Figures of Plovdiv

Figures of Plovdiv

Petko R. Slaveykov (1827 - 1895)

Petko R. Slaveykov (1827 - 1895)

1/1/2012 12:00:00 AM

Petko Rachev Slaveykov was born on November 17, 1827, in the town of Turnovo. Writer and journalist, public and political figure; Member of Bulgarian Literary Society (later the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences). He presided the Second National Assembly. Minister of Education and Minister of Internal Affairs (1880).

In 1881 he stood against the Authorities Regime, set by Knjaz Alexander I Batemberg, because of which he was expelled from the Principality of Bulgaria together with other Liberal Party leaders. He emigrated with his family to the capital of East Roumelia - Plovdiv, where Pencho Slaveykov studied in the Plovdiv High School while his father was a teacher there. They lived in Plovdiv until 1884, when P. R. Slaveykov moved back to Sofia again.

While living in Plovdiv, P. R. Slaveykov continued his fight against the conservative block of the Knjaz. For two years (1881-83) he was teaching in Plovdiv. Together with Petko Karavelov, he started publishing the Independence newspaper (1881-82), which was the successor of the Sofia newspaper called Independence, a secret publication of the Liberal Party. P. R. Slaveykov went on the fight for restoration of the Turnovo Constitution. He was also the editor of the comic newspaper called Koukourigou (in English Cock-a-doodle-doo), 1882-83.

Slaveykovs presence in Plovdiv could be traced in the Slaveykovs house, the Slaveykovs school and the Slaveykovs cafe (the latter is situated on the small Vuzrazhdane Square in the southeast foot of the Dzhambaz Tepe hill, almost opposite the Marazliyata school), where Slaveykov used to respectively live, work, and take his rest. For two years he was coming each morning to that cafe, a few houses from where he lived to have some coffee and some chat. The old Revival-period house where he spent those two years, today hosts the Plovdiv Teachers House and is still a place where issues like education, knowledge and culture are discussed.

Alexander Banderov (born 1933-2007)
The poet Alexander Banderov has long worked as a journalist (he has been awarded the Gold Pen Award of the Bulgarian Journalists Union), and later was an editor...
Ioan Leviev (1934 - 1994)
Ioan Leviev (1934 - 1994)
1/1/2012 12:00:00 AM
Ioan Isaakov Leviev was born on October 31st, 1934, in Plovdiv (his brother is the world-famous jazz musucian, M...
Nikola Todev (1928 - 1991)
Nikola Todev (1928 - 1991)
1/1/2012 12:00:00 AM
The eminent actor Nikola Todev was born on June 13th, 1928, in the town of Devin, Smolyan Region. He started acting at the age of 24 on the stage of the Smolyan Theatre, and later in Pazardzhik T...
Herminegild / Hermin Skorpil (1858-1923)
 Herminegild / Hermin Skorpil (also known as Schkorpil; pronounced Sh-korpil) was Czech by origin. Teacher, archaeologist; museum founder. Spent some time as a teacher in several high...
Yosif Schnitter/Joseph Schnitter, Arch. (1852 – 1914)
One of the greatest names Plovdiv is so proud of - Joseph Schnitter (born 1852, Novi Bidzhov – died 1914, Plovdiv), a Czech by original nationality, an eminent architect, engineer and geodesi...
Petar Stoyanov (born 1952)
Petar Stoyanov (born 1952)
1/1/2012 12:00:00 AM
Petar Stoyanov was born May 25th, 1952, in the city of Plovdiv. He gradiuated from the Law Faculty of the Sofia University St Kliment Ohridski.\r\n\r\n1978 - 19...
Ivan Chomakov, Dr. (born 1953)
Ivan Chomakov, Dr. (born 1953)
1/1/2012 12:00:00 AM
Dr. Ivan Milkov Chomakov was born on October 15th, 1953, in Plovdiv. He graduated from the VMI Medical University of Plovdiv in 1979. In the period 1981 - 1997 he worked as an assista...
Dinko Dermendzhiev - Chiko (born 1941)
Dinko Dermendzhiev (popular with the nickname of Chiko) has joined the football team of Botev Plovdiv in 1959 as its third goal keeper. His only playing as a keeper though,was during the second hal...
Assen Diamandiev, Professor (16.11.1915 - 24.02.2009)
Born in Plovdiv in 1915 in Plovdiv. He graduated from the State Academy of Music in Sofia in 1940. Prof. Diamandiev started working as a teacher in the newly opened School of Music in Plo...
Stefan Bogoridi, Knjaz
Stefan Bogoridi, Knjaz
1/1/2012 12:00:00 AM
One of the most influential people in the Ottoman Empire after the sultan, often referred to as the Bulgarian having greatest authority and power. Active supporter of the movement for independent BG c...