Bulgaria marks 146 years since the Battle of Shipka Pass

On August 19, Bulgaria marked 146 years since the battle for the defence of the Shipka pass during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878, also known as the Shipka epopee.

Despite the cloudy weather and the rain, many people came to Mount Shipka for the celebrations of the 146th anniversary. They said that they came because the heroes of Shipka and the Shipka Epopee should be remembered, as this is the history of the Bulgarian Revival.

Here is what some of the people said in front of the BNT camera:

"This is part of every person's upbringing since childhood. People should know the history of their homeland."

"Bulgarians must not forget and must remember who died and for what. We must never forget the people who fought for the freedom of Bulgaria."

"Because it is important for us Bulgarians to know where our roots came from, because a nation without roots is just like a tree without roots."

"We Bulgarians rightly climb every year here to the peaks of Shipka, St. Nicolas and the Eagle's Nest, and we should pay due tribute to all the Russian officers and soldiers and Bulgarian volunteers who defended the pass and stopped the troops led by Suleiman Pasha from crossing the Balkna Mountains," said Chavdar Angelov, director of the Shipka-Buzludzha National Park-Museum.

As part of the tradition, a solemn ceremony was held in front of the Monument of Freedom on Mount Shipka. It was attended by President Rumen Radev.

In his address, the President said: "Those who never come to Shipka believe that to be a European, you have to renounce being a Bulgarian. That is a self-destructive complex. It is a fatal delusion that to be a European means crossing out your history, making fun of traditions, being ashamed of the Bulgarian flag, and mocking patriotism. It is an unforgivable irresponsibility to betray ideals to which generations of Bulgarians have dedicated their lives and work. Those in attendance have gathered to state that they will not allow those who are always absent from Shipka to force upon us the "Epopee of the crossed out", to manipulate the historical memory, encroach on Bulgarian relics and wonder how over the years to throw writer Ivan Vazov out of textbooks. March 3 is the red line of our patience," Radev said (referring to the proposal for amendements to the constitution for changing the national holiday from March 3 (Day of Bulgaria's Liberation) to May 24 (Day of Bulgarian Letters).

"We say 'no' to the crawling censorship, replacement, and scandals through which a project for ravishing the Constitution is being pushed. It envisages a Bulgaria governed by politicians for whom Bulgarian nationality is a detail and politics is a contest of servitude. We say 'no' to the attempts to take down statehood by taking over institutions for self-serving political and economic ends," the President said.

Images by BTA, BGNES

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The battle for the defence of the Shipka Pass is one of the most heroic and decisive battles during the Russo-Turkish Liberation War of 1877-1878. The most dramatic of those took place from the 21st to the 26th of August (or from the 9th to the 14th of August old style calendar) 146 years ago.

The battles between the defenders of the pass and the Turkish army entered Bulgarian history under the name Shipka Epopee.

The task of the small Russian-Bulgarian detachment under the command of Gen. N.G. Stoletov, numbering about 7,500 men, was to stop Suleiman Pasha's superior army (about 27,000 men and a reserve of 10,000), to prevent it from crossing the Balkan Mountains and from uniting with the Turkish forces in northeastern Bulgaria in aid of the besieged army of Osman Pasha in Pleven. The battles for Shipka began on August 9/21, 1877.

For six days, Bulgarians and Russians repulsed the constant attacks of the Turkish camps with fire and bayonets. The most difficult and decisive for the defence was the third day - August 11/23, when the Turks were increasingly tightening the noose around the defenders, and the ammunition was running out. In the afternoon, Suleiman Pasha threw all his reserves into battle against the centre of the defence.

At this most critical moment, when the battle was nearly lost and it seemed that Shipka would fall, the first reinforcement sent by Gen. Radetski arrived from Gabrovo. In the evening, all the companies of the 16th Rifle Battalion arrived and after a fierce battle the Turks retreated. Shipka was secured!

The fighting continued for the next three days, but the pass was firmly in the hands of the Russian army. Shipka's defence continued in the autumn and winter of 1877. This period went down in history as the "Winter Shipka Standing". Despite the cold and fog, despite the snowstorms and blizzards, the defenders of Shipka heroically defended the pass. For these days filled with courage and self-sacrifice, the telegraph announced with the short phrase: "Everything is calm on Shipka".

Russian soldiers and Bulgarian volunteers turned the pass into an impregnable fortress, "a closed door for the Turkish offensive in northern Bulgaria and an open door for the victorious march of the Russian army to Constantinople," according to Gen. Radetski.

After the fall of Pleven (November 29 / December 10, 1977), Russian troops crossed the Balkans in extremely severe winter conditions and captured the Turkish army of Veysel Pasha in the Sheynovo fortified camp on December 28, 1877 / January 9, 1878. Sheynovo was a worthy end to the Shipka epopee.

The victims that the Russian regiments and the Bulgarian companies gave to Shipka and in the field of Sheynovo are about 11,000 - killed, wounded and missing without a trace, and over 9,000 people froze or fell sick during the "Winter Shipka Standing"

The foundation stone of the Monument of Freedom was laid on August 26, 1922. The monument was completed in 1930. On August 26, 1934, the monument on Mount St. Nicholas was inaugurated by Tsar Boris III. The monument is 31.5 metres high and 890 steps lead to it. A bronze lion, a symbol of Bulgarian statehood, proudly stands above the central entrance. On the other three sides are written the names of Shipka, Sheynovo and Stara Zagora - the battlefields, reminiscent of the feat of the Bulgarian volunteers.