The other Internal Revolutionary Organisations

[Liberator of Makedonija]

Bulgaria claims Macedonians during the revolutionary period declaring themselves as such was nothing more than a regional phenomenon no different to Thrace or Dobruja. They try and back this up by pointing to the existence of the Internal Thracian and Dobrujan Revolutionary Organisations who fought for the autonomy of Thrace and Dobruja under the motto of 'Thrace for the Thracians' and 'Dobruja for the Dobrujans' and so state that Macedonians fighting for an autonomous Macedonia under the motto 'Maceonia for the Macedonians' is not an expression of independence from the Bulgarian nation.


Starting this thread to look into these other organisations, I have a hunch there is a lot of historical revisionism in regards to them and wouldn't be surprised if they were all set-up by Sofia.

This is the statute for the Internal Thracian Revolutionary Organisation published in 1923. It reads as: Art. 1. The Internal Thracian Revolutionary Organisation has the goal of uniting all the disgruntled elements in Thrace to the river Struma, regardless of their nationality, to win, through a revolution, a full political independence. Art. 2. The organisation is against any attempts and wishes for divisions and conquests of Thrace, from each ever state.




Emblem of the Internal Dobrujan Revolutionary Organisation:


There was also supposedly an Internal Western Outland Revolutionary Organization but they did not fight under any slogan or for autonomy, they apparently just wanted these territories to be annexed by Bulgaria. Haven't found much info on this lot yet.

[VMRO]

ITRO was formed by Tane Nikolov with the blessing of the Bulgarian government.

At one time he was a VMRO vojvoda operating in the Lerin region and later Bitola/Veles.

He even made the trip to Skopje in 1941 when Fascist Bulgaria occupied that part of Macedonia. Sad really as one time he was fighting for Macedonia's liberation and later became a tool of Bulgarian propaganda.


Tane Nikolov as a VMRO vojvoda

Tane Nikolov and Kosta Popeto in Skopje 1941

Picture of Tane Nikolov in Skopje 1941

Tane Nikolov - ITRO 1922

[Liberator of Makedonija]

ITRO was formed by Tane Nikolov with the blessing of the Bulgarian government.

At one time he was a VMRO vojvoda operating in the Lerin region and later Bitola/Veles.

He even made the trip to Skopje in 1941 when Fascist Bulgaria occupied that part of Macedonia. Sad really as one time he was fighting for Macedonia's liberation and later became a tool of Bulgarian propaganda.


Tane Nikolov as a VMRO vojvoda

Tane Nikolov and Kosta Popeto in Skopje 1941

Picture of Tane Nikolov in Skopje 1941

Tane Nikolov - ITRO 1922

So you reckon VTRO was set-up by Sofia?

[VMRO]

So you reckon VTRO was set-up by Sofia?

100% and it was also disbanded by the Bulgarian government.

[Liberator of Makedonija]

100% and it was also disbanded by the Bulgarian government.

Despite being formed by Sofia, their supposed goal was still an autonomus Thrace, not annexation by Bulgaria. Their motto was supposedly 'Thrace for the Thracians'. What do you reckon of that?

[VMRO]

Despite being formed by Sofia, their supposed goal was still an autonomus Thrace, not annexation by Bulgaria. Their motto was supposedly 'Thrace for the Thracians'. What do you reckon of that?

Bulgaria advocated this type of aspirations, especially when they were weak. Behind close doors they always believed in annexation - 1913 and 1941 are prime examples.

They got a taste of the San Stefano borders and this has been in their minds ever since.

[Chicho Makedonski]

So was Tane Nikolov an ethnic Macedonian or an ethnic Bulgarian?

We know not only ethnic Macedonians were allowed to take part in the Ilinden Uprising but any regional Macedonian that supported the Macedonian cause like Vlach’s, Jews etc.

Maybe Tane took part to spread pro Bulgarian ideas ? Maybe he was a secret spy for the Bulgarian government and only ‘friends’ with Goce Delchev to find out more inside information about the movement ? Maybe he was a tool of Bulgarian propaganda but there isn’t much evidence to say he was an ethnic Macedonian in my opinion considering he was later with ITRO and celebrated fascist Bulgaria’s occupation of Vardar Macedonia.

[Liberator of Makedonija]

So was Tane Nikolov an ethnic Macedonian or an ethnic Bulgarian?

We know not only ethnic Macedonians were allowed to take part in the Ilinden Uprising but any regional Macedonian that supported the Macedonian cause like Vlach’s, Jews etc.

Maybe Tane took part to spread pro Bulgarian ideas ? Maybe he was a secret spy for the Bulgarian government and only ‘friends’ with Goce Delchev to find out more inside information about the movement ? Maybe he was a tool of Bulgarian propaganda but there isn’t much evidence to say he was an ethnic Macedonian in my opinion considering he was later with ITRO and celebrated fascist Bulgaria’s occupation of Vardar Macedonia.

Nikolov was a Bulgarian, he was born is Haskovo.