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Revision as of 15:46, 1 June 2006 by FunkyFly (talk | contribs) (rv, unsourced)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Nikola Karev (1877, Krushevo, present day Republic of Macedonia - 27 April 1905, Raychani, near Kochani, present day Republic of Macedonia) was a Bulgarian socialist and revolutionary, a member of the Secret Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Organization (known as Bulgarian Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Committees before 1902) and leader of the Krushevo Republic during the 1903 Ilinden uprising.
The Ilinden uprising
The Ilinden uprising (Ilindensko Vostanie) was the turning point in the revolutionary struggle of the Macedonian people. It was a true revolution with deep political and social implications. It began on 2 August 1903, and soon spread over the entire region of Macedonia, with various degrees of participation by the local population.
The heaviest fighting took place in the area around Bitola, followed by Ohrid, Kicevo, Florina, Prilep and various other regions, with less pronounced fighting in the Thessaloniki, Seres, Skopje and Odrin regions. The towns of Krusevo, Neveska and Klisura were captured. Other nationalities living in Macedonia also took part in the Ilinden Uprising, a withness to its popular and democratic character. On 3 August 1903, the rebels captured the town of Krusevo and established a revolutionary government, proclaiming the Krusevo Republic - which was the first modern day republic in the Balkans. The Republic existed only for 10 days - August 3rd to August 13th, and was headed by president Nikola Karev.
Amongst the various religious groups in Krushevo - Bulgarians, Aromanians and Greeks, a Republican Council was elected with 60 members - 20 representatives from each. The Council also elected an executive body - the Provisional Government, with six members (2 from each religious group), whose duty was to promote law and order and manage supplies, finances, and medical care. The "Krusevo Manifesto" was published. Written by Nikola Karev himself, it outlined the goals of the Uprising, calling upon the population to join forces with the provisional government in the struggle against Ottoman tyranny, in order to attain freedom and independence.
The Turkish government was surprised by the uprising, taking extraordinary military measures to surpress it: 176,000 soldiers, 3,700 mounted troops and 444 cannons were sent to Macedonia. After fierce battles near Sliva and Meckin Kamen, the Turks managed to destroy the Krusevo Republic, committing attrocities against the rebel forces and the local population. As a result, over 200 communities were exterminated, more than 12,000 houses burned to the ground, more than 70,000 people were left homeless, and 8,816 were killed. Some 30,000 people fled their homes to avoid the Turkish reprisal.
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