site.btaHundreds Honour Memory of National Hero Hadzhi Dimitar and His Men on Mount Buzludzha

Hundreds gathered Saturday in front of the Hadzhi Dimitar monument at the foot of Mount Buzludzha to mark the 155th anniversary of the death of the Bulgarian revolutionary and national hero and his men. Guests of the event included Land Forces Commander Major General Deyan Deshkov, Kazanlak Mayor Galina Stoyanova, deputy mayors, directors of cultural institutes, public figures, patriotic citizens.

The celebration began with a requiem prayer, a guard of honour from the  61st Stryamska Mechanized Brigade and the laying of wreaths and flowers, and all present honoured the memory of the fallen heroes with a minute's silence.

In his solemn speech, the director of the Shipka-Buzludzha National Park-Museum, Dr. Chavdar Angelov, recalled the legendary march of the united company of Hadzhi Dimitar and Stefan Karadzha and its significance for Bulgarian history. The battles on Mount Buzludzha from July 1868 proved once and for all that the Bulgarians were ready to win their freedom with a weapon in hand, he said.

Dr. Angelov recalled that three more anniversaries were being celebrated on Saturday. One hundred and fifty years have passed since the first publication of national hero, poet and revolutionary Hristo Botev's ballad "Hadzhi Dimitar". On this occasion, the attendees had the opportunity to see an exhibition organized jointly with the Hristo Botev National Museum in Kalofer.

The other important event was the 140 anniversary of the first assembly dedicated to Hadzhi Dimitar and his men, which took place on July 17, 1883, organized in post-liberation Bulgaria, said Angelov. He added that it was also 25 years since the restoration of the celebrations in memory of Hadzhi Dimitar and his band, which for many years before that were held together with the annual meeting of the Bulgarian Socialist Party, which was held at the same place.

The Petko Stainov mixed choir from Kazanlak with conductor Mladen Stanev took part in the celebration programme. In addition to the traditional songs, the choir also performed two completely new works from the collection "On the Tracks of a Forgotten Song". Тhe works were brought back to life at the initiative to bring the of Angelov and the Shipka-Buzludzha National Park-Museum.

A historical reenactment was organized by the Tradicia national society and the 23rd Shipka Regiment - Kazanlak regional club, recreating the legendary battle and the death of Hadzhi Dimitar that took place on Mount Buzludzha on July 18, 1868.

Every year, the municipality of Kazanlak solemnly commemorates this memorable battle with a number of events.