Thursday, August 5, 2010

the bodies of these notable people actually have travelled

(book)
/Уводът на тази книга е даден тук както на английски, така и на български език/. Книгата се намира в Народната библиотека "Св.Кирил и Методий" в София под каталожен номер Ск 702750

Dear reader!

    In these first lines I am in a hurry to tell you, that this book does not aim at meeting you with fantastic phenomena or futuristic heroes of the third kind. But still there is a defining and a connecting moment, which in our case there is no importance whether we will call it destiny, chance or coincidence. But which seems to play important role not in life but after the death of worldwide popular people - pope Formosus, Saint Parascheva of the Balkans, tsar Ivan Alexander, Ferdinand Cortez, Fals Dmitriy I, Oliver Cromwell, Daniel Defoe, Laurence Sterne, Napoléоn Bonaparte, Nicolo Paganini, Alexander Dumas,  Istvan Dunyov, Пандит Хамбо-лама Даши-Джорджо Итигилов /Итигэлов/, Piotre Stolipin, Grigory Rasputin, Vladimir Lenin, Гоце Делчев, Фьодор Шаляпин, Никола Вапцаров, Alexandar Kerenski, Adolf Hitler, Charles Chaplin, tsar Boris III of Bulgaria, Enrico Cuccia, János Kádár, Tassos Papadopuolos. Furthermore we have to underline that this is independent of the fact whether the name is registered with a positive or a negative sign. Because for all these deceased people there is one consolidating phenomenon – their mortal remains, following a number of circumstances, did not find peace. The examples in this respect, as you will get convinced, are numerous. That’s the reason why I decided that the title, which I propose to your kind attention “The mortal remains of famous persons – target of respect, violation and robbery” is the most appropriate. Because the bodies of these notable people actually have travelled. Some of them with hundreds and others with thousands kilometers from the places, where they have found their death. The reasons for these, at first glance strange journeys, are always of different character. But as a whole, the tracing of the facts, collected grain by grain, reveals the availability of a quite clear sequence – each of these important persons, more or less, have tasted the power and the fame. As to the question whose deed is all this, we should not show a finger to the Satan. In our case the Satan is not to be blamed. Because the reply is more than clear – in these really strange travels of deceased always absolutely alive people are involved.
    When working on each narration I have tried to keep to the following principle: in its first part objectively to a maximum extent, but at the same time in a concise form, to acquaint you, dear reader, with the political, cultural, social, religious and scientific activity of the persons under study, while in the second part – what has happened with them after their death. Furthermore the sequence in historical plan is strictly followed, taking into account the birth date and the eventual ascension to the royal or pope throne. Moreover I have tried also to focus on the strange fate of the mortal remains of some eminent figures in the new and middle-age history of Bulgaria.
    Finally I would like to share with you the thought that most of the cases categorically show to us, the alive, that this is not the way for our entering into the history. The desire for eternity in the memory of the generations does not pass through the digging of someone’s grave. The way for the history is paved by what a person has created in his life and has left for the generations by his example.
    It is not necessary to thinks too much in order to find out that there is no other topic on which texts have been written as for the life and the death. There is nothing strange in this. Because the interval between the cradle and the tomb is the only real opportunity at our disposal. In this regard there is hardly a normal man in this world, who is not thinking about the start and the finale. According to some people, who do not lack a sense of humour, the life is a chess play, which when finishes all figures – kings, queens, rooks, officers and pawns are being thrown in the box… For others the life is neither a pleasure nor a suffering, but a serious work, which is awarded by the destiny and which we have to finish with honour. Of course there are other opinions according to which in the birth certificate the date of the birth and the place of the birth are written, but the reason – not mentioned. But the opinions prevail, that to live unwisely, immoderately and viciously means only to die slowly.
    That’s why the conclusion is important - to live means to do something which will outlive you. This is confirmed by the simple example that the value of the grain is defined by the crop, which it gives. While the value of the man – by the benefit he brings to the others. That’s why the conclusion is extremely punctual – the insect can also be born, can live, eat, drink and finally die. That’s why part of the published texts in this book are devoted to persons who after their death and despite the violation of their tombs will remain forever an object of deep worship and respect. Because following the very nature - the man is created to do solely and only good.
    Unfortunately, in the present study I came upon examples, in which actions of alive people reveal mean passions and instincts and imagine – cynically manifested to the deceased! The treaded in the mud morality, the ruined inhibitions, the spoiled national values – all this brings to a horrible problem for each overloaded with sins and faults public system. Somewhere I came upon a philosophic thought that it is dull to make fences for the grave yards, because those that are inside cannot go out while those who are outside have no desire to enter the yards. But as we got convinced, there are many cases when human beings jump over all ethic barriers and violate in a vandal way, using a shovel, pickaxe and a hammer the saturated with sorrow silence around the tombs of the deceased. No need to say that these are acts of potential clients of the inquest cells whose deeds are calculated following the pricelist of the punitive law. These grave-diggers, trying to hammer directly into the heart of the alive people the nails of the uncertainty and the fear, prove by their deeds only the fact, that in their disgrace they will never be able to fly with the eagles, because they have buried themselves in the moral slime together with the rodents.(book ISBN 978-954-8921-46-6).

                                        The Author



Драги читателю!

Още в тези първи редове бързам да ти кажа, че тази книга няма за цел да те среща с фантастични явления или пък с футуристични герои от трети вид. Но, все пак има един определящ и свързващ момент, който в нашия случай няма никакво значение дали ще го наречем съдба, случайност или съвпадение. Но, който, както се оказва, играе важна роля не в живота, а след смъртта на широко известните по света люде - папа Формоза, Света Петка Българска, цар Иван Александър, Фернандо Кортес, Лъже-Дмитрий I, Оливър Кромуел, Даниел Дефо, Лорънс Стърн, Наполеон Бонапарт, Александър Дюма, д-р Стефан Дуньов, Пандит Хамбо-лама Даши-Джорджо Итигилов  XII, Пьотр Столипин, Григорий Распутин, Владимир Ленин, Гоце Делчев, Фьодор Шаляпин, Александър Керенский, Фридрих Флик, Адолф Хитлер, Чарли Чаплин, цар Борис III, Енрико Гучча, Никола Вапцаров, Янош Кадар, Тасос Пападопулос. При това, следва да подчертаем, независимо дали името им е белязано с положителен или отрицателен знак. Защото при всички тези именити покойници има едно обединяващо ги явление - тленните им останки, по стечение на редица обстоятелства, не са намирали покой. Примерите в това отношение, както сам ще се увериш, не са един или два. Това е и причината, поради която реших, че заглавието, което предлагам на твоето любезно внимание, е като че ли най-подходящото. Защото телата на тези известни хора действително са пътували. Някои от тях със стотици, а други направо с хиляди километри от местата, където ги е заварила смъртта. Причините за тези, на пръв поглед странни пътешествия, винаги са от най-различно естество. Но, като цяло при проследяването на фактите, събирани зрънце по зрънце, се разкрива наличето на твърде ясно изразена последователност – всяка от тези известни личности, малко или много, е вкусила приживе властта или славата. А на въпроса чие дело е всичко това, не бива да посочваме с пръст сатаната. В нашия случай той няма никаква вина. Защото отговорът е повече от ясен – в тези наистина странни пътувания на покойници са забъркани абсолютно винаги живи хора.
При съставянето на всяко повествувание съм се опитал да спазя следния принцип: в първата му част максимално обективно, но същевременно и в сбита форма, да те запозная любознателни читателю с политическата, културната, социалната, религиозната или научна дейност на изследваните персонажи, а във втората част – какво се е случило с тях след кончината им. И още нещо – стриктно е спазена последователността в исторически план като водеща е датата на раждането или евентуалното възкачване на царския трон или на папския престол. Опитал съм се също така да се спра и на странната съдба на тленните останки на някои знакови фигури както в новата, така и в средновековната ни българска история.
Най-накрая бих си позволил да споделя, че повечето от разглежданите случаи категорично ясно показват на нас, живите, че не това е пътят за влизането ни в историята. Желанието за вечност в паметтта на поколенията не минава през разкопаването на нечий гроб. Пътят за историята се прокарва с това, което човек е създал приживе и завещал на поколенията чрез примера си.

Авторът


Konstantin Irechek - life and work in Bulgaria; Константин Иречек-живот и дело в България


Книгата се намира в Народната библиотека "Св.Кирил и Методий" , София под каталожен номер
Ск 702627
    
   During his life abroad everybody outlives the things in his own way in accordance with his own spiritual constitution. It seems to me, that these first lines are the basis on which the personal dignity and the social-scientific importance of each personality would spring up and on which all subsequent pages of this study will be devoted. I am mentioning this on purpose. Because much earlier than me deeply grateful city, municipal and school administrations have thought to take utmost steps in order to manifest the respect of whole Bulgaria to the considerable contribution in the field of education and scientific-research work, which doctor Konstantin Irechek (Konstantin Jireček) left to our country. It seems to me appropriate here to quote an address submitted to Konstantin Irechek by the municipality and the public of Sliven town related to his final departure from the country: „We grieve, that you leave our fatherland, for which you had worked as a real son and which had its energetic worker; but on the other hand we seek consolation with the hope, that you will not forget our country when living close to the silver-foamy Valtava river and at the disposal of the comfort and the means, which the society and progress offer you, you will continue to make happy our literary heritage with your scientific works, which will be a monument more lasting than metal for us and our generation”.
            When I made the adequate reference in Internet, I was really surprised. It occurred that there is no city or big town, which had not named its central street after the name of doctor Konstantin Irechek! Among them are Sofia, Plovdiv, Rousse, Kazanlak, Stara Zagora, Sliven, Varna, Yambol, Svishtov, Balchik, Vidin, Bourgas, Gabrovo etc. I cannot pass also the fact that 56-th secondary school holds with pride his name. A peak in Rila mountain - as well. Grateful Bulgaria has named after his name a village – Irechekovo, municipality Kavarna. In the spring of 2007 on the façade of the Building for Czech-Bulgarian and Slovakian friendship in our marine capital a memorial plate of Konstantin Irechek was unveiled solemnly. All these data we cannot and we should not refer to the pure statistics. Simply because they are sufficiently exciting and well-deserved evidences that doctor Konstantin Irechek is one of the few in number foreigners, to whom a completely deserved respect by the whole country was given. That’s why nobody has ever called in question the fact that up to the current days his name is with an invariable constant value regarding the popularity. Which in fact is a proof for his fundamental administrative, scientific and educational activity on our land. We should also point out that he is far from those Christian cultural beams, who are trying to purify our difficult life destiny through compassion. Neither of the people, being flattered by the role they are playing as political soft-spoken and social charming persons.
             In the row of these thoughts for the life and work of doctor Konstantin Irechek in Bulgaria there is something more amazing. This fully deserved appreciation towards his indisputable merits, related to serious efforts in the establishment of the foundations of the Bulgarian educational deeds and scientific-pedagogical thought has been received after he has lived in our country only about five years! For this so short term he has not occupied only high governmental posts. And he has not lived as a prince from the time of Sheherezada. But he has strived wholeheartedly to solve real problems in the period after the Liberation of Bulgaria, when everything around him was raging, boiling and bubbling from different social-political passions, elevated patriotic feelings and humiliating burning to ashes regarding their pettiness scufflings for power. But, above all Irechek puts the emerged in his life extreme /in his historical importance/ opportunity for study and analysis, which he definitely clearly formulates: „What we saw here in Bulgaria was new, during the ages once a new country was being born”.  His estimation is exact – he really comes in a fateful moment at which the Bulgarian history throws once and forever the five-centuries old dusty and resentful past. That’s why the work of Konstantin Irechek left forever so deep traces in our country.
            On the other hand further more important circumstance is available. I would name it a phenomenon. Because in the development and the establishment of the Bulgarian educational deed in practice participate a considerable number of Czechs. This is also an issue, which expects its future research workers. Over the grounds of the Czech Slavophilism, emerging into life in the name of the rejection of the foreign slavery, part of the Czech cultural elite comes in newly liberated Bulgaria in order to create freely without political “muzzle”. This stratum of intellectuals – carrier of the European view for history and culture – succeeds fully in their undertakings and intentions, leaving a lasting and bright trace in the Bulgarian educational, cultural and spiritual development. It will be sufficient to point out even only one fact like this, that in a number of Bulgarian secondary schools in the first years after the Liberation Czechs have been lecturers. And in order not to be groundless, we will list the most famous representatives: during the school year 1880/1881 in the Plovdiv secondary school Ludvik Lukash, Ivan Markvicka, Vaclav Dobruski and Karel Schkorpil have taught. In the same period in the Sliven secondary school Anton Shourek has taught and in the following two years he was joined by Todor Monin, Vladislav Shak, Josif Horachek and Ivan Kadlec. In the opened in 1879 state high school for boys in Sofia teachers have been Ivan Brojka, Ivan Chermak, Karl Franc, Hasha Franc, Ferdinand Cherhovski, Yaroslav Veshin and Otto Horeishi. The list of the Czech lecturers should be continued by the names of Ivan Nemec /a teacher in Gabrovo/, A. Bosnar /a teacher in Gabrovo/, Ivan Marek /a teacher in Lom/, Ignat Irasek /a teacher in Lom/, V. Emler /a teacher in Varna/, V. Marshalek /a teacher in Varna/, Anton Shpulak /a teacher in Kustendil/, Bohuslav Gregora /a teacher in Tzaribrod and in Dupnitza/. Having received solid education in the Czech higher schools, these teachers assisted in the establishment of traditions in our secondary schools for deep study of the separate subjects. For the high level of education, conducted by them, apparent is the fact that most of them write textbooks and issue methodological guidelines. A great number of these Czech teachers later became professors in the Sofia University and in the Art Academy. Their eminent representatives, who later began scientific-research and cultural activity, were the brothers Hermengild and Karel Shkorpil, Vaclav Dobruski, Ivan Markvicka, Yaroslav Veshin etc.
            But undoubtedly there is one Czech intellectual who might be positioned high above his compatriots, giving his utmost contribution to the development of the Bulgarian educational and scientific-research deed in the first five years after the Liberation. He succeeded to build basis, which assigned him a place in the future. His name, as we mentioned above is widely known in our country, because he is doctor Konstantin Irechek. It is difficult to list all his initiatives, which he realized in our country, but we have to mention at least some of them, since he is the man, who changes the administrative division in the country in school regions; he exerted efforts for the building of secondary schools in Sofia and Lom; announced officially the necessity of establishing secondary professional and agricultural schools; he initiates the opening of pedagogical schools and he is the first one to organize in our country summer qualification pedagogical courses. Together with all this he is the author of a number of draft laws /which later were adopted by the National Assembly/, more than one instructions, recommendations and ordinances for the development of the educative work; he is the inspirer for the establishment of the Education Council to the Ministry of public education; thanks to his utmost cares the National library and the Museum to it became cultural institutions of national importance. By his whole beneficial activity Irechek proves unambiguously, that it is a complete waste of time to make something below par. Or in other words: his stay in Bulgaria was a manifestation of a notable career, which from its professional beginning had progressed in one direction - upwards. That’s why everybody, who tries to trace the life and the works of a given personality, should start from his real actions, which became a starting point, following the path of a detailed study. In the spirit of these thoughts we should raise also the question – which people do we call decent? Apparently they are those people who work nonstop, produce with their labour real and useful things, who are not unsoundly ambitious, and rich - never. Namely they support with their whole heart the human values like correctness, ethics, morality, respect to others. They are the people for whom we generally say that they enrich the social humus. And whose aims give energy and meaning not only to their existence.
            It seems to me that the research workers of Irechek often “dissect”, figuratively speaking his vast written, historical and educational heritage, as well as his state-organizational style of work in our country into separate elements. I am far from the thought to affirm that such a scientific approach is incorrect. But for me personally it seems, that it cannot revoke or replace the synthetic study of his life and deed as a whole. Because, besides all things said up to now, this is, as we will be further convinced, a destiny of a person, who has never strived towards the glory, money and the honours. We could not afford to add that the conditions, in which Irechek worked in Bulgaria were quite specific – the revival of the nation has outrun the process of formation of a solid in qualitative and quantitative aspect the social-political and scientific elite. Konstantin Irechek has not caught only these trends, typical for the quick and deep changes in the social life of the country. But he has strived to direct and correct, in accordance with his capabilities, the growth in volume and in quality of the science and education after the Liberation, to give a definitely right tone of the new approach in the determination of the educative content. And even more. He is a supporter for the school education to be subordinated to such basic directions like breeding of patriotic feelings, introduction of forms for activating the pupils by the help of the very educative content, development of the personal capabilities, giving a preference to the development of the independence of the pupil, setting at a front plan the moral importance of the aims of the educative process, for the introduction of most-contemporary school appliances and facilities.
            Can we now assert, that the left by Irechek significant in volume and content state expertise and scientific-research heritage are studied fully and consistently? I do not engage myself with a categorical answer. But, the truth is that the popularity of doctor Konstantin Irechek has never been a part of some transient fashion or decorative presence. That’s why, whatever his case might be, there is hardly a need to prove, that it’s always difficult, but undoubtedly honourable to be a founder in different areas. That’s why in connection with his great merits for our country prince Alexander Batenberg has awarded him with one of the highest state distinctions – medal “Alexander Nevski” - ІІІ degree.
            The human progress was achieved by the joint efforts of people of ideas and people of action. Doctor Konstantin Irechek had the rare talent to combine both qualities. That’s why he wrote in his diary the following words to remember, which in practice are his ambitious credo for action: „Need to travel in Bulgaria, to establish close contacts with the people, to publish the magazine “Bulgarian antiquity”, idea for a museum ...”. This is the way he saw his aspiration from the threads of the past to knit the tissue of the Bulgarian future. Irechek is a bright example for how the very life imposes on creative personalities like him to catch the right direction of the national interests, to direct with the aim not to bet on the blind chance, but on the proven ability to find those necessary means and approaches, by the help of which to trace the routes along which these trends and longings will be achieved. There is no Bulgarian government in this period, which did not strive to define its actions in the field of the national education and which did not do everything possible, in accordance with the experience and the financial opportunities, for the constant improvement of the school law; for development of the basic means for management of the education and seeking mechanisms, allowing constant encouragement of the looking for paths for modernization of the pedagogical theory and practice. Thus gradually the democratic spirit of the educational policy in Bulgaria was developed. Thanks to the valuable assistance of Irechek, this allowed its successful joining with the contemporary European general educational achievements.
            Each century makes its reassessment of the past. This concerns those figures, who had the real opportunity to take decisions of great public importance. That’s why when we speak about the work of doctor Konstantin Irechek in Bulgaria, we definitely have to say that it is a more lasting monument than a tomb. In order to make a true portrait of a given personality, that has entered the history under one or another reason due to the fact, that he has over-passed his time, it’s necessary to go beyond the documenting of his popularity. And to make an analysis of the sustainability and effectiveness of the management decisions, taken by him. That’s why the name of Irechek will never be pushed in the back-yard of the Bulgarian history, science and culture. He showed that he is a widely tailored man of European spiritual value, who left so bright tracks in the national educational road. That’s why out of any doubt is the fact that his most significant achievement is namely in the field of establishing a school system of high quality in Bulgaria.
            This narration devoted on Irechek aims at passing subsequently through the different life layers, basing only and solely on the facts in his personal documents, letters and diaries, as well as on archive materials and assessments, left by his contemporaries. Here we have to point out, that this study is accompanied also by the subjective author’s position, supported by the completeness of the facts and the desire to reach maximum preciseness. All this outlines the way of a study, in the reasons of which can be included deep and significant aspects of the social-political reality at that time. Of great importance is also the fact, that among the wide circle of acquaintances of Irechek we can find names of most remarkable Bulgarian politicians, writers, scientists and intellectuals. This is a real world, which reveals his personal tendency to seek constantly the most notable in spiritual relation contemporaries and together with them, in accordance with his criteria to go along the roads of his contribution for the future of our education, science and culture. Thus we’ll be able to see more clearly, that these are the years, which describe the contours of a real process – turned into a deed, built by the common efforts of a whole generation, thanks to the flame which cannot be distinguished and youthful faith in the future. That’s why in the next pages we’ll often underline that Irechek is constantly in the centre of these actually important national events. That’s why, taking into account the extraordinary chance, which his mission in Bulgaria gives to him, he succeeds to overcome his unsmooth life road, related to lots of hardships.
            In front of you, dear readers, are lines, in which you can see an aspiration to look inside the personal universe of Irechek. Such an effort should be done. Because I have been lead by the thought, that it is appropriate to know more about the man, who has devoted completely to the Bulgarian educational and scientific cause rather than following the chronology of his life and deed. I think that in this way we can more closely approach his human destiny, doubts, joys and troubles, which were being often offered by the prose of the everyday life. That’s why in my study I was obliged to reveal how much Irechek gives from himself, from his spiritual and physical strengths, in order to enrich by his personal presence the wide and stormy stream of the surrounding Bulgarian scientific and public social reality. I do not imagine, that I have succeeded to clarify all aspects of the rich fruitful activity of Konstantin Irechek in our country. I believe, that I have succeeded in coping with the temptation to build his consistent and complete image. Because he is one of the people, who always bother and waken consciences, make the moral measures more precise and make us assess the contribution of their deed in order to become an ideal for all of us. By his fruitful activity in Bulgaria Irechek has followed strictly two commands – of his mind and of his heart. On one hand he did everything for the development of our education and culture. But on the other hand he without prejudice revealed the nature of the century outlining the existing feverish and mixed-up spirit of the unavailability of faith and mercantilism, which unfortunately have replaced the high aims and hopes before the Liberation.
            As in each piece of art, in human life all issues cannot be clarified by the help of one single category of the analysis. That’s why I directed myself to a quite wide circle of aspects – esthetical, historical, sociological, political, moral, social and scientific – in order to try, using many resources, to reveal on their background the developing public processes in Bulgaria in this period, which could not be so notable without the personality and the deed of doctor Konstantin Irechek.
                  

                                The Author

SEVERAL WORDS TO THE READER about professor Constantin Katsarov;проф.Константин Кацаров-живот и дело


Книгата се намира в Народната библиотека "Св.Кирил и Методий" в София под каталожен номер Ск 702554
За улеснение на читателите поместеното тук резюме е на английски и на български език.

In the present study, devoted on the life and the works of professor Constantin Katsarov, a target of my attention will be the period between the years 1947 and 1956. Because the outlined period of time – just these nine years – fatefully change the ordinary life of one outstanding man, who undoubtedly is our eminent compatriot. For me personally such a conclusion is completely sufficient ground on the next pages to make an attempt as much as possible fully and consistently to trace, collecting grain by grain all that has happened along his, as it occurs, more than steep life path. In each line of this book you will find also the deep wish to be discovered the pure human nature of one spiritually elevated personality, in the context of his scientific universe, reflected by the time, when he has lived and worked.

        When writing these lines I involuntarily recollect the words of the forgotten long ago Tatar poet Mussa Djalil, who in his poetry has mentioned something extremely important: „The aim of the life is to live in such a way, so that not to die after your death”. Fortunately all that Prof. Katsarov has done during his life still continues to excite us nowadays. These are not only his books, comprehensive scientific publications and bright legal tractates. He goes far beyond this. Proving that in spite of being unfairly convicted and punished by his own country, a man should keep his spirit of a Bulgarian not thanks to but despite any circumstances. And to do as much as possible good to his country. In this case there is hardly a need to underline that such a behaviour is within the limits of small number of strong and valuable personalities. Otherwise we cannot explain why a considerable part of his financial resources, amounting to the sum of about half a million Swiss franks, Prof. Constantin Katsarov assigns in his testament for activity of national profit, related to the Renaissance traditions. Because he submits these resources for granting scholarships of Bulgarian specialists, who annually promote their knowledge in Switzerland, financed by the established by him foundation ”Constantin and Zinovia Katsarovi”. In this respect it is important to mention also one essential detail of his donation will – the financial resources should be granted only to Bulgarian scientists, living permanently in Bulgaria. And in order to make things completely clear, Prof. Katsarov puts the following condition in his last will /article 5, paragraph 1/ - the candidates should undertake the obligation “to return in Bulgaria, after graduating from the university or their internship, in order to be of benefit to eternal Bulgaria”. Just note: to eternal Bulgaria! There is hardly a need to underline that such a definition for his country can give only an exclusive patriot.
            The definitions, which I give to the personality of Prof. Katsarov are not dictated by the aspiration to the beautiful phrase. Things are much deeper. And much larger in scale – as far as it concerns the extremely rich mentality of the Bulgarian Katsarov. And in order to be fully understood, I’ll cite several sentences of his book “60 years live history”, comparing them with the deeds he does for his country. “Then I was 45 years old. I dreamed that now I will be able to direct myself to the new, greater objectives of my mature life age. Then I did not suspect, that in my home I will live only two weeks, and because of the bomb attacks over Sofia I should leave it, and never come back in it. In my dreams for a cabinet I could stay to work up to the beginning of 1952, in order to be put on trial and based on wrested by tortures confessions for undone acts, convicted for 15 years strict jail. But the separation in my occupations I completely preserved – even up to the end of my life. I preserved this separation – nevertheless it sounds paradoxically – even at the two square meters area, which were at my disposal at the Varna jail, where I was deprived by the way both from my profession and from scientific study, but I could with limitations work and without limitations grieve and dream…”. Is there any need to stress on the fact, that in the world of action the will is strength, and the firm  will  – victory?

            Being in a hurry in our everyday life, we hardly have the time to think how difficult it is to persuade the people to do good by the help of moral principles. And indeed there is nothing easier than the similar way of behaviour to be demonstrated and proved by a personal example. By his whole life and works Prof. Constantin Katsarov revealed that the personal freedom means the right to create alone the architecture of your own future. And its lack prompts the full absence of social legitimacy. He did not take into account the imposed ideological leveling of the thoughts of the separate representatives of the Bulgarian society at that time. That’s why he was subject to anathema by the official propaganda and announced – by all deriving from it serious consequences – that his scientific and public activity are a form of a protest, provoked by the harmful influence of the western ideology.

            Is Prof. Constantin Katsarov a fighter for a cause in the science? At the end what is he fighting for? In the name of what? Where does he find strength in order to oppose to the state conducted ideological authority over the science? These are not easy questions. At all cases he leads battles mostly in the trenches of his crystal clear scientific front, organizing his own environment, surrounding the real one. And he defends positions, which have been left by others long ago. He leads battles for the future. Not for his own. But for the science, to which he has devoted his whole conscious life. He does not participate in actions, which will be successful in the context of a virtual war. Prof. Katsarov neither supports the dominance of some social-political relations over others, nor the proving or the disputing in view of imposing by force of one scientific thesis over another. But he strives by the scientific tools of reasons and arguments to reveal, that there are also other ways for winning positions, which might bring prosperity, stability and progress in national aspect. These are, according to him, all those factors, which accelerate the creativeness, guaranteeing permanent spiritually elevated, ideologically tolerable educational societies, living in the conditions of crystal clear legal guarantees. The free trade, the free thought and the free initiative – these are the three modules, which Prof. Katsarov underlines in his scientific works and which should guide according to him the social and political life in the country. But not the ideological doctrines. And this is his main “fault” according to the authoritative opinion of the ideologists in Bulgaria at that time.
All sciences in the humanitarian area like philosophy, literature, history, law etc. were already centralized in 1947. Which means undertaking their management through their total submission to the ideology. Then there was nothing easier than the submission of the science and the spiritual life to the Stalin’s cult. Which in fact happens. In order quite logically to start the other process – the one of the scientific stagnation.

            The presence of free societies means also defence of the rights of personalities. As we saw in this narration the people, who took all measures to ruin the life and the scientific career of Prof. Constantin Katsarov, are the most dangerous in every country. Because they make everything possible to earn future against the price of annihilating those who deprive them of their view for tomorrow. The period, during which Prof. Katsarov lived and worked was a period, when the won revolution in our country had fallen from the heights of the exulted victory to the undergrounds of the intrigue. The authorized had all rights, but did not apply them honestly. In other words – there is nothing new under the sun. Towards the personalities, staying above the social relations, the justice and the truth as a rule miss each other. This fully concerns Prof. Katsarov, who proved in an elegant way, without malicious attacks and only basing on scientific arguments, that the new scientific, economic and social political constructions in Bulgaria are built on unstable grounds.

            The question regarding the deeds of the Swiss management of the foundation “Constantin and Zinovia Katsarovi” is not less essential in order to fulfill the testaments of its establishers. Up to 1989 the foundation has strived very carefully to select the persons wishing to specialize in Switzerland, using its financial support. After that date a quick and considerable increase of the number of the submitted requests by Bulgarian specialists was observed and in the period 1993/94 the number is 58, reaching 81 in 1998/99. By the end of 1990 in the foundation savings were accumulated, amounting to 290 thousands Swiss franks. In 1993/1994 its Steering committee grants 115 thousands franks for 12 scholarships, and for the period 1994 – 1999 in total 51 scholarships were granted /incl. 11 continuations/ at the following distribution per specialities to different Swiss higher schools: philological – 9, mathematical - 11, economic /economic and political sciences/ - 11, medical - 12, juridical – 6, theological – 2. These positive tendencies undoubtedly continue at the same degree nowadays as well.



                                     
Драги читатели!
         В настоящото изледване, посветено на живота и делото на проф. Константин Кацаров, обект на моето внимание ще бъде най-вече периода между 1947 година и 1956 година. Защото посоченият отрязък от време - тъкмо тези девет години - съдбоносно променят обикновения живот на един необикновен човек, какъвто безспорно е този наш именит сънародник. За мене лично тази констатация е напълно достатъчно основание в следващите страници да направя опит възможно най-пълно и последователно да проследя, събирайки зърно по зърно всичко което се е случило по неговата, както се оказва, повече от стръмна житейска пътека. Във всеки ред на тази книга ще съзрете и горещо желание да се разкрие дълбоката, чисто човешка същност, на една духовно извисена личност, в контекста на нейната научна вселена пречупена от времето в което тя е живяла и творила.
          Когато пиша тези редове неволно се сещам за думите на вече отдавна забравения татарски поет Муса Джалил, който в своята поезия ни е казал нещо наистина много важно: „Целта на живота е да живееш така, че да не умреш и след смъртта си”. За щастие всичко, което успява да направи проф. Кацаров приживе и днес продължава да ни вълнува. Това  са не само неговите книги, задълбочени научни публикации и блестящи юридически трактати. Той отива много по-далеч. Разкривайки ни, че макар и несправедливо осъден и наказан от собствената си родина, човек трябва да остане по дух българин и то не благодарение, а въпреки всякакви обстоятелства. И да прави, доколкото му позволяват силите, добро за страната си. В този случай едва ли има нужда да изтъкваме, че подобно поведение е в кръга на въможностите на малцина изключително силни и стойностни личности. Иначе просто няма как да обясним, защо една значителна част от финансовите си средства, възлизащи на внушителната сума от около половин милион швейцарска франка, проф. Константин Кацаров определя в своето завещание за народополезна дейност, родееща се с възрожденските ни традиции. Защото той предоставя тези средства за отпускане на стипендии на български специалисти, които ежегодно да повишават знанията си в Швейцария финансирани от основаната от него фондация ”Константин и Зиновия Кацарови”. Важно е по този повод да отбележим и още един съществен детайл от неговата дарителска воля - финансовите средства да се отпускат само на български изследователи, живеещи постоянно в България. И за да са напълно ясни нещата проф. Кацаров поставя и следното условие в своето завещание /член 5, алинея 1 / - кандидатите трябва да поемат задължението „да се завърнат в България, след завършване на университетското си образование или на своя стаж, за да бъдат полезни на вечна България.” Забележете: на вечна България! Едва ли има ли нужда да подчертаваме, че подобно определение за страната си  може да даде само един изключителен родолюбец. Определенията, които обаче давам за личността на проф. Кацаров далеч не са продиктувани от стремеж към красивата фраза. Нещата са много по-дълбоки. И по-мащабни - що се отнася до изключително богатата душевност на българина Кацаров. И за да бъда  напълно разбран, ще цитирам няколко изречения от неговата книга „60 години живяна история” като ги съпоставям с онова, което той прави за страната си : „Тогава бях на 45- годишен. Мечтаех, че сега ще мога да се насоча към новите, по-големи цели на зрялата ми житейска възраст. Не подозирах тогава, че в този мой дом ще живея само две седмици, че ще трябва поради въздушните бомбардировки над София да го напусна, за да не се върна никога вече в него. В мечтата ми за кабинет аз можех да остана да работя до арестуването ми в началото на 1952 г. за да бъда съден и въз основа на изтръгнати чрез изтезания признания за неизвършени деяния, осъден на 15 години строг тъмничен затвор. Но, разделността в моите занимания аз запазих напълно – може да се каже до края на живота си. Запазих тази разделност – колкото и парадоксално да звучи – даже и при двата квадратни метра площ, с които разполагах във варненския затвор, където бях лишен между другото и от професия, и от научна дейност, но можех ограничено да се занимавам и неограничено да тъгувам и бленувам”... Едва ли е нужно да подчертаваме, че в света на действието волята е сила, а непоколебимата воля – победа.
  Забързани в нашето ежедневие ние едва ли имаме време да се замислим колко е трудно  да бъдат накарани хората да правят добро с помощта на нравоучения. И че наистина няма нищо по–лесно от това подобен начин на поведение да им бъде показан и доказан с личен пример. С целия си живот и дело проф. Константин Кацаров ни разкри, че личната свобода означава преди всичко правото сам да създаваш архитектурата на собственото си бъдеще. А липсата й да подказва  пълно отсъствие на социална легитимност. Той не се съобрази с наложеното нивелиране на мислите на отделните представители на тогавашното българско общество. И бе подложен на анатемосване от официалната пропаганда и обявен - с всички произтичащи от това сериозни последици – че научната му и обществена дейност са форма на протест, предизвикана от вредното влияние на западната идеология.
И накрая, вместо заключение, ще поставя един въпрос – не е ли дошло време на швейцарската къща на проф. Константин Кацаров да се постави една паметна плоча, с която да отдадем дълбоката си  почит спрямо  изключителния му жест към страната ни?               
                      

                                                                           Авторът

Several introductory words about Lyubomir Lulchev;Любомир Лулчев-живот между загадки и реалности

/Уводът на тази книга е даден тук както на английски, така и на български език/. Книгата се намира в Народната библиотека "Св.Кирил и Методий", София под каталожен номер Ск 706509

 (book)

Starting with the first sentence I would like to point the objective which
I have put with this study. And it is to trace without falling in the
position of an advocate or a public prosecutor a legal case, including one
single object of a study: on the basis of which juridical grounds and court
evidence one life has been interrupted by force. The beginning has been put
by the help of impressive political proceedings at law, finalized with a
sentence “to be shot”. In this book a definitely specific activity of a man
will be tackled – a man who has not only made records of the most important
facts and events, leaving for us in written form factual extract of the
turbulent and often contradictory pages in our newest history. Here I have
to underline that in no way he can be considered in the category infantile
personalities romanticizing the surrounding environment. Moreover I have to
add as well that following different circumstances he has not been in the
periphery or in the cellars of the authority corridors, but in the very
“kitchen” where the real steps to be undertaken towards one or another
decision at highest state level have been considered. At the same time this
personality has never been in the rows of the well-fed jackets. Neither has
he allowed falling in the drug trance of the authority, stopping to think
of any kind of perishableness. As a whole both his notes and his words,
preserved punctually in the shorthand records of the People’s court at all
cases are valuable resources for filling in a lot of blank places in the
history of Bulgaria just before and during the World War II. Having this
opportunity, he succeeds to throw light over some dark corners in the
biographies of several important people of his time. Everything which he
writes or says he makes under pressure of often arising extreme situations,
which the epoch for good or bad imposes. Maybe it’s time to say that a
leading figure in this narration is the tsar adviser Lyubomir Lulchev.
A minute ago I mentioned the expression “for good or for bad”. But in
practice everything related to Lulchev literally for counted days at the
end of his interrupted by force life turns only into bad. In front of me
there is an extremely dry, let me call it statistic in form but not in
content terrific reference. “On February 1, 1945 the People’s Court
announced the death sentences of three regents, 8 tsar advisers, 22
ministers of the governments after 1941, 67 members of XXIV National
Assembly, 47 generals and high officers. The sentences were executed that
very night. Till the end of the proceedings at law of the People’s Court
till April 1945, 2 730 people were sentenced to death…” What incredible
court “productivity”! Like nowadays high technological production line. By
its help per month there have been sentenced not less than 910 people. For
the pointed period of time this means that per day fateful decisions for 30
human lives have been taken. Why these times coloured with revolutionary
banners were so much in a hurry to wash out, according to the position of
the new rulers, old wrongdoings?
Together with everything said up to now, I was definitely impressed by the
fact that in the quoted above reference the names of the advisers were put
immediately after those of the regents. I thought that this was not done on
purpose when enrolling the persons in this stunning list. It came out that
I’m wrong. The gradation is not casual. It is documented: “Due to the
absence of the regents the interrogation of the defendants starts with the
tsar advisers architect Jordan Sevov, Lyubomir Lulchev, Dimitar Genchev,
Pavel Gruev, Svetoslav Pomianov, gen. Rafail Jechev, doctor Peter Kostov,
doctor Georgi Handjiev, Stanislav Balan and Peter Morfov”. The putting of
the camera staff at a front position is significant fact, which puts
immediately quite a number of questions. Due to what reasons the advisers,
although being tsar in this list have been put before the ministers,
members of Parliament and the military? They have only advised Boris III
and they have neither taken decisions nor have been their executors. And if
this is right why should they have been brought up before the court and
finally shot? Have their advices, given to the monarch, been so dangerous
for the state? What required such supersonic in its speed court
productivity in this time extract? An old and verified by the history truth
is the revolution eats its children. This of course does not pass by its
Bulgarian variant. This only happens several years later. But in the dawn
of its radiance it literally tears with its young and not enough strong
revolutionary teeth the old elite. How many of the sentenced deserved the
heaviest punishment? Was it necessary close to the dry to burn the
represented majority and the raw? There should exist clocks, which have
stopped for ten-year periods, and when starting to be able to measure off
in an even stroke the truth, the frankness and above all - the justice.
All these questions turn me back to the unfortunate 1923 which has split
politically and genetically the Bulgarian nation into two hostile halves.
Why did it happen so – in 1944 the children started to revenge to the
children of the enemies of their fathers? Why in the autumn of 1989 again
the dangerous political opposition grew vigorously but this time with an
opposite sign and fortunately passed without bloodshed? Who can predict
when the next date will be, when again the others will be ruling and will
remind revengefully…? Franco according to some people might be anyone, but
we have to confess his merit – he imposes a government decision under which
in one tomb should be put in Madrid all victims from the left and the right
during the Civil war in Spain – in order to stop forever the internal
national hatred.
The diaries and the statements of Lulchev before the People’s court do not
leave us with the impression, that we have a meeting with monotonous sugary
memories, narrated by a bored wise-man. Moreover he is not a man, seized by
mild temper, who has rejected the intention to leave a trace. We have to
underline that in this case we are meeting with documents, which re-create
times, during which priorities were vigorously reconsidered and ad hoc
analysis of the real possibilities were made. Because this is the time,
when the end of the province tranquility, of the slowly repeated rhythms of
the normal life, of the undisputable social hierarchy has come. The World
War II was dangerously knocking on the door of each European home.
In the notes of Lulchev without efforts we can find out a great number of
lines, which definitely remind us that from the whole Bulgarian history
somewhere around the middle of XX century have sunk as sediments and still
stay on the bottom of the events undiscovered and unannounced secrets and
unpronounced thoughts. That’s why these notes are a valuable document for
the political life in our country and a group portrait of many famous
representatives. Could Lyubomir Lulchev destroy everything which he had put
down for years? Of course he has been in a position to do so. But, as we
got convinced he has not undertaken such a step. Why? Such a question is
logical. I allow myself to admit that in such a way he intended to remind
us of the words of the American philosopher George Santayana: “Who
disregards the history is doomed to repeat it”.
And at the end I feel obliged to emphasize on the fact that in this book I
have made an attempt to throw a glance in the complex life of Lyubomir
Lulchev. This means that I have no pretentions that I represent to the
reader’s attention a comprehensive study. It’s quite possible to admit some
mistakes and omissions which sometimes happen in such studies.
In all parts of this book I have followed only and solely the archive
documents, stored in the Ministry of Interior. Good or bad these are
documents which are not re-written during the Middle ages in some desolate
monastery. In no line I have put any doubt regarding the authenticity.
Furthermore I do not affirm that this is the only crystal clear truth. I
just admit each sentence in hand-writing by Lyubomir Lulchev or his
statements before the People’s court as they are left by their author more
than sixty years ago. For each reader it’s clear that in the whole
narration the meeting with the questions put by me, prompts, that it is
almost impossible to find the answers.
But as I have often underlined in my study I have made an attempt to
analyze one basic issue, which I put forward as an objective. I have
succeeded to collect and select facts in the life and activity of Lyubomir
Lulchev which have tipped the balance in one direction or another. After
all, the sentence is to be shot. As everywhere in the book and here as well
I will not give my answer. I would not like to influence anybody. For me
personally the answer is more than clear. I give the chance to the reader,
who has decided to read the narration to judge. Each serious author, who
wishes to follow step by step the uneven path of a human life in order to
see where it starts and where it goes, should recognize that such an
initiative is very difficult but worthy after one has decided to try to
select among the unnecessary and necessary from the archive information
everything which will give a real idea for a personality, who has become a
subject of historical study.
The Author



НЯКОЛКО УВОДНИ ДУМИ

            Още с първото изречение бих искал да посоча каква цел съм си поставил с това изследване. И тя е да проследя, без да изпадам в позицията на адвокат или на прокурор, един юридическия казус, включващ едно единствено условие: въз основа на какви правни основания и съдебни доказателства е прекъснат насилствено един живот. Началото е поставено с помощта на импозантен политически съдебен процес финализиран с присъда „разстрел”.  В тази книга ще става дума за определено специфична дейност на човек,  който не само си е записвал най-важните според него факти и събития, оставяйки ни в писмен вид фактически отрязък от бурни и често противоречиви страници в най-новата ни история. С което, още тук следва да посоча, че той в никакъв случай не може да бъде причислен към разреда инфантилни особи романтизиращи заобикалящата ги действителност. Следва да подчертая и това, че той, по силата на обстоятелствата, е бил не по периферията или в килерите на властовите коридори, а в самата „кухня” в която са се обсъждали и предприемали реални стъпки към едно или друго решение на най-високо държавно равнище. В същото време обаче тази личност никога не е стояла в редиците на охранените сака. Нито пък си е позволила да попадне в наркотичния транс на властта, преставайки да мисли за всякакъв вид тленност. Като цяло, както неговите записки, така и думите му, запазени пунктуално в стенограмите на Народния съд, при всички случаи са ценен извор за допълване на доста празни места от историята на България в навечерието и по време на Втората световна война. Имайки тази възможност, той успява да хвърли светлина и върху някои тъмни ъгли от биографиите на немалко известни от неговото време хора. Всичко, което записва или казва, той го прави под непомерния натиск на често действителни екстремни ситуации, които епохата за добро  или за зло властно налага. Като че ли е време е да кажем, че водеща фигура в това повествувание е царският съветник Любомир Лулчев.
            Споменах малко по-горе израза „за добро или за зло”. А на практика всичко спрямо Лулчев буквално за броени дни в края на насила прекъснатия му живот се обръща само на зло.  Пред мене е една прекалено суха, нека да я наречем статистическа по форма, но по съдържание страшна справка. „На 1 февруари 1945 г. са произнесени от Народния съд смъртни присъди над тримата регенти, на 8 царски съветници, на 22-ма министри от правителствата след 1941 г., на 67 депутати от ХХІV-то Народно събрание, на 47 генерали и висши офицери. Присъдите са били изпълнени същата нощ. До завършването на процесите на Народния съд до април 1945 г. на смърт са осъдени 2 730 души...”.  Каква невероятна съдебна „производителност”! Досущ като днешните съвременни високотехнологични поточни линии. И с чиято помощ месечно са били осъждаш ни повече, ни по-малко по 910 души. Което за посочения период от време означава, че са вземани съдбоносни решения дневно за 30 човешки  живота! Защо тези времена с обвеяни революционни знамена са така бързали за да отмият, според становището на новите им властници, стари грехове?
            Наред с всичко казано до тук определено впечатление ми направи, че в цитираната по-горе справка имената на съветниците са поставени веднага след тези на регентите. Реших, че това е някаква случайност при изброяването на персонажите в този потресаващ списък. Оказа се, че греша. Градацията съвсем не е случайна. Тя е документрана: „Поради отсъствието на регентите разпитът на подсъдимите започва с царските съветници арх. Йордан Севов, Любомир Лулчев, Димитър Генчев, Павел Груев, Светослав Помянов, ген. Рафаил Жечев, д-р Петър Костов, д-р Георги Ханджиев, Станислав Балан и Петър Морфов”. Поставянето на челно място на този камерен състав от хора е мнгозначителен факт, който обаче поражда веднага доста въпроси. Поради какви причини съветниците, макар и царски, в този списък са изведени преди министрите, депутатите и военните? Та нали все пак те само са съветвали Борис ІІІ като нито са вземали решения, нито пък са били каквито и да било и когато и да е било техни изпълнители? И ако това съждение е вярно, то тогава защо изобщо е било необходимо не само да ги съдят, но и да ги разстрелят? Толкова ли са били опасни и застрашителни за държавата съветите им, които са давали на монарха? Защо тъкмо в този отрязък от време се е изисквало такова свръхзвуково по скоростта си съдебно производство? Стара и проверена от историята истина е, че революцията изяжда децата си. Това  разбира се не подминава и българския й вариант. Само дето става няколко години по-късно. Но, в зората на нейното сияние тя буквално разкъсва с младите си, но достатъчно укрепнали революционни зъби, стария елит. Колцина от осъдените са заслужавали най-тежкото наказание? Кому е било необходимо покрай сухото да изгори така жестоко представляващото мнозинство и суровото?! Защо няма такива часовници, които спряни от десетилетия, при пускането им да ни отмерят с равния си такт истината, откровеността и преди всичко справедливостта?          
            Всички тези въпросителни отново неволно ме връщат към онази злощастна 1923 година, разцепила политически и кръвно българската нация на две завинаги враждуващи половини. Защо става така, че двадесет години по-късно – през 1944-та – децата започнаха да отмъщават на децата на враговете на техните бащи? Защо през есента на 1989 година пак избуя това застрашително надигнало се политическо противопоставяне, но този път с обратния знак и за щастие минало без кръвопролитие? Кой може да предскаже кога ще е следващата дата, когато ще дойдат на власт сега пък другите, за да напомнят отмъстително на днешните еди-какво си? Франко в очите на някои хора може да е бил всякакъв, но трябва да му се отдаде и заслуженото – налага правителствено решение по силата на което са поставени в един общ гроб в Мадрид всички загинали от ляво и от дясно по време на Гражданската война в Испания. За да се спре веднаж завинаги постоянно тлеещата взаимна национална омраза.
            Написаното в дневниците му, както и изявленията пред Народния съд на Лулчев ни най-малко не ни оставят с впечатлението, че имаме среща с монотонни сладникави спомени, разказвани от отегчен мъдрец.[10] Нито пък, че той е от хората, обзети от кротост, която е присъща на онези, които са се отказали от намерението да оставят някаква следа след себе си Трябва да подчертаем, че в този случай имаме среща с документи, които пресъздават времена, в които трескаво са се преосмисляли приоритети и буквално в ход са били правени  анализи на реалните възможности. Защото това е време, когато е дошъл края на провинциалното спокойствие, на бавно повтарящите се ритми на нормалния живот, на до вчера неоспоримата социална йерерхия. Втората световна война вече не  само e чукала застрашително на вратата на всеки европейски дом.
            В записките на Лулчев без усилие можем да открием твърде големия брой на онези редове, които определено ни напомнят, че от цялата българска история някъде около средата на ХХ-я век, са потънали като утайка и лежат на дъното на събитията все още неразкрити и необявени тайни, загадки и недоизречени мисли. Ето защо тези записки са наистина ценен документ за политическия живот у нас и групов портрет на не един или двама известни негови представители. Можел ли е Любомир Лулчев да унищожи всичко, което е записвал години наред? Разбира се, че е бил в състояние да направи това. Но, както се убедихме, не е предприел подобна крачка. Защо ли? Подобен въпрос е логичен. Позволявам  си да допусна, че по този начин той е искал да ни напомни думите на американския философ Джордж  Сантаяна: „Който пренебрегва историята е обречен да я повтаря!”
            И най-накрая се чувствам задължен да подчертая, че в тази книга  само е направен опит да се надникне в сложно протеклия живот на Любомир Лулчев. Което означава, че нямам никакви претенции, че предоставям на читателското внимание  цялостно изследване. Напълно е възможно да съм допуснал и  някои неволни грешки или пропуски, защото при подобни проучвания това понякога се случва.

                                                                                     Авторът


 

Introduction about Nikola Vaptsarov;Никола Вапцаров в архивите на МВР

(book)Книгата се намира в Народната библиотека "Св.Кирил и Методий" , София под каталожен номер Ск 702667

For Nikola Vaptsarov a lot has been written. For the poet, antifascist, communist, revolutionary and the man, who brought fame to Bulgaria all over the world, devoting the most precious – his life in the struggle against the hitler-fascism. Thus he entered forever the Bulgarian history and the memory for him will not be covered in the time by the patina of the oblivion. Despite the sad fact that his own relatives deprived him of his eternal home... Vaptsarov showed to us all, that the road of history passes through what one has created and left for the generations with his personal model. And to be a personality supposes to bear a responsibility. And not only to occupy a temporary place in the space, chosen by you only because it provides you moral hygiene of non-intervention. The stereotypes are a calming thing. They save the necessity for thinking. But this huddling in the shell cannot protect anybody from today’s life, ploughed basically by unheard and unseen collapse of the moral and cultural values, of the personal dignity and full absence of stability of the way of living.             
              Among the hundreds of articles for Vaptsarov the first place is occupied reasonably by those, devoted on his creative works. Here there are no and cannot be any casualties. Because this is the centre of something that is really very indicative – we are speaking for one single volume of poetry! Its content reveals creative intensity, distinguished with its value, not with its volume. The time, when Vaptsarov creates, gives the title of his literary works. But not his consent… An old truth is the fact that for each piece of art an appropriate material is the one, which has conquered the hearts of the people. That’s why there are two types of poetry – good and bad. The first one lives a very long time, while the second – dies due to its own dissatisfaction. Just this conclusion should give us the grounds to put forward the other important question: whether everything is written and studied for the last political part of Vaptsarov’s life – the heir of a great revolutionary family, not an offspring of a worn out fellow from a village hidden among the rocky peaks, in which the time quickly melts the memory for everyone who had walked along the rough cobblestone roads? Things are clear when the reply is positive. T.e. there is nothing to add. But when the answer is “no”? Then quite naturally we have to ask – what has not been pointed yet? Not incidentally, when the name of Vaptsarov is mentioned, most people underline, that he is one of the territories of the battles, which never end at our Bulgarian endless war among the generations, starting in that tragic-miserable 1923 and dividing our nation into two opposite political halves. Because since then hard positions and points of view exist, which have long ago not only blown up, but have completely burned away all bridges for establishing of a common acceptable national opinion. But we should not forget that Vaptsarov is an embodiment of the dream for a better future, born by the insuperable human feature named ability to dream and love. Further to this, when we speak concretely for him, there is hardly a similar case when the life of such a notable Bulgarian poet is in details preserved in archive documents… for all that in the Ministry of Interior. Each sheet from them has become yellow. But all of them have preserved the unequal “duel” of the poet at the age of 33 with the state, which has taken diligently notes for all his political steps. Let us make it clear! The documents do not reveal walks along inoffensive paths during the holidays. And the fact that they exist for decades past does not mean that they have succeeded to push down everything which breathes the air of the human aspirations, nor they have faded the hope and the fear with the composing them paper and ink. In quantity they are just 10 great volumes. An in each of them – between 350 and 400 archive units. As obvious – a sufficiently solid base for each research worker, who has ventured to restore this unequal fighting without prejudice, following only the authentic chronological order of awful facts and police reports, which have broken down one human life.
              Each research work in the archives is a glimpse in that part of the life, behind which we see the outlined great human deeds, accompanied often by excessive risks and with dear victims and the bottom of the human disgrace as well. The touch of such a sheet is a real sensation for the authenticity of the acting shocking events accompanied by heroism, belief and mean actions. But also a measure for defining both the generally accepted ethic norms and social moral, and the given ability in our contemporary life to see the law-governed steps of the next days. The work with archive documents means objective study. And not an impudent insight, seeking only sensation. Because behind each line, written there, leading us behind in the time, we see the real souls of the people such as they are – crystal clear or fallen to the bottom of the moral slime.
              As far as it concerns the giving of a definition for the essence of the deed and life of Vaptsarov, we have to say, that it this respect we fall in the quite contradictory and complicated matter of the assessments. In principle, in front of each valuable literary work the theoretical disagreements regarding history and politics should keep silent. In the case with Vaptsarov this does not happen at all. Because they are so different, that they exclude each other. I feel myself obliged to give all basic opinions, sticking to the wise words of the great Voltaire, who points out: “I do not approve what you say, but I will defend to my death your right to say it”. And so, let us trace these heterogeneous points of view. According to some authors at each sharp change of the political system the ideological prints go to non-existence. Others consider that after 1989 the thirsty for democracy element has dealt successfully with the socialist literary creative works, while the last have degenerated in propaganda. According to other assessments, only two authors from the revolutionary poetry were left untouched – Vaptsarov and Smirnenski. Because they have proved to be extremely great – like a breakwater in which each puffed up wave is wrecked and confused withdraws back. On the other hand, according to another group of opinions, in Vaptsarov’s personality leaks a very serious contradiction, which has embedded in the dilemma “poet – party functionary”. In accordance with their interpretation this is an inexcusable and insurmountable obstacle in order Nikola Vaptsarov to be put in the pantheon of the nation’s respect and honour. Which reminds us, that in today’s Bulgarian historiography there is no officially declared position, contrary to the example in France, Italy or Yugoslavia, regarding the contribution of the armed communist opposition against fascism.  It seems to me that in the row of these attempts to cover all possible assessments, referring directly to Vaptsarov, we have to note several more opinions, which have their place in the public space. They show the obvious according to them clash between two political patterns and none of them nowadays is in a position to be applied. On one hand during the time of the totalitarian socialist epoch, Vaptsarov has been unnecessarily crowned as an incomparable majestic hero, while in the period of the authoritarian war-time dictatorship – pointed as a terrorist, who has to be convicted for edification and most severely in accordance with the fierce war-time amendments of the paragraphs of the Law for defence of the state, each of which envisaged death penalty. There is one more tendency. It pursues the digging of deep like the Grand Canyon in USA trenches, by the help of which to divide categorically the antifascist Vaptsarov from the communist Vaptsarov. In practice he, the stoker-intellectual makes only one, most decisive step in his short life – he considered important to stand at the barricade, erected by the public cataclysms of his time. And because he had decided to follow steadily his conscience and the impulses of his pen. Here we have to add something else. Vaptsarov had all chances to remain and ordinary and mediocre personality like winnowed through a sieve rice. But as we well know he chooses another way. Putting at a higher place the convictions of his mind than the safety of the body. And because he proved, that in the poetry he is not seeking only vain sounds.
              My objective in the present study on the activity of Vaptsarov against fascism includes only the preserved documents in the archives of the Ministry of Interior. In this relation I cannot bear the responsibility for what has been collected there. However I’m convinced that when the great volume of documents starts to speak, the hidden whispers, cries and betrayals will be loosened. But furthermore, numerous shining heights of heroism and dark lowlands of moral lapse during these crucial times will appear too. Or in other words – in the following pages we will try to analyze these six-seven months in total, which have become a tragic boundary between life and death for Vaptsarov. Whether this will happen only the reader can judge. But I will never admit to praise my goods like an early greengrocer, and make a pretentious summary that this will be the new reading of Vaptsarov’s biography. But, moreover I would like to underline categorically clear, that each line in this book will be written without shadow of hatred and without a tone of deifying. The name of Nikola Vaptsarov, who has grown up with the Balkan sensitivity to the world, is sufficiently significant. Because long ago it has become a personification of a whole epoch, called contemporaneity of the poet-antifascist and in which stands out his self-sacrifice, revealing his individual political and creative world.
              Nikola Vaptsarov is not a genius. But undoubtedly he is a talented personality, who had seen clearly the realities through the chaos of the time. And the sad and the frightful in all this is the fact that a man like him, who has demonstrated by his works his talent was shot to death. In a total – for what? First of all – because he had and defended his convictions; because he had neither killed or wounded, nor he had threatened directly anybody with a gun in hand; because he had never blown up a train composition; because he had not carried two boxes with explosives from one address in Sofia to another; because he had distributed considerable sums for underground revolutionary activity without touching a single stiver for himself; because he had tried to set up a hopelessly destroyed party organization in Varna, where the members could not remember even the password and finally because he had turned his own house into a district post in the name of his ideals. We should not forget the fact that Vaptsarov starts along his dangerous way not in 1943 or in 1944, when things are more than clear in foreign-political and internal aspect. Neither he goes to the Balkan mountain on the 7-th of September 1944 and descends from there with revolutionary fame on the 9-th of September, as some others do. The autumn of 1941 is a time of severe hardships of the still unorganized underground opposition. And a period when the Bulgarian political elite is deeply convinced, that the circle of Hitler will bring new moral and material dividends to it, thanks to the right decision to join the winner in this world mortal skirmish. And the police had just played the role of the necessary surgical knife, which mercilessly cut all other opinions or attempts for the realization of different from the taken up to then government decisions. 
              The execution of Vaptsarov interrupted forever the advent of new poems, outlining a world behind the line of the Bulgarian horizon at that time. He left us his works, in which nobody liked to go deeply in at these troubled times or to judge on his merits. And this was poetry, revealing the ethic system of the poet, who preferred to be close to the rough texture of the life. It is usually said that the talented individuality is a supreme form for social behaviour of the person. Because people with such features anticipate the needs of their time. The origination and the development of their talent are determined on one hand by the needs of the social environment and on the other hand – by the individual-psychical abilities of the personality, predisposing him to creative work. An elementary truth is the fact that the activity of the talented person does not go beyond the society and its political leanings, because it obtains and renews its powers from the continuous discussion with the surrounding reality.
              The way of development of the poet Vaptsarov was traced by his attitude to the social conditions at that period. But it further shows how difficult it is to have a moral code in a godless epoch. The originality at each type of creative work remains the necessary condition not only for the genius but also for the most insignificant talent. In such a soil only the roots of the independence of talented people like Vaptsarov can grow, concentrating all their creative impulses not towards repeating known facts and phrases, but creating something unique. The poems of Nikola Vaptsarov were his class comment on the time he lived in. And the rhymes in them – words, that have turned into mediators for his choice. Moreover the most dangerous for his life and the most courageous as far as it concerns the standing of clear grounds.
                                                                                                                                                                        THE AUTHOR

Стефан Дуньов- живот и дело; Preambul about doctor Stefan Dunjov

        (book)
/Уводът на тази книга е даден тук  както на английски, така и на български език/. Книгата се намира в Народната библиотека "Св.Кирил и Методий", София под каталожен номер Ск  694183
 
       Basically each scientific study, which aims at tracing the life and the work of an eminent political, military and cultural figure, intends to touch the sources of the knowledge for the historical root as an intellectual base of the national community. That’s why an event which concerns a whole nation, generally turns into a base, over which the particular individual reveals himself, defending or abandoning his own positions, views, feelings and dreams.That’s why each ethno-story is an important element of the identification of a national autonomous group, living under the will of a row of political and social factors, outside the limits of its national boundaries. Undoubtedly such a group are the Banat Bulgarians. It has firmly recognized its generic root, keeping it for three centuries. For these compatriots the memory and the myth have grown together, keeping the originality and the identity. Together with the constant adherence of these settlers to their national group and prime native land, the openness to the new, rational and more effective is typical. This is the stable characteristics of all those Bulgarians, scattered on the Banat lands in today’s Yugoslavia, Hungary and Romania. At their settling they established societies, collected money and built libraries, schools and churches. They fought dedicatedly and unfortunately with some small exceptions without results against the successful attempts of the recipient country, their already built under a national sign institutions later on to be altered menacingly or simply abolished. For all these Bulgarians, the past has never been and abstract concept, but a part of the notion, which each of them has carried in his heart and has handed over to the generation – the love to the Fatherland. From this aspect, the history of the prime native land has turned for them during the years not into a chronicle, but most of all – into a legend. An in a quite important share of the generic memory of the community, that has preserved its national identity. Thus, gradually, a past full of symbolism, but also accompanied by the pantheon of actual heroes, was created. These are the unwritten laws of each community, moulded and hard as iron. Because they are called to strengthen the outsets and the vitality of the ethnos, carried with much love over foreign lands and carefully preserved through contradictory times and epochs. Thus the past has saved these vital Bulgarians from the present, helping them to build strong bridges of the future.

The topic for the Bulgarian economic emigration through the ages is a serious issue, which unfortunately has not been often an object of scientific interest by the Bulgarian research-workers. Today it’s hard to maintain, that all facts, related to the genesis of the mode of life, language, traditions, culture, songs and myths of this preserved Bulgarian national community, like the Banat Bulgarians, have been studied so completely, that there is no need for new investigations. The same concerns all their representatives, who have really left a bright trace by their worthy contribution in the history of the lands, where they have settled. The recollections for these persons have become allegories of the Bulgarian community, have been a subject of its legal pride and national prestige. In this respect, marks of worthy acknowledgement we find in the far 1428, when the German king Sigismund Luxemburg has given privileges and noble titles for the first time not to his citizens, but to the Bulgarian settlers on Roschd island for their loyalty and renunciation. Such is the logic of life, when the brought by the settlers’ primary boundaries start losing their authority, replaced evolutionally by social activities, raising the zones of their understanding and cooperation with the recipient ethnos.

In this connection it is particularly important to mention, that in the period of the whole 19-th century the Bulgarian presence in revolutions, in military clashes and battles on the side of the underdog and the oppressed flows with exciting worthy examples. But let us refer to the facts. During the war between Serbia and Turkey in at Negotin the detachment of Haidut Velko bravely joined the battle. In the battles for chasing the Turkish military units from the Belgrade fortress in 1862 many Bulgarians participate and among them are Vasil Levski, Stefan Karadja, Ilyo voivode, Peter Bonev etc. Over 1500 Bulgarian volunteers participate in the fights against the Turks close to the Danube near Kniajevac, lead by the voivodes Ilyo Markov, Hristo Makedonski, Panayot Hitov, Filip Totio, Lazar Kostov, Naiden Poplilov, Simo Sokolov etc. A Bulgarian detachment lead by the captains D. Makedonski, Al. Nikolaevich and Indje voivode fought against the Turkish military detachments in the valley of Olt river (Romania). Many Bulgarians help the Greek people in their fights against the Turkish oppressor. In North Greece the detachment of Hadji Hristo lead heavy battles with the Turkish units and even captures their commander Ismail Pasha. During the Krit uprising Petko Voivode, by the help of Djuzepe Garibaldi, formed a detachment of 300 people and participates in the Greek uprising, leading bloody battles in Arkadia area. Bulgarian detachments, lead by Yane Sandanski and Hr. Chernopeev, participate in the suppression of the counter-revolutionary mutiny of the overthrown sultan Abdul Hamid in Tsarigrad in 1909. Over a hundred are the Bulgarians, fighting bravely under the flags of Garibaldi. Among them are captain Petko voivode, Stefan Dunjov, the artist Dimitar Dobrovich Pehlivanov, Teofan Voikov, Ivan Hadjidimitrov, Dimitar Obshti, Gyuro Nachev, Georgi Karaistakiev, Toma Nikolov, Georgi Kanchev, Neno Marinov, Viktor Rachov etc.

In this scientific work an attempt will be made to enter into the historical preconditions, which have laid the basis for the strengthening of the presence of the Banat Bulgarians, who have succeeded to make the way of respect, understanding and mutual aid, which lead them to bringing together with the foreign ethnos. This is also an initiative, prompted by the honest desire of the author of this research to throw a glance in the intellectual territory of the Bulgarian settlers and their generations. And especially of one of them - doctor Stefan Dunjov, the active participant in the Hungarian revolution of 1848, co-worker of Lajos Kossuth and Shandor Petiofi.  This is the man, who without reservation stood under the military flags of the Italian hero Djuzepe Garibaldi. With his vital behaviour Dunjov was in his own way deeply religious – above all with his whole heart, in the voice of his conscience, in his mind and thoughts. That’s why in the name of the liberty of Italy, he with great difficulty survived, after the battle at Volturno – was left with one leg.

          The present research, devoted on the life and work of doctor Stefan Dunjov is unpretentious regarding full exhaustiveness. At this stage the achievement of such a purpose is a difficult task. Drawing such a conclusion, I do not say that it is doomed in advance for failure. Currently the archive documents, comprising assessments and opinions of contemporaries, the lead comprehensive correspondence with many distinguished political figures, revealing in details the public-political and revolutionary activity of doctor Stefan Dunjov, are spread in different Hungarian, Romanian and Italian institutions. In Hungary for instance for Stefan Dunjov in details write Lajos Kossuth and many other authors. Except this, important materials from and for Dunjov are preserved in “Secheni” library in Budapest /fund Pulski/, in the State archive – Budapest /funds Dunjov, Kossuth, Pulski, Telski/.

          In this research work I have tried to reveal the dauntless aspiration for liberty and human dignity of the less known in Bulgaria personality of doctor Stefan Dunjov. His whole stormy life was an expression of a clear position, rising up to an accusation against any oppression and together with this against the lack of national dignity. By his revolutionary actions and courageous behaviour he showed categorically that the moral world is not an illusion. Because he never raised the political helplessness and irresolution for his slogan. The old community offered him a reliable social shelter. But, against a relevant price – withdrawal from the weapon of the mind and from the feeling for social and political equity. That’s why there is no need to emphasize that Dunjov was among the people, who succeeded, in spite of the ups and downs of life – to keep crystal clear his spiritual nature.

          Even a conclusion should have its end. For a long time I thought what it might be. And decided that the letter of Djuzepe Dunjov – the son of Stefan Dunjov – will be the best finale. Which unfortunately is quite sad. And which put lots of questions to all of us, the alive: “… in Italy there is no recollection of my poor father. Neither a single monument nor a street named in his honour, years after his death his bones were laid in a common tomb and no gravestone exists in the grave yard in the town of Pistoya, where he was buried”

In 2009 120 years have passed since the death of our eminent compatriot doctor Stefan Dunjov. It seems to me, that this might be a sufficient reason for writing a book in his honour.