04.05.09
The most important ethnic Macedonian revolutionary and visionary Gotse Delcheff, who saw the world one century ago as a place for cultural competition among peoples, was killed by the Ottoman army in village Banica on May 4, 1903. The goal of his last journey was to prevent or delay the Ilinden Uprising, which he considered immature. However, the uprising was staged three months later at holiday Ilinden.


There are contradictory views on Delcev's death. Historian Mihajlo Minovski has published a study based on relevant facts and authentic documents, determining that Delcev's murder was not a coincidence or operation by the Ottoman security forces, but treason arranged by certain centers.

"This was organized treason by Sofia and the Bulgarian services. Delcev was not followed from Thessaloniki, but from Sofia, upon his journey for a meeting focused on calling off the decision for the Ilinden Uprising. Following the uprising, bodies of the revolutionary organization had conducted a field investigation and the traitors were eliminated, which has been confirmed through documents"

According to him, Delcev's murder radically altered the situation, leading to long-lasting consequences for the liberation movement, as well as Macedonia's partition.

Goce Delcev was born on February 4, 1872. He was educated at the Thessaloniki high school and the Sofia Military Academy. Delcev worked as teacher in Stip and as member of the TMORO (Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization) he was active in creating a network of bases, committees and companies. He took part at the VMRO Thessaloniki Congress in 1896 and was VMRO's representative in Sofia up to 1901.

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