From the brigand Amish in “Notes on the Bulgarian Uprisings” to the Kýrcý Osman in the review of Vazov’s dramatic work “Ruska”, or about the national image of the Turk as presented by Zahari Stoyanov

Authors:

Pages: 700-728
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54664/VURR7615

Abstract:

The article discusses the attitude of the great Bulgarian revolutionary and writer Zahari Stoyanov towards the Turks in his narration about one of the most dramatic and tragic periods in Bulgarian history, the April Uprising of 1876, as well as in his works in the field of publicism after the Liberation. In spite of his own suffering in the Turkish prisons in Troyan and Lovech, he did not turn into a xenophobe and was able to deliver an objective image of the Turkish people. In the article is developed the idea that for Zahari Stoyanov the concrete perpetrators of the atrocities during the bloody crushing of the April Uprising of 1876 were mostly the Ottoman government and the so-called bashi-bazouks, so it was not just to cast the blame on the whole Turkish people. Along with the description of the repressions and tortures to which Bulgarian people as a whole and he personally were put following the end of the uprising, Zahari Stoyanov describes some outstanding images of Turks, highly estimating their positive features. This very truthful image of the Turks was not a result of certain abstract affection towards the Turkish people, but rather because of love to humanity, which brings closer the people of different nationalities. At the same time he does not save his own compatriots their weaknesses and even disgrace not because he is not a patriot but namely because he loves his nationality. And after the Liberation the revolutionary, so much suffered in the Turkish prisons, in his works in the field of publicism became a defender of some Turkish people against the appropriation of their estates through judicial frauds. Here lies the moral strength of Zahari Stoyanov and the whole Bulgarian people – and that strength redeems the guilt and disgrace of some of its dishonourable representatives. Therefore, the great Bulgarian revolutionary manifest himself to be a great humanist as well – he personifies humanism which enables the two neighboring people to cure the heavy traumas of the past.

Keywords:

Zahari Stoyanov, April Uprising of 1876, Turkish people.

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