B22 Blogstars

Dobre dushliv do moi purvo blog. My name is Tyler Wasson and I will be posting a section every Saturday entitled, "Historical Bulgarian of the Week".

(Side note1- All research was done without Wikipedia and some information was taken from web-sites entirely in Bulgarian so I hope none of the information I give is wrong. Let me know if you catch a mistake.- End Side Note1)

Bulgarians are proud of their historical figures. From my host father to my coworkers to the many other Bulgarians I have met I have been taught a great deal about Bulgarians long and rich history.

For my first episode I choose Hristo Botev (Христо Ботев). господин ("Mr.") Botev is perhaps Bulgaria’s most famous poet. Here is some of his poetry in English, French (for my friends Shaun Woods and Millayna Klingback), German or in their original tongue, Bulgarian, click here.

Mr. Botev was born in the Bulgarian town of Kalofer on January 6, 1848. His father was a teacher whom was very knowledgable on Bulgarian history. Also his father was also heavily involved in the “Bulgarian Historical Revival”. The B.H.R. was an attempt by Bulgarians to maintain as much of their culture as possible during the Ottoman Rule (1396 – 1878).

I would parallel his father to an American who knew a lot about our the history of our Founding Fathers and firmily believed in the principals of the American Constitution. Maybe one of the founding fathers themselves... This was a hard comparison to make. Ideas? Suggestions?

Here is a picture of Hristos parents at their wedding:

For comparison here is a picture of George Washington (not to be mistaken for “George Vaflington” whom you will see posting on Tuesday) and his wife at their wedding:

For High School young Hristo Botev moved to Ukraine where he was supposedly influenced by the popular Russian poets of the time. In 1867 he took over his father’s job as a teacher. However that did not last long as he made a public speech lambasting the Ottoman leaders and the Upper Class. Apparently he was a great speaker… somewhat similar to Kennedy in his appeal. Kennedy at his wedding:

Because of his anti-government speech he was forced out of the country. He moved to Romania where he began living with many like-minded Bulgarians. He formed many of his great revolutionary theories and he did most of his most famous writing during this period of his life.

Botev was shot and killed.

After all the work he did for Bulgarias independence he missed seeing this vision become a reality. Two years after this heroic attempt, in the year of 1878, the Russo-Turkish War of Liberation ended and Bulgaria regained its freedom.

After doing all this research and learning so much about Mr. Botev the most important thing I learned is that he could grow one wickedly awesome beard:

Even at my best… I was nowhere near his level:

Sorry that I got carried away, I must have beard envy...

Back to a serious note, I included one of my favorite poems from him, in Bulgaria first and than followed by the English translation.

Към брата си

Тежко, брате, се живее
между глупци неразбрани;
душата ми в огън тлее,
сърцето ми в люти рани.

Отечество мило любя,
неговият завет пазя;
но себе си, брате, губя,
тия глупци като мразя.

Никой, никой! То не знае
нито радост, ни свобода;
а безумно как играе
в отзив на плач из народа!

Често, брате, скришом плача
над народен гроб печален;
но, кажи ми, що да тача
в тоя мъртъв свят коварен?

Нищо, нищо! Отзив няма
на глас искрен, благороден,
пък и твойта й душа няма
на глас божий - плач народен!

To My Brother

It's difficult to live, my brother,
among such thick-skulled blunderheads;
the fires of my youth are smothered,
my heart is torn to bitter shreds.

I love the land where I was born
and I protect its ancient wealth,
yet when I show these oafs my scorn
I bring destruction to myself.

Dreams of darkness, thoughts of storm,
have nailed my young soul to the cross.
O, who will place a friendly hand
upon my heart in its distress?

No one, no one. Freedom, joy
neither does it recognize;
yet it passionately joins
its answer to a people's cries.

Brother, I shed tears in secret
where anguished people are interred;
but, tell me, what should I respect
upon this dead, insidious earth?

Nothing, nothing. To a frank
and upright voice there's no reply,
and your soul, too, does not react
to the voice of God - a people's cry.

Translated by © Thomas Butler. All rights reserved!

-------End of Poem----------

"There is no power over those who are ready to lose their lives in the name of freedom and for the good of humanity."

- Hristo Botev

Thank you all for you time. More to come next week on my end; Same bat time, same bat channel... Stay tuned...

Tyler.Keith.Wasson.

Some of the web-sites where I got information: http://www.bnr.bg/RadioBulgaria/Emission_English/Theme_Profiles/Material/botevpers.htm; http://www.sofiaecho.com/article/hristo-botev-and-his-revolutionary-poetry/id_7334/catid_30; http://www.slovo.bg/showbio.php3?ID=2;