Georgi Stoykov Rakovski (real name Subi Stoykov Popovich) is bulgarian revolutionary and patriot, truly writer of the Bulgarian national revival. He is born in Kotel at cheerful trade and craftsman’s family. Rakovski is learn at the local school, then continues at Karlovo where teaches Rayno Popovich. From the end of 1837 he behave at the great school in Kurucheshme (Istanbul). He studies branch of scholarship and natural sciences, ancient and modern languages. He reacts at each or any attempt against patriots and Bulgarian revolutionaries. He set in touch with the figures of the church struggle Neofit Bozveli and Ilarion Marariopolski. During the 1841 he travel to Athens where he creates the secret Macedonian association in purpose of organizing revolt. Georgi Rakovski is traveling to Braila (under the alias Georgi Macedon), when he become aware of preparation between Bulgarian and Grecians for collaborated rise. The rebellion is spoiled by the Romanian authorities but Rakovski is staying at Braila for reason of continuing the organization of the patriotic forces. He is leaving on this period from all he is able to collect ast private teacher in Hellenic and French language. There is another attempt of the Romanian authorities to react but Rakovski is able to conceal himself. He contacts the Russian consul but he betray Rakovski to the Romanian government and at the 14th of July, 1848 Georgi rakovski is convicted to dead. Because he has been Grecian resident, the Grecian consulate is attempting to send Rakovski to Athens, but the Grecian ambassador at Istanbul sent secretly the Bulgarian revolutionary in France. Rakovski stays in Marseille for one and an half year. He is unable to study in Paris, as the Grecian consul promises to him and then he decides to go back at the hometown Kotel and enjoying of the national fight. To mislead the police he changes his name from Subi Popovich to Georgi Rakovski. Again, along the livery companies in town he is trying to fight with all of them against the bosses and they are defamed to the Turk authority. Each of them is receiving 7 years long judgment of rigorous, dungeon gaol. Later on Rakovski is being liberated. His sufferings from this period he types at his memories.
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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.
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