Metodi Tasev Shatorov (; , known also under the pseudonyms Sharlo and Panayot; January 10, 1897 – September 1944) was a

Bulgarian Communist Party The Bulgarian Communist Party ( Bulgarian: Българска комунистическа партия (БΚП), Romanised: ''Bŭlgarska komunisticheska partiya''; BKP) was the founding and ruling party of the People's Republic of Bulgaria f ...

activist and also the temporary leader of the

Regional Committee of Communists in Macedonia The Regional Committee of Communists in Macedonia was the provincial communist organization in Vardar Macedonia from 1939 to 1943. History At the beginning of 1939, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia decided that Vardar ...

in 1940-1941. Shatorov was one of the founders of the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (United) (IMRO (United)) in 1925. Like most IMRO (United) members during the 1930s he adopted a distinct

Macedonian Macedonian most often refers to someone or something from or related to Macedonia. Macedonian(s) may refer to: People Modern * Macedonians (ethnic group), a nation and a South Slavic ethnic group primarily associated with North Macedonia * Mac ...

national identity. However, such Macedonian communist functionaries, originating from the

(BCP) and IMRO (United), maintained strong

pro-Bulgarian Bulgarians (, ) are a nation and South Slavic ethnic group native to Bulgaria and its neighbouring region, who share a common Bulgarian ancestry, culture, history and language. They form the majority of the population in Bulgaria, while in No ...

sentiments.''Bulgaria during the Second World War''
Marshall Lee Miller, Stanford University Press, 1975,, pp. 130-131. The name of Shatorov became a taboo in

Yugoslav Macedonia The Socialist Republic of Macedonia (), or SR Macedonia, commonly referred to as Socialist Macedonia, Yugoslav Macedonia or simply Macedonia, was one of the six constituent republics of the post-World War II Socialist Federal Republic of ...

, but he was partially rehabilitated, after the country gained its independence.

Biography

Early years

Shatorov was born on January 10, 1897, in

Prilep Prilep ( ) is the List of cities in North Macedonia, fourth-largest city in North Macedonia. According to 2021 census, it had a population of 63,308. Name The name of Prilep appeared first as ''Πρίλαπος'' in Greek (''Prilapos'') in 1 ...

, then in the

Manastir vilayet The Vilayet of Manastir () was a first-level administrative division (vilayet) of the Ottoman Empire, created in 1874, dissolved in 1877 and re-established in 1879. The vilayet was occupied during the First Balkan War in 1912 and divided between t ...

of the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...

. He graduated from the local

Bulgarian Exarchate The Bulgarian Exarchate (; ) was the official name of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church before its autocephaly was recognized by the Ecumenical See in 1945 and the Bulgarian Patriarchate was restored in 1953. The Exarchate (a de facto autocephaly) ...

's junior school in Prilep and afterwards from the Bulgarian men's high school in

Bitola Bitola (; ) is a city in the southwestern part of North Macedonia. It is located in the southern part of the Pelagonia valley, surrounded by the Baba, Nidže, and Kajmakčalan mountain ranges, north of the Medžitlija-Níki border crossing ...

. He also attended the Bulgarian pedagogic school in

Skopje Skopje ( , ; ; , sq-definite, Shkupi) is the capital and largest city of North Macedonia. It lies in the northern part of the country, in the Skopje Basin, Skopje Valley along the Vardar River, and is the political, economic, and cultura ...

in 1914-1915. In 1918 the

Bulgarian Army The Bulgarian Army (), also called Bulgarian Armed Forces, is the military of Bulgaria. The commander-in-chief is the president of Bulgaria. The Ministry of Defense is responsible for political leadership, while overall military command is in ...

withdrew from

Vardar Macedonia Vardar Macedonia (Macedonian language, Macedonian and ) is a historical term referring to the central part of the broader Macedonian region, roughly corresponding to present-day North Macedonia. The name derives from the Vardar, Vardar River and i ...

and

Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...

annexed the area. He immediately emigrated to

Bulgaria Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern portion of the Balkans directly south of the Danube river and west of the Black Sea. Bulgaria is bordered by Greece and Turkey t ...

, where he became a member of the BCP in 1920. Furthermore, Sharlo was arrested for his participation in the

September Uprising The September Uprising (, ''Septemvriysko vastanie''), also called the September Riots (Септемврийски бунтове),Голяма енциклопедия България, том 10, Главен редактор акад. Вас ...

in 1923. In 1925 he became also a member of the IMRO (United) - de facto a BCP creation. As a significant party worker, he grew as a functionary of the

Comintern The Communist International, abbreviated as Comintern and also known as the Third International, was a political international which existed from 1919 to 1943 and advocated world communism. Emerging from the collapse of the Second Internatio ...

and a member of the BCP Central Committee. He was imprisoned several times and emigrated to the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

for political reasons. During the

Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War () was a military conflict fought from 1936 to 1939 between the Republican faction (Spanish Civil War), Republicans and the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalists. Republicans were loyal to the Left-wing p ...

Sharlo went to Paris as a coordinator of BCP.

During WWII

During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

the Comintern sent him back to Vardar Macedonia (being then part of the

Kingdom of Yugoslavia The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a country in Southeast Europe, Southeast and Central Europe that existed from 1918 until 1941. From 1918 to 1929, it was officially called the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, but the term "Yugoslavia" () h ...

under the name ' Vardarska Banovina') to serve as a Secretary of the Macedonian Regional Committee of the

Communist Party of Yugoslavia The League of Communists of Yugoslavia, known until 1952 as the Communist Party of Yugoslavia, was the founding and ruling party of SFR Yugoslavia. It was formed in 1919 as the main communist opposition party in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats a ...

(CPY) since 1940. After the Bulgarian takeover of Vardar Macedonia in April 1941, the local

communists Communism () is a sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology within the socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a socioeconomic order centered on common ownership of the means of production, d ...

fell in the sphere of influence of the BCP under Sharlo's leadership. The Macedonian Regional Committee refused to remain in contact with the CPY and linked up with BCP as soon as the invasion of Yugoslavia started. The BCP supported the idea of a

independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in Pennsylvania, United States * Independentes (English: Independents), a Portuguese artist ...

and unified Macedonia, contrary to the stance of the CPY. Sharlo refused to distribute the proclamation of the CPY which called for military action against the

Bulgarians Bulgarians (, ) are a nation and South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to Bulgaria and its neighbouring region, who share a common Bulgarian ancestry, culture, history and language. They form the majority of the population in Bulgaria, ...

. In May 1941, Sharlo issued a open letter in which he tracked the continuity of the fight for national and political liberation of the Macedonians, as a distinct ethnic group, to the Ottoman-era

IMRO The Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (IMRO; ; ), was a secret revolutionary society founded in the Ottoman territories in Europe, that operated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Founded in 1893 in Salonica, it init ...

, personified in its leaders like Goce Delchev,

Gjorche Petrov Gyorche Petrov Nikolov,(; ) born Georgi Petrov Nikolov(; ) (April 2, 1865 – June 28, 1921), was a Macedonian Bulgarian teacher and revolutionary, one of the leaders of the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (IMRO).Yane Sandanski Yane Ivanov Sandanski (, ; Originally spelled in Reforms of Bulgarian orthography, older Bulgarian orthography as (Yane Ivanov Sandanski); 18 May 1872 – 22 April 1915) was a Macedonian Bulgarians, Macedonian Bulgarian revolutionary and leader ...

, and condemned the Bulgarian regime for presenting the Macedonian culture as Bulgarian. Also he expressed his view to the BCP that the discriminational debates over to what extent the Macedonians were distinct from the Bulgarians had to be ended. However, another of his writings, could be interpreted as for him the concept who are the Macedonians was closer to the old view of the IMRO for a supranational, rather than an ethnic group. Sharlo urged for a fight against the Bulgarian imperialism, while he accepted the occupation of Macedonia as a done deal with assenting by plenty of the Macedonian and Bulgarian population. He became prominent with his anti-Serbian political views and adopted a stance in favour of a

Soviet The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

Macedonia and of waiting for the

Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Republic and, from 1922, the Soviet Union. The army was established in January 1918 by a decree of the Council of People ...

, thus got in a firm conflict with the CPY. While the BCP avoided organising mass armed uprising against the Bulgarian authorities in Vardar Macedonia, the CPY insisted on an armed revolt. Upon the decision of the

and

Joseph Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (born Dzhugashvili; 5 March 1953) was a Soviet politician and revolutionary who led the Soviet Union from 1924 until Death and state funeral of Joseph Stalin, his death in 1953. He held power as General Secret ...

himself the Macedonian communists were reattached to CPY. Consequently, for his actions Sharlo was expelled from the CPY and in the late 1941 he moved again to

Sofia Sofia is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Bulgaria, largest city of Bulgaria. It is situated in the Sofia Valley at the foot of the Vitosha mountain, in the western part of the country. The city is built west of the Is ...

, where he began working as one of the Bulgarian resistance movement leaders (under the nickname 'Panayot'). He was among the most active organizers of the

rescue of the Bulgarian Jews Rescue comprises responsive operations that usually involve the saving of life, removal from danger, liberation from restraint, or the urgent treatment of injuries after an incident. It may be facilitated by a range of tools and equipment nece ...

. Shatorov played an active role in organizing terrorist attacks, such as the assassination of general

Hristo Lukov Hristo Nikolov Lukov (; 6 January 1887 in Varna – 13 February 1943 in Sofia) was a Bulgarian lieutenant-general, politician, and Minister of War, who led the nationalistic Union of Bulgarian National Legions (UBNL), an organisation largely supp ...

. In the spring of 1943, he became a partisan in the "

Panayot Volov Panayot Volov (; c.1850 – 26 May 1876), also known under pseudonym Petar Vankov ()), was the organizer and leader of the Gyurgevo Revolutionary Committee of the Bulgarian April Uprising against the Ottoman Empire in 1876. Biography Volov w ...

" detachment. Sharlo was appointed commander of the

Pazardzhik Pazardzhik ( ) is a city situated along the banks of the Maritsa river, southern Bulgaria. It is the centre of Pazardzhik Province and Pazardzhik Municipality. It is located in the Upper Thracian Plain and in the Pazardzhik-Plovdiv Field, a ...

Insurgent Operational Zone of the so-called People's Liberation Insurgent Army (NOVA). Sharlo's leadership was terminated, but the vestiges of his policy among part of the Macedonian communist activists were preserved. Despite his expulsion, the new executive bodies of the Macedonian Regional Committees continued to share Shatorov's ideas until 1943. This policy changed since 1943 with the arrival of the Tito's envoy

Montenegrin Serb Serbs of Montenegro () or Montenegrin Serbs (), compose native and the second largest ethnic group in Montenegro (32.93% of country's population), after the ethnic Montenegrins. Additional 0.47% of the population is made up of people defining t ...

Svetozar Vukmanović-Tempo Svetozar (Cyrillic script: Светозар) is a Slavic origin given name and may refer to: * Svetozar Boroević (1856–1920), Austro-Hungarian Field Marshal * Svetozar Čiplić (born 1965), Serbian politician * Svetozar Đanić (1917–1941), S ...

. He began in earnest to organise armed resistance to the Bulgarian rule and sharply criticized Sharlo's pro-Bulgarian policy.

Death and aftermath

Sharlo was heavily wounded and died under unknown circumstances after September 5, 1944, when a battle between partisans and gendarmerie on Milevi Skali in the Western

Rhodope Rhodope may refer to: * Rhodope (mythology), several figures of Greek mythology * Rhodope Mountains, in Bulgaria and Greece * Rhodope (regional unit), of Greece * Rhodope (province), a Roman and Byzantine province * 166 Rhodope, an asteroid * Rhodop ...

mountains, between

Septemvri Septemvri (, , ) is a town in Pazardzhik Province, southern Bulgaria. It is the administrative center of homonymous Septemvri Municipality. As of 2024 the town had a population of 8,071. Geography The town is situated at an altitude of about ...

and

Velingrad Velingrad ( ) is a town in Pazardzhik Province, Southern Bulgaria, located at the western end of Chepino Valley, part of the Rhodope Mountains. It is the administrative center of the homonymous Velingrad Municipality and one of the most po ...

occurred. As Shatorov was previously subjected to devastating criticism from the CPY, there are alleged suggestion that he was killed by Yugoslav communists' order as a politically inconvenient leader. This happened only several days before the Communist coup d'état of September, 9 (backed by the

) installed a new government of the Fatherland Front. As per the autopsy report, he died after 9 September, i.e. after the old regime's end, and until then he was not discovered neither by his comrades nor by the new authorities.The forensic medical report on the death of Shatorov was prepared by Dr. David Popov after an autopsy done on September 16, 1944. It is written there that Shatorov died of his wounds 5-6 days after the battle of Milevi Skali on September 4, i.e., it is likely that he died ca. September 9-10, 1944. For more see: Илия Стефанов, Убийството на Методи Шаторов, Военно издателство, 2006, . In the

People's Republic of Bulgaria The People's Republic of Bulgaria (PRB; , NRB; ) was the official name of Bulgaria when it was a socialist republic from 1946 to 1990, ruled by the Bulgarian Communist Party (BCP; ) together with its coalition partner, the Bulgarian Agraria ...

, he was considered a hero of the anti-fascist resistance, but after 1990, Shatorov's activities has been criticized, as these of all Bulgarian Communist Party figures. Shatorov's supporters in Yugoslav Macedonia called ''Sharlisti'', were criticised by the CPY, and after WWII repressed for their anti-Yugoslav political positions. After the

breakup of Yugoslavia After a period of political and economic crisis in the 1980s, the constituent republics of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia split apart in the early 1990s. Unresolved issues from the breakup caused a series of inter-ethnic Yugoslav ...

and the

fall of Communism The revolutions of 1989, also known as the Fall of Communism, were a revolutionary wave of liberal democracy movements that resulted in the collapse of most Marxist–Leninist governments in the Eastern Bloc and other parts of the world. Th ...

he was partially rehabilitated in current

North Macedonia North Macedonia, officially the Republic of North Macedonia, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe. It shares land borders with Greece to the south, Albania to the west, Bulgaria to the east, Kosovo to the northwest and Serbia to the n ...

only in 2005.

Gallery

File:Metodi Shatarov Sharlo as bulgarian soldier.jpg, Shatorov as Bulgarian soldier File:Metodi_Shatorov_4_November_1928.jpg, Excerpt from Shatorov's Bulgarian police file File:Shatorov's paper-2.jpg, Shatorov's Yugoslav paper File:Metodija Satorov-Sarlo.jpg, Photo of Shatorov File:Milevi_skali_2012_21.JPG, Memorial plaque for the 12 fallen partisans on Milevi Skali File:Milevi_skali_peak_03.JPG, View of Milevi Skali peak, with a monument to the partisans who fell there Image:Metodi Shatorov partizanin.JPG, Monument of Metodi Shatorov in

Bratsigovo Bratsigovo ( ) is a town in Southern Bulgaria. It is located in the foothills of the Rhodope Mountains, on the banks of the Umishka River in Pazardzhik oblast, and is close to the towns of Peshtera and Krichim. Bratsigovo Hills on Trinity Penin ...

File:Metodi_Schatorov_Denkmal_in_Pasardschik_Parkinsel.jpg, Monument of Metodi Shatorov in

File:Metodija Satorov Sarlo - spomenik Skopje.jpg, Monument of Shatorov in the Macedonian capital city

Footnotes

External links

"За тебе говори приказната"Ефтим Гашев "Шарловизија"Стефан Алексовски "Која е вистината за Шарло"Кокан Стојчев "'Браварот' од Кумровец наредил, а Колишевски од 'Крагуевац' ја извршил задачата - смена на Шарло"Владимир Јовановски "Шарло 'акробатот' и Лазо младоженецот""Од чии куршуми загина Шаторов?""Убийството на Методи Шаторов"

* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20070329200518/http://knigite.abv.bg/kc/cyrn21.html "Влиянието на делото на Шаторов"br>"Metodi Shatorov"
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shatorov, Metodi 1897 births 1944 deaths People from Prilep People from Manastir vilayet Bulgarian communists Bulgarian resistance members Bulgarian Comintern people Guerrillas killed in action Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (United) members Yugoslav communists Yugoslav Partisans members Deaths by firearm in Bulgaria 20th-century Bulgarian politicians People murdered in Bulgaria Members of the Central Committee of the 4th Congress of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia