Dimitrija Cupovski
Encyclopedia
Dimitrija Čupovski (November 8, 1878, Papradište
–October 29, 1940, Leningrad
) was a Macedonian
textbook writer and lexicographer.
(now part of Čaška Municipality
) in the Ottoman Empire
, (now Republic of Macedonia
). Before Čupovski was born, his father had been killed by Albanian
mercenaries. When he was 10 years old his village was burned, and he and his family then settled in Kruševo
, the birth place of his mother. After learning the painting trade, he and his brothers left for Sofia
in search of work. In the capital of the newly established Kingdom of Bulgaria
Čupovski worked during the day and visited the school organized by Dame Gruev
, Petar Pop Arsov and other students.
However after that he continued his education in Belgrade
and Saint Petersburg
. By the replacement of the Bulgarian Exarchate
bishop of Skopje, when the Serbs managed to get a Serbian bishop with the backing of the Russians in 1901-1902, he supported the Serbo-Russian side. The pro-Bulgarian Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (IMRO) revolutionary Hristo Shaldev, who lived during 1899 - 1903 in St. Petersburg described him also as sharing pro-Serbian and pro-Russian views. When in 1905 Čupovski tried to organize a pan-Macedonian conference in Veles
, he was expelled from the town by a local pro-Bulgarian chief of IMRO Ivan Naumov Alyabaka.
He was one of the founders of the Macedonian Literary Society
, established in Saint Petersburg
in 1902, and served as its president from 1902 to 1917. He was also the author of a large number of articles and official documents, publisher of the printed bulletin of the Macedonian Colony, and organiser of several Macedonian associations. He wrote verse both in Russian
and Macedonian. He also produced the first Macedonian-Russian dictionary, worked on a Macedonian grammar
and an encyclopaedic monograph
on Macedonia
and the Macedonians. He also drew up an ethnic and geographical map of Macedonia.
In the period 1913-1918, Čupovski published the newspaper "Македонскi Голосъ" (Macedonian Voice) in which he and fellow members of the Petersburg Macedonian Colony promoted the existence of a separate Macedonian people which is different from the Greeks
, Bulgarians
and Serbs
, and were struggling to popularize the idea for an independent Macedonian state.
Dimitrija Čupovski is considered one of the most prominent ethnic Macedonians in history and one of the most important actors of the ethnic Macedonian awakening.
Papradište
Papradište is a village in the central part of the Republic of Macedonia. It is located in Čaška Municipality....
–October 29, 1940, Leningrad
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
) was a Macedonian
Macedonians (ethnic group)
The Macedonians also referred to as Macedonian Slavs: "... the term Slavomacedonian was introduced and was accepted by the community itself, which at the time had a much more widespread non-Greek Macedonian ethnic consciousness...
textbook writer and lexicographer.
Early years
Dimitrija Čupovski was born in the village of PapradištePapradište
Papradište is a village in the central part of the Republic of Macedonia. It is located in Čaška Municipality....
(now part of Čaška Municipality
Caška municipality
Čaška is a municipality in central Republic of Macedonia. Čaška is also the name of the village where the municipal seat is found. This municipality is part of the Vardar Statistical Region.-Geography:...
) in the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, (now Republic of Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
). Before Čupovski was born, his father had been killed by Albanian
Albanians
Albanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Albania and neighbouring countries. They speak the Albanian language. More than half of all Albanians live in Albania and Kosovo...
mercenaries. When he was 10 years old his village was burned, and he and his family then settled in Kruševo
Kruševo
Kruševo also spelled Krushevo, is a town in the Republic of Macedonia. It is the highest town in Macedonia, situated at an altitude of over 4,000 feet above sea level. The town of Kruševo is the seat of Kruševo Municipality.-History:...
, the birth place of his mother. After learning the painting trade, he and his brothers left for Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
in search of work. In the capital of the newly established Kingdom of Bulgaria
Kingdom of Bulgaria
The Kingdom of Bulgaria was established as an independent state when the Principality of Bulgaria, an Ottoman vassal, officially proclaimed itself independent on October 5, 1908 . This move also formalised the annexation of the Ottoman province of Eastern Rumelia, which had been under the control...
Čupovski worked during the day and visited the school organized by Dame Gruev
Dame Gruev
Damyan Yovanov Gruev or Damjan Jovanov Gruev, often known by his short name Dame Gruev, was an insurgent leader in Ottoman Macedonia and Thrace...
, Petar Pop Arsov and other students.
However after that he continued his education in Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
and Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
. By the replacement of the Bulgarian Exarchate
Bulgarian Exarchate
The Bulgarian Exarchate was the official name of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church before its autocephaly was recognized by the Ecumenical See in 1945 and the Bulgarian Patriarchate was restored in 1953....
bishop of Skopje, when the Serbs managed to get a Serbian bishop with the backing of the Russians in 1901-1902, he supported the Serbo-Russian side. The pro-Bulgarian Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (IMRO) revolutionary Hristo Shaldev, who lived during 1899 - 1903 in St. Petersburg described him also as sharing pro-Serbian and pro-Russian views. When in 1905 Čupovski tried to organize a pan-Macedonian conference in Veles
Veles (city)
Veles is a city in the center of the Republic of Macedonia on the Vardar river. The city of Veles is the seat of Veles Municipality.-Name:The city's name was Vylosa in Ancient Greek and before the Balkan Wars, it was a township with the name Köprülü in the Üsküp sandjak, Ottoman empire for 600...
, he was expelled from the town by a local pro-Bulgarian chief of IMRO Ivan Naumov Alyabaka.
He was one of the founders of the Macedonian Literary Society
Macedonian Literary Society
The Macedonian Scientific and Literary Society, sometimes called as Slavic-Macedonian Scholarly and Literary Society was an organization of the Macedonians in Russia...
, established in Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
in 1902, and served as its president from 1902 to 1917. He was also the author of a large number of articles and official documents, publisher of the printed bulletin of the Macedonian Colony, and organiser of several Macedonian associations. He wrote verse both in Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
and Macedonian. He also produced the first Macedonian-Russian dictionary, worked on a Macedonian grammar
Macedonian grammar
Macedonian grammar refers to the morphology and syntax of the Macedonian language, which is, in many respects, similar to the grammar of some other Balkan languages – especially Bulgarian and Serbian...
and an encyclopaedic monograph
Monograph
A monograph is a work of writing upon a single subject, usually by a single author.It is often a scholarly essay or learned treatise, and may be released in the manner of a book or journal article. It is by definition a single document that forms a complete text in itself...
on Macedonia
Macedonia (region)
Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of the Balkan peninsula in southeastern Europe. Its boundaries have changed considerably over time, but nowadays the region is considered to include parts of five Balkan countries: Greece, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, Albania, Serbia, as...
and the Macedonians. He also drew up an ethnic and geographical map of Macedonia.
In the period 1913-1918, Čupovski published the newspaper "Македонскi Голосъ" (Macedonian Voice) in which he and fellow members of the Petersburg Macedonian Colony promoted the existence of a separate Macedonian people which is different from the Greeks
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
, Bulgarians
Bulgarians
The Bulgarians are a South Slavic nation and ethnic group native to Bulgaria and neighbouring regions. Emigration has resulted in immigrant communities in a number of other countries.-History and ethnogenesis:...
and Serbs
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
, and were struggling to popularize the idea for an independent Macedonian state.
Dimitrija Čupovski is considered one of the most prominent ethnic Macedonians in history and one of the most important actors of the ethnic Macedonian awakening.