Konstantin Bozveliev
Encyclopedia
Konstantin Tenev Bozveliev was a Bulgaria
n socialist politician.
(Istanbul
), the capital of the Ottoman Empire
, to the family of Bulgarian tobacco
merchant Tenyo Bozveli. On his father's side, Bozveliev descended from the cleric and Bulgarian National Revival
figure Neofit Bozveli
. He attended a school in Kazanlak
, even though he dropped out to find a job, he continued his studies and learned Russian
and French
by himself.
As a young radical, Bozveliev became active in the underground siromahomilstvo ("compassion on the poor") movement (a movement inspired by nihilist
, anarchist, narodnik
and Ukrainian
federalist ideas). The movement was crushed by the regime in 1890. After the crack-down, Bozveliev took part in the Tarnovo meeting of socialists in May 1891. At the meeting the foundation of a socialist party was discussed. However, Bozveliev and Sava Mutafov (another former siromahomilstvo activist) opposed the foundation of a new party, as they were wary of government repression. The foundation of the party was postponed to a second meeting the same year. On 2 August 1891 the Bulgarian Social Democratic Party
was founded, with Bozveliev as one of its twenty founders.
When the Bulgarian social democrats were divided in 1903, Bozveliev sided with Yanko Sakazov
and joined his Bulgarian Social Democratic Workers Party (Broad Socialists). In 1908 Bozveliev was elected mayor of Kazanlak
(as a candidate of the Bulgarian Social Democratic Workers Party (Broad Socialists)), the first Bulgarian socialist to be elected to the office of mayor.
On 26 February 1951 Bozveliev was found dead at the library and archive of the Iskra educational club. His body was encountered by the writer Dimitar Hristov Chorbadzhiev
('Chudomir'), who noted that Bozveliev had died while going through historical papers in the archive.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n socialist politician.
Biography
Bozveliev was born in ConstantinopleConstantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
(Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
), the capital of the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, to the family of Bulgarian tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
merchant Tenyo Bozveli. On his father's side, Bozveliev descended from the cleric and Bulgarian National Revival
Bulgarian National Revival
The Bulgarian National Revival , sometimes called the Bulgarian Renaissance, was a period of socio-economic development and national integration among Bulgarian people under Ottoman rule...
figure Neofit Bozveli
Neofit Bozveli
Neofit Bozveli was a Bulgarian cleric and enlightener and one of the leaders of the Bulgarian Church struggle.Born in the lively sub-Balkan town of Kotel, Bozveli completed his basic education there and may well have been a student of Sophronius of Vratsa...
. He attended a school in Kazanlak
Kazanlak
Kazanlak, formerly Kazanlık is a Bulgarian town in Stara Zagora Province, located in the middle of the plain of the same name, at the foot of the Balkan mountain range, at the eastern end of the Rose Valley...
, even though he dropped out to find a job, he continued his studies and learned Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
and French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
by himself.
As a young radical, Bozveliev became active in the underground siromahomilstvo ("compassion on the poor") movement (a movement inspired by nihilist
Nihilist movement
The Nihilist movement was a Russian movement in the 1860s which rejected all authorities. It is derived from the Latin word "nihil", which means "nothing"...
, anarchist, narodnik
Narodnik
Narodniks was the name for Russian socially conscious members of the middle class in the 1860s and 1870s. Their ideas and actions were known as Narodnichestvo which can be translated as "Peopleism", though is more commonly rendered "populism"...
and Ukrainian
Ukrainians
Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...
federalist ideas). The movement was crushed by the regime in 1890. After the crack-down, Bozveliev took part in the Tarnovo meeting of socialists in May 1891. At the meeting the foundation of a socialist party was discussed. However, Bozveliev and Sava Mutafov (another former siromahomilstvo activist) opposed the foundation of a new party, as they were wary of government repression. The foundation of the party was postponed to a second meeting the same year. On 2 August 1891 the Bulgarian Social Democratic Party
Bulgarian Social Democratic Party
The Bulgarian Social Democratic Party is a social democratic political party in Bulgaria.It is part of the Blue Coalition, an alliance led by the Union of Democratic Forces. At the last legislative election in 2009, the alliance won 6.8% of the popular vote and 15 out of 240 seats....
was founded, with Bozveliev as one of its twenty founders.
When the Bulgarian social democrats were divided in 1903, Bozveliev sided with Yanko Sakazov
Yanko Sakazov
Yanko Ivanov Sakazov was a Bulgarian socialist politician.A native of the northeastern city of Shumen, Sakazov went abroad for studies during his youth, studying in Western Europe and Russia. He was a student of natural sciences, philosophy and history in Germany, biology in England and literature...
and joined his Bulgarian Social Democratic Workers Party (Broad Socialists). In 1908 Bozveliev was elected mayor of Kazanlak
Kazanlak
Kazanlak, formerly Kazanlık is a Bulgarian town in Stara Zagora Province, located in the middle of the plain of the same name, at the foot of the Balkan mountain range, at the eastern end of the Rose Valley...
(as a candidate of the Bulgarian Social Democratic Workers Party (Broad Socialists)), the first Bulgarian socialist to be elected to the office of mayor.
On 26 February 1951 Bozveliev was found dead at the library and archive of the Iskra educational club. His body was encountered by the writer Dimitar Hristov Chorbadzhiev
Chudomir
Chudomir , born Dimitar Hristov Chorbadjiev , was a Bulgarian writer and painter.He is famous for his short stories, such as "I'm not One of Them" and "Locals" , satirizing the human weaknesses and political vices of his time.-Biography:He was born in village Turia on March 25, 1890 and died...
('Chudomir'), who noted that Bozveliev had died while going through historical papers in the archive.