Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2024 All Rights Reserved

Song about Hristo Botev

Photo: BNR

Revolutionary, poet, journalist, publisher. In his brief lifetime Hristo Botev wrote around 20 poems, even so the body of his work is considered to be the apex of Bulgarian literature. Deeply emotional, the verses he wrote when Vassil Levski was hanged have been turned into song, sung to this day in tribute to the Apostle of Freedom. One ballad is very popular – Hadji Dimitar, celebrating the heroism of the rebel who laid down his life for national freedom. Turned into song, it is seen as a symbol of people’s gratitude to the heroes of Bulgaria. As a melody, performed by choirs or soloists, the song Hadji Dimitar (He lives) is invariably part of all 2 June official ceremonies.

“The struggle”, “In the tavern”, “Eloped” and many other poems by Botev were turned into songs soon after they were written. In the 20th century, Alexander Raychev, Alexander Tanev, Simeon Pironkov, and many other Bulgarian composers wrote vocal and instrumental works to Hristo Botev’s verses.

But the first work inspired by the heroism of Hristo Botev and his rebels was written 145 years ago – on 20 May, 1876, just days after the revolutionary set foot on Bulgarian soil. The poem is actually called “Radetzky”, but became popular as “Still White Danube”. Its author is the patriarch of Bulgarian literature Ivan Vazov.


In his memoirs Vazov wrote the following: "We were all exhilarated: the details about the daring feat, as if taken straight from a legend, was circulated by word-of-mouth. Under the impression of this event I wrote Still White Danube Undulates and it very soon became popular and was adapted to become a song.”

Find out more about the song about Botev in Radio Bulgaria’s Still White Danube: the story of a great rebel song

Compiled by Albena Bezovska

Photos: BNR and archive



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

The Christmas fasting - 40 days of spiritual purification before the glorious Nativity

On November 15, the second longest fasting in the Bulgarian Orthodox tradition begins, which is preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus Christ. ‎ It is believed that, although it lasts 40 days, the Christ's Nativity fast is not as..

published on 11/15/23 9:44 AM
The solemn proclamation of Northern and Southern Bulgaria into an independent Kingdom, September 22, 1908.

The Birth of the Third Bulgarian Kingdom

After the Russo-Turkish war of 1878, with the Treaty of Berlin, the Bulgarian ethnic land was divided. Northern Dobrudja was handed over to Romania, and Nis and Pirot regions - to Serbia. The Principality of Bulgaria, a vassal of the Ottoman Empire,..

published on 9/22/23 9:10 AM

Kurban Bayrami begins with Arife day

The biggest holiday for Muslims, which marks the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca, is Eid al-Adha. It begins in the evening hours of the day of Arife (June 27), when Muslims pay respect to their deceased relatives..

published on 6/27/23 1:54 PM