Bnr bg hristo botev biography

1. Biography of Hristo Botev
2. Early Life and Education
3. Revolutionary Activities
4. Political Beliefs and Death

Biography of Hristo Botev

Hristo Botev [1848–1876] was a Bulgarian poet and revolutionary democrat who left behind a small literary legacy but made a significant impact on Bulgarian literature. His poems, as well as his life, were characterized by the harmonious merging of his talent for revolutionary work with his talent for artistic creativity. Botev's poems, numbering around 20, gained immense popularity among the Bulgarian peasantry as they expressed their revolutionary sentiments.

Early Life and Education

Botev was born in the town of Kalofer, Bulgaria, to his father, a popular teacher named Botyu Petkov. Kalofer had managed to free itself from the domination of both the Turks and the Greeks. Botev was influenced by his father's enthusiasm for popular education and his early exposure to Russian literature and the liberation movement. In 1863, his father sent him to a gymnasium in Odessa, where he devoted more time to reading Belinsky, Chernyshevsky, Dobrolyubov, and Pisarev than to his studies. He also sought underground revolutionary connections during his free time.

Revolutionary Activities

In April 1866, inspired by the shot fired by Karakozov, Botev left school to join the revolution and left Odessa. After a year of wandering, he arrived in Constantinople as a propagandist and agitator, where he published his first poem, "To My Mother," in the journal "Gaida." This poem showcased his emotional intensity combined with a clear idea of fighting for freedom. In 1867, he became the editor of the underground leaflet "Bolgarin." His encounter with N. Nechaev in 1868 had a profound influence on Botev. Joining the organization "Young Bulgaria," he familiarized himself with the views of Bakunin and became passionately involved in the idea of a "Pan-Slavic revolution."

Botev's revolutionary work alternated with his literary pursuits. He wrote articles for "Budilnik," a revolutionary newspaper. His famous poem, "Farewell," was written around the time of his association with Nechaev. The poem, remarkable for its expressiveness and form, expressed the idea of self-sacrifice of a revolutionary fighter. Another poem, "He Is Alive," celebrated the fallen hero Hadzhi Dimitar.

Political Beliefs and Death

Botev's beliefs, which advocated for a socialist revolution, were evident in his program for the Bulgarian revolutionary minority. He considered Bulgarian bourgeoisie as their enemies and vowed to pursue and persecute them everywhere. His conviction that the Bulgarian people, due to national oppression, were revolutionaries and, due to their national instinct, socialists, was expressed in the journal "Duma" and the newspaper "Znamya." Botev's rationalism and materialism were reflected in his poem "Prayer."

Around 1872, the Russian authorities sought to arrest Botev, but he managed to avoid capture. However, he was imprisoned for three months in the Focsani prison in Romania. He was eventually released on bail provided by unknown Bulgarians before Russia could extradite him. Notably, during this time, Botev wrote an article about the Paris Commune titled "Ridiculous Lament," where he discussed the inevitability of a communist revolution in Europe.

In 1875, Botev illegally traveled to Russia to raise funds for organizing revolutionary detachments. Upon his return, he led one of these revolutionary detachments and was killed in a clash with Turkish troops and Circassians in the mountains near the Korosten bridge in 1876. His works were only collected and published in 1907, but long before this edition, his songs about heroes became an important influence on Bulgarian literature.