Abstract
On 3 November 1893 in the Ottoman Vilâyet capital of Selânik, nowadays known as Thessaloniki, seven Christian Orthodox intellectuals, speaking the eastern variety of the southern Slavic tongue founded a national-revolutionary and conspiratorial organisation in opposition to the ruling Sultan with the title of the ‘(Internal) Macedonian Revolutionary Organisation’, abbreviated as IMRO. Their goal was the establishment of their own state, first in the form of territorial autonomy within the Ottoman Empire as a step towards independence. One hundred years later, on 8 April 1993, the United Nations admitted a state called the ‘Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia’, shortened to FYROM, as its 181st member.2 The strongest political party of this new UN member state, the ‘Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organisation — Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity’, abbreviated as VMRO-DPMNE, had deliberately chosen the name of the underground movement which was founded a century earlier.3 So does today’s FYROM represent the fulfilment of the political agenda of the IMRO that existed towards the end of the nineteenth century? Is there a direct link to the VMRO-DPMNE of the twentieth century? Are we now seeing the result of a belated process, lasting over one hundred years, from the foundation of a nation to the formation of a state?
I used to think that the profession of history, unlike that of, say, nuclear physics, could at least do no harm. Now I know it can. Our studies can turn into bomb factories like the workshops in which the IRA has learned to transform chemical fertiliser into an explosive.
Eric J. Hobsbawm, 19931
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Notes
Eric Hobsbawm, ‘The New Threat of History’, New York Review of Books vol. 40, no. 21 (16 December 1993), pp. 62–4, here p. 63.
Milena Mahon, ‘The Macedonian Question in Bulgaria’, in Nations and Nationalism 4, (1998), pp. 389–407.
James Pettifer, ‘The New Macedonian Question’, International Affairs 68 (1992), pp. 475–85. Cf.
also Pettifer, ‘Macedonia: Still the Apple of Discord’, The World Today, 51 (1995), pp. 55–58
Misha Glenny, ‘The Macedonian Question: Still No Answers’, Social Research, 62 (1995), pp. 143–60
Sabrina P. Barnet, ‘All Quiet on the Southern Front? Macedonia Between the Hammer and the Anvil’, in Problems of Post-Communism (November-December 1995 ), pp. 29–36.
Jonathan M. Schwartz, ‘The Petrified Forests of Symbols: Deconstructing and Envisioning Macedonia’, Anthropological Journal on European Cultures, 4 (1995), pp. 9–23
Schwartz, Listening for Macedonian Identity: Reflections from Sveti Naum, in Beyond Borders. Remaking Cultural Identities in the New East and Central Europe. ( Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1997 ), pp. 95–110
James Krapfl, ‘The Ideals of !linden: Uses of Memory and Nationalism in Socialist Macedonian’ in John S. Micgiel (ed.), State and Nation Building in East Central Europe: Contemporary Perspectives Ed. John S. Micgiel (New York. NY Institute on East Central Europe. Columbia University, 1996). 297-.
Cf. Andrej Pantev, ‘Otkûde idva treti mart’, Kultura (Sofia), 9 (9 March 1991), p. 11
Stefan Troebst, ‘Fluchtpunkt San Stefano. Nationalismus in Bulgarien’, Die Neue Gesellschaft/Frankfurter Hefte, 37 (1990) 5, pp. 405–414.
Kiril Nikolov,Za makedonskata nacija (Skopje 1948).
Vasil Tupurkovski, Istorija na Makedonija - Filip II (Skopje, 1995).
Basil Kondis, Kyriakos Kentrotis, Spyridon Sfetas and Yiannis D. Stefanidis (eds), Resurgent Irredentism. Documents on Skopje ‘Macedonian’ Nationalist Aspirations (1934–1992) ( Thessaloniki: Institute for Balkan Studies, 1993 ).
Emil Niederhauser, ‘Vasil Zlatarski und seine osteuropäischen Berufskollegen’ in Mito Isusov et al. (cils), Sbornik vicest na akadernik Hristo Hristov. Izsledvanija po slucaj 70 godini of rozdenieto mu (Sofia, 1989), pp. 204–15.
Ivan Katardkiev, ‘VMRO and the Macedonian Liberation Movement After the First World War’, in Balkan Forum, 1 (1993), pp. 137–50
Katardiiev, Borba do pobeda 4 vols (Skopje, 1988)
Katardzier, Borba za razvoj i afirmacija na makedonskata nacija (Skopje, 1981)
Katardiiev, Po vrvicite na makedonskata istorija (Skopje, 1986)
Katardkiev, Sto godini od formiranjeto na VMRO; and Sosedite i Makedonija - vicera, does, utre (Skopje, 1998).
Katardiiev, ‘Selektivna bibliografija na objaveni trudovi na d-r Ivan Katardkiev’, Istorija, 32 (1986), pp. 19–24.
Blake Ristovski, ‘The National Thought of Misirkov’, in Balkan Forum, 4 (1996), pp. 129–70
Ristovski, Makedonskiot stilt 1900–1944. Istrajuvanja i materiali 2 vols (Skopje, 1980), Ristovski, Projavi i profili od makedonskata literaturna istorija 2 vols (Skopje, 1982)
Ristovski, Koco Racin. Istorisko-literaturni istra7uvanja (Skopje, 1983)
Ristovski, Makedonskiot narod i makedonskata nacija 2 vols (Skopje, 1983)
Ristovski, Makedonskiot folklor i nacionalnata svest 2 vols (Skopje, 1987)
Ristovski, Portreti i procesi od mtakedonskata literaturna i nacionalna istorija 3 vols (Skopje, 1989–1990).
Ivan Katardkiev (ed.), VMRO (Obedineta). Dokumenti i mtaterijali 2 vols (Skopje, 1991–2)
Ivan Katardiiev (ed.), Makedonskata nacionalno politicka rnisla mega dvete svetski vojni. Prilozi, ( Skopje, 1991 ).
Robert R. King, Minorities under Communism. Nationalities as a Source of Tension among Balkan Communist States ( Cambridge, Mass., 1973 ), p. 219.
Miroslav Hroch, Social Preconditions of National Revival in Europe. A Comparative Analysis of the Social Composition of Patriotic Groups among the Smaller European Nations (Cambridge, 1985).
H. R. Wilkinson, ‘Jugoslav Macedonia in Transition’, The Geographical Journal, 118 (1952), pp. 389–405
Stephen E. Palmer, Jr. and Robert R. King, Yugoslav Communism and the Macedonian Question ( Hamden, Conn.: Archon Books, 1971 )
Jutta De Jong, ‘Die makedonische Nationswerdung–eigenständige Integration oder künstliche Synthese?’, in Klaus-Detlev Grothusen (ed.), Jugoslawien. Integrationsprobleme in Geschichte und Gegenwart (Göttingen, 1984 ), pp. 163–77
Stefan Troebst, ‘Yugoslav Macedonia, 1943–1953: Building the Party, the State and the Nation’, in Melissa K. Bokovoy, Jill A. Irvine and Carol S. Lilly, State-Society Relations in Yugoslavia, 1945–1992 (New York NY, 1997 ), pp. 243–66.
Jutta De Jong, Der nationale Kern des makedonischen Problems. Ansätze und Grundlagen einer makedonischen Nationalbewegung (1890–1903). Ein Beitrag zur komparativen Nationalismus forschung (Frankfurt/M. and Bern 1982), pp. 16, 290–1.
Fikret Adanir, Die Makedonische Frage. Ihre Entstehung und Entwicklung bis 1908 (Wiesbaden, 1979)
Duncan M. Perry, The Politics of Terror. The Macedonian Revolutionary Movements, 1893–1903 ( Durham, NC, London, 1988 ).
Konstantin Pandev, Nactionalnoosvoboditelnoto dviienie v Makedonija i Odrinsko 1878–1903 (Sofia, 1979).
See Katrin Boeckh, Von den Balkankriegen zum Ersten Weltkrieg. Kleinstaatenpolitik und ethnische Selbstbestimmung auf dem Balkan (Munich, 1996).
Cf. Ivan Katardziev, Makedonija i makedoncite vo svetot (Skopje, 1996 )
Loring M. Danforth, The Macedonian Conflict. Ethnic Nationalism in a Transnational World ( Princeton, NJ, 1995 )
Lillian Petroff, Sojourners and Settlers: The Macedonian Community in Toronto to 1940 (Toronto, 1995)
Peter Hill, The Macedonians in Australia ( Carlisle, WA, 1989 )
Risto Kirjazovski, Makedonskata politicka enugracija od Egejskiot del na Makedonija vo-istocnoevropejskite zemji po vtorata svetska vojna (Skopje, 1989)
Mieczystaw Wojecki, ‘Ludnoe grecko-maéedoasska na Dolnym sl~sku’, Sobotka, shuki kwartalnik historyczny, 1 (1980), pp. 83–96.
For the historiographic echoes in Sofia cf. Dimitûr G. Gocev, Idejata za avtonomija kato taktika v programite na nacionalnoosvoboditelnoto dviienie v Makedonija i Odrinkko 1893–1941 (Sofia, 1983 )
Kostadin Palegutski, ‘Avtonomnoto nacalo v bülgarskoto nacionalno-osvoboditelnoto dviienie v Makedonija’, in Bülgarija 1300. Dokladi na Tretija kongres na Bûlgarskoto istoricesko druzestvo, 3–5 oktomvri 1981. T. 3: Institucii i dätrzavna tradicija (Sofia, 1983), pp. 287–92.
Wolfgang-Uwe: Friedrich, Bulgarien und die Mächte 1913–1915. Ein Beitrag zur Weltkrieges- und Inrperialismusgeschichte (Stuttgart, 1985).
Ivan Katardziev, Vrenre na zreenje. Makedonskoto nacionalno prosanje rnegu dvete svetski vojni (1919–1930). 2 vols (Skopje, 1977).
Stefan Troebst, Mussolini, Makedonien und die Mächte 1922–1930. Die ‘Innere Makedonische Revolutionäre Organisation’ in der Südosteuropapolitik des faschistischen Italien (Cologne and Vienna, 1987)
Ivan Katardziev, ‘VMRO and the Macedonian Liberation Movement after the First World War’, Balkan Forum, 1 (1993), pp. 151–64.
Andrew Rossos, ‘Macedonianism and Macedonian Nationalism on the Left’, in Ivo Banac and Katherine Verdery (eds), National Character and National Ideology in Inter-war Eastern Europe ( New Haven, Conn., 1995 ), pp. 219–54.
Kostadin Palesutski, ‘Sûzdavane i dejnost na Makedonskata federativna organizacija (1920–1923 g.)’, in Izvestija na Instituta po istorija na Bûlgarskata komunisticeska partija 66 (1990), pp. 40–74
Darinka Pacemska-Petreska, ‘Makedonskata federativna grupa vo Viena i vesnikot “Makedonsko soznanje” vo periodot 1923–1925 godina’, in Glasnik na Institutot za nacionalna istorija 31 (1987), pp. 117–133.
Kostadin Palesutski, ‘Ilindenskata organizacija (1921–1924 g.)’, in Izvestija na Instihrta po istorija na Bûlgarskata komunisticeska partija 61 (1988), 84–116.
For basic information on this completely under-researched group see Kiril Miljovski, Makedonskoto prasanje vo nacionalnata programa na KPJ (1919–1937) (Skopje, 1962), pp. 140–54
Dimitûr G. Gocev, Mladeikite nacionalno-osvoboditelni organizacii na Makedonskite brïlgari 1919–1941 (Sofia, 1988), pp. 64–70.
Bernard Tory, ‘Approches de l’identité macédonienne’, in Bernard Iory and Christophe Chiclet (eds), La Republique de Macdoine (Paris, 1998 ), pp. 13–32.
Cf. also Feroz A. K. Yasamee, ‘Nationality in the Balkans. The Case of the Macedonians’, in Gunay Göksu Ozdogan and Kemâli Saybasili (eds), Balkans. A Mirror of the New International Order (Istanbul: 1995 ), pp. 121–132.
Fredrik Barth, ‘Introduction’, in Fredrik Barth (ed.), Ethnic Groups and Boundaries. The Social Organisation of Culture Differences (Oslo, 1969 ), pp. 9–38.
Alice Ackermann, ‘The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia: A Relatively Successful Case of Conflict Prevention in Europe’, Security Dialogue, 27 (1996), pp. 409–24
Stefan Troebst, ‘Präventive Friedenssicherung durch internationale Beobachtermissionen? Das Beispiel der KSZE-Spillover-Monitormission in Makedonien 1992–1993’, in Gerhard Seewann (ed.), Minderheiten als Konfliktpotential in Ostmittel- und Südosteuropa (Munich, 1995 ), pp. 282–331.
E. J. Hobsbawm, Nations and Nationalism Since 1870. Programme, Myth, Reality (Cambridge, 1992 ), p. 166.
See Max Weber, Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft. Grundri/3 der verstehenden Soziologie 5th edn Tübingen, 1985), pp. 830–1, 843–8, 860.
Cf. A. Hatschikjan Magarditsch, ‘Macedonia: Variable Balances, Fragile Structures’, in Balkan Forum, (1996), pp. 127–44
Stefan Troebst, ‘Von der “Mazedonischen Frage” zur “Albanischen Frage”. Der Balkan am Ende des 20. Jahrhunderts. Vier vorläufige Schlußfolgerungen’, in Valeria Heuberger, Arnold Suppan and Elisabeth Vyslonzi (eds), Der Balkan. Friedenszone oder Pulverfaß (Frankfurt/M. and New York, 1998 ), pp. 127–38
Troebst, ‘Macedonia: Powder Keg Defused’, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Research Report 3 (28 January 1994), pp. 33–41
Troebst, ‘An Ethnic War That Did Not Take Place: Macedonia, Its Minorities and Its Neighbours in the 1990s’, in David Turton (ed.), War and Ethnicity: Global Connections and Local Violence (Rochester, 1997 ), pp. 77–103.
Mathias Bernath, ‘Das mazedonische Problem in der Sicht der komparativen Nationalismusforschung’, Siidost-Forschungen 29 (1970), pp. 237–48, here p. 244.
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 1999 Palgrave Macmillan, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Troebst, S. (1999). IMRO + 100 = FYROM? The politics of Macedonian historiography. In: Pettifer, J. (eds) The New Macedonian Question. St Antony’s Series. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230535794_5
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230535794_5
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-0-333-92066-4
Online ISBN: 978-0-230-53579-4
eBook Packages: Palgrave Political & Intern. Studies CollectionPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)