Continuing our column for eminent personalities, we wouldn’t skip one of the very own patriots and emblematic guide of one idea, that gives large, deep echo into central Europe during the end of XVIII century. This person is main revolutionary at that clean and worthy meaning, where human liberty and freedom is as far to the Ottoman empire (Turkey is proclaimed for secular authority at 1921), as closed have been some of the first democracies to this area.
Vasil Ivanov Kunchev, as known as Vasil Levski or apostle of freedom is the ideologist and organizer of the Bulgarian national revolution and founder and co member at the Internal revolutionary organization and the Bulgarian Revolutionary Central Committee. It is interesting fact that he is popular with his own and parent names at least. He undersign himself as deacon Levski (Levski comes from the Bulgarian лъв [luv], which means lion. His brothers-in-arms had been using the Deacon Levski or just The Deacon. Some other alias that we got are the principal bookseller, Stampy, Dragoman. He has some Turk elias, like Aslan Dervishoolu Kurdjaly (documented at the BRCC- Bucharest, June 16th 1872; in fact aslan mean on Turkish lion) or efendi Aslan Dervishoolu.
Vasil Ivanov Kunchev was born at 18th of June,1837 at Karlovo in the family of Ivan Kunchev Ivanov and Gina Vasileva Karaivanova. He got two brothers- Hristo and Petar- and two sisters Ana and Maria. It is known that his father died at 1851 and he must carry on his family as biggest from all male inheritors.
During 1855 Vasil Levski is lay brother to his uncle Hadji Vasilii, mendicant friar at Hilandar. Two years he is being at the school of Stara Zagora and one more at the Plovdiv’s eparchy class school. December, 7th 1858 he took the vows of a deacon and name Ignatii into the Sopot monastery “Saint Spas”.
Later (near 1861) under the influence of Georgi Sava Rakovski, Levski dedicates his life to the revolutionary cause. He got brilliant language skills and can switch to Turkish, Greek, Armenian and that gives only positives into his day and night mission.

It is March 3rd 1862nd when Vasil Levski goes to Serbia and take a mission into the Bulgarian legions at Belgrade, First Bulgarian legion, first Bulgarian legion of Rakovski at Belgrade. Because of his dexterity and courage into the battle fights with the Turks for the Belgrade’s fort Vasil, he’s been named Levski (As the legend talks, he had made a lion jump at tone of the military examines). That is the time when Levski feels the influence of Rakovski and he accept the idea for revolutionary bands and awakening of the nation for rebellion. After the break up of the legion, Levski is getting into the band of Ilyo Voivoda. At 1863 Vasil Levski departure for Romania and after short period he is coming back at Bulgaria. It is spring and the year is 1864th, on the top of Easter at Sopot when Levski cuts front of his best friends his monarch long hair. Archimandrite Vasilii is trying to force an process against his nephew, but Plovdiv’s bishop warns Vasilii with punishment if he continues with perseverance and insistence. At the period 1864-1866 Vasil Levski is working as teacher at Voinyagovo, Karlovo municipality, later on (1867) at Enikyoi, Southern Dobrudja. Closed to the borderline Levski is being into one hope- to met Rakovski and exchange some future plans with the revolutionary. As teacher, Vaslil Levski explores revolutionary propaganda among the peoples and organizes patriotic bands for future insurrection. During the 1866 at Romania Vasil Levski move in circle with Hadzhi Dimitar and Stefan Karadzha. At the same 1866 he met Rakovski. During the 1867 under proposal of Rakovski, Vasil Levski is specified for standard bearer at the Panayot Hitov’s band, which is preparing for assignment in Bulgaria. Along with the band, Vasil Levski is living through obstacles and disappointments during the march at the Balkan in 1867. Later he pass over to Serbia with the band and there he join the Bulgarian legions at Belgrade, Second Bulgarian legion (1867-1868). After the disband Vasil Levski get sick and must stay for 2 months at Zaychar village. At this period Levski is thinking on the past. All these doubts at the expedient of the band’s tactic are growing to persuasion that it must be in some new way in future to success, as he can’t stop thinking for the final target- freedom. For first time he share his opinion that there is need of advanced preparation and training for the nation in order their participation into the liberate act. At letter addressed to Panayot Hitov, Vasil Levski hint for his conclusions and purposes when he announce that he is decided to accomplish something big in the name of fatherland, only mission that “No matter i when, i will win for whole nation, never mind i loose then i will lose only myself.” The suspicion in Serbia is growing streaming up at Levski as the trust grows up that Bulgaria must mainly bank on herself. The fall of Hadji Dimitur and Stefan Karadja totally persuade Levski that preliminarily training is indispensability and circumstance for the Bulgarian’s revolutionary victory.

During august 1868, Vasil Levski goes to Bucharest where he contact Ivan Kasabov and the figures of the “Bulgarian Society”. Toward to this period is related his meeting with Hristo Botev and their common life into one abandoned windmill near Bucharest.

Here comes one another memorable period into Levski’s life and it is about the organization of the revolutionary committees. Accumulating resources consigned by the “Bulgarian Society” , “Brother’s Love” community center and organization of the youngmans. Levski departures to Istanbul by steamer at 11 December 1868 with plans to start his first cruise in Bulgaria. At the beginning of 1869 he leaves Istanbul and get the direction threw Thracia and North Bulgaria. He cross by Plovdiv, Karlovo, Sopot, Kazanluk, Sliven, Veliko Turnovo, Lovech, Pleven, Nikopol. Everywhere he is into conversations with peoples trying to win them for the cause. He is full up with hopes that in near future the revolt promulgated and he is going back to Romania when the cruise has done. After two months there, at May 1st 1869 Vasil Levski starts his second cruise at Bulgaria. This time he is supplied with revolutionary proclamation and letter of administration, received by Ivan Kasabov. These documents are confirming that Vasil Levski is not just anybody, because he gives expression of the Bulgarian politic organization at Romania - they both are being stamped by the seal of the “Provisional Government of the Balkan”. During this circle around Bulgaria, Vasil Levski gives the basement of the Inner Revolutionary Organization (IRO).First committee is founded at Pleven. Letter on it continues with creation of local (private) revolutionary committees at Lovech, Troyan, Karlovo, Kalofer, Kazanluk, Plovdiv, Sopot, Chirpan and some other. The second circle around Bulgaria convince the Deacon that the rebellion against Ottoman yoke cannot start so quick, as he was thinking on this quest few months earlier. He catch sight of needs about bigger and better preparation for the nation, that must be released by revolutionary committees, connected one to each other.
Going back to the Rumanian capital at he 26th of August 1869, Vasil Levski take active part at the Bulgarian еmigration’s life. At the end of 1869 along with Luben Karavelov, the Deacon has joined the foundation of Bulgarian Revolutionary Central Committee. He is trying to convince the emigration that center of preparations for the forthcoming rise against the yoke must be some inside Bulgarian place, that the Bulgarians must rely on her own forces and not to outsource help, that must be given categorically end of thoughtlessly schemes with Bolkan peninsula countries. The emigration activists are realizing the necessity of organization of all the Bulgarian peoples , but nobody got any plan how to realize it. They have many problems with their traditional understandings for outsource help and organizational activities outside Bulgaria. Disappointed by the emigration, Levski goes back to Bulgaria at May, 1970. He is continuing the revolutionary set up of committees network. Till the end of 1871 Vasil Levski successfully construct thick network of revolt committees, united into Inner Revolutionary Organization. For center of the IRO has been chosen Lovech an the committee is elected for Bulgarian Revolutionary Central Committee. At the preserved documentations and the seal of the organization he is named also as Provisional Government of Bulgaria. The creation of central committee in Bulgaria is extremely important step at the strengthening of the inner committee organization. This secures the organizational job into the preparation of the so awaited rise in Bulgaria. The Lovech committee helps by supporting and continuing the contacts with the emigration. Levski consider the Central Committee in Bulgaria as transcendent guidance of revolutionary movement with universal and common functions. The village and town private committees at the revolutionary organization unifies representatives of all social groups of the Bulgarian society. Only Vasil Levski from the “big four” of the Bulgarian revolution is able to gain the insight that into the preparation must be involved masters, bosses, and all rich or wealthy Bulgarians. Their capitals are markedly needed for the material assurance of the revolt. He stipulates receiving of these capitals by voluntarily methods but also revolutionary terror for all of those who don’t want to support the national act. Near the end of 1871 the erected Inner Revolutionary Organization is the one and only real force that could be able to table the question for discussion as order of the day the Bulgarian national question. The committees are starting active work for attracting followers, recruiting finances for buying weapons. When the job growns, BRCC send two assistants to Levski during the second half of 1871 – Dimiter Obshti and Angel Kunchev. Same year elaborates program and organization chart of BRCC. Vasil Levski is initiator and participant at the first general meeting of BRCC at Bucharest ( 29 April-4th May 1872). At the end of 1872 he leaves Bucharest and starts reconstruction at the Inner revolutionary organization as representative of the BRCC. He create regional committees also.
September 22nd 1872 Dimiter Obshti organizes robbery at the Turk postal in Arabakonak. Vasil Levski is against but he is supported only by priest Krastyu Nikiforov. The capture of the participants gives hard knock to the revolutionary organization. Levski receives order from the Bulgarian revolutionary central committee to uprise the revolt, but he refuses to carry out and decides to get the archives of the Inner revolutionary Organization from Lovech and get out to Rumania. At December 27th 2872 he’s captured by the Turk police near the Kakrin’s caravansary (eastern direction by Lovech. At the capture Levski possess regularly passport for traveling, given to the Deacon by little Dobri Koynov by the Lovech’s neighbourhood Drustene but he swallow it in order to hide from the Turks. It is presumed that Vasil Levski has been betrayed by follower. There is argument for the name of t he betrayer – priest Krastyu ( the co-founder of the Lovech’s committee) or Martin priest Lukanov (the president of the committee). During 1925 the chronicler Dimiter Strashimirov is publishing enlarge study ,where he gives a proof that is to say priest Krastyu is the peach of the Turk authorities and the one who gives information to them where is situated Levski. At some other studies there isn’t betray at this case and it is fact that till the last moment the Turks even don’t know who’s captured and Levski has been whirled away to Veliko Turnovo, where he is recognized; There are only few zaptiehs at the Kurkrin’s caravansary and in case if they know who will capture, such paucity is out of logic. Subsequently the apostle is leaded to Sofia, where he is given to the court. Vasil Levski is not disclosing any information around the committees’ network. Court gives convict Levski to dead by hang. February 18th 1873 the verdict is executed at the place where nowadays is situated the monument of the Bulgarian apostle of freedom.

During the 1956, at excavation works into the “Saint Petka Samardjiiska” chirch, downtown Sofia has been explored funeral, which starts new disputes is this the body of Vasil Levski. The scientists contend that it might be not, but as the spoken legend indicate this is the exact place where the Deacon has been inhumed surreptitiously after the hanging. This polemic periodically goes heat , until in 1986 the Bulgarian Academy for Science has decided to place an memorial monument at the church, but such thing does not exist as the debate cannot be acquainted with any official attitude.

Similar Topics from Ancient Bulgaria Archive