Stefan Rolev (1865 – 1969) unknown Macedonian revolutionary

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  • Bratot
    Senior Member
    • Sep 2008
    • 2855

    Stefan Rolev (1865 – 1969) unknown Macedonian revolutionary

    Exclusive presentation of an unknown Macedonian revolutionary and great athlete.

    Stefan Atanasov Rolev, was born in 1865 in the village Ekshi-Su (Vrbeni) Lerin region, in Aegean Macedonia. He participated in the Ilinden uprising and the struggle for liberation of the Macedonian people in the post-Ilinden period, where he was known as "Warlord Biglenski and Lerinski”. He knew how to prepare the hellish machines and the bombs as well.

    Despite his revolutionary works Stefan Rolev had excellent physical predispositions, because of what he was called the "Iron Rolev", he did performances where he broke stone of his chest, then rolled iron and similar. He was engaged in: gymnastics, acrobatics, athletics, lifting load, pelivan wrestling, boxing, cycling, motorbikes and mountaineering.

    After a period that he traveled through Europe and the U.S.A., he returns home where he found the first gymnast association in Lerin in 1908 “Biglenski hero " and then in Bitola “Pelister hero”.

    In 1911 he prepared the assassination of Sultan Reshad V during his visit to Bitola, but his intention was hindered by important people in the Organization who did not want bloodshed of innocent victims in Bitola, as a response by the Turkish forces.

    Stephen Rolev spent his aged years in Bitola, where he was favorite of children and youth, known as "Grandpa Role" he often known to talk about experiences of his life.

    In a interview is noted his statement:

    "I was a terrorist, I carried the bomb in a secret passageway to the Ottoman Bank, Komita, Warlord, and a peace judge of our population. I liquidate Ali the Cherkez called 'tyrant of Lerin’, also the the illfamed Ibrahim called `krvolak ' - a bloodthirsty person. Turks call me "man - beast." Because I was very strong, a true gladiator, fearless and a risk type, prone to adventures. For Macedonia I would get alive in a fire, if my Organization ordered. But simultaneously I studied the sports systems of England, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Poland and Czechoslovakia. I gave public-athletic events with students for the citizens of Bitola... I think that I lived my life usefully, putting it on the altar of Macedonia. "

    He died in Bitola on 24 December 1969 when he survived 104 years and 131 days.


    May his memory live!


    The purpose of the media is not to make you to think that the name must be changed, but to get you into debate - what name would suit us! - Bratot
  • El Bre
    Member
    • Sep 2008
    • 713

    #2
    Great post Bratot. What a colourful character.

    Comment

    • Bill77
      Senior Member
      • Oct 2009
      • 4545

      #3
      Yes great post indeed Bratot. I hope you have more.

      By the way, wasn't Alexander Tulungev from Ekshi-Su (Vrbeni) aswell?

      And i don't understand why he does not get mentioned much. I would love to know more about Tulungev.
      http://www.macedoniantruth.org/forum/showthread.php?p=120873#post120873

      Comment

      • Bill77
        Senior Member
        • Oct 2009
        • 4545

        #4
        Originally posted by Bill77 View Post
        Yes great post indeed Bratot. I hope you have more.

        By the way, wasn't Alexander Tulungev from Ekshi-Su (Vrbeni) aswell?

        And i don't understand why he does not get mentioned much. I would love to know more about Tulungev.
        It would make a great book to get all the Macedonian revolutionaries in one book with a short biography of each hero. A great way to stir up patriotism in every Macedonians belly.


        Regarding Stefan Rolev, i would not be surprised if he fought together with Alexander Tulungev.
        http://www.macedoniantruth.org/forum/showthread.php?p=120873#post120873

        Comment

        • Bratot
          Senior Member
          • Sep 2008
          • 2855

          #5
          First, I'm sorry for the poor English of this translation, I'm open to suggestions what should be corrected, based on the original version in Macedonian.

          Second, nobody mentioned this person before in our history books which has to be changed.
          An initiative will be passed through soon for naming some sport club or a sport arena with his name - Stefan Rolev - somewhere in Bitolsko region, we started to work on the papers that need to be fulfiled for this purpose.

          I really hope our institutions or people of good patriotic will to help this come true.
          The purpose of the media is not to make you to think that the name must be changed, but to get you into debate - what name would suit us! - Bratot

          Comment

          • Bill77
            Senior Member
            • Oct 2009
            • 4545

            #6
            Bratot, i am surprised there is not even a street in Bitola named after him.

            It seems that you have to die during battle to be a hero.
            http://www.macedoniantruth.org/forum/showthread.php?p=120873#post120873

            Comment

            • Niko777
              Senior Member
              • Oct 2010
              • 1895

              #7
              Stefan Rolev was born in selo Vrbeni (Dolno Vrbeni), not Eshki-Su (Gorno Vrbeni), the two villages are different and far apart. Please correct this error. Source (MANU Macedonian Encyclopedia).

              Comment

              • Makedonetz
                Senior Member
                • Apr 2010
                • 1080

                #8
                Do they have have a monument to commemorate this hero in his hometown?
                Makedoncite se borat
                za svoite pravdini!

                "The one who works for joining of Macedonia to Bulgaria,Greece or Serbia can consider himself as a good Bulgarian, Greek or Serb, but not a good Macedonian"
                - Goce Delchev

                Comment

                • Ilo
                  Junior Member
                  • Jun 2012
                  • 1

                  #9
                  Bratot, it is important to my opinion to highlight, as niko777 wrote, the fact that Stefo Rolev was from Dolno Vrbeni (today Itea, sorry for that !) & not from Grno Vrbeni, also called Ekshi su.
                  I don't know the reason why these two villages have such a close name & are quite far away from each other (23 km) since usually Dolno & Grno-something are often close to each other.
                  If anyone has an answer to that, please let me know.
                  It is mainly a matter of respect towards the descendants of Stefo Rolev which some of them still live of course in Dolno Vrbeni, others in Verviers (Belgium) or Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide & Sydney.
                  The confusion might be due to the fact that Ekshi Su (Grno Vrbeni) was the cradle of some important people such as A. Touroundjiev.
                  Georgi Trajkov (08.04.1898-14.01.1975) was from Dolno Vrbeni as well, he was an important figure of the Bulgarian state from 1923 to 1972, head of the state from April 23, 1964 till July 7, 1971.
                  Thanks for correcting that.
                  Ilo-Verviers-(Voshtarani)

                  Comment

                  • makedonche
                    Senior Member
                    • Oct 2008
                    • 3242

                    #10
                    Ilo
                    Dobro doijde! Thanks for the info!
                    On Delchev's sarcophagus you can read the following inscription: "We swear the future generations to bury these sacred bones in the capital of Independent Macedonia. August 1923 Illinden"

                    Comment

                    • George S.
                      Senior Member
                      • Aug 2009
                      • 10116

                      #11
                      they should give him the proper recognition of a hero that he so richly deserves.
                      Last edited by George S.; 06-18-2012, 03:25 PM. Reason: ed
                      "Ido not want an uprising of people that would leave me at the first failure, I want revolution with citizens able to bear all the temptations to a prolonged struggle, what, because of the fierce political conditions, will be our guide or cattle to the slaughterhouse"
                      GOTSE DELCEV

                      Comment

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