Krste Petkov Misirkov - The Macedonian

[TrueMacedonian]

He hopes his self-consciousness as a Macedonian and pride in his people's individual history and interests will not be 'held against' him by the Bulgarians. It is clear that Misirkov's feeling of being a Macedonian was always under the surface. He was a victim of his own work and talents in the end, Bulgaria and the Bulgarians seldom gave him the opportunity to truly express himself as a Macedonian.

This is very true. As much as Bulgarians will try and deny this you just can't. The man bled Macedonia.

[Soldier of Macedon]

It's a shame that he was not strong enough to resist the 'peer pressure' type of atmosphere in Bulgaria and among Bulgarians, it is almost as if he wrote his pro-Bulgarian views to please his false 'brothers' who would never consider accepting the Macedonian nation. However, Misirkov is a scholar, and hence subject to various influences due to the company he would have held and the places he would have resided. Others leaders and even the commoners of Macedonia, espoused the idea of Macedonian identity to a much larger and consistent degree, they were not clouded or compromised as Misirkov was due to the circumstances he endured during his life.

[indigen]

Krste Misirkov Resources (misirkov.org)

Biography of Krste Petkov Misirkov
One of the most outstanding names in the recent history of Macedonian culture is undoubtedly that of Krste Petkov Misirkov, whose work was a valuable contribution to European culture and also to European science. But, owing to the perverse fortunes of the Macedonian people's history the most important work of the new history of Macedonian culture, Misirkov's Za makedonskite raboti ("About Macedonian Matters"), published in 1903, was not recognized at its proper worth until 20 years after his death. During his lifetime, this work was regarded as the greatest threat to the realization of the plans of those who aimed at keeping Macedonia under subjugation. For this very reason, he was forced to spend his life in exile, as he relates in his "Memories and Impressions," "a wanderer in other lands, from which I tried to be of use to my oppressed country." He died in poverty in Sofia on 26th July 1926.

Tracing the unhappy wanderings of Misirkov's eventful life means at the same time relating the thorny path followed by the Macedonian people from the last quarter of the last century up to the Balkan wars. Misirkov was the founder of the modern Macedonian literary language and orthography, and the editor and publisher of the first scientific, literary and political journal to appear in the Macedonian language. For the 30 years that are considered the stormiest period of Macedonian history because the national revolutionary struggles were going on then, Misirkov served his country with unflagging zeal and won for himself an immortal name in her annals.
Misirkov began life during the most troubled period in the Balkans. He was born in 1874 at Postol, the former capital of Alexander the Great, in the part of Macedonia under Greek rule. When he had completed the second grade of the Greek pre-grammar school, he began to feel a bitter resentment against the unscrupulous methods of Greek propaganda. Being without money to continue his studies, he worked in the fields with his father; but when Serbian propaganda began to preach its variant of "Macedonianism," and to recruit young people throughout Macedonia (which was then under Turkish rule) in order to "Serbianize" them, Misirkov left for Belgrade, full of joy and hope, where his odyssey began.

When Bulgarian, Serbian and Greek nationalistic propaganda were coming into violent collision on Macedonian soil, and Macedonian students were going from one school to another and from one church to another, a new ferment began among the students in Belgrade who had fled from Bulgarian and Greek schools in Macedonia. They realized that they had been deceived because they were forced to declare themselves Serbs and their language was treated as Serbian. But the students, who had only just arrived in Belgrade, insisted on the recognition of their nationality. When this was refused, they left Belgrade en masse as a demonstration of protest and went to Sofia. Misirkov was one of these students. This was his second flight, and he found himself caught up in the toils of the third propaganda in Macedonia.

This protest by the students was a real blow to Serbian propaganda and policy, and it caused a serious conflict between the Serbs and Bulgarians. But the triumph of the Bulgarian authorities was short-lived. Once across the Bulgarian frontier, the students realized they had been deceived again and were pawns in a new struggle for power at their expense. Accordingly, they had to extract themselves from a regrettable situation as best they could. Some of them wished to return to Belgrade, and those who remained in Sofia were subjected to a special regime. Most of them were sent to various colleges in the interior of Bulgaria.

In spite of all the precautions taken, most of the refugees returned to Serbia; among them was Misirkov, who was admitted as a student in the third grade of a grammar school in Belgrade. He did not stay there long, however since he was admitted as a student in the first grade of a theological college where young Macedonians were studying. In this semi-military college, future Serbian priests and teachers were trained for propaganda in Macedonia, as well as military cadres which were to serve as the basis for the forthcoming subjugation of this province of the Turkish Empire.

The circumstances which brought Misirkov from Salonica to Belgrade and Sofia and then back to Belgrade showed him clearly that Macedonians could no longer allow themselves to be pawns in their neighbours' struggles for power, and that it was no longer possible for them to be treated as Greeks in one place, Serbs in another place, and Bulgarians in a third place, while they regarded themselves only as Macedonians.

At the end of the academic year the students went on a tour of the Kingdom of Serbia. This gave Misirkov the opportunity to study on the spot the various Serbian dialects and compare them with the Serbian literary language, and, having done this, to compare them with the spoken language of the Macedonians and of the Bulgarians. All this later served as material for his scientific researches into the Macedonian language. When the time came for them to enroll in the second grade of the grammar school, a group of Macedonian students rebelled against the assimilating policy and military regime of the Serbs. Misirkov was one of the group. As a result of the uproar, the Serbian Foreign Minister closed the schools and the students were scattered among the various towns of Serbia. After this rebellion, Misirkov continued his studies at Shabats, a small town not far from Belgrade. Not long after he was back in the Serbian capital.

In 1892, some friends and fellow students of Misirkov's founded a literary society and began to bring out their own publication: Loza (Vineyard - one of the most difficult plants to uproot, as a symbol of the Macedonians). At that time a campaign was launched in the Bulgarian press against the national ideology of the Lozars (those who were associated with the publication Loza). Then everything possible was done to neutralize the action of Bishop Teodossie of Skopje, who aimed at separating the Macedonian Church from the Bulgarian Exarchate and even at entering into communion with the Holy See of Rome. The young Macedonian intellectuals Petar Pop Arsov, Dame Gruev, Gotse Delchev, Gjorche Petrov, Georgi Balashchev, and others took an active part in all those movements.

All this had repercussions on the Macedonian students in Belgrade, who, in 1893, founded their own student society -- Vardar. Its charter included, among other things, the aim of studying and spreading a knowledge of their country as regards its geographical, ethnographic and historical aspects. The founder of this society was Misirkov. A cardinal principle of its program was that Macedonia should belong to the Macedonians. The Serbs were opposed to this thesis of the young Macedonians, so their society did not last very long: it was disbanded in 1895. The Serbs, not trusting the Macedonians, began to send real Serbian priests and teachers to Macedonia. In these circumstances it is not surprising that Misirkov, after completing his studies at the Belgrade teachers' training college, refused to go to Prishtina, where, having been the best student of his class, he was appointed as a Serbian teacher. Instead, he left secretly for Odessa in order to continue his studies for the benefit of his country.

[....]

http://www.misirkov.org/biography.htm

For fair use only.



Krste Misirkov ( 18.11.1874 - 26.07.1926 )

These pages are made with the intention to gather as much as possible of the available information regarding Krste Petkov Misirkov, the prominent Macedonian publicist, philologist and linguist who set the principles of the Macedonian literary language at the beggining of the 20th century.

His oppinions on the political and national issues of the time carry the proof of the struggle of the Macedonian intellectuals and their contribution to the fight for the liberation of the Macedonians and the creation of an independent Macedonian state.

It is the intention of the creators of the site to present the documents as close as possible to their original form.
An article

Biography of Krste Petkov Misirkov
A book

„За Македонцките работи“
("On the Macedonian Matters")


Full text (in its original form)
- view in HTML format
- download as a .zip archive (102Kb)
- download as a .rar archive (69Kb)

Full text (in literary Macedonian language)
- view in HTML format

Part of the text (4 out of 5 articles) -in Engish
- view in HTML format
- download as an Acrobat PDF file (1.04MB)


Articles by Krste P. Misirkov:
An article

"Macedonian Nationalism"
An article

„Самоопределувањето на Македoнците“
"The self-determination of the Macedonians"
An article

„Македонска култура“
"Macedonian Culture"
An article

Говор на претставникот на Македонците К.Мисирков одржан на општословенското собрание во Одеса на 6 Април 1914 г.


External resources:
External link

Krste Petkov Misirkov Biographical movie
Movie from 1970, in duration of 14 minutes.
(Macedonian Cinema Information Centre)
External link

Wikibooks: За Македонските Работи


In the news:
External link

„За македонцките работи“ се продава и во Грција
( Дневник, 21.05.2009 )
External link

Одбележана 82-годишнината од смртта на Мисирков
( А1, 26.07.2008 )
External link

Претставници на Македонците од Бугарија одржаа предавање за Мисирков
( А1, 31.10.2007 )
External link

Експерти: Нема дилеми за идентитет на Мисирков ( A1 Tелевизија, 24.01.2007 )
External link

80 години од смртта на Крсте Петков Мисирков ( A1 Tелевизија, 15.11.2006 )
External link

"За македонцките работи" во фототипно издание ( Дневник, 01.08.2003 )
External link

Донесена програма за прослава на сто години од Илинденското востание
( Дневник, 23.01.2003 )
External link

Мисирков го исчисти плевелот, на ред сме ние
( Дневник, 27.06.2002 )
External link

Македонија мора да го има Крсте Мисирков во своите пазуви ( Дневник, 26.06.2002 )
External link

Моштите на Мисирков да се пренесат од Софија во Скопје ( Дневник, 25.06.2002 )

Last update: 24.03.2010

http://www.misirkov.org/

[Daskalot]

I just love this thread.... it is a real eyeopener!! Bravo SoM!

[Daskalot]

Macedonian Nationalism by Misirkov, 1925!

Macedonian Nationalism

We, the Macedonian intelligentsia, undoubtedly bear the greatest responsibility for the situation facing our country today. There are, however, certain extenuating circumstances which might justify us in the eyes of our unfortunate fellow-countrymen, especially those who have been driven from their homes and are now forced to wander, unwelcome and unwanted, in various part’s of Bulgaria.

For a full thirty years the Macedonians have been waging a heroic battle to release themselves from the yoke of Turkey. But at the same time the foreign propagandists have been infecting our country and demoralizing part of the population. The Macedonian intelligentsia have largely devoted themselves to revolutionary activity; but there have been some who have found other ways possibly no less important than that of the revolutionary struggle to ensure the success of Macedonia’s endeavors.

My book On the Macedonian Matters, published in 1903 in Sofia, and my article On the Importance of the Moravian or Resavian Dialects for the Historical Ethnography of the Balkan Peninsula, have shown that some of the Macedonian intellectuals are seeking and have found, another way of fighting, i.e. an independent Macedonian scientific way of thinking and a Macedonian national Consciousness.

I do not regret having declared myself in favor of Macedonian separatism twenty-eight years ago. Separatism was for me, and remains, the only way out, the best means by which the Macedonian intelligentsia could pay back and continue to repay their debt towards their people.

In 1912, when I was asked by my fellow villagers what should be done if our village remained under Greek control, I answered: no matter under whose control this village may remain, you will stay where you are, you shall not move anywhere.

Maybe from the great-Bulgarian point of view my advice was not sufficiently patriotic, but from the Macedonian point of view this was the only proper advice.

But when the Greeks forced many Macedonians to flee to Bulgaria I should, as a Bulgarian, have been glad that the Bulgarian people had lost their land just as long as they had been spared from Hellenization.

But I am not glad that they were forced to move. Nor can I look at this question through the eyes of Mr. Mih. Madzharov who says that the underground and the city industry of Bulgaria benefited from the arrival of the refugees.

Here my Macedonian patriotism overcomes my Bulgarian patriotism. The Macedonians are necessary to Macedonia; it is only with the Macedonians that Macedonia can belong to the Macedonians, never without them.

The Macedonians should either remain where they are and let the devil take care of them if he likes or, if it is their fate to be forced to move, they should move from one part of Macedonia to another, but this should still be Macedonia and not Bulgaria, Serbia, or Greece. If they are driven out of the Greek part of Macedonia, the Macedonians should move into the Serbian part of Macedonia and form military settlements to await the day when they might return to their homes.

You may say that a Bulgarian cannot reason like this. Yes, but a Macedonian can and should reason like this.
...
I hope it will not be held against me that I, as a Macedonian, place the interests of my country before all… I am a Macedonian, I have a Macedonian's consciousness, and so I have my own Macedonian view of the past, present, and future of my country and of all the South Slavs; and so I should like them to consult us, the Macedonians, about all the questions concerning us and our neighbors, and not have everything end merely with agreements between Bulgaria and Serbia about us - but without us …

Source: K. Misirkov: Macedonian Nationalism, “Mir”, XXXI, 7417, Sofia, 12. III 1925, 1.

[Daskalot]

Was this Tito's doing?

Macedonians are Macedonians! Verbatim!

[Risto the Great]

I have never read the rubbish that Greeks use to prove Misirkov described himself as a Bulgarian. This clearly negates any of that rubbish and I believe he is an important Macedonian of the highest order.

[Soldier of Macedon]

Thanks Daskalot, it is a good thread which helps put into perspective some of the decisions made by Misirkov and the dominating circumstances at the time.

[pluto]

Misirkov indeed described himself few times as Macedonian Bulgarian. But we must consider the circumstance in which he lived and worked. He has many pro-macednian articles where he clearly separate Macedonians from Bulgarians, but also has few where he even states Macedonians and Bulgars are the same people.
He was strong Macedonian patriot and autonomist. Because of the fact that we become ruled my the Serbs after the Balkan wars, i think forced him to write strong anti-Serbian texts which sometimes look like pro-bulgarian. I'm writing about articles other that the article from the topic or the visionary book "Za Makedonckite raboti ". I believe also that he was forced to write those few pro-bulgarian texts because he was living in Bulgaria and was under enormous pressure by the authorities and we also know that his book was almost burned down completely.

I like what Risto said "he is an important Macedonian of the highest order."

[Bratot]

Appeal of Misirkov's son

Sergej Misirkov wrote the introduction to the only surviving manuscript of his father Krste P. Misirkov which also represent his autobiography, titled "Memories and impressions".
This material thanks to Dr. Sergej Misirkov was delivered during his visit to the People's Republic of Macedonia in 1956.

His introductory note in the work of Krste P. Misirkov should encourage the Macedonian institutions to initiate a search for the remaining works and documents related to his work.


The document is available only in Macedonian version, I welcome every contribution for translating the whole:

http://macedonianspark.com/istorijaideologija/makedonskaistorija/467-2010-12-03-12-57-06?lang=mk

Pozdrav

[Bratot]

[Soldier of Macedon]

Macedonian Demographic Statistics, Krste Misirkov - 20th Century

Below are some Macedonian demographic statistics from 1900 collected by Misirkov - they were presented in his magazine called 'Vardar'. Here is a brief summary from wikipedia:

Besides "On Macedonian Matters", Misirkov is author of the first scientific magazine on Macedonian language. The magazine "Vardar" was published in 1905 in Odessa, Russian Empire. The magazine was published only once, because of the financial problems that Misirkov had been facing with at that time. "Vardar" has been published on Macedonian language, and the orthography that has been used is almost same as the orthography of the standard Macedonian language.

The magazine was meant to include several different scientific disciplines, mostly concerned with Macedonia. The first section of the magazine is made of the introduction, where in general Misirkov elaborates the aims of the magazine and this section was in Macedonian and Russian. The next section of the magazine is the literary section, where Misirkov translated into Macedonian the poem "Traveler" by the Croatian poet P. Preradovic. After the literary section, the magazine includes an analysis about the Balkan propagandas in Macedonia, followed by a political analysis of some of the global events in that period. The last section is statistics, which shows the Macedonian population in Macedonia.

Notice the continued reference to Macedonians, along with Turks, and to a lesser extent Vlachs and some other groups. The statistics are by house number, and not by person.

[Daskalot]

Thank you SoM for posting this, can we find out if there are more statistics available or these are all published?

[Daskalot]

Can we source a full copy of the magazine Vardar?
Does anyone have a copy at home?

[Soldier of Macedon]

Daskale, there is a PDF version of the first edition on the wiki page for Misirkov. As the extracted paragraph states, it was published only once, apparently due to 'financial' problems. The dialect he uses in the magazine is the same as that in Macedonian Matters.