|
In the first half of the XIX century, in line with the growing
economic and social burden of Haskovo in the live of European
Turkey, the city has established itself as a center of the kaza. It
increasingly turned into a center of trade and craft. Under the
influence of the broadened market are growing a lot of crafts:
leather, амбулантен търговец, goldsmith, footwear, homespun
tailoring, кожарство, masonry, bakery, земеделство, copper, etc.
животновъдство.
Along with the development of the craft there is also seen an
increase in business. Except for its enormous help and the Fair
there was built at the end of XVIII century a cobblestone road and
waterway on the Maritsa river in which arrived at the port of Enos
goods and Haskovo strengthened its old ties with the traders of
Plovdiv and Edirne. Trading was of great importance for the
socio-economic development of the city during the Renaissance, and
it stands as an important link and an integral part of Bulgarian
national economy. There are formed craft and shopping streets, which
housed more than 200 workshops and offices. Craft, united in guilds,
is emerging as leaders of social and cultural life.
This wealth leads to upsurge in all fields. That spiritual flame in
our history called the Renaissance, starts to boil in Haskovo too.
In 1857 opened a telegraph and a post office. The water supply was
improved. New churches and public buildings, schools and streets
were built. In 1837, it was built the church of St. Virgin Mary, in
1861 - St. St. Archangels Michael and Gabriel, in 1865 - St. St.
Cyril and Methodius. There arose large houses in Renaissance style -
an expression not only of the number of wealthy Haskovo families,
but also of a sense of the people for harmony and beauty.
 The
church
Most massive and organized social force in the Bulgarian Revival
church is the Haskovo municipality. In her leadership included
wealthy merchants, entrepreneurs, owners of real estate artisans.
First warden - warden, is one of the most influential and wealthy
merchants - Hristodul C. Shishmanov. With the increase of the
Bulgarian population in the city and its business замогване
increasing the role of the parish. Recognized as an authority with
limited local government, it performs several important tasks:
caring for the building of churches, opening schools, finding and
maintenance of teachers sent to teach young people in other cities,
buys books, opened a community center. This activity turns it into
an engine of the revival process in the city.
During the second quarter of the XIX century the Bulgarians in the
nationwide scale began to be distinguished from the Greek spiritual
power, to seek ways for church autonomy. (After the fall of Bulgaria
under Ottoman rule the Bulgarian church goes under the management of
the Constantinople Patriarchate, which is recognized as the sole
representative of all Christian peoples in the empire.) Vaccine is
the beginning of the two powerful movements: a new Bulgarian
Enlightenment and Culture and the struggle for national church
independence. Create conditions for mass popular movement against
the Greek bishops and priests. In these struggles do not remain
complacent and Bulgarians in Haskovo, where for a variety of
circumstances and felt a strong impact, depending on the гърцизма.
Greek propaganda has roots in the city under the influence of
Plovdiv and Asenovgrad. There гръцки parties, in whose face
promoters for an independent Bulgarian church and education faced
fierce resistance. Haskovo Graecomanes are under strong influence of
Plovdiv and maintain healthy relationships. Especially those
relationships are exacerbated by the arrival of Hadji Stavri in
Haskovo, who heads the party grakomanskata years and creates serious
problems for the church, educational and national liberation
movements in the city. The struggle for the Bulgarian Church worship
and clergy are in full force height and reach to serious
disturbances in 60-ies of the XIX century these still in the city
with unabated throughout doosvobozhdenski period. Therefore, when
the February 27, 1870 by the Ottoman sultan's royal government
recognizes the right of Bulgarians have their own church community
Haskovo is covered by a great joy. The church bells of St. Virgin
and solemnly beat together the population. The city is organized
celebrations, people are happy.
The school
Bulgarian monastery schools no longer satisfied the growing cultural
and educational needs of Bulgarians and especially to the emerging
Haskovo bourgeoisie. Wealthy people from Haskovo were looking for
Bulgarian teachers to teach children their native language. In 1846,
modern Bulgarian education was launched in the city. In 1851 the
introduction of Bulgarian language and Lancaster method becomes the
foundation for a new secular class school. There is opened a girls'
school too. In 1864 in Haskovo was built a new school building. Care
of the parish of enlightenment does not end with this. Because of
her years in the city during the Renaissance teach Todor Zapryanov,
Nestor Markov, Yordan Nenov, Stoyan Zaimov Peter Berkovski, Dimitar
Dushanov ,Rachel Dushanova. The sacrifice of enlightenment is
evidence of their high national consciousness in their desire for
the establishment and prosperity of the Bulgarians.
 The
community center
In this striving for spiritual renewal in 1858 the people in Haskovo
created the community center "Zarya" - the first in Southern
Bulgaria and the fourth since the ones in Svishtov, Lom and Shumen.
It is due to some Bulgarians in Haskovo: Hristodul Shishmanov, Hadji
Ivancho Minchev, Christo Zlatarov, Jani Kozhuharov, Priest Hrisant
Atanasov and others. In the beginning is housed in a schoolroom
where they had ordered newspapers and magazines, and in glass
cabinets - the library. People came, read, often aloud to be
listened to others, discussing public affairs. From 1870 it was
established a Sunday school. Exported to lectures, to organize
cultural and school delay endure. Its main activity was raising
funds for charity. They purchased books and textbooks to the needy,
students were more successful abroad, teaching was organized as
gatherings. (Levski Haskovo (Art Hr. Forev) Upsurge in the library
case occurred when a teacher in the town came Peter Berkovski,
Khitov's ally and comrade of Vasil Levski in his stay in Belgrade.
Berkovski became chairman of the secret Revolutionary Committee in
Haskovo. "Under the veil of scientific lectures given on behalf of
the community center Haskovo, Haskovo Committee began its
revolutionary propaganda" - says Stoyan Zaimov. Teachers and
activists in the community center was the beginning of organizing a
national liberation movement and the creation of a revolutionary
committee. G.S. Rakovsky who came in 1849 to Uzundjovska Fair formed
first influences of the national ideas of the people of Haskovo. His
contacts with educators continue in Haskovo for years. Todor
Zapryanov becomes even his correspondent for the newspaper Danube
Swan.
Active propagandist of the revolutionary ideas was the teacher
Nestor Markov.
Active propagandist of the revolutionary ideas was the teacher
Nestor Markov. In 1869 Vasil Levski first visited Haskovo. At that
time the city is facing fierce fights between Bulgarians and
Grecians. The Apostle met Christo Zlatarov, one of the young
Bulgarians an aware and intelligent merchant, founder and chairman
of the library "Zarya". In the fall of 1872 again Levski came to
Haskovo again, to create a revolutionary committee. There is advance
information on individual Haskovo people who can count. Helped by
Berkovski, the Apostle founded one of the most active revolutionary
committees in Southern Bulgaria. Berkovski is elected President and
meetings are held in his room. Levski members met with the statutes
and program of the committee organization and their future tasks.
Great assistance to the committee had Christo Zlatarov, chairman of
the library, which was based on propaganda work among the
population.
In November 1872, to establish regional revolutionary centers,
Levski came for the third time in Haskovo. Haskovo Committee
initiates organized revolutionary activities in the villages.
Revolutionary Committees are established in 36 villages. All of them
are preparing to revolt. And when Turkish authorities captured
Levski at the end of 1872, the Haskovo Revolutionary Committee makes
its rescue plan, organized by Atanas Uzunov.
But where there is courage there is also a betrayal. The prominent
Graecomanes Hadji Stavri transmitted to the Turkish authorities the
names of the revolutionaries from Haskovo. The Committee decided to
be killed. At the end of April 1873 this task is given to Atanas
Uzunov. Young and inexperienced, he doesn’t succeed in the attack
against Hadji Stavri. He is arrested together with 23 other
revolutionaries from Haskovo, Stara Zagora, Chirpan, Plovdiv and
Simeonovgrad. The long and painful 
process ends at the end of 1873 with the issuance of the 21 death
sentences - life in prison in Diyarbekir. Later some of these brave
Bulgarians flee from prison and are transferred to Romania. In 1877
are included in the ranks of the Bulgarian volunteers. The rest
received amnesty in 1878 under the San Stefano peace treaty. The
process was called "Haskovo assassination in 1873”, causing a severe
blow to the Revolutionary Committee of Haskovo. However it later
participated in the Stara Zagora Uprising.
In 1869 was established the female company "Kermit," one of the
first in the country, and in 1872 a student company "Consent", led
by the teacher Zechariah Boyadjiev, who maintained the life of the
community center.
|
