May Manifesto
Encyclopedia
The so-called May Manifesto of May 6, 1924 was a paper in which the objectives of the unified Macedonian liberation movement were presented: independence and unification of partitioned Macedonia
, fighting all the neighbouring Balkan monarchies, supporting the Balkan Communist Federation
and cooperation with the Soviet Union
.
(BCP), which had the strongest following of either the Greek or Yugoslavian parties. The BCP agenda was endorsed by the Soviets, who felt it best served their goals of communizing the Balkans. They felt the Bulgarians
were the most revolutionary in desiring an overthrow of the First World War peace settlements enforced by the national bourgeois establishment of the Balkan states. They could also play the Macedonian card as a source for revolution. Macedonia was used by the Balkan communists as a rallying point to overthrow the existing social and political order. For the communists, Macedonia was to be a political entity of various nationalities. The BCP took full advantage of this bias.
views. They changed their name to Macedonian Federative Organization
or so called “Federalists” and in 1918 outlined their policy in a manifesto
. Its main points being the restoration of Macedonia to its original geographical boundaries. Their policy led them into open confrontation with the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (IMRO) right faction. At the Balkan Communist Conference in Vienna
in May 1922, the Bulgarian delegate Vasil Kolarov
first raised the issue of Macedonian and Thracian
autonomy
. Knowing the proposal was a threat to their countries borders, the Greek
and Yugoslav
delegates were unable to endorse it at this stage. However in order for any chance of success, the communists needed the support of the IMRO. In June 1923, the IMRO collaborated with a nationalist military clique and overthrew the Bulgarian government. The government was condemned by the Communist International, as well as the absent communist resistance to it. When the communists did try to revolt in the so called September Uprising
, they were quickly crushed by the government and its IMRO allies. The new premier Alexandar Tsankov released the imprisoned IMRO chiefs Todor Alexandrov and Alexander Protogerov who were arrested by the old regime as part of their IMRO crackdown agreement with Yugoslavia
. During the spring of 1924, at the sixth conference of the BCP, they unveiled their Macedonian resolution, which stated that an autonomous Macedonia can “assure right and liberty to all its nationalities”, and hails the “Macedonian Revolutionary Organization, the real leader of the Macedonian slaves". Macedonian autonomy was portrayed in light of a class struggle
of its inhabitants against the oppression of the middle class of the occupier countries, not an ethnic struggle.
issued a new manifesto about the new orientation of the Macedonian Revolutionary Movement. This communist influenced document reads as an excuse for a Macedonian state for the silliest of reasons: “endowed with the most varied natural riches and a favorable climate; with its ethnically diverse population of upwards of 2,302,000 persons; with a strategic and economic position in the middle of the Balkans… has all the rights and conditions necessary for an independent political existence. Forming an independent and self governing state.” Once again the IMRO explicitly states Macedonia is multi-ethnic. It also declares as a goal: “the liberation and reunion of the separated parts of Macedonia in a fully autonomous and independent political unit within its natural geographic and ethnic frontiers”. The new position of the IMRO was identical to that of the Balkan Communist Federation and won for the BCP the endorsement of its policy by the Comintern
at its fifth congress that summer. The Congress considered the slogans formulated by the sixth Balkan Communist Federation Conference: United Independent Macedonia and United Independent Thrace wholly correct and truly revolutionary.
’s communist inspired rag “Federation Balcanique”. The IMRO officially rejected its support of the document and its leaders even denied endorsing it. This did not spare them from the wrath of the Bulgarian government and the communists. In August 1924 IMRO chief Todor Alexandrov was shot. IMRO came under the leadership of Ivan Mihailov
, who became a powerful figure in Bulgarian politics. While IMRO's leadership was quick to ascribe Alexandrov's murder to the communists and even quicker to organise a revenge action against the immediate perpetrators, there is some doubt that Mihailov himself might have been responsible for the murder. The result of the murder was further strife within the organisation and several high-profile murders, including that of Petar Chaulev
in Milan and ultimately Protogetov himself. IMRO led by Mihailov took actions against the former left-wing assassinating Todor Panitsa
in Vienna in 1924. Dimo Hadjidimov, Georgi Skrizhovski, Alexander Bujnov, Chudomir Kantardjiev and many others were killed in the events on 1925. As for Dimitar Vlahov
, together with the survivors of Ivan Mihailov
’s purge, formed in 1925 the IMRO (United), a socialist offshoot which took the official communist line. Although it supported Macedonian independence it drew little popular support.
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
, fighting all the neighbouring Balkan monarchies, supporting the Balkan Communist Federation
Balkan Communist Federation
The Balkan Federation was a project about the creation of a Balkan federation or confederation, based mainly on left political ideas.The concept of a Balkan federation emerged at the late 19th century from among left political forces in the region...
and cooperation with the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
.
Macedonian question and Balkan Communist Federation
In 1919, the Balkan Communist Federation was established as an umbrella group for the various Balkan communist parties and had the official endorsement of the Soviets. Its first meeting was called in Sofia to promote Bulgarian communists Macedonian Question policy. It was heavily influenced by the policy of the Bulgarian Communist PartyBulgarian Communist Party
The Bulgarian Communist Party was the communist and Marxist-Leninist ruling party of the People's Republic of Bulgaria from 1946 until 1990 when the country ceased to be a communist state...
(BCP), which had the strongest following of either the Greek or Yugoslavian parties. The BCP agenda was endorsed by the Soviets, who felt it best served their goals of communizing the Balkans. They felt the Bulgarians
Bulgarians
The Bulgarians are a South Slavic nation and ethnic group native to Bulgaria and neighbouring regions. Emigration has resulted in immigrant communities in a number of other countries.-History and ethnogenesis:...
were the most revolutionary in desiring an overthrow of the First World War peace settlements enforced by the national bourgeois establishment of the Balkan states. They could also play the Macedonian card as a source for revolution. Macedonia was used by the Balkan communists as a rallying point to overthrow the existing social and political order. For the communists, Macedonia was to be a political entity of various nationalities. The BCP took full advantage of this bias.
Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization's factions
To further its goals, the BCP enlisted the support of the leftist in former Internal Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Organization (IMARO), who espoused pro-Balkan FederationBalkan Federation
The Balkan Federation was a project about the creation of a Balkan federation or confederation, based mainly on left political ideas.The concept of a Balkan federation emerged at the late 19th century from among left political forces in the region...
views. They changed their name to Macedonian Federative Organization
Macedonian Federative Organization
The Macedonian Federative Organization ' was established in Sofia in 1921 by former Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization left wing's activists.-Background:...
or so called “Federalists” and in 1918 outlined their policy in a manifesto
Manifesto
A manifesto is a public declaration of principles and intentions, often political in nature. Manifestos relating to religious belief are generally referred to as creeds. Manifestos may also be life stance-related.-Etymology:...
. Its main points being the restoration of Macedonia to its original geographical boundaries. Their policy led them into open confrontation with the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (IMRO) right faction. At the Balkan Communist Conference in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
in May 1922, the Bulgarian delegate Vasil Kolarov
Vasil Kolarov
Vasil Petrov Kolarov was a Bulgarian communist political leader and leading functionary in the Communist International.-Early years:Kolarov was born in Shumen, Bulgaria on 16 July 1877, the son of a shoemaker...
first raised the issue of Macedonian and Thracian
Thrace
Thrace is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. As a geographical concept, Thrace designates a region bounded by the Balkan Mountains on the north, Rhodope Mountains and the Aegean Sea on the south, and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara on the east...
autonomy
Autonomy
Autonomy is a concept found in moral, political and bioethical philosophy. Within these contexts, it is the capacity of a rational individual to make an informed, un-coerced decision...
. Knowing the proposal was a threat to their countries borders, the Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
and Yugoslav
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
delegates were unable to endorse it at this stage. However in order for any chance of success, the communists needed the support of the IMRO. In June 1923, the IMRO collaborated with a nationalist military clique and overthrew the Bulgarian government. The government was condemned by the Communist International, as well as the absent communist resistance to it. When the communists did try to revolt in the so called September Uprising
September Uprising
The September Uprising was an armed insurgency staged in September 1923 by the Bulgarian Communist Party under Comintern pressure, as an attempt to overthrow the Democratic Accord government of Bulgaria that had come to power with the coup d'état of June 9. Besides its communist base, the...
, they were quickly crushed by the government and its IMRO allies. The new premier Alexandar Tsankov released the imprisoned IMRO chiefs Todor Alexandrov and Alexander Protogerov who were arrested by the old regime as part of their IMRO crackdown agreement with Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
. During the spring of 1924, at the sixth conference of the BCP, they unveiled their Macedonian resolution, which stated that an autonomous Macedonia can “assure right and liberty to all its nationalities”, and hails the “Macedonian Revolutionary Organization, the real leader of the Macedonian slaves". Macedonian autonomy was portrayed in light of a class struggle
Class struggle
Class struggle is the active expression of a class conflict looked at from any kind of socialist perspective. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels wrote "The [written] history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggle"....
of its inhabitants against the oppression of the middle class of the occupier countries, not an ethnic struggle.
Signing and contents of the Manifesto
Continuing into 1924 the secret negotiations between the Federalists, BCP and IMRO representatives were conducted to unite all groups under the same goal: the independence or autonomy of a Macedonian state. In May 1924 party leaders Alexandrov, Protogerov and Petar ChaulevPetar Chaulev
Petar Chaulev, also called Petre Chashule was a Bulgarian revolutionary in Ottoman Macedonia. He was a local leader of the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization ....
issued a new manifesto about the new orientation of the Macedonian Revolutionary Movement. This communist influenced document reads as an excuse for a Macedonian state for the silliest of reasons: “endowed with the most varied natural riches and a favorable climate; with its ethnically diverse population of upwards of 2,302,000 persons; with a strategic and economic position in the middle of the Balkans… has all the rights and conditions necessary for an independent political existence. Forming an independent and self governing state.” Once again the IMRO explicitly states Macedonia is multi-ethnic. It also declares as a goal: “the liberation and reunion of the separated parts of Macedonia in a fully autonomous and independent political unit within its natural geographic and ethnic frontiers”. The new position of the IMRO was identical to that of the Balkan Communist Federation and won for the BCP the endorsement of its policy by the Comintern
Comintern
The Communist International, abbreviated as Comintern, also known as the Third International, was an international communist organization initiated in Moscow during March 1919...
at its fifth congress that summer. The Congress considered the slogans formulated by the sixth Balkan Communist Federation Conference: United Independent Macedonia and United Independent Thrace wholly correct and truly revolutionary.
Consequences
The revelation that the formerly pro-Bulgarian patriotic IMRO officially sanctioned such a heretical document caused uproar in its ranks as well as the Bulgarian government. It was first published in Dimitar VlahovDimitar Vlahov
Dimitar Yanakiev Vlahov was a revolutionary from the region of Macedonia and member of the left wing of the Macedonian-Adrianople revolutionary movement...
’s communist inspired rag “Federation Balcanique”. The IMRO officially rejected its support of the document and its leaders even denied endorsing it. This did not spare them from the wrath of the Bulgarian government and the communists. In August 1924 IMRO chief Todor Alexandrov was shot. IMRO came under the leadership of Ivan Mihailov
Ivan Mihailov
Ivan Mihailov Gavrilov , was a Bulgarian revolutionary in Ottoman and interwar Macedonia, and leader of the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization after 1924.-Early years:...
, who became a powerful figure in Bulgarian politics. While IMRO's leadership was quick to ascribe Alexandrov's murder to the communists and even quicker to organise a revenge action against the immediate perpetrators, there is some doubt that Mihailov himself might have been responsible for the murder. The result of the murder was further strife within the organisation and several high-profile murders, including that of Petar Chaulev
Petar Chaulev
Petar Chaulev, also called Petre Chashule was a Bulgarian revolutionary in Ottoman Macedonia. He was a local leader of the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization ....
in Milan and ultimately Protogetov himself. IMRO led by Mihailov took actions against the former left-wing assassinating Todor Panitsa
Todor Panitsa
Todor Panitsa was a Bulgarian revolutionary figure active in the region of Macedonia. He was one of the leaders of the left wing of the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization. He took part in the struggles of the Bulgarians in the beginning of the 20th Century...
in Vienna in 1924. Dimo Hadjidimov, Georgi Skrizhovski, Alexander Bujnov, Chudomir Kantardjiev and many others were killed in the events on 1925. As for Dimitar Vlahov
Dimitar Vlahov
Dimitar Yanakiev Vlahov was a revolutionary from the region of Macedonia and member of the left wing of the Macedonian-Adrianople revolutionary movement...
, together with the survivors of Ivan Mihailov
Ivan Mihailov
Ivan Mihailov Gavrilov , was a Bulgarian revolutionary in Ottoman and interwar Macedonia, and leader of the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization after 1924.-Early years:...
’s purge, formed in 1925 the IMRO (United), a socialist offshoot which took the official communist line. Although it supported Macedonian independence it drew little popular support.
Sources
- Националноосвободителната борба в Македония, 1919 - 1941 г. Част 4 от "Освободителните борби на Македония", Македонски Научен Институт, София, 2002 г. Глава 2 Разногласия в освободителното движение. Майският манифест. Убийството на Тодор Александров.
- Обречено родолюбие. ВМРО в Пиринско 1919-1934, Димитър Тюлеков. I. Създаване и дейност на ВМРО в Пиринска Македония (1919-1924). 3. Кризата във ВМРО и наложеното стабилизиране на пиринската спомагателна база.
External links
See also
- Macedonian Bulgarians
- Macedonian Question
- Macedonian nationalismMacedonian nationalismMacedonian nationalism is a term referring to the ethnic Macedonian version of nationalism.-Late 19th century beginning:The development of the Macedonian ethnicity can be said to have begun in the late 19th and early 20th century. This is the time of the first expressions of ethnic nationalism by...
- United MacedoniaUnited MacedoniaUnited Macedonia is an irredentist concept among ethnic Macedonian nationalists that aims to unify the transnational region of Macedonia in southeastern Europe, which they claim as their homeland, and which they assert was wrongfully divided under the Treaty of Bucharest in 1913, into a single...