Regional Library Petko R. Slaveykov

145 years ago on 1 Nov. 1879 the Maiden High School in Tarnovo was founded, with Metropolitan Clement as its first director. The opening of the gymnasium in the old capital was no accident. During the Renaissance and after the Liberation, Tarnovo was the political and cultural centre of Bulgaria. The class school for girls in the town also enjoyed great renown. With its solid facilities and good training of its graduates, the Tarnovo Class School for Girls attracts students from all over Northern Bulgaria. Tarnovo Girls' High School became a direct successor and continuator of the Class Girls' School.

Thanks to its erudite and strict teachers, the Maiden's High School ranks among the elite educational institutions in the country. Raina Futekova (Raina Knyaginya), Dr. Zoya Stavreva, and many other teachers educated in the most prestigious European universities taught there.

In the first years of its establishment, the school was housed in the convent of Etem Bey, a prominent Turkish commander. From September 1, 1885, students and teachers moved to a newly built building (today it houses the Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of St. Petersburg. Cyril and Methodius). In addition to this building, a separate building was made available to the school management. Classrooms for physics, geography, chemistry, etc. have been set up.

It is interesting to know that in 1882-1883 the headmaster of the elite school Nikola Benderev for the first time in Bulgaria introduced uniform clothing - monochrome dresses to which the girls had to wear white aprons.

From 1901 the Higher Academic Council decided to allow girls who had graduated from high school to study at the Higher School in Sofia, and on 7 May 1902 the high school was named "Metropolitan Clement", after its first headmaster, because of his great services to the school.

In 1904 a new law on education was issued, according to which the programmes of male and female schools and gymnasiums were equalized.

The Tarnovo State Girls' High School is one of the oldest and most well-established educational institutions, enjoying a good reputation in the region and the country. Its graduates ignited the spark of enlightenment in other districts of tsarist Bulgaria. Not a few of them studied and graduated in higher education abroad and in Bulgaria.

Literature used:

Kuteva, Venka. Opening and Development of the Turnov Girls' High School in the Period 1879-1904. // Pedagogical Almanac, 1996, №1-2, pp. 97-106.

Tarnovo Girls' High School : An upcoming jubilee in V. Tarnovo 1885-1935. // Yantra (V. Tarnovo), No. 4, 17 March 1935, p. 3.

Nedeva, Todorka. The maiden high school (Old Tarnovo pages from the past). // Borba (V. Tarnovo), № 95, 20 May 2013, p. 8 : with il.

November 1 - Day of the National Awakeners!

The holiday of the great Bulgarians dates back to 1909, when on October 19 solemnly celebrated the transfer of the relics of St.. Ivan Rilski to Sredets. With the adoption of the Gregorian calendar in 1916, the celebration shifted to November 1.

In 1922, the government of Alexander Stamboliyski established the holiday by law, and in 1923 a normative act came into force - a decree of Tsar Boris III, which declared November 1 a national holiday in memory of the deserving Bulgarians.

From 1928 to 1944 in Veliko Tarnovo it was celebrated jointly with the holiday of the local garrison. "On the eve of the double holiday, the main street was illuminated by fireworks and a torchlight procession, and on November 1 itself, a memorial service and a prayer service were held at the Kolodrum. All the cultural organisations, students from the local schools and almost the entire population of Turnovo were there. The Metropolitan of Veliko Tarnovo opened the celebration with a heartfelt speech about the immortal work of the national awakeners. The chief of the Tarnovo garrison also gave a speech about the brave Bulgarian soldier."

In 1929, the idea was born to invite every year on this date distinguished citizens of Veliko Tarnovo living in the capital or abroad, "to prove to the world that the royal city of Asenevtsi is still great and prosperous through its notable sons, glorifying it far beyond the borders of the birthplace."

An irrevocable part of the celebration of November 1 is the parade of local schoolchildren wearing the portraits of the national leaders. On this day the sketches of the People's University "Veliko Tarnovo" are also opened. In front of many citizens, prominent intellectuals speak on topics related to the cultural and educational growth of the boyars!

Thus, even decades ago on this day Veliko Tarnovo citizens paid their tribute and recognition to the national awakeners and Bulgarian enlighteners who preserved the spiritual values of our people over the centuries.

Sources used:

Mincheva, Tianka. The Day of the National Awakeners / Tianka Mincheva. // Village of Vetrintsi. Municipality of Veliko Tarnovo : Jubilee collection : Dedicated to the 115th anniversary of the National Church ''Napredak-1903'' : Second historical round table (New data from the history of the village. Celebrating 100 years since the end of World War I and 140 years since the Russo-Turkish War) : XIV Music Festival ''Vetrintsi sings'' - Veliko Tarnovo : B. ed., 2019, pp. 87-90.

Nedeva, Todorka. Tarnovo holidays : 1878-1944 / Todorka Nedeva - Veliko Tarnovo : PIK, 2009. - 184 с.

Nedeva, Todorka. November 1 in the history of the old capital / Todorka Nedeva. // B o r b a (Veliko Tarnovo), XIX, N 208, 1 Nov. 2011, p. 8 : with il.

"Scholars Society" at the Men's High School "St. Cyril's School - 6 November

On November 6, 1889, the "Scholars' Society" at the St. On the occasion of the St. Cyril's Society's annual meeting, a proposal was received "... to donate the Society's library to the municipality of Turnovo to serve as the foundation of a future city public library".

November 18 marks the 170th anniversary of the birth of Ivan Panov Semerdjiev - a revolutionary, a Turnovian, a fallen victim for the freedom of the Fatherland.

Ivan Panov Semerdjiev (Panovcheto) was born on November 18, 1854 in Tarnovo. After studying at the local class school, he went to Odessa, where he continued his education at the Theological Seminary. After his return, Ivan Panov began working as a teacher in Gorna Oryahovitsa at the Church of St. He started working in the church of St. George.

Nikola Hristov Gabrovski - NP, lawyer, one of the founders of the Bulgarian Social Democratic Party - was born on September 6, 1864 in Veliko Tarnovo.

On September 10, 1919 was founded the first sports club in the old capital.

On September 8, 1869 in Veliko Tarnovo in the building of the main school at the church "St. On the 8th of September, at St. Mary's Church, an association was founded, which was called "Women's Community".

On 22 September we celebrate 116 years since the declaration of Independence of Bulgaria! Happy celebration!

On 28 and 29 March, the librarians from the Reference and Local History Department took part in the annual working meeting of the Local History Association "Mizia".

145 years ago 9/22 March 1879 was celebrated for the first time as the Day of Veliko Tarnovo and the holiday of the Tarnovo Garrison. The holiday was restored on March 22, 1984.

The citizens of Old Town were the first in Bulgaria to adopt a day of the year as their holiday, a day on which everyone lives with the greatness and glory of their hometown in mind. In the literary magazine Pravda of 1879, written by Nediu Zhekov, the first information about the celebration of March 22 as the holiday of Veliko Tarnovo can be found. The article "A spiritual celebration" describes the great celebration of the citizens of Veliko Tarnovo in the church of St. Forty Martyrs", held on 9 March (old style). The Divine Liturgy was attended by the Imperial Commissar Prince Dondukov-Korsakov, the army, senior officials and clergy, deputies from the Constituent Assembly held in the city at that time and many citizens. For the first time after five centuries of slavery, not only the people of Turnov, but also the entire national representation, paid tribute to our past. From then until 1944, the Day of the Holy Forty Martyrs was celebrated annually as the Day of Tarnovo and the holiday of the Tarnovo garrison.

Over the years, each celebration usually began at 9 a.m. with a solemn parade of the units of the Tarnovo Garrison, led by military brass music. The parade was eagerly attended by the schoolchildren and traditionally the portraits of the Tarnovo benefactors were carried in the front columns. These are the donors of Turnovo who gave funds for the construction of schools, libraries, community centers, hospitals, churches, who contributed to the spiritual development of the old capital. The mayor of the city congratulated the warriors of the Tarnovo garrison and the entire citizenry on the holiday. The assembled crowd headed to the monument of the participants in the Velcho Zavara. Famous Tarnovo cultural figures told stories about the great deed of the benefactors. Poems were recited and songs dedicated to the great city of Tarnovo were sung.

In the Municipal newspaper "Veliko Tarnovo" of March 20, 1934 we read. From all over Bulgaria should flock here, to revive the past in their souls and in front of the columns of Omurtagh and John Asen, and at the tombs of the Bulgarian kings to feel that the old lives its spiritual life, that Bulgaria has its thousand-year history. Let us make this holiday a day of the Bulgarian spirit."

After 1944, the holiday was not celebrated as Veliko Tarnovo Day. For its restoration have to be credited the wakeful inhabitants of the district "Asenov", who in 1970 celebrated it in the church "St. Forty Martyrs. In 1984, their idea was supported by the Veliko Tarnovo community, which to this day inherits the tradition of this day being dedicated solely to the unique Veliko Tarnovo.

Sources used:

Mitova-Ganeva, Katya. Veliko Tarnovo - unknown, curious and beloved / Katya Mitova-Ganeva. - Veliko Tarnovo : Faber, 2008. - 200 с

Mitova-Ganeva, Katya. Memory of Tarnovo : pages from the post-liberation history of the city / Katya Mitova-Ganova. - Veliko Tarnovo : Faber, 2009. - 528 с

Municipal newspaper Veliko Tarnovo, № 24, 20 March 1934.

March 21 marks the 70th anniversary of the death of General Nikola Bakardzhiev - military leader, general of the infantry.

Born on 26 September 1881 in Tarnovo. Nikola Petkov Bakardzhiev graduated from a military school in Sofia in 1901 and the General Staff Academy in Turin, Italy in 1907. He was promoted to the rank of second lieutenant on 1 January 1901 and to the rank of captain on 15 October 1908. He served first in the cavalry, then as battery commander in an artillery regiment.

In 1907 he was attached to the Army Staff. He was successively appointed senior adjutant of the 1st Brigade of the 7th Rila Infantry Division (1908); assistant chief of the military communications section at Army Headquarters (1909); lecturer at the military school (1909-1910); chief of the military communications section at Army Headquarters (1911); chief of the engineer section at the organization and construction department (1912).

During the Balkan War, 1912-1913, he was assistant chief of the operational section at the Headquarters of the active army. On 5 August 1913 he was promoted to the rank of major. During World War I, 1915-1918, he was chief of the operations section at the Headquarters of the Active Army and commander of a company in the 1st Sofia Infantry Regiment, with which he participated in the war with Romania. On 16 March 1917 he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel.

After the war, with the rank of colonel, he was appointed head of a division and chairman of the Military Historical Commission at the Army Headquarters, commander of the 2nd Infantry Thracian Regiment in 1925. On 6 May 1926, he was promoted to the rank of major-general.

From 1929-1931 he was Minister of War. On 16 May 1934 he was promoted to the rank of General of Infantry and dismissed from the army.

He was awarded the Military Order "For Bravery" III degree, 2nd class, IV degree, 1st and 2nd class; the Order "St. Alexander" V degree with swords; the same order II without swords; the People's Order "For Military Merit" V degree on military ribbon and the same order I degree on ordinary ribbon.

He died on 21 March 1954 in Sofia.

Literature used:

Infantry General Nikola Petkov Bakardzhiev (p. 94) : Command of the Bulgarian Army in World War I (1915-1918). 1919-1918 // Nedev, Svetlozar. The command of the Bulgarian army during the wars of national unification 1885, 1912, 1913, 1915, 1918 : a reference book / Svetlozar Nedev. - Sofia : Military Publishing House Sv. Georgi Pobedonosets, 1993, pp. 141.

Bakardzhiev, Mihail. Unique diary of General Nikola Bakardzhiev from the military school in Sofia in the 1890s. // Military History Collection, No. 5, 1994, pp. 64-82.

Bakardzhiev, Nikola Petrov : [1881-1954]. // Bulgaria : a large encyclopedia : Vol. 1 / Ed. Sofia : B. ed., 2011, p. 157.

The library's local history activities in the 1920s and 1930s were just beginning. Its initial reference apparatus was created in the spring of 1923 by students from the Tarnovo Male High School.

During the reign of the director Pencho Krussev, active donation campaigns were held in the library, its entire reference apparatus was organized, and the beginning of the local history card catalogue was laid. There are 20,000 publications about Veliko Tarnovo, arranged according to a classification scheme with over 630 divisions specially prepared for the occasion by Pencho Krussev. This card catalogue was the first local history card catalogue in Bulgaria, which is still kept in the library.

The object of the local history activity is the search and collection of books, newspapers and magazines published or printed in the town before the establishment of the library. The search includes publications related to Veliko Tarnovo, manuscripts and old printed books, materials by local authors, etc. The valuable manuscript collection that the library has, thanks to the initiative taken by its first directors, is a source of local history research.

To date, the Department of Local History is a separate department within the structure of the Department of Reference and Bibliography.

The priority of the library specialists in the department is the search, collection, processing and provision of correct and complete information about Veliko Tarnovo and the Veliko Tarnovo region - in the sphere of socio-political and economic life, history, science, culture, education, biographical materials, art, sports, etc.

The department keeps local history literature, with over 2500 titles of books, distributed to all branches of knowledge. The information researched and collected ranges from the Renaissance period to the present day. A local history catalogue and a local history card catalogue have been created. Local history literature and local periodicals are included in the library's electronic catalogue. An electronic local history card catalogue is also available on the library's website for the convenience of readers and users. The department maintains local history collections in the Digital Cultural Treasury North +.

The Local History section has a remarkable collection of postcards related to objects or events from the Veliko Tarnovo region. A collection of calendars and postal envelopes, with colour and black and white images with a first edition stamp on them. The collection of badges is a non-traditional collection. The philatelic collection "Veliko Tarnovo in Philately. 1879-1987" It contains over 100 stamps.

It has a well-developed reference literature, helping the information search of readers and library users. It updates, maintains and enriches an electronic database of local information.

The department provides oral and written bibliographical references on a given topic or information search. Written bibliographical references are prepared for a fee. Oral references can be requested by telephone, e-mail or at the library.

Library specialists prepare bibliographic indexes, bibliographies, and are actively involved in the publication of local history collections, anniversary newspapers, pamphlets, and brochures.

The Local Lore Branch takes as its mission the promotion of Veliko Tarnovo and the Veliko Tarnovo region through various forms and events, participating and celebrating current events, dates, anniversaries and themes of national and local importance.