Exhibition - The Unification of Bulgaria

от: 2022-09- 5 12:00    до: 2022-09-30 12:00

Perustitsa Historical Museum presents the exhibition The Union of Bulgaria from 05.09.2022 in the Conference Hall - Danovo School.

As early as September 4, 1885, the flag of the Union was raised in Perustitsa

The ashes around Perustitsa, which have not yet been completely cleared after the uprising in 1876 brutally suppressed by the Turkish army and the Bashibozic hordes, after 9 years the survivors rise up for a new battle. Georgi Natev, a native of Perushtene, who fought in the defense of his village during the memorable nine free days of the Free before the Liberation, became an invariable representative of the settlements from the entire region in the gatherings and meetings around the area, held during the preparations to announce the Unification of the artificially created vassal area Eastern Rumelia with the free Principality of Bulgaria.

On September 4, the Russian consul in Plovdiv reported to his department: "On Monday, in Perushtitsa, three high school students, inviting with a banner with the inscription: "Union" to an uprising, were arrested by the local chief, but then they were released at the insistence of the peasants".

Perustitsa is in the immediate vicinity of 21 "non-surrendered (to the Bulgarian authorities) Rhodope villages located along the Vacha River". When the Bulgarian Secret Central Revolutionary Committee was established in Plovdiv in 1885, which aims at the complete liberation and national unification of the Bulgarian people, its chairman Zahari Stoyanov undertook the delicate mission of preventing the intervention of this surviving pro-Muslim region against the cause of the Unification. The combative population of Perustitsa, rising from the ashes, played a deterrent role in order for these Rhodope villages to remain peaceful both in the days following the Unification and in the Serbo-Bulgarian War. It is no coincidence that on September 6th, when the Unification of Northern and Southern Bulgaria was announced in Plovdiv, the armed squad of 200 people who stood in front of Konaka to defend the Cause was led by Atanas Patev from Perušten, together with members of BTCRC Todor Gatev and Spas Turchev.

All Bulgarians support the Unification. The provisional government sent a telegram to Prince Alexander I of Bulgaria that the Union had been proclaimed in the name of his majesty. This news traveled around Bulgaria like lightning on the same day. The people are jubilant, rallies and meetings are held. While in Sofia a resolution is being adopted for the recognition of the Unification and measures for its support by the entire Bulgarian population, militia societies are already being formed in the settlements for the defense of the united fatherland.

Author: Hristo Bukovsky