as in Pirin Macedonia. Edirne is a city in (Thrace), the westernmost part of Turkey, close to the borders with Greece and Bulgaria. ... 1878 (MDCCCLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... The region called Macedonia (or Makedonia) in Greece is a large section of the north-northwestern part of the country which collectivally with Thrace, is forming Northern Greece. ... Categories: Regions of Bulgaria | Macedonia | Bulgaria geography stubs ...

Goce Delchev's name appears in the national anthem of the Republic of Macedonia "Denes nad Makedonija". There are two towns named in his honour: Goce Delchev in Bulgaria and Delčevo in the Republic of Macedonia. Today Over Macedonia is the national anthem of the Republic of Macedonia. ... Goce Delchev location in Bulgaria Gotse Delchev (Гоце Делчев), population 23,573, is a town in Southwestern Bulgaria (Pirin Macedonia). ... Delčevo (Macedonian: Делчево), is a small town in the eastern mountainous part of the Republic of Macedonia. ...

Ethnicity of Goce Delchev

As most of the events and developments in late 19th century Macedonia, the national and ethnic affiliations of Goce Delchev are a contentious issue. In some of his correspondence he described himself as a Bulgarian, yet he also embraced the idea of a common Macedonian autonomous state uniting the different ethnicities in the region. The heterogeneous elements in his statements and work have resulted in his treatment as an ethnic Bulgarian by Bulgarian historians and as an ethnic Macedonian by historians from the Republic of Macedonia. The latter argue that the use of the word "Bulgarian" in the 19th century Macedonia does not refer to ethnicity, and that it was synonymous with "Christian" or "Slav". Bulgarian historians argue that the Macedonian autonomy was never meant to have an "ethnic Macedonian" nature and note that no distinction between a "Macedonian" and "Bulgarian" existed at that time pointing to the use of "Adrianopolitan" alongside "Macedonian" in the documents of the BMARC/SMARO. The article on Macedonians provides insight into the some of the ethno-historic complexities of the region.

Documents

Letter from Nikola Karev to Goce Delchev

Dear G(otze)

... In Krushevo and Bitola the night blocades appear almost every day, and a lot of affairs throw people in jail. We shouldn't wait anymore, Goce. It is time for us to stand up and fight. We shouldn't wait for freedom from Greeks, neither from Bulgarians, but we Macedonians should fight for our Macedonia, ... As i am concerned, nobody can take away my courage and my patriotism. I am proud to report to you, that all our men are prepared to fight, with guns in their hands.

N(ikola)

Letter of Goce Delcev to Nikola Maleshevski, an activist of IMARO

Letter of Goce Delcev to Nikola Maleshevski, suggested replacement for existing file in Goce Delchev article which has suffered a non-oroginal intervention. ... Letter of Goce Delcev to Nikola Maleshevski, suggested replacement for existing file in Goce Delchev article which has suffered a non-oroginal intervention. ...

Text of a letter of Delcev to Nikola Maleshevski

"Sofia, 01.05.1899,

Kolyo (Nikola),

I have received all letters which were sent by or through you. May the dissents and cleavages not frighten you. It is really a pity, but what can we possibly do when we ourselves are Bulgarians and all suffer from the same disease! If this disease had not existed in our forefathers who passed it on to us, we wouldn't have fallen under the ugly sceptre of the Turkish sultans...

Statute of IMARO (1906)

Statute of the Internal Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Organisation (in Bulgarian) This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Statute of the Internal Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Organisation (in Bulgarian) This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ...

Text of the IMARO statute

Statute of Internal Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Organisation (amended at the general congress in 1906)

Chapter I. - Goal

Art. 1. - The goal of the Internal Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Organization is to unite any and all dissatisfied elements in Macedonia and the Adrianople Vilyaet without regard to their nationality so that political autonomy can be gained for these two regions.

Art. 2. The Organization opposes any other country's intensions to divide and conquer these two regions...

Famous Quotes

• "I understand the world solely as a field for cultural competition among nations".
• "If tyranny is violence, than revolution is violence against violence".

Notes

1. ^ BMARC and SMARO ware the predecessors of the Internal Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Organization (IMARO). IMARO changed names on several occasions. To avoid confusion, this article uses only the name and acronym "IMARO". For a detailed discussion of the organization and its history, please consult the dedicated article.
2. ^ The People's Republic of Macedonia was one of several federal entities of the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia until 1963 when constitutional and name changes were instituted.

The Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (in Macedonian: Vnatrešna Makedonska Revolucionerna Organizacija, Внатрешна Македонска Револуционерна Организација, in Bulgarian: Vatreshna Makedonska Revolyucionna Organizaciya, Вътрешна Македонска Революционна Организация, VMRO), commonly known in English as IMRO, was the name of a revolutionary political organization in the Macedonia region of the Ottoman Empire, and later in Bulgaria and the Macedonian regions of... The Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (in Macedonian: Vnatrešna Makedonska Revolucionerna Organizacija, Внатрешна Македонска Револуционерна Организација, in Bulgarian: Vatreshna Makedonska Revolyucionna Organizaciya, Вътрешна Македонска Революционна Организация, VMRO), commonly known in English as IMRO, was the name of a revolutionary political organization in the Macedonia region of the Ottoman Empire, and later in Bulgaria and the Macedonian regions of... The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was a Balkan state that existed from 1945 to 1992. ...

External links

• Original Ottoman documents about the murder of Goce Delchev
• Excerpt from the memoirs of Enver Pasha referring to the struggle of the Ottoman government with IMARO
• An illustrated essay
• [1] www.macedoniagreece.com
• Speech about Gotse Delchev, from his niece, Katerina Trajkova Nurdzieva