When the first issue of “Bulgarian Eagle“ was published in Leipzig in 1846, the Bulgarians still did not have their own state, but they already needed their own voice. This voice was Ivan Bogorov – a writer, journalist, publisher, linguist, teacher and later a doctor.
Born in Karlovo around 1818-1820, Bogorov was educated in Constantinople and Odessa. He studied chemistry in Leipzig and later studied medicine in Paris. However, his curiosity never remained confined to one profession. He dealt with journalism, geography, economics, translations and linguistics – areas that during the Revival were directly related to the construction of a modern national culture.
The first Bulgarian newspaper
„Bulgarian Eagle“ began publication on April 20, 1846 in Leipzig. Three issues have been preserved, the second of which bears the title „Bulgarian Folklore Encyclopaedia“. In his program, Bogorov promised that the publication would report civic news, present geographical descriptions of the Bulgarian lands, and publish literary and economic materials.
The circulation and life of the publication were short, but its significance was lasting. „Bulgarian Eagle“ marked the beginning of Bulgarian journalism, and Bogorov himself continued his work in Constantinople. In 1848, he began publishing the “Tsarigradski vestnik“, which existed until 1862. Initially, the newspaper was printed in foreign printing houses, and later Bogorov provided his own printing house and a civil font. BTA defines the publication as the first truly Bulgarian newspaper that existed for a long time.
Language as a People's Deed
In 1844, Bogorov published “First Bulgarian Grammar“ in Bucharest. It was written with the aim of explaining grammatical concepts in a spoken, understandable language. For him, literature should not remain distant from the people, but should help them read, learn and participate in public life.
This idea runs through all of his work. Bogorov compiled French-Bulgarian and Bulgarian-French dictionaries, published in 1869 and 1871, worked on Bulgarian dictionaries, wrote educational and economic texts, and collected folk songs and proverbs. Some of the words he proposed did not remain in the language, but others - such as "note", "waiting room", "clock", "messenger" and "activity" - sound completely natural today.
From the travelogue to the village doctor
In 1862 in Plovdiv, Bogorov created the "Journal of Science, Craft and Trade" - one of the first Bulgarian publications dedicated to economic life. Six years later, he published “A Few Days of Walking through Bulgarian Places“, considered the first serious Bulgarian travelogue. In “The Village Doctor“ he defends medical knowledge and opposes self-proclaimed healers.
Ivan Bogorov died in 1892 in Sofia. Two dates for his death are found in reference books - October 20 and November 1. Regardless of the calendar discrepancy, his place in Bulgarian cultural history remains clear: he is among the people who turned the printed word, school and language into instruments of national awakening.
His name continues to be associated with the care of the Bulgarian language. Since 2017, the National Award for the Purity of the Bulgarian Language “Dr. Ivan Bogorov“ honors authors with contributions to literary discourse.
Sources: bta.bg, old-news.bnr.bg