Крушевска Република | Kruševo Republic

THE KRUSHEVO REPUBLIC (August 3, 1903 - August 13, 1903)
One of the earliest attempts of creating the first Macedonian Republic!
Regardless of the duration of the Ilinden uprising, it was different in various parts of Macedonia and it ran during August, September and October, and the entire 1903 was marked by the Uprising, starting from the decision to raise an uprising at the Thessaloniki Congress of the SMRO (TMRO) held from January 2 to 4 the same year, the discussions over this decision, the preparations and proclamation of the Krusevo Republic, until its suppression and the consequences of the uprising. Many events have occurred that year, and several of them have become synonyms of the unwavering determination of the Macedonians to put their best efforts for the admirable ideal they aspired: dismissal of the Ottoman rule and attaining political and national freedom and their own state. The leading position holds the Ilinden Uprising and the Krusevo Republic, including the self-sacrifice of the young Macedonian Gemidzii who surprised and stirred the city of Thessaloniki with their bombings, and also the Ottoman and the whole European public. The collective memory of the Macedonian people deeply retains the tragic end of Gotse Delchev and other leaders and revolutionaries, warlords, rebels of the SMRO and the insurgents who died in armed battles with the Ottoman army.
Actually, the Republic of Krushevo was the established local rebel interim government of the freed territory during the Ilinden uprising in the area of Krushevo. The highest body of the insurgent government was the Council of the Republic and Nikola Karev was elected President of the Krushevo Republic, including the election of a six-member interim government, headed by Dinu Vangeli (Vangel Dinu) who was an activist of Vlach origin. Each member of the provisional government was in charge of a particular department: Dinu Vangeli of the judiciary, Gjorgji Chachev for requisition, Teohar Neskov of finance, Hristo Kjurchiev of Interior, Dimitar Sekulov for food and Nikola Balju for sanitary issues. Within the provisional government existed Commissions as subsidiary bodies of the Government and the Insurgents Headquarters represented the military power in the town of Krushevo.
Delivering the Krushevo Manifesto
The Krushevo Manifesto was a proclamation document drafted prepared by the insurgent power in the city. It contained an explication of the goals of the struggle aimed at the liberation of Macedonia, and it also urged the civilian Muslim population to join the rebels in the fight which was not directed against them but against the unbearable regime of the Turkish sultan. In order to neutralize and invite the civilian Muslim population, following the release of Krusevo, the insurgent government distributed the Krushevo Manifesto to all the surrounding Muslim villages. As a result of that, some of these villages with predominantly Turkish population remained neutral during the Ilinden Uprising. Several Muslim dignitaries from the villages nearby Krusevo have sent, to the authority of the Krushevo Republic, letters of support and understanding for the purpose of the fight of the insurgents, regarding them as just and correct.
The Battle at Mechkin Kamen (Bear’s Rock), Krushevo, 1903
The squad of the warlord Pitu Guli, on August 12, 1903 took part in the defense of the ten-day old Krushevo Republic at the locality Mechkin Kamen, located right above the town of Krushevo. Until the evening, the squad was successfully defending the town Krushevo from the attacks by the Ottoman army and mercenaries, while protecting the withdrawal of a larger part of the rebel forces and civilians. Most of the squad members were killed alongside the warlord Pitu Guli.
Creshovo Topche (Cherry Gun)
During the preparation of the uprising, a significant role had the manufacture and repair of weapons for which several clandestine workshops were organized throughout the country. Particularly important was the production of the primitive cannon made of cherry wood, the so- called “Cherry Gun” that will become a symbol of the uprising in 1903.