Ljuben Karavelov (1834-1879)

[Sergius]

Ljuben Karavelov

Ljuben Karavelov is born 1834 in Koprivshtitza in family of Stoicho Karavela and Nedelia Doganska. His father was observer of collection of the “beglik” (taxes over the flocks and herds) and meantime one of the richest and energetic people of the town in these ages. He was socially active person with big impact to Bulgarian literature and education. In this atmosphere of prosperity grows the young Ljuben. Among erudite and reputable family he has example and opportunity to grow up morally. He was student in the monastic school in Koprivshtitza, founded by Naiden Gerov. His teachers were Naiden Gerov himself and Yoakim Gruev, one of the greatest teachers of this époque. After finishing Koprivshtitza’s school Karavelov makes a tour in Ottomans Empire with his father and managed to collect impressions of life of Bulgarian people – of his misery and dreams.

Because of his father’s desire to make him a tradesman Karavelov goes to Plovdiv and enters in Greek “gimnasion” (high-school), where he’s subject of hard attempts for “greekization”. The two years stay in Plovdiv opens his eyes for the big differentiation between poor and rich people, and for big misunderstandings between Greeks, Turks and Bulgarians. He’s only sixteen years old but already is disgusted by the dirt and hypocrisy of the big town, by the arrogance of the Greeks, by the lack of respect to Bulgarian people. He’s also disappointed by the Bulgarians which, he says “must defend their rights more persistently”. By the end of his stay in Plovdiv Karavelov managed to go at the Bulgarians School where he can to read more in Bulgarian, to read Russian books and newspapers.

When he returns back to Koprivshtitza Karavelov is big disappointment of his father. He wasn’t became a tradesman, but filled his heart with revolutionary ideas and indignation to everybody who harass his people. Stoicho Karavela makes the last attempt to “tame” his son by taking him in one big tour for collecting the taxes in Bulgaria, Macedonia and Serbia, but the only thing Ljuben brings back home is written down folk songs, saws and impressions of the life in different parts of Balkan Peninsula.

In 1857 Karavelov goes to Russia. In those ages he and the whole nation feel kindly towards “mother Russia”. He discovered that he isn’t interested in military profession in academy and he became free student in philology department. In Moscow Karavelov managed to publish his first literary works. He writes as collaborator in “Brothers labour” magazine and in 1861 managed to publish the first book of “Monuments of Bulgarian customs”, issue with more than 300 pages with sayings, manners, myths, names, grammar rules, etc., and also dictionary with Bulgarian words at the end. When he became more experienced and ready Karavelov starts to write his own original novels like “Turk Pasha”, “Old ages Bulgarians”, “Doncho”, “Neda”, etc.

After an abortive attempt on the life of Russian emperor Nikolai II at 1866 – Russian authorities starts to pursue the radical Russian intellectuals. Because of Karavelov’s closest relations with them, soon he’s compelled to run, and in 1867 he departed to Beograd. There – among young and newly created intelligentsia Karavelov’s revolutionary ideas finds perfect soil. Those young men and women are ardent listeners and Karavelov easy “fires” them with his speeches about social inequality in Balkan Peninsula and for mutual help and general war against Ottomans Empire. After quite a while he became one of the reputable people in Beograd.

This fact isn’t became unnoticed by the Bulgarian revolutionary committee in Bucharest. In 1869 Karavelov was called there to lead the committee. There he met one of the biggest and greatest Bulgarian poets and revolutionary – Hristo Botev who became his closest associate and they started to publish Bulgarian newspaper “Independence”. Ljuben Karavelov tries and managed to lead a whole new way of revolutionary campaign. After the fails of the small bands of Panaiot Hitov, Hadji Dimiter, Filip Totio, Karavelov knows that only organized, well prepared Bulgarian (or even Balkan) revolt can solve the problem and crash the Ottoman Empire.

After few dramatic events in his life, after catching and hanging of his close fiend and Bulgarian apostle of liberty Vasil Levski who prepares the revolt in Bulgaria, Ljuben Karavelov became somehow desolate. His agitated nature became tame. Little by little he moves away from politics and devotes his efforts to literature and educational activity.

In the 1876, by the time of April’s revolt, started in his home town Koprivshtitza, Karavelov is again fired with rebellious spirit. Started to gather rebels, preach for the fight. In Russian – Turkish war in 1878 he is translator in Russian headquarters, again in the middle of the fight for liberation of his beloved “mother country”. Maybe because of this love, after the Liberation he doesn’t loose time and opens again his printing establishment to publish “Knowledge” magazine, his desire to educate his nation was irresistible. In Ruse Karavelov fall ill by tuberculosis – consequence of many years ascetic and strenuous life. Died in 21 January 1878 – managed to see, but not to please The Liberation.

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