Georgi Sava Rakovski

14 August 1821 – 09 October 1967

Biography:

Sabi Stoykov Popovich was born in Kotel, in a family of merchants. He studied in Bulgaria and later abroad, where he became acquainted with revolutionary ideas and national movements. He changed his name for several reasons related to personal and ideological motives.

After completing his studies, Rakovski began to actively to engage in politics. He was among the first to see the need for an organized revolutionary struggle against Ottoman rule. In 1862, he founded the First Bulgarian Legion in Belgrade, with the aim of gathering young Bulgarian patriots to train as soldiers and prepare an uprising against the Turkish regime.

Through his newspapers he propagated ideas about the liberation of Bulgaria and the importance of national unity. His political views included forging alliances with other Balkan nations to achieve freedom from the Ottoman Empire.

He died of tuberculosis in Bucharest. After the Liberation, his remains were returned to Bulgaria, and later to Kotel. Now his sarcophagus is located in the Pantheon of Georgi Rakovski, opened in 1981 as part of the celebrations of the 1300th anniversary of the founding of Bulgaria. 

Significance:

Rakovski is one of the people with the greatest merits for Bulgaria to be free today. Without his plans, active work and ability to inspire, the subsequent national liberation process would not have happened. He was far ahead of his time and consequently his ideas were initially met with hostility even by the Bulgarians themselves, but by sheer force of will, he was able to make the future come.

He contributes to Bulgaria in another way as well, by exploring its past as an ancient civilization and its significance to world history. His writings reveal the truth about the origin of the Bulgars and their path to the present. He traces their relationship with the Aryans and ancient India. In his publications he expressed support for the Indian nation against the atrocities of the British and today there are schools in the country that carry his name.

One look at Rakovski’s portrait is enough to see that this was a man of unusually elevated spirit. His gaze gathers the knowledge of the ages and an unflinching determination to dedicate himself to a higher cause for the betterment of the future. He is an inspiration to anyone with ideals of freedom and rightfulness to dedicate his life to them and to know that his efforts are part of a much larger work that will affect the whole world.

Notable work:

“Forest Traveler”

“Insights for the Bulgarians”