Gjorgji Nikolov Delchev, better known as Goce Delchev, was born on February 4, 1872 in Kukush, and died on May 4, 1903 in Banica. Delchev is a Macedonian revolutionary and national hero, participant in the Macedonian revolutionary movement, activist of the Macedonian Revolutionary Organization, apostle and heart of revolutionary Macedonia ideologue, organizer and leader of the Macedonian revolutionary national liberation movement in the late XIX and early XX century.
Assumptions about Goce Delchev’s murder remain in the “veil of secrecy” until “the vaults of the Constantinople, Sofia, Athens and other archives” are opened, as stated by one of the most persistent researchers of Goce’s time and work, Dr. Hristo Andonov. Polish.
The Batle of Banitsa
The Battle of Banica is a battle fought between the detachment of the Macedonian Revolutionary Organization led by Goce Delchev against the Turkish army near the village of Banica (Charlia) in 1903.
Before the start of the battle, the Turkish authorities received accurate footnotes on the number of freedom fighters and exactly where they were housed, in which houses. On the night of May 3, the village was besieged by the Ottoman army. The number of Turkish forces consisted of 300 soldiers and gendarmerie and bashibozlu formations, from. On the other hand, the freedom fighters numbered 21 and about 40 villagers.
Goce Delchev’s Macedonian freedom fighters – Goce is second from right
The fight started in the morning at 10 am on May 4, Goce Delchev was the first to shoot at the asker, after which he was hit and fell to the ground, while trying to get up he was hit again and died, and the others continued to shoot. The battle lasted 30 hours and ended on May 5 at 4 p.m.
One of the Organization’s most prominent leaders, along with 11 freedom fighters, were killed during the clashes. After the clash, the Turks set fire to the village, and 166 villagers were imprisoned. The Ottomans, meanwhile, had eight wounded and five dead.
After the heroic death, Goce Delchev’s body, at the initiative of the head of the Serres garrison Tefikov, who was also a classmate of Delchev from the Military School in Sofia, was ordered to be taken to the Serres municipality and buried there. However, an order was sent from Solun to return the body to the village Banica. Thus, Goce together with his comrade Gushtanov was buried next to the church in the village Banica.
Here lies Goce Delchev the Legendary Freedom Fighter for Macedonia
Three years later in 1906, the relics of Goce Delchev were excavated by his comrade-in-arms, Mikhail Chakov, and placed in the altar of the church in the village of Banica.
The Ilinden organization in Sofia kept the relics of Goce for more than a quarter of a century, until October 1946. In May 1946, negotiations began between the Ilinden Organization and the City People’s Front in Skopje to transfer the relics to the Macedonian capital. In July of the same year, the Ilinden Organization in Sofia responded positively to the request of the General Assembly of the NF of Macedonia.
Delchev’s remains are coming to final rest in independent Macedonia
On October 10 (Thursday) 1946, passing by Veles, the sarcophagus headed to the capital of the People’s Republic of Macedonia – Skopje. Then, the solemn procession headed to the church of St. Spas, the place where the relics of Goce Delchev will be permanently laid and will rest forever.
Final resting place -Church SV Spas Skopje Macedonia
