Krushevo, 3 August 2026 (MIA) - In lieu of a romanticized and distant history, there are several historical stories that face us with the cruel but fascinating human factor behind the 1903 Macedonian rebellion. This is an attempt to do it also with Pitu Guli’s role in the days preceding, during and after the Ilinden Uprising, backed up on facts and memoirs collected in Kocho Topuzoski’s book “Pitu Guli”. Through the prism of these authentic testimonies, the Ilinden era and the Krushevo Republic stop being empty paragraphs in textbooks – they become alive as a dynamic, provocative and poignant revolutionary testimony. What follows is a story of ideals in which death is accepted with a smile and also of the deep external and “internal games” that proved faithful for a whole town and then for entire Macedonia.

Mass preparations and strategic military training  

After TMORO’s Thessaloniki Congress, held January 1903, Macedonian expats and emigrants in Sofia start preparing. Pitu Guli with a 12-member company emerges at the center of these preparations. The obituary in the newspaper "Autonomous Macedonia" conveys his words: "The words still ring in my ears: "Farewell, this may be the last, I am going where duty calls me", spoken by the late fighter, voivode Pito Guli...".

His activities before Ilinden are focused on three key areas: 

Underground military training: Pitu Guli strategically manages the camp in Biriniska Korija, where the population learns tactics, marching and shooting. The rebel Todu Borjar testifies: "There was such a camp in the Biriniska mountain, which was managed by Pitu Guli...". 

Securing the leadership: His company secures the Krushevo delegates and Nikola Karev through Demir Hisar after the Smilevo Congress. 

Plan for taking the city: Together with voivodes Hristov, Karev, Dokurchev and Naumov, he designs the attack. With 370 fighters, he leads the largest company with the task of "securing the city from the Ostrilechka side and the roads from Birino and Trstenik...".

Caught between two blazes: Obstacles from Sofia and Constantinople 

The road of the insurgents to Krushjevi is marred by serious political obstructions from abroad. On the Bulgarian border in Sazdenik, united companies came across a resistance by the Bulgarian army, ordered to disarm then, arrest them, take away their food and even shoot them. Nikola Kazandziev recalls:

“We crossed the border by day because the Bulgarian army came close to disarm us…”.

Due to the huge revolt, the voivodes decide to enter into open battle with the Bulgarian troops, after which Colonel Jankov allows passage into Macedonia as a "lesser evil". 

After freedom is declared, Constantinople reacts with "exceptional severity" and sends the Expeditionary Corps from Kosovo. Lappe's documents confirm that the Ottoman Empire received German encouragement from Wilhelm II for a brutal suppression. Bakhtiar Pasha advances towards Krushevo with a force of 20,000 soldiers and bashi-bazouks.

Ilinden morning: The declaration of uprising and the military speech at Birinska Korija

On the morning of August 2, 1903, in Birinska Korija, Pitu Guli gathers the companies and calls for fierce fighting. Todu Borjar depicts the event:

"Brothers! The day when we must fight our centuries-old tyrant has come. We are preparing to raise an uprising... I call on you, brothers, each of you to fight hard, and if necessary to die, under the flag that is red as our blood and that demands honor and dignity... Down with Turkey! Long live free and autonomous Macedonia!". 

After this, the proclamation of the General Staff was read at the headquarters in "Osoj" and the uprising was officially announced. The insurgent headquarters and the voivodes sent a proclamation to the people of Krushevo: "Today the entire Krushevo district, together with all of Macedonia, has raised an uprising and is shouting: Down with tyranny! Long live freedom...".

The night before August 3: The attack of the town and bloody street battles

As night fell on August 2, the companies descend towards the city near the Kuliche area. Although the plan called for an attack at exactly midnight, Vangju Topuz's unit prematurely encounters a gendarmerie patrol in front of the fountain and opens fire. The bells of all the churches begin to ring loudly, mixing with the insurgents' shouts of "Hurray!". 

The fighting in the center develops fiercely over four key objects of the Ottoman government: Uqumat, where the resistance was the strongest; Belediye, which is quickly conquered, during which the katip who refused to surrender is killed; the post office, where Todu Borjar's unit breaks down the gate with axes and destroys the equipment while the telegraph operator Izmirlija flees to Cholakovci; and the taxidermist building. By dawn on August 3, the center was completely liberated.

Pitu Guli’s ceremonious welcome and the battle for the barracks 

While the center celebrates, a heavy battle for the barracks is still ongoing at the exit to Prilep, so around noon on August 3, assistance is requested from Pitu Guli. The voivode’s entry into Krushevo turns into an imposing procession. Eyewitness Stefan Iliev Materkov describes this scene: 

“Before entering the city, Pitu had secured himself a luxurious Circassian-begish outfit and a rare, beautiful, playful gray horse. The voivode himself had a remarkable appearance. His lush curly hair gave him even more characteristic typical features. He, mounted on his noble horse, slowly and solemnly moved along the cobblestone streets... From the “Gate” to the “Gumenja” all eyes were fixed on him... The famous flag-bearer Georgi Dimov walked behind him looking courageous...” 

Pitu Guli immediately headed for the barracks. On his advice, the rebels aimed their rifles at the roof, smashed the tiles, and Vasil Nastev Mickov widened the hole through which burning pitchers of gas were thrown. The barracks were on fire, the army fled towards the village of Aldanci, and at 4 p.m. Krushevo was completely liberated.

Uncompromising morale

On August 3, on Gumenje, Pitu Guli unloaded food transported from Sveta village to hand it out to the people. His wife asked for flour for their children. Nikola Kirov Majski recorded this conversation in detail in his work “Light Shadows”.

“It’s for the children of Macedonia, it’s not for yours,” Pitu said calmly.

“Aren’t these children yours?” his wife asked him.

“I have no children,” he answered before departing for the Headquarters’ tent.

“Pitu, my child,” cried an old woman, it might have been a relative or a neighbor. “Come home to your wife, to your children…”

Pitu turned around smiling. “I have no home. I have no wife, no children. My home is Macedonia and my wife is the rifle. The cartilages are my children…”

The eyewitness of this event at Gumena, on August 3, 1903, Stefan Iliev Materkov, describes it in the following words: 

"...On the uneven high place opposite Demirova koria, the tents of the forest authorities were pitched. Access to the people's nobles was quite easy. We, young people without obligations, moved around freely. When Pitu Gule's family arrived at the tents, where the red flag of the revolution was flying... the busy voivode stopped his intensive work and went out. When he saw his people, Pitu took his youngest son in his arms and kissed him. After his own mother and wife asked him to give them flour and other products, he demonstratively pushed his wife away and said: -

“I have no mother, I have no wife, children, family!”

Then his mother intervened and said to him: 

“Pitu, what are you talking about? Aren't I your mother and this is your wife! Don't talk nonsense, but set something aside for us both for your children!”

Then Pitu repeats: 

“I have no mother, no wife, no children. My mother is Macedonia, my wife is this rifle, which I hit heroically, and my children are these cartridges. I have sworn an oath. Now leave with the children and take care of them!”

August 4: The birth of the Krushevo Republic 

After Krushevo was completely liberated, on the afternoon of August 4, 1903, members of the Forestry Administration, led by Nikola Karev, descended into the city towards the building of the new patriarchal school. Just as the bells were ringing to signal evening service, the 60 elected leaders of Krushevo from all nationalities gathered in the hall. With applause and shouts of “hurray,” they began the historic meeting at which the organs of the insurgent government were formed — the Krushevo Republic. Red flags were hoisted on the government building, and that same evening volunteers signed up en masse for the city militia and defense of the Republic.

The great schism of Gumenja: A clash of concepts 

On August 12, the ultimatum from Bakhtiyar Pasha arrived at the gates of Krushevo through the courier Kosta Bajdavela-Njik. Two opposing currents were clashing in the Headquarters. 

The moderate military-tactical current of Lieutenant Todor Hristov proposes an organized retreat to the mountains to prevent the slaughter of civilians. Borjar quotes Hristov: "My opinion is not to allow this beautiful and private city to become like Kara Batak...". 

However, Pitu Guli considers the retreat to be a betrayal and reacts: 

"When we were men to take the city with blood, then we should be men and defend it. All decisions made on that issue should be destroyed...". 

Nikola Kirov Majski describes his radical psychology: 

"He subordinated everything to the ideal of freedom – ‘if there is no freedom, there is death!’ He condemned the entire city to death, including his family, his entire squad, including himself.” 

Pitu Guli demonstratively leaves the council and departs for Meckin Kamen with the words: "For the sake of my honor, I am leaving to join my comrades, to fight to the last drop of blood...".

Meckin Kamen’s bloody epilogue

Having previously demonstrated military wisdom, such as the one about setting fire to the city barracks by breaking through the roof, Pitu Guli writes his last epic on August 13. 

On Crn Vrv, the voivode makes a fascinating ethical gesture: he lines up the fighters and releases all those without proper weapons from the oath so as not to lead them to certain death: 

"It is a sin to lead you to certain and useless death with that useless weapon of yours...". 170 rebels remain with him. 

The fight begins at 10 am with a shot from his Mannlicher. After several repulsed attacks, the rebels wait for sunset in a circle. With a broken rifle, Pitu Guli continues to shoot with a revolver. Vasil N. Mickoski writes about his death: 

"In the evening, a bullet hit the fearless, heroic Voivode Pitu Gule in the chest, and then, from Pitu's deadly wounded chest, a "Oof!" broke out before falling dead...". A bloody, hand-to-hand slaughter ensued. Out of 170 people, 140 died heroically on the rocks. The Turks' anger was so great that his corpse was later found with a smashed skull as an act of brutal revenge by the army." 

Symbolism of the flag: Ominous prophecy 

Pitu Guli’s role features a mystical dimension associated with the flag, secretly embroidered in the Panzovci basement by the young Fanka. When the voivode came to take it, he noticed an error in the inscription - instead of "Freedom or Death", "Death or Freedom" was embroidered. His reaction was a true prophecy: 

“Maybe it's a prophecy, that I will surely die in the fight for the liberation of Krushevo..." 

Life of the Krushevo Republic under military protection 

Although constantly at the front, the military perseverance of the companies allows the birth of civil government in the school building, in the presence of 60 first-class officers. Military discipline was adopted by the city - foreign diplomats note impeccable order, and Consul Kral confirms that there was no misuse. On August 9, with a memorial service and fiery speeches, the new government showed high statesmanlike respect for the victims. 

Psychological warfare and deception with Macedonian songs 

The battle is marked by an example of psychological warfare by the bashibazouk, which tried to cunningly draw the rebels out of the trenches. The bashibazouks ran waving their towels and shouting "Hurray!" and "Down with Turkey!". Materkov's documents record that they even sang the Macedonian song "Open Lenche Vratniche". The goal was to pretend to be Macedonian reinforcements so that the army could more easily mow them down. The coolness of Pitu Guli, who waited for the enemy to approach before firing, broke this deception. 

The descendants experienced tragic end

The Ilinden defeat left severe consequences for the voivode's family. Soon after Meckin Kamen, his wife Evgenija died of tuberculosis, and the four young children remained orphans. Three of them spent over six years in the Bitola orphanage of Zaharija Shumljanska, surviving on alms. As a final blow of fate, before the start of the wars, the children were transferred to Sofia, where their daughter Flora also died young in hospital from the same disease. The fall of the Republic completes the complete personal and family sacrifice for Macedonian freedom.