Macedonian documentary movie from 1948,
director: Trajche Popov
A visit of the Macedonian delegation in Pirin Macedonia, now a part of Bulgaria since the partition of Macedonia in 1912/13. The footage is shot in Melnik, Bansko, Sveti Vrach, and Rozhden Monastery, showing the life of the ethnic Macedonians as recognised nation in Bulgaria in 1948.
Historical background:
The political changes after the capitulation of fascistic Bulgaria and the coup d'etat of September 9, 1944 positively influenced the historical status of the ethnic Macedonians from the Pirin part of Macedonia. The Communist Party of Bulgaria, under the leadership of G.Dimitrov, at the X Plenum of the central Committee (August 9, 1946) officially recognized the Macedonian nation and the right the Pirin part of Macedonia to be attached to the People's Republic of Macedonia. The demography data from 1946 revealed that in Bulgaria, the majority of the population, in the Pirin part of Macedonia declared itself as ethnic Macedonians; it was also confirmed by the Census from 1956 when 63,7% of the population declared itself as ethnic Macedonians.
In the Pirin part of Macedonia began the period of cultural autonomy and the affirmation of the Macedonian national, cultural and lingual values by recognition of the Macedonian nation and language. The Macedonian literary language and the national history have been introduced into the educational process. Almost 32.000 pupils were included into the teaching in Macedonian. Apart from the local teaching stuff, the teachers from the People's Republic of Macedonia were also sent. In 1947 in Gorna Djumaja (Blagoevgrad nowadays) the first Macedonian bookstore and reading room were opened, so as the Regional Macedonian National Theatre. The newspapers in Macedonian such as "Pirinsko delo", "Nova Makedonija", "Mlad borec" etc. were also published. The literary circles and cultural and artistic associations were founded contributing to the spreading of the Macedonian culture. After the resolution proposed by the Information Bureau in 1948 and especially after 1956, Bulgaria has altered her attitude, negating again the existence of the Macedonian nation and language. Both the Macedonian nationality and language have been forbidden. The Macedonians have been considered as Bulgarians and the Macedonian language has been excluded from the educational process and the teaching staff has been expelled from Bulgaria.
The ethnic Macedonians have offered an active resistance to the new Bulgarian policy concerning the Macedonian national question. After the attempts of resistance, the oppressions, exiles, political processes and apprehensions have been carried out by the Bulgarian government.
The Republic of Bulgaria, that in 1992 among the first recognized the independence of the Republic of Macedonia, has been actually carrying out the policy on negation of both the Macedonian nation and language and the minority rights of the ethnic Macedonians within the frames of Bulgaria. Everyone who manifested the Macedonian national feelings has been persecuted and that was especially experienced by the activists of the United Macedonian Organization (OMO) "Ilinden", advocating the recognition of the national and the political rights of the ethnic Macedonians in Bulgaria. However, the bilateral colaboration on economic and other fields of interests between the Republic of Macedonia and the Republic of Bulgaria, has been intensified and actually represented a good base for surpassing the recidivous events from the past.
Special thanks to user 'pesijazal'
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Tags: Ethnic Macedonian Minority Macedonia Makedonija Macedoine Makedonien Mazedonien Makedonia Bulgaria България 1948
