In Gols, Bulgarians from across Europe pay tribute to Hristo Botev’s legacy

On June 1, Bulgarians from different parts of Europe will gather in the Austrian town of Gols to pay tribute to the poet and revolutionary Hristo Botev. Participants in the second seminar, organized by the Executive Agency for Bulgarians Abroad and dedicated to models for the establishment, management, and communication of various associations of Bulgarians living abroad, will bow their heads before the heroic feat of this emblematic figure in Bulgarian history — a symbol of the free spirit, self-sacrifice and national dignity.

Few people know that Gols — a small town in Austria’s Burgenland province — is home to one of the memorials to Hristo Botev located outside Bulgaria. The bust monument was officially unveiled on June 2, 1996, at the initiative of Professor Niko Titz, a great friend of Bulgaria. It was created by sculptor Kunyo Zhelev. The monument was erected in the UNESCO VIP-Park Gols as a symbol of gratitude for Botev’s legacy and as a spiritual bridge between Austria and Bulgaria.

Today, almost 150 years after Botev’s heroic death, Bulgarians around the world continue to keep his legacy alive. While in Bulgaria the sound of sirens on June 2 each year reminds people of the poet’s self-sacrifice and of all those who died for Bulgaria’s freedom, Bulgarians living abroad organize commemorative events in honor of the national hero.

In Austria, the commemoration of the author of the immortal words “He who falls in battle for freedom never dies” is organized by the oldest active Bulgarian organization “Saints Cyril and St. Methodius” which this year is serving as the host of the seminar organized by the Executive Agency for Bulgarians Abroad on May 30 and 31 in Vienna.

“The Executive Agency for Bulgarians Abroad has renovated the monument’s commemorative plaque, and the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria has landscaped the surrounding area. This is our contribution to honoring this great Bulgarian — a public figure, writer and revolutionary”, the Executive Director of the Agency for Bulgarians Abroad, Rayna Mandzhukova, explained to Radio Bulgaria.

The gesture is a sign of respect for Botev’s legacy and a testament that the Bulgarian spirit remains alive and united, regardless of borders.

Edited by Elena Karkalanova

Translated by Kostadin Atanasov