During an event commemorating the 150th anniversary of the April Uprising, the President of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS), Evelina Slavcheva, asserted that the 1876 uprising should be established in global historiography as the starting point of the Bulgarian national revolution. Speaking at the All-Bulgarian Solemn Assembly, the BAS President emphasized the Academy’s role in preserving national memory, noting that the institution committed itself to uniting the efforts of scientific, civic, and state bodies. Slavcheva characterized the 1876 events as a pivotal moment for the Bulgarian nation.
She referenced historian Prof. Nikolay Genchev’s view, which interprets the uprising as a radical act of state-building. According to this perspective, the subsequent Russo-Turkish War was perceived in Europe not merely as an imperial conflict, but as a direct response to the massacres that occurred during the April Uprising.
The President highlighted the deep connection between the BAS and the legacy of the uprising, pointing out that members of its predecessor, the Bulgarian Literary Society, were active participants in its preparation and execution. She noted that the Society’s members, including chroniclers like Stoyan Zaimov and Zahari Stoyanov, played a crucial role in documenting the events, suggesting that the path to freedom was forged through both intellectual and armed struggle. In conclusion, the BAS President appealed to current Bulgarian historians to follow the intellectual trajectory of Nikolay Genchev.
She urged the academic community to affirm the significance of the April Uprising within world scholarship, recognizing it as the foundational moment of the modern Bulgarian national movement.
Topics: #president #uprising #bulgarian
This is an important call for international historical recognition.