3
Forming of the Local
Campaign Committees
On the day
after the establishment
of BCCC, on April 14, together with Boris Andreev, Hadzhikimov
arrived in
Veles. There he found all houses having signs that they were inhabited
by
Bulgarians because the Germans were assaulted the Jewish homes. In
the town
there were demolitions from the Germans' bombings, wounded and
killed people.
The Veles town Hall was already taken by the Bulgarians, led by
Konstantin
Vanev. More precisely, the Serbian authorities had left before the
German
invasion.
A long
discussion took place in the
hall of the community center “at the presence of many people” a
prolonged
discussion has taken place. A conclusion was reached that a campaign
committee
should be formed, which to follow the line of BCCC for accession of
Macedonia
to Bulgaria The tasks of the committee according to the report of
April 14 for
its establishment were to represent Veles before all authorities and to
protect
its economical, political and cultural interests.
The
campaign committee chose
Executive Committee with Lazar Krepiev as President, Boris Andreev,
Deputy
President, Dr. Angel Panov, Secretary, Lazo Stoianov, Secretary and as
advisors
were elected Panko Brashnarov, Sazdo
Hadzhipetrushev, Strahil
Georgov, Dr. Dimcbe Smilev and Strahil Gigov (Document No. 10).41
As
one could see the popular communist functionaries Panko Brashnarov and
Strahil
Gigov were among the people chosen in the management body of the
campaign
committee in Veles. The committee appointed the local lawyer Nikola
Pavlov -
Butika as mayor of the town.
Macedonia newspaper instantly informed about
the event. That was the first local committee and its formation was
also a
historical event. Veles had a long history in national liberation
struggles.
That was why the formation of a local Bulgarian campaign committee was
accompanied by unseen enthusiasm. The newspaper pointed out that V.
Hadzhikimov
had widely clarified the tasks of the committee. His words were sent
off with
long Bulgarian “Hurrah” - for the freedom of Macedonia,
for Bulgaria
and for Tsar Boris III. (Document N, 11),42
The
campaign committee in Veles
immediately organized an action for discovering and restoring the
graves of
the Bulgarian soldiers and officers who had perished during World
War I. Bones
of dead soldiers were found in the yard of Saint Pantaleymon church.
The
population had hidden the crosses from the Serbs. In that
connection on May 4,
Sunday, the campaign committee organized a ceremony of worship before
the remains
of the dead. The chief of the Bulgarian garrison in the town spoke
before the
people present there. The population was in high spirit despite the
fact that
160 innocent citizens were killed by bombs and shells.43
In his
native town of Shtip,
Vassil Hadzhikimov
was met by eng. Dimitur Karadzhov. The Bulgarians there, as in many
other towns
in Macedonia,
had immediately taken power. Dimitur Karadzhov was chosen by the
citizens as
chairman of the municipality. Well known by his fellow-townsmen,
Hadzhikimov organized
a meeting, where he explained the position of the Central Committee.
The
citizens had elected an advisory body and an Executive Committee with
Dimitar Hadzhigrigorov as president,
Dr. Todor Gichev as Deputy President, Liuben Mitrov as secretary, Petar
Parlev
as Deputy Secretary and advisors Traicho Stanchev, Mishe Ikonomov,
Slavko Garlichkov,
Mishe Muftiev, Doncho Hadzhisankov, Petur Golev, Todor Yanev, Traycho
Hadzhipetsov and Kotse Nikolov (Document No, 12).44 Member
of the
campaign committee became also Nikola Kirkov, relative to Kirkov - the
participant in the Salonica outrages. Its member was also Vassil
Grankov -
convicted to 10 years in Serbian jail because of his activities in the
campaign
committee.
Shtip was
badly damaged by the
German bombings but that did not stop the citizens from organizing and
taking
measures for normalization of life, Karadzhov and Hadzhikimov
liberated the
Serbian families that were shut in a special camp by the town
population.
The
activism of the population of Shtip
was not accidental. For 23 years the town was buried under the lava of
Serbian
hatred. ,,And the one who wants to know what is a Serbian slavery",
wrote
Hadzhikimov", shall come here to understand something more - what is
Bulgarian spirit and strength, Rightly the people from Shtip are thought
to be the most persistent and strong Bulgarians. In spite of all
suffering and
assimilation they have kept their language and consciousness not
only their
national belonging, but about the role they have played in the past for
the
liberation of Macedonia and would play now for the new and united Bulgaria”45
The
campaign committee in Shtip
organized a search of the remains of the soldiers and officers
from the
Bulgarian army who perished for the liberty of Macedonia
during the World War I.
They were found secretly buried without crosses in the church yard of
“Holly
Merry” in Novo Selo.
In 1915 the
Eleventh Infantry
Macedonian Division, formed of Bulgarians from Macedonia
waged a combat in the area of the village of Krivolak,
Shtip
region. Against it were the armies of Entente, which consisted of
representatives of different nationalities. They were sent to fight
against the
Bulgarian army in order to prevent the unification. Many Bulgarians
from Macedonia
died
in the Krivolak combat. There found his death the who for his 15 years
of
revolutionary activities was not even wounded - Hristo Chernopeev.
Ivan
Mihaylov reported in his memories for his funeral as well for that of
Captain
Milosh Stanishev from Koukoush and that of lieutenant Tsirounkarev from
Kostour: “Many people had gathered for their funeral in the school
yard behind
the altar of the church.” With the coming of the Serbian authorities in
1918
the graves were endangered that was why the crosses were removed.
When Vardar Macedonia
was
liberated in April 1941 it was necessary the graves of other
people that were
without crosses and names to be found. Usually they were in church
yards - holy
places for every Bulgarian. According to Ivan Mihaylov the graves
of the heroes
buried in Shtip were worshipped by the local people. They were
obliterated by
the Serbian authorities that established after the World War II.46
After Shtip, Hadzhikimov
organized a campaign committee in Kochani. President of the committee
was
Priest Gligor, Deputy President was Blagoy Dzhirov, Secretary was
Todor
Manassiev, Deputy Secretary Liubomir Efremov, Cashier - Metodi
Varadinov and advisors
were - Ivan Dvoiakov, Todor Varadinov, Dr. Stoyan Iliev, Gosho Trendov,
Petar
Popov, Dr. Apostolov and Todor Nishadzhiev. In the management body were
also
Blazhe Dzhidrov, Priest Gligor, Ivan Nakov, Mito Pendov, Todor Nankov,
Milan
Dimitriev, Boris Chakaruv, Gosho Todorov, Milan Yanakiev, Petar
Nakashev, Dr.
T. Apostolov, Kr. P. Georgiev, Stoyan Nikolov, Todor Varadinov,
Se-rafim
Zahariev, Dr. Stoyan Iliev, Todor Manassiev, Petur Popov, Lazar
Babamov, Sazdo
Aytoski, Mishe II, Popkov, Todor Nishandzhiev,
Slave Iliev, Stephan P. Gerassimov, Boris Zahariev, Liubo E.
Samitov,
Dime Ivanov, Todor P. Efremov, Asparouh47, Hariklia
Sarafska, Petar
Ivanov, Al. Teodossiev, Dimitur Teoharov.and Mctodi Varadinov.
After
Kochani, V. Fladzhikimov went
to the village Vinitsa, where on April 18 a local Bulgarian campaign
committee
was founded. At the head of the executive council was the president of
the
campaign committee Todor Ivanov. Deputy President was the old fighter
for
freedom Boris Palikrushev, Lazar Ivanov was Secretary, Cashier was
Todor
Gerassimov and for advisors were chosen Priest Ivan Stoykov, Milan
Arsov,
Trayan Doudanov, Simeon Gerassimov, Todor Bamov, Todor Karamakov,
Stoimen Ivanov and Stoyan Panev (Document No.
13).48
After the
establishment of a
campaign committee in Vinitsa, V. Hdzhikimov
organized others in Pehchevo, Tsarevo Selo (Delchevo),
Berovo,
Radovish and Stroumitsa. Along with the town committees were
formed villages'
ones.49 The president of BCCC, Stephan Stephanov organized a
committee in Kratovo, his native town.
The
citizens of Koumanovo, hearing
the proclamation of the BCCC about its creation and from Macedonia newspaper its appeal for
taking the
power locally and accession to Bulgaria,
immediately summoned a meeting on April 18 for the formation of a
committee.
For president was chosen Georgi Garev, for his deputy was chosen Dr.
Yossif
Andonov, for First Secretary - Ivan Dotsev, Second Secretary Vlade
Lipkovski
and for cashier - Vlada Shoumanov; members of the council were Dimitro
Tassev,
Alexander Kovachev, Alexander Dimkov, Todor Spassov and Nikola Peshev.
The
meeting was not attended by a representative of the CC, but the
citizens
unanimously adopted its ideas. They declared that would follow
,,all ideas developed
BCC". The meeting was closed with loud Bulgarian “Hurrah” (Document No.
14).50
In the town
of Sveti Nikola Hadzhikimov
arrived on April 21. There he summoned a meeting that proceeded
very
animatedly. The most respected person was Toma Klinkov, but he was
married for Serbian
woman. (The mixed marriages between Bulgarians and Serbs were one of
the ways
for assimilation). That fact made him disliked by some of the people
present.
Some of them pulled out knives and guns. With big efforts Hadzhikimov
managed
to pacify them. At the end the meeting voted for Klinkov and elected
him as
president. For Deputy President was chosen Kiril Lazarov, for Secretary
-
Georgi Lazarov and for Cashier - Stoyan Yanev (Document No. 15).51
Until
entering of the Bulgarian
army campaign committees were formed in the most of the towns in Vardar
Macedonia
but
they were not united in a network. That happened after the tour of
Hadzhikimov
in the region during which he unified the documentation and the methods
of work.
After Veles, Shtip, Vinitsa and Sveti Nikola he prepared himself for
organizational work in the rest of the towns. The plan for his further
activities, outlined in Skopje by the members of BCC, stipulated
the formation
of committees firstly in the western part of Vardar Macedonia and after
that in
Aegean Macedonia Together with Ivan Hadzhov, a teacher from one of
the secondary
schools in Sofia, born in Strouga, and with the driver Slave Popankov, Hadzhikimov set off to Tetovo.52
In the
beginning of the drive out
of the Serbian authorities was created in Prizren an Albanian
committee, headed
by Bedri Piani and Redzhep Mitrovitsa. The activities of that committee
were directed
to taking the local power in the towns of Kosovo and Metohia as well as
in
western Macedonia
- in Tetovo, Gostivar, Debur, Slrouga and Ohrid. The committee's course
of
action was to work for the integration of that regions with “Great
Albania”
against the Italian occupation. That was why in those towns almost
simultaneously were created Albanian and Bulgarian committees that
started to
fight between themselves. In some of the towns where there were
some Serbian
families faithful to Serbian chauvinism, Serbian committees were formed.53
Approaching Tetovo,
Hadzhikimov was convinced that the Albanian danger should not be
neglected.
Gathered in groups by the road, the Albanians shouted after the car
instead of greeting
him, with which they expressed their pretensions not only to that area
but even
to Skopje.
With
his arrival in town Hadzhikimov and his escort found out that during
the period
with no authorities an Albanian committee was formed that
pretended for
accession with Albania.
Some Serbian teachers had created a Serbian committee and the Bulgarian
population had formed a “national committee” without adding
Bulgarian or
Macedonian to its name. There was not management body at the head of
this
committee. The citizens of Tetovo fought for the chairman's
position - who
would lead the committee and the community. “Here are the rivalry,
the
ambitions and the reminders of the old party groups. Political legacy
of
different regimes since the Turkish yoke.” The struggle was
between the followers
of Svetoslav Andreychin, brother of the killed by the Serbs Boris
Andreychin
and the respected from all citizens Trifon Apostolov. Hadzhikimov was
impressed
by the great organizational division of the committee, with a lot of
councils.
,,Perhaps every devoted citizen of Tetovo, feeling the historical
moment,
sincerely strived to be part of it, or that was probably due to our
fault,
remainder from the old times, everybody to be first, all of us
commanders and
leaders." The struggle was not on principle or on interpolitical basis,
nor for the main course which the committee followed. A certain-course
of action
was not agreed on. By the words of V. Hadzhikimov, the squabble
was “repulsive”.
He explained briefly the position of the BCCC and appealed for stopping
the
arguments in that critical for the Bulgarians moment and for
placing the
interests of Macedonia
higher then the personal ones.54
To cohere
the citizens of Tetovo V.
Hadzhikimov organized a worship celebration in front of Mara Bouneva's
house,
who shot the Serbian hangman Velimir Prelich. The mother of Mara
Bouneva - a
lonely old woman - met the guests that wanted to bow before the awesome
heroism
of that Bulgarian woman. Everybody kissed the hand of the woman and
went out of
the house “as if after church”.55
The
committee founded by the
citizens of Tetovo was renamed in a local campaign committee. Even
Hadzhikimov
did not succeed to organize it in a structure similar to those of the
rest of
the committees. The citizens of Tetovo preserved the structure they had
created. The committee had several councils: political-jurisdictional,
administrative-managerial, financial, and social economical. Each
council
consisted of at least 5-6 advisors and the same number of “additional”
ones.
In the
political council were
included: Svetoslav Andreychin, Mihail Serafimov, Trifon Apostolov, Al.
Filipov, Nikola Veterov, Mihail Neshov, Nikola Pavlov, Mihail Zahariev,
Hristo
Zdravev. Additional advisors were Trpe Mihailov, Georgi Mladenov,
Todor Toulev,
Slavko Gerassimov, Stephan H. Naumov, Kiril Hristov. In the
administrative
managerial council were Trifon Apostolov, Mihail Serafimov, Kouzman
Naydenov,
Apostol Iv. Gyugyuvchev, Ilia Simov, Boris.M. Neshov, Simeon Kostov,
Kroum
Bozhinov, Trpe Iv. Boshnakov. Additional advisors were Kiril
Mitroushev, D.
Rostov, Andrei V. Stefchev, Nofo Dimov, Zaharia Zakov. The financial
council
included Hristo Zdravev, Hristo Dzhinlev, Milan H. Naumov, Al. Panov,
Gougoush
Gougoushev, Gligor Veterov. Additional advisors were Yastro Momirov,
Doushan
Veterov, Zaharia Tomov. And members of the social economical council
were
Bilbil Trpev, Hristo Pavlov, Simo Momirov, Andrey Ivanov, D. Sarov, Dr.
Gligor
Evchev, Dr. Simo Petrov, Andrey Hristov, Metodi Mihaylov. Additional
advisors
were Paskal Georgiev, Boris Petorushev, Peter Simov, Georgi Minov, Nikola Veterov and
Mihail Neshov were secretaries of the committee.56
The
committee consisted of 58
people in total - 15 intellectuals, 19 tradesmen, 13 clerks, 7
craftsmen, 1
priest, 1 worker and 2 more people. Or in the campaign committee
participated
26.3 % intellectuals, 33.3 % tradesmen, 22.9 % clerks, 12.3 % craftsmen,
1.7 % priests, 1.7 % workers and 3.3 % other. The conclusion
was that
the members were representatives of all circles of the population. The
organizing and the formation of local committees in the villages of the
Tetovo
region was one of the most important and task of the committee.57
Near Tetovo
was the German camp for
prisoners of war. The campaign committee in Tetovo, headed by
Hadzhikimov
succeeded in negotiating with the German military authorities and in
liberating
the Macedonian Bulgarians prisoners of war.
On May 24 the committee
organized a manifestation in honour of the Slavonic teachers St. St.
Cyril and
Methodius, that was traditionally was celebrated as a day of the
Bulgarian
letters and culture. Every year until today that celebration had been
an
expression of the Bulgarian spirit. That was why even with their
presence in
the streets, the citizens of Tetovo (about 10 000 people) showed to the
foreigners, mostly Italians, that the town and the region were pure
Bulgarian.
The people not only participated in the manifestation but used it to
raise
Bulgarian flags and slogans before the Italian authorities for
accession with
Bulgaria.58
That
expression of the Bulgarian
belonging of the population of Tetovo was
imposed from the Italian occupation in that region. In the beginning of
May the
journalist Velko Spanchev visited Tetovo and some villages in the area.
He
found out that everywhere the population expected “with love and
indescribable
devotion” the arrival of the Bulgarian army and the establishment
of the
Bulgarian administrative authority. In the same time, however, as he
said, the
population was scared that that could not happen, i.e. it was possible
that
beautiful Bulgarian region to remain under foreign rule - that time
Italian.
His observations Panchev sent as a letter to the Bulgarian central
campaign
committee. The anxiety of the population, according to him,
increased every
hour because of the persistent activities of the Albanian
propaganda and the
rumours that Tetovo, Gostivar, Galichnik, Debur and Ohrid, Strouga
and Ressen
would be Albanian.59
The reason
of those fears was
rooted in the establishment of an Albanian committee in Tetovo. Under
its
direction, the Albanians organized big demonstrations and insisted for
the
liberation of Tetovo region from Italian occupation and accessed
to Albania.
The
Muslim religion of the Albanians made them initiate actions against
their own
economic interest, because Tetovo region was economically related
to Macedonia
and
to the west was bound with high mountains.
The town of
Gostivar
was decorated with German, Albanian,
Bulgarian and Italian flags. The Bulgarian committee carried out
propaganda for
accession with Bulgaria,
and
the Albanians - for integration with Italy. In the town there
were no
state authorities in the town. The Italian army occupied it on May 10.
The
activity of the local Bulgarian campaign committee continued long after
the
establishment of the Italian rule, it continued to gather
signatures and send
petitions to the Bulgarian Tsar and other institutions for the
accession of
Gostivar region to Bulgaria.60
In Gostivar
Hadzhikimov met Atanas
Poptraykov. The latter met him with tears in his eyes and “overwhelmed
him with
the generosity of a man ready for revelation.” His father, an old
Bulgarian
priest, was brutally killed by the Serbs. Until late at night
Poptraykov spoke
to the guests about the torture to which were subject all Bulgarians
during the
Serbian rule.61 On the next day, April 23, 1941 the already
established committee was reorganized and renamed in a local
campaign
committee. Its president was Dr. Dimitur Ivanov, Deputy President
- Sofroni
Petrov, Secretary - Mihail Filipov, Cashier - Andon Andonov and
advisors were
Silvian Despotov, Sarandi Sotirov, Tsipre Lazarov, Evgenii Trimchev,
Genadii
Issakiev, Roussi Avramov and Krusto Mitov (Document No. 16).62
After
Gostivar and the organizing
of the local campaign committee, Hadzhikimov went to the villages
of Leunovo
and Mavrovo -two pure Bulgarian villages with population of about 1000
people.63
The priest
Spiro Lichenovski met
Hadzhikimov in Debur deeply touched ,,Never, never in this life you
would
experience a more glorious day than this when the old priest
Lichenovski was
holding .my hand, with tears in his eyes, as if he was nestling
Bulgaria to his
breast, wrote Hadzhikimov. “Nice, honest people from Debur. It is clear
for me
now. Where the regime of the enslavement was most unbearable, there
have grown
the most honest Bulgarians - hard as steel and unbreakable as a
century-old
tree.” 64
An Albanian
Committee was formed
immediately after the surrender of Yugoslavia
in Debur and started operation: demonstrations and meetings were
organized in
honour of the liberation and for accession to Albania.
In that respect the
Albanian committee was very active. It got in touch with the Central
Albanian
committee in Prizren on the day of its establishment. So the situation
in Debar
was rather specific. At that case of Italian and not of German
occupation, the
activities connected with the formation of a campaign committee
had the
features of outlaw actions. In that region the Albanians and the
Italians-behaved as if the were at home. There were no Bulgarian
meetings for
the formation of the campaign committee, nor loud Bulgarian “Hurrah”.
The
meeting that took place in the home of one of the Bulgarian teachers on
April
24 resolved the question. Priest Spiro Lichenovski was chosen for
president,
for Deputy President - Teofil Koukov, for Secretary Rafail
Stamatov, for
Cashier Nikola Stoyanov. Twenty people were chosen for advisors
(Document No.
17).65 A few days later that committee sent in Skopje Pavel
Traykov
to inform BCCC about the situation in Debur (document No.18).66
According to
Hadzhikimov, however, that committee could hardly perform any activity.
It was
possible only illegally. But the purpose of creating campaign
committees was
not to operate illegally, but to make the population active. In
any case the
committee was constituted and recognized the policy of BCCC for
accession to
Bulgaria.67
Despite
that the meeting was
secret, the Italian authorities obviously suspected something
about the
mission of Hadzhikimov in Debur. Due to that reason he was arrested and
"taken to the Italian commandant. The Italians searched the car and
confiscated the first issue of the Macedonia newspaper, issued
by
BCCC. After a few hours of investigation when it was that Hadzhikimov
and his
messenger had no intention to organize an assault they were set
free to go to
Ohrid Actually they were saved by people from Ohrid and Strouga who
reported in
BCCC in Skopje for the accident.68
Vassil
Hadzhikimov did not manage
to organize campaign committees in Ohrid and Strouga, or more
precisely, he
did not do it personally. The Italians forbade him from staying that
region so
he went to Ressen. That however did not mean that the citizens of the
two
active Bulgarian towns were left without campaign committees. On the
contrary,
committees were established and they were the most active in Vardar.
Macedonia.
The
citizens of Strouga
acknowledged the declaration of BCCC in Skopje.
The intellectuals in town took the initiative for convening a meeting
on April
21, 1941. With several words Svetoslav Milev opened the meeting and
explained
its goals. He announced before the citizens present that BCCC was
formed in Skopje
and it appealed
through the radio and the press for the establishment of committees
everywhere
“where Bulgarians lived”. The discussions were held “with unseen
enthusiasm and
rapture”. A Counseling Committee and Executive Committee with extended
membership: Svetoslav Milev, President, Anastas Moysov, Deputy
President, Filip
Kavaev and Boris Chakurov, Secretaries, Krustio Bilianov, Cashier and
five
people for advisors. In the name of the members chosen, President
Svetoslav
Milev thanked for the great honor and confidence, and promised that the
Executive Committee would work hard to the well-being of the people. He
appealed the people present to support morally and financially the
committee
and “to work as one to the benefit of the people and for the grandeur
of Bulgaria.”
The
meeting was closed with the Bulgarian “Hurrah”. (Document No. 19)69
The same
day a booklet with the
declaration on the BCCC was printed for the Bulgarians in the town and
in the
region. In that way the committee announced to the citizens the course
of the
BCCC for accession with Bulgaria
and asked them as Bulgarians to arrange a festive meeting of the
Bulgarian army
“that could arrive any moment”. The appeal was to “all Bulgarians
to meet the
Bulgarian army with flowers and dressed in colorful national costumes
of their
native region and the houses to be decorated with Bulgarian flags”
(Document
No.20).70
The local
campaign committee in
Strouga took measures to detain people .who exercised Serbian
administrative
power in the region “until Bulgarian authorities were restored in
Strouga". That meant the clerks from the Serbian administration should
provide an account for the inventory and the cash-books (Document No.
21)71
The
committee in Strouga sent its
Deputy President Anastas K. Moysov to 'Skopje
and empowered him to report about all matters related to the work of
the
committee and to the situation in the town and the region (Document No.
22).72
Due to the
aspirations of Italy
towards
Ohrid and the obstacles to organizing the Bulgarian population, V.
Hadzhikimov
did not succeed to form in person a campaign committee in that
sacred place.
The town and the region were inhabited by Albanians. A local
committee was
formed immediately after the obtaining of the information for the
creation of
BCCC. It raised the slogan for accession with Bulgaria.
An Albanian Committee was
established as a counter measure and it worked for integration
with Albania.
The
two committees organized demonstrations and meetings in the town
square in the
town center. Sometimes the two groups stood against each other - one
with the
Albanian and Italian flags, the other with Bulgarian and German ones.73
The citizens of Ressen,
who lived near the dividing line with Italy, were afraid of
the
uncertainty and, being anxious not to remain under Serbian rule after
the war,
they became easy victims of the Italian-Albanian propaganda. Led by a
group of
local people - the mayor Georgi Danovski, his deputy Lambo Gcshtanov
and Georgi
Donev, wrongly informed of the situation and influenced by the destiny
of Ohrid
destiny, Strouga and other places occupied by the Italians, the people
thought
that their town had to join them. A list passed from hand to hand and
the
citizens signed it, convinced that they had taken the right decision.
Krustio
Traykov went round the houses and spread propaganda for accession with
Bulgaria.74 With the help of that old fighter for liberty in
1912-1918 wars, Hadzhikimov managed to organize on April 23 a meeting
on which
to clarify the position of BCCC and its tasks. Donev with his whole
group
readily entered the committee. A local campaign committee was formed
for the
town of Ressen
with a counselor body and an executive committee with president
Krastio
Traykov, President, Simeon Tatarchev, Deputy President, Dr. Vl.
Tudzharovski, Secretary,
Tashko Georgiev, Deputy Secretary, Nikola Spirov, Cashier, Lambo
Tashev, Boyan
Popov, Mihail Nochev, Petur Veliov, Pasko Strezov, Simeon Tanov and
Mihail
Proyov, advisors. Members of the councellor body were: Krustio Traykov,
Dr.
Georgi Donev, Vladimir Tudzharovski, Pande Lyapchev, Mihail Milenkov,
Toma
Dochov, Boris Kioropanov, Krustio Iliev, Nikola Spirov, Mihail Nonchev,
Boris
Bakalov, Mone Radenov - a worker, Stavre Panov - a joiner, Milan
Giurchinov - a
baker, Lambe Geshakov - a butcher, Simeon Tatarchev - a student,
Simeon Panov
- a shoemaker, Anastas Dorev, Kroum Bozhinov, Ilia Bozhinov, Pasko
Strezov,
Kiro Velov - a farmer, Vangel Dochov, Tashko Sekov - a driver, Tashko
Georgiev,
Eftim Yankov - a clerk, Al. Bossilkov - a trader, Ekim Tomov, Peter
Veliov,
Kroum Popov, Lambe Toshev, Pande Mishev — a worker, Dr. G.
Strezov, Kruste
Nizamov, Iv. Chukalev, Sotir Tashev, Milan
Nechev and Alexander Bozhilov.75
On the next
day Hadzhikimov
organized village campaign committees in Tsarev Dvor and Asamati
after which
he went to Bitola.
In that big administrative centre the Bulgarian population have to
fight as in Skopje
in order to take
the municipality from the Serbian administration. Actually the
struggle was
not as that much against the Serbian administration than for giving
evidence to
the German authorities for the Bulgarian character of the town.
The citizens
of Bitola
formed an initiative committee; that also happened in other Macedonian
towns.
That showed that the formation of Bulgarian committees in 1941 was a
spontaneous deed of the Bulgarian population for its
self-determination and
not just an act of several enraptured intellectuals. Another
question was that
the committee in Bitola
did not carry the name “campaign”. The arrival of Hadzhikimov on April
25 created order and settled the things. The structure of the committee
was
reorganized and campaign was added to her name. A counseling body of 43
members
and an executive council of 14 members were elected. President of the
committee
was Dr. Boris Svetiev - active follower of IMRO, Deputy President -
Petar Petsakov,
Secretary - Sotir Trenchev, Deputy Secretary - Stephan Svetiev and
Cashier -
Stephan Traykov. For advisors were chosen Hristo Rizov, Trpko Trpkov,
Nikola
Dolenchanets, Mihail Frangov, Ahil Dimitrov, Peter Mihailov, Serafim
Lazarov,
Vangel Atsev and Bozhin Stephanov (Document No. 23).76
It was not
difficult to understand
why the citizens of Bitola
met obstacles in establishing the Bulgarian authorities. Bitola
was the second administrative center in Vardar Macedonia.
There were a great
number of Serbian settlers-colonists. According to the reports of
Bulgarian
police, there were about 1000 Serbs and 200 Serbian followers.77
The
latter were more dangerous for the Bulgarians than the Serbs because
they were
born in Macedonia and passed for Macedonian Serbs, During the war most
of the
colonists were driven to their native land by the Bulgarian
authorities but
after the war they came back.78
As it was
evident from the case
with Bitola, the population in Macedonia
did
not expect the arrival of a person as V. Hadzhikimov who would organize
the
taking of power by the Bulgarians and the establishing of
municipality
authorities. The people acted according to the situation. Various types
of
bodies were formed in the different places. With the arrival of
Hadzhikimov
those bodies were affiliated with BCCC and were given the name
,,campaign
committees". In some places it was quite the opposite: after obtaining
the
news for the formation of BCCC, local Bulgarian campaign committees
were
founded without the presence of a management body representative.
Prilep, the native town
of Metodii Koussev, Danail Krapchev and
Dimitur
Talev, the brothers Yordan and Dimitur Chkatrov had always been a
Bulgarian
stronghold in Macedonia.
As early as 1838 the citizens had a Bulgarian church, rejecting the
dominance
of the Greek Phanariot clergy. The formation of a campaign committee in
the
town did not pass without mishaps. The Serbs gave away the municipality
and the
Bulgarians organized a committee for taking of the administrative
power. In
spite of that, however, like the citizens of Tetovo, they could not
agree who
should come at the head of the municipality. The struggle for prestige
was led on personal basis between the
groups round the old teacher Milan Nebrekliev and of the lawyer Rampo
Ivanov
Toplichanets. 79
The arrival
and the interference of
Hadzhikimov appeared to be on time. The lawyer as more conciliatory
gave
priority to Milan Nebrekliev who became president of the newly formed
campaign
committee. The election took place during the meeting on which a
decision was
made the policy of the BCCC for accession with Bulgaria
to be followed. The
citizens perceived the idea the committee for taking the power, with
its
sections - cultural educational, informational, preparatory and
financial, to
be renamed in “advisory body” with the local campaign committee, formed
on
April 26. For secretary was chosen Alexander Hadzhizdravev, and
for cashier - Haralambi
Achev. Advisors in the executive committee were Kosta Milchinov, Kosta
Zhabliankov and Milan Yoskov. The name of Dimitur Chkatrov was added to
the
minutes later in a different handwriting, which meant that he was
not present
and was chosen later on. His name actually was not among the members of
the
Central Bureau, that existed up to then, nor in the operating
commissions.
(Document No. 24).80
Even before
the arrival of
Hadzhikimov the members of the commission had arrested, all
Serbian clerks and
policemen who were guilty for the murder of several young people from
Prilep,
who had deserted from the Yugoslav army: The committee organized
allowances by
the municipality to the families of those killed in the struggle
with the
Serbian authorities. In the town was initiated an action finding out
the graves
of the Bulgarian officers and soldiers from World War I.81
On his way
back to Skopje,
V. Hadzhikimov founded a local campaign committee in the village
of Drachevo in Skopje region.
In his memoirs he indicated
that at the head of the committee was a man from the Zhezhovs family,
but he
could not recall his name.82
The
Bulgarian women from Macedonia
always kept their national consciousness alert and played
important role in
the revolutionary struggles. In that crucial moment, abreast with
the
tradition, they took active part in the events. By the initiative of a
group of
women patriots from Skopje in the
presence of
the Secretary Organizer of BCCC, Hadzhikimov founded a Women's Union with BCCC. The constituent meeting was
held on
April 30, 1941 in the hall of the musical school in Skopje. On it was chosen the
executive
Committee wit the following members: Mariika Ivanova Shaleva,
President,
Ekaterina Voynova, Deputy President, Rada Stoycheva and Kostadinka
Hadzhimaneva,
Secretaries, and Sonya Atanasova and Gana Atanasova, Cashiers. As
advisors were
elected: Elena Ivanova, Victoria Atanassova, Kitincheva, Liuba
Dimcheva,
Spaska Voynova, Gana Tsvetkova, Radka Zografska (Document No. 25).83
In honour of its formation, the Women's Union
with BCCC sent a greeting telegram to Tsaritsa Yoanna (Document
No. 26).84
After a
short stay in Skopje,
Hadzhikimov
together with the journalist Kroum Naoumov set off to the south
and formed
campaign committees in Gradsko, Valandovo, Dimirkapia, Bogdantsi,
Doyran and
Gevgeli.85 His final aim was Salonica.
The
situation in Aegean Macedonia,
however, was quite different from that in Vardar
area: Instead of open meetings of the citizens, secret ones were
organized.
During the tour, Kr. Naoumov, who spoke German fluently, got in touch
with the
German commandant and the military authorities and tried to
convince them that
the administrative should have to be taken by the Bulgarians,
Everywhere the
answer was ”We have nothing against it. Give us a proof that you are
majority
and everything will be all right." They knew very well that by means of
unbearable assimilation in Aegean Macedonia the Greek authorities
had driven
away greater part of the population to Bulgaria
and in their place had settled lots of Greek refugees from the Asia Minor. At that time Enidzhevardar counted
9000
people and from them 6000 were Greek refugees. However that did not
disturb the
apostle spirit of V. Hadzhikimov. The Greeks were shocked by the defeat
and were
scared so they did not oppose to the active Bulgarian spirit. “A well
organized
minority always will be stronger than a demoralized majority."86
Of course, Hadzhikimov had in mind the changing of the ethnic feature
of Aegean
Macedonia in near future when the refugees from liberated Bulgaria
would
come back.
Before Salonica,
Hadzhikimov visited the towns of Lerin, Voden, Enizhevardar
and Gyumenzhe, and he managed to organize committees
in Voden and Lerin.
The
documents for the formation of
the campaign committee in Aegean Macedonia were not preserved. V. Hadzhikimov indicated in his
memoirs the following people as active participants in the
committee in Lerin:
Georgi Torkov, Kosta Apostolov, Pandil Giorev, Kosta Naoumov, Dimo
Bachani,
Filip Bozhinov Penev and Spiro Atanassov. The active members of the
committee
of Voden were Atanas Samarzhiev, Peter Kovachev, Hristo Radivchev,
Peter
Samardzhiev, Georgi Tressinchev, Sotir Koronov, Georgi Gendzhev, Georgi
Hadzhipeev, Vangel Sarakinov. In the committee of Goumendzhe: Georgi
Vassilev,
Peter Katranov, Hristo Hadzhimichorov,
Georgi Trenkov, Dino Pophristov, Dimitur Dzekov, Hristo
Koussidonov,
Hristo Zelenkov, Todor Todorov, Blagoy Avramov,
Avramov brothers. In Enidzhevardar,
Hadzhikimov did not organize a committee, but in his memoirs
he
pointed the most active members with whom he was in touch were Georgi
Daskalov,
Georgi Parishov, Mihail Mandalov, Dimitur Mandalov, Hristo Babaliev,
Georgi
Touchov Doumov, Dimitur Popkochov, Peter Ugrinov, Hristo
Makrishov, Perikli Giupchanov, Georgi Yankoulov,
Georgi Kaiafov, Kolio Kadriev, Stamat Mechov and Georgi Zeskov.87
I shall
give only one example of
the situation of the Bulgarian population in Aegean Macedonia, where it
was
subject to a continuous moral and physical torment. On September
21, 1941 the
German authorities in Voden gave an order the Bulgarians from the town
of Goumendje
and the near
villages to declare their national origin. However, the Greek
municipality
authorities released that order not until the evening of October 4. The
deadline was at October 5, 5 p.m. The few Bulgarians who learned about
that
order were warned from the Greek administration that those who declare
their
nationality would be deported. So the German authorities did not
obtain accurate
data for the ethnic features that region. 88
In Salonica
Hadzhikimov found an
organization already created for taking the power - Club of the
Bulgarians
from Aegean Macedonia. The idea for the name “club” obviously came
from the
Bulgarian constitution clubs from 1908. That club, however,
according to
Hadzhikimov resembled a representative office of the Ministry of
Foreign
Affairs in Sofia rather than an organization which would raise the
slogan for
taking of the power and accession to Bulgaria, The club was under the
management of Chaushev, Yaranov and Beshevliev.89 After a tour round
Salonica Hadzhikimov estimated that it would be better not to establish
campaign committee, but leave the activities to the club.90
The
emigration from Aegean
Macedonia to Bulgaria
also wanted to help. A letter from the citizens of Kostour who had
a committee
in Sofia
is
preserved. The committee appealed to the Tsar of the Bulgarians, Boris
III with
a request for the accession of Kostour region to Bulgaria.
They described in details
the history of the region, proving their right to belong to Bulgaria.91
After his
tour in Aegean Macedonia,
Hadzhikimov returned to Skopje.
He deviated to Gevgeli, where on a meeting of the population on
May 29, 1941 a
local campaign committee was formed. It consisted of 50 people. The
president
of the Executive Committee was Dr. Mitsev (Document No. 27). Deputy
President
was Alexander Hadzhinankov, Secretary was Todor Mandalov, Deputy
Secretary -
Hristo Paketchiev and Cashier - Vassil Hadzhikarkalashev.
On the next
day, May 30,
Hadzhikimov formed a committee in Kavadartsi, the main town of Tikvesh area.
There the meeting chose for
president of the committee Blagoy Atanassov. Deputy President was
Hristo
Seizov, Secretaries were Georgi Badev and Slavcho Temkov, Cashier
Blazho
Shkartov and advisors: Blagoy Elenov, Peter Todorov, Nikola Shishkov, Vassil
Hadzhivassilev, Metodi Manev, Blagoy Grigorov, Pane Shahiyazov, Dimitur
Apostolov, Hristo Choulev and the priest Blagoy Zaharkov (Document No.
28).92
That did not mean
however that in Kavadartsi the people expected Hadzhikimov to form
a
committee. As in other places, it was already formed. On April 23, 1941
they
had organized a meeting on which for a president of the campaign
committee was
chosen Vassil Seizov, The meeting voted for a greeting letter to Tsar
Boris
III, pronouncing him “Tsar of all Bulgarians". The letter contained an
appeal “whole Macedonia
to be included in the borders of United Bulgaria" (Document No. 29).93
Greeting letter was sent also to Bogdan Filov. In it the Bulgarians
from
Kavadartsi and the region shared their joy with the prime-minister for
the
liberation of “classical Bulgarian land Macedonia".
They expected
eagerly the Bulgarian government to take the power in the region
(Document
No.30).94 In the presence of Hadzhikimov only the president
of the
committee was changed - the Deputy President Blagoy Anastassov was
chosen for that
position. Not in vain in the minutes for the formation of the committee
in
Kavadartsi it was said that the goal of the meeting was to reorganize
the
committee on a broader basis among the citizens with an aim unanimity
between
the population in Kavadartsi to be created" to the benefit of the
country
and the people".45
After
Kavadartsi, Hadzhikimov visited Negotin.
There he stayed at the house of Doncho Moyssov, a barber, father of the
well-known Lazar Moyssov, at that time a student al Kliment Ochridski
Sofia
University. There a campaign committee was already formed, with Yordan
Bouhov
at the head. That happened on April 13, 1941 when a so called community
committee was formed with members Yordan Bouhov, Georgi Bozhkov, Pane
Apostolov, Ivan Mishev, Boris Chavoushov, Yordan Kamchev and Dime
Danailov. For
president of the committee and for mayor of the town was elected Yordan
Bouhov.
The citizens of Negotin reported in Skopje
that they have taken the municipality. In their letter to the BCCC they
turned
to it as if it was their government and asked for instructions for
further
activity (Document No. 31).96
The
formation of campaign
committees round Macedonia should not be examined as a deed of several
activists patriots but as a people's deed, as a statement of the
alert
Bulgarian spirit in the crucial time of April 1941. It represented the
national
self-determination, a desire of the people, who after the liberation
from the
Serbian rule wanted to be accessed to the liberated Bulgarian
Fatherland. It
should be reminded without underestimating the work of the activists,
that if
the formation of the campaign committees was performed in an avalanche
manner,
the reason for that was that the Bulgarian population in Macedonia
was psychologically
prepared for such a sacred deed. They needed only a spark to be
ignited. Not
everywhere V. Hadzhikimov managed to go personally. In many places the
Bulgarians
took the initiative by themselves to form committees and take the
power. So in
Kratovo the citizens gathered on May 2 and after some discussions about
the
situation they formed a local campaign committee for the town and the
region.
Their purpose was to be “useful to the Bulgarian country". For
president
of the committee was chosen Dr, Trayche Manev, for Deputy President -
Kotse
Chepishev, for Secretaries - Dimitur Popandov and Georgi Axentiev, and
for
Cashier - Ilia Potsev. Advisors in the Executive Committee were Doncho
Shantartakov, Georgi
Ignatov, Stephan Chepishev, Risto Tsrevarov and Vakenti Goloubov
(Document No.
32).97
There was
no information about the
formation of campaign committee in Stroumitsa. Zaria newspaper however wrote that in
the
town and in the villages the power was taken by the population. Civil
militia
was formed and armed by the German authorities.98
Interesting
were also the events in
Lazaropole - a big Bulgarian village in the western part of Macedonia.
At
the meeting where 150 people were present Yakim Georgiev and Toma
Petrov
explained the line and the tasks of BCCC for Macedonia.
For President was chosen
Yakim Georgiev, for Deputy President - Georgi Simeonov and for Cashier
- Kiril
Vassev (Document No. 33). The same day Yakim Georgiev informed BCCC
that a
campaign committee was formed in the village and requested further
instructions. In a letter the population of Lazaropole acclaimed the
course of
BCCC for accession to Bulgaria
and asked for protection of their interests before the Italian
authorities
until the arrival of the Bulgarian army (Document Ho. 34).100
After
several days, on May 8, the
president of the campaign committee in Lazaropole was changed. In
the report
was said that the change was implied due to health reasons. For a new
president
was chosen Gavril K. Koukov. The whole management was changed as well.
For
Deputy President was elected Ivan Petrov and for Secretaries were
chosen Avram
Popov and Georgi Simeonov. For Organizing Secretary was chosen
Arso Ginev and
for Cashier Kiril Vassilev. Members of the Executive Committee became
Tosho
Grouev, Stephan Stephanov, Radoil Damianov, Kouman Yoskov, Vlado
Georgiev,
Kruste Donev, Yanko Sekov, Atanas Kouzev, Tomo Kostov, Pane Tripounov,
Tofe
Fidanov, Arso Ginev. What was the real reason for this change
remained
unclear. A control commission and an advising council that consisted of
97
people.
It was possible the
change of the management to be due to health reasons as the activity of
the
campaign committees was very dynamic and had to be managed by
healthy and
energetic people. Maybe it was not by accident that after the election
of
Gavril Koukov for president, the citizens sent a delegation to the
Italian
military authorities with an application to raise the Bulgarian
flags in every
house. Of course, in order to gain permission they had to raise the
German and
the Italian flags as well. However, the Italians did not agree easily,
knowing
well the inclinations of the population, its Bulgarian national
belonging, and
after all its aspirations for accession.
The people
from Lazaropole managed
to obtain what they want and showed determination and defiance. They
turned
their church celebration in manifestation of their desire their native
land to
be integrated to Bulgaria.
Like during the Revival the struggle for independent church was
the
cornerstone for self-determination of the Bulgarians so that church
celebration
turned into a feast of Bulgarian spirit.
The church
with its representatives
should serve mostly in the name of Bulgarian. But that was not the case
in
Lazaropole. The priest refused the proposition of the president of the
local
campaign committee to mention the name of the Bulgarian Tsar in the
service. It
happened that instead of the church playing a leading role in the
struggle for
accession with Bulgaria,
that role was taken by the campaign committee chosen by the
peasants.
(Document No. 35).101
The
impressions about his tour
round Macedonia as
well as
his consideration about the formation and the functioning of the
campaign
committees Hadzhikimov expressed later in a short report to the
commander of
the Bulgarian army in Macedonia.
(Document No. 43).102
The minutes
of the meeting for the
formation of a campaign committee in the town of Kroushevo were
not found. V. Hadzhikimov did
not visit the town personally. An invitation to Tsar Boris III to join
the
celebrations in the town in 1903 makes it evident that a committee
was already
formed in the town. The invitation was signed by the deputy president
of the
committee and the mayor of the town, Ivan Popov. Along with expressing
their
joy with the liberation of Kroushevo the citizens submitted their
patriotic
feelings" to the Tsar. (Document No. 36).103
The social
structure of the
campaign committees was exceptionally variable. In the lists with
hundreds of
participants in the counseling bodies and the executive committees one
could
find the names of craftsmen, peasants, doctors, lawyers, tradesmen,
millers,
butchers, engineers, barbers, workers and teachers. However the
clerks
predominated. It was impossible exact and specific social
characteristic of
that movement and its power to be given. The short period during
which they existed, the abrupt and underlined domination of the
national
element allowed only a general estimation of that activity. At the head
of the
movement were the intellectuals who inspired the tradesmen, craftsmen,
farmers
and others. As it was evident a greater part of population
actively participated
in the formation of the campaign committees in 1941, which added a
democratic
element to the task of establishing Bulgarian authorities from the very
beginning, and this gave to the task a democratic character from the
beginning.