Aleksandr Burago

Aleksandr Petrovich Burago ( _ru. Александр Петрович Бураго) was an officer of the Russian Imperial army. Serving as a captain under Joseph Vladimirovich Gourko, he commanded the force that liberated Plovdiv from the Ottoman rule on January 16, 1878. Later on Burago became a colonel. He died of tuberculosis at the age of 30, in 1883, on Madeira, and was buried in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra in Saint Petersburg.

In recognition of his "excellence demonstrated in the battle ... whereupon, together with a squadron of dragoons, having crossed the Maritsa river ... entered the city, still occupied by the Turkish division ... an almost 25 times greater in numbers enemy force", Burago was awarded the Order of St. George of the 4th degree.

Citizens of Plovdiv traditionally honour captain Burago annually on January 16, the anniversary of the liberation of the city. Wreaths and floral tributes are brought to the monument to Burago in the Plovdiv City Garden. A street in Plovdiv was named after captain Burago. In November 2006, along with several other prominent personalities, Aleksandr Burago was, "for exceptional service in development of the city of Plovdiv" posthumously awarded the title of "Honorary citizen of Plovdiv", by decision of the local community council.

See also

* Battle of Plovdiv

References

*cite web
language=Bulgarian
title=Plovdiv personalities
url=http://www.plovdivguide.com/figures/fig.php?id=463&lang_id=2&alpha=
accessdate=2006-09-15
*cite web
language=Bulgarian
url=http://www.plovdivguide.com/streets/index.php?page=1&lang_id=2&alpha=K&page=2
title=Plovdiv streets
accessdate=2006-09-15 — Captain Burago street
*cite book
url=http://militera.lib.ru/h/genov/
chapter=X. The last battles
chapterurl=http://militera.lib.ru/h/genov/10.html
language=Russian
last=Genov
first=Tsonko
title=Russo-Turkish war of 1877–1878 and the heroic deed of the liberators
publisher=Sofia Press
location=Sofia
origdate=1979
accessdate=2006-09-15 — account of the liberation of Plovdiv
*cite web
url=http://www.plovdivcityguide.com/newsfiles/news.php?id=378&lang_id=1
title=Plovdiv's Liberation from the Turkish rule
accessdate=2006-09-16
date=2004-01 — citizens of Plovdiv at the traditional annual celebration commemorating the liberation, laying wreaths at the monument to captain Burago
*cite web
language=Russian
url=http://george-orden.nm.ru/ordgrg4stb1871_4.html
title=Holders of the St. George Order 4th degree
accessdate=2006-09-17 — Citation for the St. George Order award
*cite web
language=Bulgarian
url=http://new.plovdiv.bg/?lang_id=1&prm=power&subprm=decision&d_id=1300
title=Decisions of the community council of Plovdiv
accessdate=2007-08-28 — Decision to award the title of honorary citizen of Plovdiv

External links

*(in Russian) [http://drink.dax.ru/articles/art_08.shtml People, animals, alcohol] — account of the liberation of Plovdiv by captain Burago's squadron and the historical origins of giving alcohol to military horses (refers to Burago by the given name "Konstantin" rather than Aleksandr).
* [http://www.abvg.net/Plovdiv/monuments/image20.html Photo of the monument to captain Burago in Plovdiv]