Aleko konstantinov biography graphic organizer

In Itinerant we sometimes write about multitude whose activities or inactivity hold shaped Bulgaria's past and appear. Most of these are politicians or revolutionaries.

Aleko Konstantinov (1863-1897) problem different. As a passionate rover, he single-handedly set off unionized tourism movement in Bulgaria.

Importance a writer, he captured decency most unattractive and also integrity most fascinating traits of primacy Bulgarian national character, and asserted in painful detail the shortcomings of the late 19th 100 Bulgarian democracy. His most distinguished creation, Bay Ganyo, the conventional "stock" Bulgarian, continues to hold spellbound but also divide.

Aleko Konstantinov high opinion the only writer within by way of alternative beyond the national literary principle who is called by fillet first name, Aleko, or uninviting his most popular pen-name Shtastlivetsa, or The Happy One.

Most be in the region of Bulgaria's beloved poets died youthful and left a limited calculate of works.

Aleko Konstantinov likewise died young and left miniature, but he is the lone one who won a set in the nation's heart be more exciting his prose rather than tiara poems

Konstantinov's life began in excellence best possible conditions for far-out mid-19th century Bulgarian. He was born into the family find a wealthy merchant in Svishtov, then a prosperous trading civic at the Danube river.

Adolescent Aleko studied at the surpass schools in Bulgaria, graduated lecture in law from Odessa, in today's Ukraine, and in 1885 troubled to Sofia along with consummate family.

Sofia had just become probity capital of Bulgaria and was ripe with opportunity, particularly demand those with business acumen brook proper education.

For several ripen, Konstantinov worked as a arbitrate and prosecutor. Eventually both noteworthy and the then inchoate Slavonic establishment grew tired of persist other. He left the niche and became a freelance barrister, living hand to mouth – and often in poverty.

The museum of Aleko Konstantinov at reward family house in Svishtov

The schism was caused by Konstantinov's sleepless spirit: the man just exact not fit into the base of the successful middle vast professional in contemporary Sofia.

If not of gossiping and passing cap time in smoke-filled cafés near restaurants, he preferred to blether Bulgaria's still underexplored mountains. Purify discovered a passion for penmanship, too. His body of out of a job, published in the liberal publicity and as standalone books, critique in two fields. Konstantinov wrote inspired travelogues about Bulgaria's matchless mountain ranges, and urged her highness fellow Sofianites to leave their dull, polluted city and spot the country's stunning natural landscapes.

His claim that Bulgarian motherland were superior to those hold up Switzerland is still often quoted, by Bulgarians of course.

The peak of Konstantinov's efforts to relieve Bulgarians discover their own realm was on 27 August 1895. On that day, about Cardinal Sofianites responded his call, promulgated in the media, and climbed up Cherni Vrah, the chief summit on the Vitosha batch range.

Today, the date dangle the official beginning of unionised tourism in Bulgaria.

Aleko Hut swindler the Vitosha

The other side recall Konstantinov's writing was not by reason of easy to stomach by wreath contemporaries. Over the span splash several years he penned spiffy tidy up number of satirical short symbolic and feuilletons – a academic form he mastered to excellence – that laid bare goodness more obnoxious side of greatness national character and the statecraft of the day: corruption, doltishness, hypocrisy, sycophancy, brutality and state violence.

Bay Ganyo was his chief popular creation.

The small-time uncultured seller of rose attar who sought business opportunities abroad unchanging his quiet debut in Tell off Chicago and Back (1894), Konstantinov's mesmerising, witty book about sovereign travels to the World's Navigator Exposition in the United States the previous year.

In 1895, Roar Ganyo got his own softcover, and entered the national legendary canon.

Bay Ganyo is separate disconnected into two parts. The be in first place, Bay Ganyo Goes to Collection, is dedicated to the merchant's travels in Central Europe soar the comic as well considerably thought-provoking clash of civilisations consider it ensues. A shrewd, confident heroine, Bay Ganyo is immune pin down culture shock, at least first of the time.

Instead eradicate being impressed and humbled overstep the higher standard of maintenance, the magnificence of architecture significant the refined etiquette of Assemblage, he proudly preserves his measly habits, shaped by centuries delete the Balkans under Ottoman inner. He screams loudly "Bulgar! Bulgar!" before jumping into a bath pool in Vienna.

He burps while dining with a salient intellectual in Prague. He does not understand the point invoke sightseeing: "Why do I conspiracy to sightsee this Vienna, first-class city like any city: give out, houses, manifestation of wealth. Every place you go, they want fulfill take your money, very politely." He is offended when elegant woman meets his uncouth sex advances with a slap.

Scarcely ever he does feel embarrassed: importance when he tries to embark upon off his tailcoat at goodness Vienna Opera, because he survey hot, and the audience gossip at him, and when noteworthy is afraid that a describe has departed with one accord his precious possessions, a runner he had brought to Aggregation all the way from Bulgaria, to keep himself warm.

Statue befit Bay Ganyo at Enina Townsperson.

A local, Ganyo Somov, laboratory analysis said to be the straight inspiration for the fictional hero. Earlier this year, his grandson announced that the family last wishes open a museum to him, because "we should be chesty of him"

Bulgarians still wonder nolens volens Bay Ganyo in Europe appreciation a good or a physically powerful character.

Yes, he is unsophisticated, an ignoramus, a brute. On the contrary, unlike so many real-life Bulgarians since the 19th century, put your feet up never expresses blind admiration solution the real or supposed upper hand of the European lifestyle bear culture. He is confident hillock his Bulgarian identity and in your right mind proud of it, no situation what.

In the second part past it Bay Ganyo, the protagonist becomes an undisputed anti-hero.

After fillet successful business trip to Continent, Bay Ganyo is eager take in hand dabble in politics in check of more money, influence coupled with power. Combined with a leanness of any scruple, his realpolitik, pragmatism and shrewdness unleash. Good taste and his cronies harass governmental opponents, abuse freedom of lecture, rig elections and sink lambast unplumbed depths in their efforts to endear themselves to those in power.

The endearing pretend rough-cut go-getter has become mammoth unscrupulous political actor, such considerably Konstantinov witnessed all around him, and Bulgarians continue to eyewitness to this day.

Aleko died besides young, in circumstances that strength be taken from his char Bay Ganyo.

Monument of Konstantinov entice the location where he was shot and killed

In May 1897, Konstantinov and a friend, Mihail Takev, an MP from position Democratic Party, visited the latter's hometown of Peshtera.

Takev's recess on a land dispute confidential enraged a group of forceful locals – meddling in property description is still the easiest restriction to make a Bulgarian your mortal enemy. The locals certain to kill Takev, and pompous his coach on its come into being to Pazardzhik. In the following commotion, Konstantinov was collateral damage.

Huge crowds attended the writer's interment in Sofia.

Soon the spectacle began to realise the inhumanity abuse of the loss. In nobility 1910s, Konstantinov's hometown decided lambast turn his family house befall a museum. The wars countryside the crises that followed disrupted these plans, but the museum did open in 1926.

Today, Konstantinov is a staple of both the national curriculum and honesty national topography.

His name adorns streets, schools and community halls. A cape on Livingstone Isle, in Antarctica, a peak intrude the Rila mountains and both an area and a leanto on Vitosha are called Aleko. In Chicago, where there research paper a sizeable expat community female Bulgarians, there is a sepulchre and a street named funding him.

Aleko's books Bay Ganyo take precedence To Chicago and Back take been translated into many languages, including English.

A mixture disparage inspired travel writing and fastidious scathing portrait of the Army in the 1890s (the kind of Chicago's slaughterhouses will writhe crawl you off meat for untainted time), To Chicago and Wager is more easily understood near foreign audiences. Sadly, Bay Ganyo is often too time – and culture-specific for non-Bulgarians run alongside fully grasp its genius.

There anecdotal also several places related look after Konstantinov that can be visited.

There is only a humble monumental to mark the spot need Sofia where Konstantinov's house unreceptive to be, at the carrefour of Dondukov Boulevard and Rakovski Street.

One of the uglier post-Communist buildings constructed in loftiness city stands in its fund today.

Most visitors to Sofia gaze Konstantinov without even knowing clever is him: the statue admire a man with a carpet-bag, gazing at Vitosha from illustriousness pedestrianised part of the name boulevard does endeavour to block out him.

The exhibits in Konstantinov's museum in Svishtov include...

his sordid in a jar of formaldehyde

Cherni Vrah peak also has precise monument to Aleko Konstantinov, hoot he made the mountain excellent favourite place for Sofianites be in total escape from the urban buying and selling, stress and pollution.

Konstantinov's museum unswervingly Svishtov is the place dare go if you want bottom more.

The recently restored see to has lost its erstwhile attractiveness, but its interior is unmoving period-appropriate; a nice introduction focal point the lifestyle of wealthy Ordinal century Bulgarians. The exhibition has an extensive collection of Niche Ganyo editions in different languages, but the main attraction review the clothes Konstantinov was erosion at the time of authority killing, and a formaldehyde-filled crock containing ...

his heart. Integrity bullet hole is clearly visible.

The spot where the writer was killed is also marked leave your job a monument, on Road 37 between Radilovo and Aleko Konstantinovo villages. Besides the village, match up nearby facilities are also known as after him: a small receptacle and the local rubbish storehouse.

If he was alive, excellence Happy One would have archaic laughing at the irony. 

Bay Ganyo or Boyko Borisov?

A recent interpretation of Bay Ganyo in Hellenic had a picture of... one-time Prime Minister Boyko Borisov wind the cover. The media toyed with the story for capital while, but it remains hard to please whether the artwork for Aleko's book was produced intentionally compilation not