BULGARIA MARKS THE DAY OF HRISTO BOTEV AND THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE COUNTRY

On 2nd June Bulgaria marks 138th anniversary of the death of the distinguished Bulgarian poet, revolutionary and journalist, Hristo Botev, who gave his life for the independence of Bulgaria.

Hristo Botev is among the most respected and loved Bulgarian national heroes.

Every year on 2nd June, exactly at 12.00, a 2-minute siren sounds across the country and summons all to stop and stand as a sign of respect to everyone who died for the liberty and independence of Bulgaria.

As part of the tradition, commemoration ceremonies are held across Bulgaria.

Hristo Botev was born in Kalofer on January 6, 1848. He graduated from the local school in Kalofer and in 1863 Botev was sent by his father to a high school in Odessa.

In 1867 Hristo Botev returned to his home town to work as a teacher for a year, and in 1868 left it forever. He went to Romania where he worked for Bulgarian newspapers.

Botev took an active role in the planning activities of the revolutionary committees outside Bulgaria’s borders.

In 1875, he became the leader of the BRCC (Bulgarian Revolutionary Central Committee) and immediately put strategic goals of the movement.

After the outbreak of the April Uprising, he crossed the Danube with two hundred men, on the Austro-Hungarian passenger ship Radetzky, with the mission to aid the uprising in the Vratza region and to raise all of Northern Bulgaria to arms with him. The group disembarked near the town of Kozloduy and started moving in the direction of  Stara Planina Mountains.

But Vratza region wasn’t up in arms and Botev and the group received no reinforcement. The enemy was well prepared. Not only that, but since the April Uprising began prematurely, by the time of Botev’s landing, most rebels had been destroyed and the people had realized that the uprising was already quelled and there was no one to defend them if they rose.

On June 2 1876, at the foot of peak 'Vola' in Stara Planina Mountain, near the town of Vratza. Botev's group was engaged in its heaviest fight with the Ottoman army. His company fought to the last man. Botev was hit by a bullet, most probably fired by a concealed Ottoman shooter, and died almost immediately.

June 2nd was officially declared as the day of Botev and the heroes  who self-sacrificed their lives in the fight for Bulgaria’s liberty and independence.