Bulgaria marks 187 years since the birth of national hero Vassil Levski

On 18th of July, 2024, Bulgaria marks 187 years since the birth of national hero Vassil Levski. Ceremonies in memory of VSSIL Levski will be held across the country. The town of Karlovo, the birthplace of Vasil Levski, is the centre of the celebrations marking the anniversary.

Vassil Levski whom the present-day Bulgarians consider one of the greatest national hero was a leading figure in the fight of the Bulgarian people against Ottoman rule in the late 19th century. He was a revolutionary, democrat, ideologist, organizer and leader of the Bulgarian national liberation movement, founder of the Internal Revolutionary Organisation (IRO) and of the Bulgarian Revolutionary Central Committee (BRCC).

He was called the Apostle of Freedom by the Bulgarian people for his self-sacrifice in developing a strategy to liberate Bulgaria from Ottoman rule.

Vassil Levski organised the revolutionary movement across Bulgaria for several years. He established numerous revolutionary committees and started preparing the people for a general uprising. Betrayed by a traitor, he was captured by the Ottoman authorities and was executed by hanging on 19th of February 1873 in the outskirts of Sofia.

Vassil Ivanov Kunchev was born on 18 July (6 July Old Style) 1837 in Karlovo in the family of Ivan Kunchev Ivanov and Gina Vassileva Karaivanova. He had two brothers - Hristo and Peter - and two sisters - Anna and Maryka. In 1862 he went to Serbia and took part in Rakovski's First Bulgarian Legion in Belgrade. According to a legend, he made a lion's leap during military exercise and his comrades exclaimed - "this is a lion's leap" and hence the nickname Levski (of a lion).

After the Legion was disbanded, he joined the detachment of Ilyo Voivoda. In 1863 he left for Romania and after a short stay returned to Bulgaria. In the spring of 1864, on the eve of Easter in Sopot, Levski in the presence of his closest friends cut his long monk's hair himself. From that moment he became a deacon.

Legend and historical truth tell how he passed through every Bulgarian settlement, enticing the best Bulgarians after him and establishing a revolutionary committee in almost every corner. Because he was convinced that "Our work depends on our own efforts". The Ottoman authorities were constantly looking for him. He continually managed to get away by disguising himself and assuming various guises. Botev wrote of his incredible endurance and cheerful character, "It is winter outside, stone is cracking with cold, and he, Levski, is singing," BGNES recalls.

The Apostle of Bulgarian Freedom was betrayed in the winter of 1872. He was captured in the Kukrinsko Hanche near Lovech. He was tried in Sofia. He was hanged near Sofia on February 19, 1873. Vassil Levski is consideredd the eternal criterion of generations of Bulgarians since the Liberation.