"They call themselves Macedonians"

[Carlin]

1) "In their proclamations, the leaders of the Slavo-Macedonian committee appeal to Alexander the Great as a national hero".

George F. Abbott - The tale of a tour in Macedonia, 1903 - page 278



2)

[Carlin]

An inscription to a book wrriten in Cyrillic by Hriste Haji Konstantinovic, a teacher from the Macedonian town Prilep. This was wrriten in 1824.

URL:

https://mobile.twitter.com/PerdiccasArgead/status/1263880847146582016

[Dove]

An inscription to a book wrriten in Cyrillic by Hriste Haji Konstantinovic, a teacher from the Macedonian town Prilep. This was wrriten in 1824.

Will someone rewrite the image in Modern Macedonian Cyrillic Script to help me understand the pronunciation of those letters that are no longer in use please?

[Liberator of Makedonija]

Will someone rewrite the image in Modern Macedonian Cyrillic Script to help me understand the pronunciation of those letters that are no longer in use please?

Well for starters I believe this text is written in Church Slavonic, so it may serve better to have it completely translated.

[Soldier of Macedon]

will someone rewrite the image in modern macedonian cyrillic script to help me understand the pronunciation of those letters that are no longer in use please?

Hi Dove, see below:

Сија книга глаголемаја посланија писа Христе Хаџи Констанинович учител прилепски иже от граде Прилепе Македонстем.

Rough translation would be "the words in this book were written by Hriste Hadzhi Konstantinovich, a Prilep teacher who is from the Macedonian city of Prilep". What is interesting about this text, aside from the Macedonian reference from almost two centuries ago, is that it appears to utilise the letter Џ, which wasn't common. The following link states: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macedonian_alphabet

The letter Џ (representing the phoneme /dʒ/) was likely adopted from the Serbian alphabet and used by Gjorgjija Pulevski in four of his works, as well as by the Secret Macedonian Committee and Dimitar Mirčev.

I don't have the works of either Pulevski or Mirčev on hand right now to confirm the quoted sentence, but Vuk Karadzic standardised the Serbian alphabet in 1818, only 6 years prior to this text. Is it likely that the teacher from Prilep took this letter from the Serbian alphabet when Serbian influence in Macedonia was insignificant and when the rest of the text uses old Cyrillic letters? Doubtful. The Abkhaz alphabet also has the letter Џ, as did Romanian prior to shifting over to Latin. The following link states: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dzhe

The letter Dzhe was first used in the 15th-century Romanian Cyrillic alphabet, as a modified form of the letter ч. Serbian scribes began using it in the 17th century. Vuk Karadžić included it in his Cyrillic script reform, when the letter entered widespread use.

Perhaps the teacher from Prilep was exposed to church literature from Romania.

[Dove]

SoM - Spolaj-ti nogu (Thanks a lot)

[Carlin]

Hi Dove, see below:

Rough translation would be "the words in this book were written by Hriste Hadzhi Konstantinovich, a Prilep teacher who is from the Macedonian city of Prilep". What is interesting about this text, aside from the Macedonian reference from almost two centuries ago, is that it appears to utilise the letter Џ, which wasn't common. The following link states: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macedonian_alphabet

I don't have the works of either Pulevski or Mirčev on hand right now to confirm the quoted sentence, but Vuk Karadzic standardised the Serbian alphabet in 1818, only 6 years prior to this text. Is it likely that the teacher from Prilep took this letter from the Serbian alphabet when Serbian influence in Macedonia was insignificant and when the rest of the text uses old Cyrillic letters? Doubtful. The Abkhaz alphabet also has the letter Џ, as did Romanian prior to shifting over to Latin. The following link states: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dzhe

Perhaps the teacher from Prilep was exposed to church literature from Romania.

It appears that the letter Џ was in use in Macedonia, much to the chagrin of modern Bulgarian historiography & linguistics. I suspect, and it is possible, it might have been in use prior to the 19th century.

Here is another example from 1840, and the find comes from the same twitter user "Perdiccas' dagger":

The cyrillic letter "Џ, џ" has been present in Macedonian literary works since before the 1840'. The excerpt is from the book "Solace of the sinners", written by Macedonian revivalist Cyril Pejcinovik in 1840 and published in Salonica (Solun).



On a related note, the first letter in the text below is cyrillic letter "Ѕ", idiosyncratic to Macedonian language. The text is an excerpt from the 1814 book "A narration about the formidable and second advent of Christ", by Yoakim Krchovski.

[Carlin]

Once again, from "Perdiccas' dagger".



Rudolphe Archibald Reiss (1875-1929) was a German-Swiss law professor, invited by the Greek PM Venizelos to investigate the living conditions of the natives that populated the newly acquired northern territories (Aegean Macedonia) after the Balkan wars of 1912 & 1913.

Reiss, not being a linguist, in his report in 1915 writes that the inhabitants of Macedonia speak Macedonian which is not spoken in Sofia or Belgrade & that it is a separate language. He also writes that the Macedonians are not Bulgarians nor Serbs, just Macedonians.

[Liberator of Makedonija]

On a related note, the first letter in the text below is cyrillic letter "Ѕ", idiosyncratic to Macedonian language. The text is an excerpt from the 1814 book "A narration about the formidable and second advent of Christ", by Yoakim Krchovski.

Really good find this, incredible how intelligible it still is now.

[Carlin]

1929 Australian immigration record: Cyril Karafiloff registers as Macedonian nationality and explains to Australian authorities his part of Macedonia was under Serbian rule.





URL:

https://mobile.twitter.com/UZI9mmmm/status/1261626186511216643/photo/1

[Carlin]

Атанас Христов Џолев – Насо бил македонски револуционер, четник во ВМРО (Aвтономистичка).

URL:

https://mk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%90%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%81_%D0%8F%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%B5%D0%B2

Во Спомените, Атанас Џолев јасно ја нагласува својата македонска национална свест.[3] Спомените се чуваат во Бугарските државни архиви, а се издадени во Македонија во 2006. Тука Џолев подробно ги опишува случувањата околу убиството на Тодор Александров и потоа. Пишува и за решеноста на Ванчо Михајлов да се пресмета со “Серчаните”-Санданисти во ВМРО, но и со сите неистомисленици и соперници кои биле убиени по негова наредба [4].

Цитати

1) „Нашите македонски револуционери, во чии редови бев како обичен војник на Македонија, бевме прво за нејзино национално ослободување, зашто времето течеше и не можеше да се чека во Егејска Македонија нашите браќа Македонци да станат Грци, во Србија да станат Срби и во Пиринска Македонија да станат Бугари. За Македонците тогаш, национално поробени од трите балкански држави, беше важно слободно да се викаат Македонци, да говорат и да пишуваат на својот мајчин македонски јазик, а дали националистичките или социјалистичките раководители ќе им ја донесат слободата, не беше толку важно пред 50 години. Со тоа сакам да подвлечам дека историјата на македонскиот народ од пред 50 години треба да ѝ претходи на онаа од 1941 година до денес, за да се разбере и од идните поколенија на македонскиот народ дека нивните татковци, дедовци и прадедовци не живееле во летаргичен сон од 1903 до 1941 година.“ [5]

2) „Во рамките на целокупна Македонија, ВМРО се бореше подеднакво против трите завојувачки балкански држави, за целосно автономна и самостојна Македонија… Cо ликвидирањето на Санданистите, се стави крај на таа борба, а бугарскиот врховизам го приграби ВМРО, преку Иван Михајлов, Кирил Дрангов и други послушници на бугарската влада на Александар Цанков.”

3) „Вековнaтa желба и замисла на сите бугарски политички буржоаски партии до 1944 година беше Македонија да биде бугарска, дека не постои одделна македонска нација и дека ние Македонците сме биле само еден дел од бугарскиот народ. Тоа ние, вистинските Македонци, го сметаме за бугарска буржуаска лакомост за завладување на туѓи територии и за асимилирање на други, одамна поробени народи.“ [6]

[Carlin]

1941 Vasil Dimitry ethnic Macedonian migrant to Australia from Greece is given Greek interpreter in Australian court trial which he refuses but testifies in broken English & his native Macedonian language & Greek interpreter furious!

The Sun 12 Sep 1941

URLs:

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/231636114?searchTerm=Macedonian%20vasil%20Dimitry

https://twitter.com/UZI9mmmm/status/1322388306445787137

[Carlin]

"... Написана је по славјански- маќедонско нареченије за да ја разбирајет сви полуострофски Славјани…"

URL:

https://puls24.mk/napisana-je-po-slavjanski-makedonsko-narecenije-za-da-ja-razbirajet-svi-poluostrofski-slavjani/

[Soldier of Macedon]

Blaže Krstev - Birinčeto (1873-1911) was a Macedonian revolutionary and leader from the village of Birino, Kruševo. Krstev and his detachment participated in the liberation of Kruševo during the Ilinden Uprising, alongside other notable fighters such as Pitu Guli. Following the uprising, he fought against armed bands in Veles that were under the influence of Serbian propaganda. In the letter below, he is appealing to an individual named Dušan who is a leader of one such band in the village of Bistrica, which is located between Veles and Makedonski Brod. Many of the letters from that period were written in the literary norm that was taught to Macedonian students in Exarchate schools. What is interesting about this letter is that it was written in a Macedonian dialect (with negligible external influences) that is not too different from the literary Macedonian language. The sentiment of the author is also telling. It not only demonstrates how certain members of the Macedonian Revolutionary Organisation were making conciliatory overtures to their brethren who had fallen under the propaganda of foreign elements, but also serves as another good example of how the Macedonian identity meant so much more than a mere geographic designation, particularly for the commoners and those that hadn’t completely bought into the lies that were rampant across Macedonia. The letter is dated 7/11/1906 and cited in Vančo Ǵorǵiev, VMRO 1904-1908, Document no. 88.

За брат Душана - војвода во селото Бистрица

Братко, да се научиш оти го зедов писмото твоје и разбрав се што ми писуваше, и тоја што ми писуваше. Народо многу во мака го донесовне, така верно ет, от кого ет кабаетот, вие на велите оти е от нас, а ние на велиме оти е от вас. Само на мојето знаније има десет години, како сум борец за Македонија, никаква колачка во тие години немавме ни пак разлика на србомани, ни пак на бугараши. Македонски борачи бевне и до крај се бориме за македонскиот народ, а не се бориме за Бугарија или за Србија или Грција, тија сат слободни и си живејат меѓу ними и си пијат по ладните меани, имат прао да пијат оти побргу туриле крфта. Ни треба што сме од македонската земија, треба за Македонија да работиме оти македонските браќа гинат по патиштата и македонските сестри сет обесчестени от клетио Турчин, от мрсниот Турчин. Нија не сме против никоја народнос ниту на Бугарија Србија и Грција, кои ќе ми поможит, нија ќе му признајме нивната добрина. Ако имало тука земија Србија (српска), бугарска или грчка, требало да не чекат није да умираме по планињето, но тија со војската да ја ослободеја Македонија, тогај можеа да барат српска земја, или бугарска и грчка. Сега није от ними помош да не чекаме и партизанство во Македонија да нема за да би работата бадијала да ни оди, толку години сме работиле еднодушно и пак сега партизанство мене не ми је арно, оти гледаме партизанство на никој пат не может да не изнесит. Штом сме македонски војводи, за македонски народ треба да работиме, тогај се види да на еден збор не сме можиле да се разбереме за да не се бијеме. Меѓу себе треба да си туриме еден рет меѓ нас за да ни нукнит Турчино. Ами Турци да тепаме, но меѓу себе да не се тепаме от денешниот ден. Јас со србоманската чета не сум се удрил, ниту пак со грчка, а Турци мнозина су убил и биле су избесил, и пак су нијет Турци да убијам, а не мој браќа. За тоа да напрајме еден себап на македонскиот народ, да туриме мир меѓу нас, да се сретниме со уста да зборуваме, ама да не се бојте ниту вије ниту пак није. Прво да се сретниме и да прајме муабетот и ако не можиме мир да клајме меѓу нас, тогај нема да се тепаме, ка се остраниме после, ка знајме оти сме душмани, но сега бездруго да се ставиме, ако сакате ка ви дојдам дури во Крапа. Како нема што да ви пиша, оставам на ваш одговор, и, сакате, елате вија кај нас, ако се бојте вије од нас, није ка дојдме кај вас, без да се бојте да се сретим. Пишете.

Блаже, Крушевски војвода родом од село Пирина. Поздрав до сички братја поимено до другариве поздрав и от мојте другари.

Смрт на врага, доле тиранијата!

Определите место кај да се ставиме или кај вас или кај нас.

English translation below.

To my brother, Dušan, vojvoda from the village of Bistrica

Brother, you should know that I have received your letter and understood all that you wrote me. We have put the people in great turmoil, it is true, but who is to blame, you say it is us, we say it is you. As far as I know, in my ten years as a fighter for Macedonia, there has never been any bloodshed between ourselves or a division into serbomans and bulgarophiles. We have been Macedonian fighters and we will fight to the end for the Macedonian people, but we do not fight for Bulgaria or Serbia or Greece, they are free and live freely and drink in shaded inns, they have the right to drink since they shed their blood earlier. We, who come from this Macedonian land, should work for Macedonia because our Macedonian brothers are murdered on the roads and our Macedonian sisters are disgraced by the cursed Turk, the greasy Turk. We are not against any nationality, neither from Bulgaria, Serbia, or Greece, we would recognise the merit of those who would help us. If there had been any Serbian, Bulgarian or Greek land here, they should not have waited for us to die in the mountains but should have liberated Macedonia with their armies, then they could have sought Serbian, Bulgarian or Greek land here. Now we should not wait for their help and there should not be any division among us in Macedonia lest our efforts be wasted, we have worked so many years with one accord and I do not like the division now, since we see that division can lead us nowhere. Since we are Macedonian vojvodas, we should work for the Macedonian people, then it will become clear that one word wasn’t enough for us to come to an understanding so that we don’t fight each other. We must establish order among ourselves so as to crush the Turk. We should fight the Turks and not fight among ourselves starting from this day. I have not clashed with the serboman band, nor with a Greek one, but I have killed and hanged many Turks, and I have in mind to kill Turks again, rather than my brothers. So, let us do something for the sake of the Macedonian people, let us make peace between us, when we meet, let us talk to each other and not be afraid of each other. First let us meet and discuss, and if we cannot make peace between us, we shall not fight at once, we shall part then we shall know that we are enemies, but now we must definitely meet, if you wish I will come to you, even to Krapa (village in Makedonski Brod). As I have nothing else to write you, I am now waiting for your answer, and, if you want, you may come to us, if you are afraid of us, we shall come you, do not be afraid to meet us. Just write.

Blaže, vojvoda from Kruševo, born in the village of Birino. Greetings to all brothers personally, greetings for the comrades from my comrades.

Death to the devil, down with the tyrant!

Decide where we should meet, whether we should come there or you will come here.

Birinčeto also sent another letter around the same time, this time addressed to the inhabitants of Crešnevo, a village in Makedonski Brod. The content and message is very similar to the other letter and basically argues against the division of Macedonians based on foreign ideologies. This short excerpt is from Documents on the struggle of the Macedonian people for independence and for a national state, 1981. The complete letter and English translation will be posted at a later date.

Greetings to our brother inhabitants of Crešnevo...I have heard that you have become Serbs.....we must be brothers, as we were before.....you, brothers, consider us Bulgarians. But, brothers, neither are you Serbs nor are we Bulgarians. What do you say to us joining our hands, so that neither you nor we shall suffer any more.....

[Karposh]

I'm actually quite surprised that this information hasn't been included in Blazhe Krstev's Macedonian Wikipedia page. From what you have posted SoM, it's clear that his identity was Macedonian in the ethnic sense and not merely in the "regional" sense as our eastern neighbours like to tell the world. And the fact that it gives such a valuable personal insight into the propaganda of the time that managed to create "Serbs" and "Bulgarians" out of Macedonians, speaks volumes.