Dimitar Blagoev

Dimitar Blagoev Nikolov (Bulgarian: Димитър Благоев Николов; 14 June 1856 – 7 May 1924) was a Bulgarian political leader, the founder of Bulgarian socialism and of the first social democratic party in the Balkans. Blagoev was also a prominent proponent of ideas for the establishment of a Balkan Federation. He is usually regarded and self-identified as a Bulgarian occasionally as a Macedonian Slav.

Blagoev was born in the village of Zagorichani in the region of Macedonia (today Vasiliada in Agioi Anargyroi, Kastoria, Greece), at that time part of the Ottoman Empire. In his youth he was influenced by the atmosphere of the Bulgarian National Revival. In his memoirs written in 1922, Blagoev mentions that he was born in a pure Bulgarian village, receiving his national idea by Bulgarian agitators and as a result he was educated in nationalist spirit. He learned consequently in Bulgarian Exarchate's schools in Istanbul (1873–1874), Adrianople (1874–1875), Gabrovo (1875–1876) and Stara Zagora (1876–1877). As a student in Gabrovo he supported the cause of the April uprising, and participated on its preparation. During the Russo-Turkish War, he supported the activity of the opalchentsi and the Russian Army. Later he studied at the Odessa Realschule from 1878 to 1880. He became involved in public activities in the early 1880s, while a student at Saint Petersburg University in Russia. In the Russian capital he matured with Marx and while still under the influence of populist ideas and those of Proudhon and Lassale. Blagoev created the first social democratic group in Russia, called a party, with its press organ, the "Rabochii" (Worker) newspaper.

...
Wikipedia