In the courtyard of his native house in Koprivshtitsa, his mother remains forever in stone – sitting on the threshold and staring at the road. The sculpture by Ivan Lazarov has become one of the most recognizable images of Bulgarian literature. It preserves the memory of Dimcho Debelyanov – the poet who died young, but left behind poems read by generations.
On October 2, 2026, it will be 110 years since his death. Debelyanov died in 1916 near Demir Hisar, as a company commander on the Macedonian Front. He was 29 years old at the time.
A Short Life Between Koprivshtitsa and Sofia
Dimcho Debelyanov was born on March 28, 1887 in Koprivshtitsa with the name Dincho. He was the sixth child in the family of Velyo Debelyanov and Tsana Staychina. After his father's death in 1896, the family moved to Plovdiv, and in 1904, the young Debelyanov left for Sofia.
He studied law and literature at Sofia University, but did not graduate. He worked as a stenographer, reporter, proofreader and clerk. At various times, he collaborated with literary and humorous publications, translated from French and Russian, and was actively involved in the capital's literary life.
In 1906, his first poems were published in the magazine “Savremenost“ Later he became one of the founders of the literary circle “Zveno“, in which Dimitar Podvarzachov, Nikolay Liliev, Yordan Yovkov, Geo Milev and other authors participated. In 1910, Debelyanov and Podvarzachov also participated in the compilation of “Bulgarian Anthology“.
The Poet Who Goes to the Front
Debelyanov served in the Balkan War, and in 1914 he was promoted to the rank of second lieutenant. In early 1916, despite not being subject to mobilization, he volunteered for the front.
„I am going and I know that I will not return, I will shine like a spark and I will go out!“On October 2, 1916, Debelyanov died in a battle on the left bank of the Struma River, between Seres and Demir Hissar. The next day he was buried in the courtyard of the Bulgarian church in Demir Hissar.
The military experience also changed the sound of his poetry. In poems such as „One Killed“, „Orphan Song“ and „Silent Victory“ war is not only a historical background, but a test of humanity. In „One Killed“ the dead enemy is no longer an enemy, but a person whose fate resembles the fate of every soldier.
The Return to Koprivshtitsa
Debelyanov did not manage to publish a book during his lifetime. His first collection of poems “Poems“ was published posthumously in 1920. Four years later, his mortal remains were transferred to his native Koprivshtitsa.
Among his most famous works are “To Return to the Father's House“, “Do You Remember, Do You Remember the Quiet Courtyard“, “Hidden Cries“ and “Black Song“. In them, home is not just a place, but a memory, a lost closeness and a longing for a time that cannot be returned.
To return to your father's house
To return to your father's house,
when the evening humbly fades
and the silent bosoms of the silent night unfold
to caress the sorrowful and the unfortunate.
As a burden, you threw the black fatigue,
what inconsolable days bequeathed to you —
you with timid steps to awaken in the yard
in front of a guest, expected joy, timid.
May the old woman greet you on the threshold
and rest your forehead on a helpless shoulder,
to yearn for her smile of goodness
and repeat for a long time: mom, mom…
Humiliatedly entered the familiar room,
your last port and shelter,
to whisper quiet words in the silence,
fixed a dark gaze on the old icon:
I came to wait for a peaceful demise,
that my sun has gone its way…
----------------------------------
Oh, hidden cries of a sad wanderer,
in vain remembered mother and homeland!
That is why Dimcho Debelyanov remains close to readers and 110 years after his death. His poetry speaks quietly but recognizably – about separation, loneliness, war and the hope that one will find a way back home.
Sources: BNR, BNT