VENETS: the Belogradchik journal for local history, cultural heritave and folk studies

273-278

Authors: B.V. Toshev

This is an unpublished manuscript written in 1982 in memoriam of Hristo Kostov (d. November, 2nd, 1982), f. assistant professor at the University of Sofia. Hristo Kostov was a specialist in didactics of physics. He was known as one of the most successful physics teachers in Bulgaria. The building of the astronomical observatory in Belogradchik was his idea.

286-313

Authors: M. Gotchev

Lt. Gochev published in 1916 a poetry book entitled ‘Recollections from the Battlefields’ [Bojni spomeni]: "in memory of fallen heroes in this war from the 15th Infantry Lom Regiment”. Central place in this book of poetry is the poem "Zhivko and Nevena”. Neither the book nor the poetic attempts of the Bulgarian officer are now familiar to modern audiences.

330-346

Authors: B. Ubong

‘Traditional’ marriage among Ibibio people of Southern Nigeria is as much entertainment as it is serious drama that prepares a couple and their families for a life-long relationship. Although the script may be short, the entire event, from the pre-public ceremony to the post-public, in-house ceremonies is a deft admixture of rhetoric, song, dance, spectacle, character, and thought. The difference is that the event is not an imitation, but a mixture of human action and reaction in real time. The three unities may not apply as action is usually originated long before that special day but each traditional marriage (public) ceremony that precedes, and is seen as being more important than a ‘white wedding,’ can be seen as a complete event in and of itself, taking place at the same venue, within a time frame and milieu, and concluded in one day. The performance lasts a lifetime and binds not just two people, but two families, sometimes two communities and two cultures. Christianity and economics have forced changes but the fundamentals remain – that the event is verily an admixture of drama and reality aimed at ensuring continuity of society.

388-392

Authors: V. Kachev

Four poems by Valentin Kachev are presented. These rhymes are inspired from Kachev’s memories from his native town of Belogradchik.

400-400

Authors: Appendix: No author

A painting entitled "To Belogradchik" by Viorel Marginean (b. 1933, Romania).

146-153

Authors: D. Bozhkova

This is a selection of poems published during the years in the journal “Venets”. The homesickness is their basic clue.

162-170

Authors: V. Borisov

The first (and last) higher school year began in Belogradchik in the autumn of 1995. Two University programs were launched: Management of Culture and Tourism and Management of Health Services. The students were 90 in total. Formally they were students of the Business Academy at Svishtov. The beginning of the higher education in Belogradchik was not successful. Under unfavourable circumstances, described in brief in the present article, the higher education in Belogradchik was ceased.

198-203

Authors: V. Kachev

Here are two new poems, written by Valentin Kachev (born in Belogradchik) who is a member of the Union of the Bulgarian Writers and of the Union of the Russian Writers as well: “And My Sonnet” (2008) and “With the Angel’s Hand” (2010). Several photographs of old private Belogradchik houses serve as a background to this Venets’ poetry page. The first of them is the family house of the writer.

213-255

Authors: E.J. Håland

The article examines emotion and identity in connection with Greek death-cult in an attempt to clarify certain contemporary political phenomena in the Mediterranean and Balkan area. The cult of the dead is a common cultural pattern in the area. Why is this cult so persistent? What is death-cult and how does it manifest itself? The article delves into its lasting importance in the Greek part of the cultural area, where the author has conducted several fieldworks. To illustrate the persistence of this cultural pattern, the characteristic aspects connected with death-cult in Greek tradition are discussed: The comparison is based on festivals, which are dedicated to deceased persons and domestic death-rituals combined with ancient sources. Based on them an analytical survey of the relationship between the death-cult dedicated to deceased mediators in ancient and modern society, as it is manifested through laments, burials and the following memorial rituals is made. The modern domestic rituals people perform for their own dead influence the official ideological rituals, and vice versa, the domestic rituals reflect public performances. A study of modern cult practices reveals many parallels with the official cult of the ancients, and suggests ways in which modern rituals can throw new light upon the ancient rituals and vice versa. The article seeks to demonstrate how new ideologies must adjust to older rituals and beliefs and how public and domestic rituals are connected. The article finally suggests how these similarities might represent a common way of expression within a larger context in which the Mediterranean and Balkan cultural meaning of emotion is central.

1

Authors: no author

A canvas entitled 'Lanscape of Belogradchik' (1958) by Zdravko Alexandrov (1911-1998)

5

Authors: T. Videnov

Below one could find the first poem devoted to the leaders of the Belogradchik uprising of 1850: Valtcho Botchov, Lilo Panov, Tsolo Tododov, Dedo Bojin, Vlah Nedelko Parvanov, Kostadin Yanev and Petko Kazandji. All of them were beheaded in the Belogradchik fortress. The author of the poem is T. Videnov, a teacher. The poem is dated – April, 9th, 1910.

13

Authors: B.V. Toshev

The paper reveals the history of the meteorite of Belogradchik (1874), samples of which have been presented in many meteorite collections in all over the world except Bulgaria. The meteorite, often named ‘Virba’, was studied and described by Daubrée (1874) and Meunier (1893).

21

Authors: V. Kachev

This short story by Valentin Kachev, a member both of the Union of the Bulgarian Writers and the Union of the Russian Writers, describes an imaginary meeting of Tsolo Todorov, one of the leaders of the Belogradchik uprising in 1850, with his grandson (the author). The tale was published in Russian. Here its translation into Bulgarian is presented. A painted portrait of Tsolo Todorov (Historic Museum, Belogradchik) is enclosed.

28

Authors: K. Panov

In 1907 a Committee “The Summer of 1850” was established. The goal of this Committee was to collect full information about the Belogradchik uprising of 1850 and, in this way, to immortalize the heros of the revolt against the Turkish authority for the Bulgarian liberty. The booklet containing this information was published in 1911. The present publication reproduces the second edition of Panov’s book (1937).