Pavel Shatev
Encyclopedia
Pavel Potsev Shatev (1882 - 1951), was a Bulgarian
revolutionary and member of the left wing of the Internal Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Organization (IMARO), BMARC before 1902). He is considered ethnic Macedonian
in the Republic of Macedonia
.
, then in the Ottoman Empire, Shatev graduated from the Bulgarian Men's High School of Thessaloniki
. In late April 1903, together with a group of young anarchists from the Gemidzhii Circle, he launched a campaign of terror bombing known as the Thessaloniki bombings of 1903. He used dynamite to blow up the French
ship "Guadalquivir" which was leaving Thessaloniki harbour. He was captured and sentenced to death, but later his sentence was changed to life imprisonment in Fezzan
in modern day Libya
. In 1908, after the Young Turks
revolution, Shatev was amnested, went to Bulgaria and graduated in law at Sofia University
. In the next few years he worked as a teacher and journalist. In 1925, Shatev was one of the founders of Comintern
IMRO (United) in Vienna
. In the 1930s, he went back to Bulgaria and worked as a lawyer and publicist. In 1934, the Balkan Secretariat of the Comintern issued a resolution for the recognition of Macedonian ethnicity.
, Shatev was engaged in Communist conspiracy. As this was considered a political offence, he was arrested and sentenced to 15 years of prison.
After the end of the war, Shatev, who had developed a Slav Macedonian consciousness, took part in the creation of the new People's Republic of Macedonia as a member of ASNOM. He was elected Minister of Justice in the first communist government and later became vice-chairman of the Presidium of ASNOM. After the first elections for parliament, Shatev became a deputy. From the start of the new Yugoslavia, the authorities organised frequent purges and trials of Macedonian communists and non-party people charged with autonomist deviation. Many of the former left-wing IMRO government officials were purged from their positions, then isolated, arrested, imprisoned or executed on various (in many cases fabricated) charges including pro-Bulgarian leanings, demands for greater or complete independence of Yugoslav Macedonia, collaboration with the Cominform after the Tito-Stalin split in 1948, demands for greater democracy and the like. In 1948, disappointed with the policy of the new Yugoslav Macedonian authorities, Shatev, together with Panko Brashnarov
, complained in letters to Joseph Stalin
and to Georgi Dimitrov
and to ask for help in maintaining the Bulgarian character of Macedonia. As a result, he was jailed for his alleged pro-Bulgarian and anti-Yugoslav sympathies for a one year. After that, Shatev was taken into home custody in Bitola.
On January 30, 1951, his dead body was found on Bitola's dung-hill.
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:...
revolutionary and member of the left wing of the Internal Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Organization (IMARO), BMARC before 1902). He is considered ethnic Macedonian
Macedonians (ethnic group)
The Macedonians also referred to as Macedonian Slavs: "... the term Slavomacedonian was introduced and was accepted by the community itself, which at the time had a much more widespread non-Greek Macedonian ethnic consciousness...
in the Republic of Macedonia
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...
.
The earlier years
Born in KratovoKratovo
Kratovo may refer to:*Kratovo, Macedonia, a town in the Republic of Macedonia*Kratovo, Russia, an urban-type settlement in Moscow Oblast, Russia*Kratovo, Serbia, a settlement situated in the Priboj municipality of southwestern Serbia...
, then in the Ottoman Empire, Shatev graduated from the Bulgarian Men's High School of Thessaloniki
Bulgarian Men's High School of Thessaloniki
The Sts. Cyril and Methodius Bulgarian Men's High School of Thessaloniki was the first Bulgarian high school in Macedonia. One of the most influential Bulgarian educational centres in Macedonia and Southern Thrace, it was founded in autumn 1880 in Ottoman Thessaloniki and existed until...
. In late April 1903, together with a group of young anarchists from the Gemidzhii Circle, he launched a campaign of terror bombing known as the Thessaloniki bombings of 1903. He used dynamite to blow up the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
ship "Guadalquivir" which was leaving Thessaloniki harbour. He was captured and sentenced to death, but later his sentence was changed to life imprisonment in Fezzan
Fezzan
Fezzan is a south western region of modern Libya. It is largely desert but broken by mountains, uplands, and dry river valleys in the north, where oases enable ancient towns and villages to survive deep in the otherwise inhospitable Sahara.-Name:...
in modern day Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
. In 1908, after the Young Turks
Young Turks
The Young Turks , from French: Les Jeunes Turcs) were a coalition of various groups favouring reformation of the administration of the Ottoman Empire. The movement was against the absolute monarchy of the Ottoman Sultan and favoured a re-installation of the short-lived Kanûn-ı Esâsî constitution...
revolution, Shatev was amnested, went to Bulgaria and graduated in law at Sofia University
Sofia University
The St. Clement of Ohrid University of Sofia or Sofia University is the oldest higher education institution in Bulgaria, founded on 1 October 1888...
. In the next few years he worked as a teacher and journalist. In 1925, Shatev was one of the founders of 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...
IMRO (United) 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 the 1930s, he went back to Bulgaria and worked as a lawyer and publicist. In 1934, the Balkan Secretariat of the Comintern issued a resolution for the recognition of Macedonian ethnicity.
Political life
After the beginning of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Shatev was engaged in Communist conspiracy. As this was considered a political offence, he was arrested and sentenced to 15 years of prison.
After the end of the war, Shatev, who had developed a Slav Macedonian consciousness, took part in the creation of the new People's Republic of Macedonia as a member of ASNOM. He was elected Minister of Justice in the first communist government and later became vice-chairman of the Presidium of ASNOM. After the first elections for parliament, Shatev became a deputy. From the start of the new Yugoslavia, the authorities organised frequent purges and trials of Macedonian communists and non-party people charged with autonomist deviation. Many of the former left-wing IMRO government officials were purged from their positions, then isolated, arrested, imprisoned or executed on various (in many cases fabricated) charges including pro-Bulgarian leanings, demands for greater or complete independence of Yugoslav Macedonia, collaboration with the Cominform after the Tito-Stalin split in 1948, demands for greater democracy and the like. In 1948, disappointed with the policy of the new Yugoslav Macedonian authorities, Shatev, together with Panko Brashnarov
Panko Brashnarov
Panko Brashnarov was a revolutionary and member of the left wing of the Internal Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Organization . As with many other IMARO members of the time, historians from the Republic of Macedonia consider him an ethnic Macedonian, whereas historians in Bulgaria consider him...
, complained in letters to Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
and to Georgi Dimitrov
Georgi Dimitrov
Georgi Dimitrov Mikhaylov , also known as Georgi Mikhaylovich Dimitrov , was a Bulgarian Communist politician...
and to ask for help in maintaining the Bulgarian character of Macedonia. As a result, he was jailed for his alleged pro-Bulgarian and anti-Yugoslav sympathies for a one year. After that, Shatev was taken into home custody in Bitola.
On January 30, 1951, his dead body was found on Bitola's dung-hill.