Miladinov Brothers
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The Miladinov Brothers (Bulgarian: Братя Миладинови, Bratya Miladinovi; Macedonian: Браќа Миладиновци, Braќa Miladinovci), Dimitar Miladinov (1810-1862) and Konstantin Miladinov (1830-1862), were Bulgarian [1][2][3][4]poets and folklorists from the region of Macedonia, authors of the most important collection of Bulgarian folk songs in the 19th century, Bulgarian Folk Songs (1861) [4]. (In the Republic of Macedonia they are considered Macedonian). The collection includes a total of 665 songs and 23,559 verses. Another famous poem by Konstantin Miladinov is Tuga za Yug, that he wrote during his stay in Russia. Their hometown hosts the international Struga Poetry Evenings festival in their honour including a poetry award named after them.
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[edit] Controversy
Although the Miladinov Brothers always called the language in which they wrote Bulgarian[1], the official historiography of the Republic of Macedonia proclaims them as "Macedonians" who contributed to the development of the Macedonian language. Bulgarian Folk Songs has been re-issued in the Republic of Macedonia under an edited name, Collection; the references to Macedonia in the foreword as "Western Bulgaria" have been removed, and other references to "Bulgaria" and "Bulgarian language" have been replaced by "Macedonia" and "Macedonian language" because most of the songs in this collection are in dialects spoken in Macedonia (See Macedonism).
The Macedonian State Archive in cooperation with the Soros Foundation in Macedonia displays a photocopy of the original book cover where the text does not state "Bulgarian Folk Songs", but simply "Folk Songs"(the upper part of the page showing "Bulgarian" has been cut off).[5] There is a similar case with the national museum of the Republic of Macedonia which refuses to display original works by the two brothers, because of the Bulgarian labels on most of them.[6]
[edit] Short Biography of Dimitar Miladinov
Dimitar Miladinov was born in Struga, presently in the Republic of Macedonia, in 1810. His mother was Sultana (Tana) and father Risto Miladinov. Dimitar's mother was daughter of priest Joan from Magarevo, a village from the Bitola region, and his father was from Steblevo, today in Albania.
In 1829, he stayed in the Saint Naum monastery in Ohrid to continue his education, and in 1830 he became a teacher in Ohrid . Meanwhile, his father died, and his brother was born - Konstantin Miladinov. The Miladinov family had eight children - six boys and two girls: Dimitar (the oldest), Atanas, Mate, Apostol, Naum, Konstantin, Ana and Krsta.
In 1832, he moved to Durrës, Albania, working in the local trade chamber. From 1833 through 1836 he studied in Ioannina, preparing to become teacher. Eventually he returned to Ohrid and began teaching.
In 1836, he introduced a new teaching method in his classroom. He enriched the school programme with the inclusion of new subjects, such as philosophy, arithmetics, geography, Old Greek and Greek literature, Latin and French. Soon he became popular and respected among his students and peers. After two years, he left Ohrid and returned to Struga.
In the period from 1840 to 1842, he was a teacher in Kilkis, today in Greece. He became active in the town's social life, strongly opposing the phanariotes. Then he returned again to Ohrid. There he translated Bible texts in the Bulgarian language (considered in the Republic of Macedonia as Macedonian).
Konstantin Miladinov studied in Ioannina, the University of Athens and later in Russia. Dimitar Miladinov tried to introduce the Bulgarian language into the Greek school in Prilep in 1856 causing an angry reaction from the Greeks. He was accused of being a Russian agent spreading pan-Slavic ideas and was imprisoned in Istanbul later to be joined by his supporting brother Konstantin. In January of 1862 both brothers died in prison from typhus.[7]
[edit] Honour
Miladinovi Islets near Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica are named for the brothers.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Original edition of 'Bulgarian Folk Songs' (Bulgarian)
- Full text of "Bulgarian folk songs" (Bulgarian)
- Letter bearing the signature of Konstantin Miladinov
- Konstantin Miladinov poetry (Bulgarian)
[edit] Reference and Footnotes
- ^ a b "Това що зная за баща ми Димитър Миладинов и за стрико ми Константин Миладинов" Публикувано във вестник "Зора", 18, No 5270, 23 януари 1937, с. 8. , (in Bulgarian); English translation: "What I know of my father Dimitar Miladinov and my uncle Konstantin Miladinov editioned in newspaper "Zora", 18, No 5270, January 23rd 1937, c.8;
- ^ Letter from D. Miladinov to Victor Grigorovich about the search for Bulgarian folk songs and relics in Macedonia, 1846
- ^ Buchanan, Donna (2005). Performing Democracy: Bulgarian Music and Musicians in Transition. University of Chicago Press, p.34. ISBN 0226078272.
- ^ a b Срезневский, И. И. Библиографические записки. Известия Императорской Академии наук по Отделению русского языка и словесности. СПб., 1861. Т. Х. Вып. IV. Също: ФЭБ "Русская литература и фольклор" (Russian)
- ^ ms0601. www.soros.org.mk. Retrieved on 2008-03-18.
- ^ Phillips, John (2004). Macedonia: Warlords and Rebels in the Balkans. I.B.Tauris, p.41. ISBN 186064841X.
- ^ Roudometof, Victor (2002). Collective Memory, National Identity, and Ethnic Conflict: Greece, Bulgaria and the Macedonian question. Greenwood Publishing Group, p.91. ISBN 0275976483.