The Boatmen of Thessaloníki

The Boatmen of Thessaloníki were an anarchist group active in Thessaloníki, then part of the Ottoman Empire.

Etymology and origins

The group is found in published works with three names : "The boatmen of Thessaloniki" , the "Crew" [ James Sotros "The Greek Speaking Anarchist and Revolutionary Movement " p.191 ] ( _el. Πλήρωμα) or "Gemitzides" ( _el. Γεμιτζήδες) (gemidzii) ( which is essentially the same with the first meaning "Boatmen" in Turkish). At their start, they had a different name: "Troublemakers" (Giurultadji). [Megas G. The Boatmen of Thesalloniki. page 52] They changed their name only after meeting Merdjanov who gave them anarchist books (Stepnyak, Kropotkin,Grav). The name "boatmen" was due to "leaving behind the everyday life and the limits of law and sail with a boat in the free and wild seas of lawlessness." [Megas G., The Boatmen of Thesalloniki, p. 52] The first meetings of the group took part in 1898 with the purpose of forming a revolutionary terrorism group with the purpose of changing international public opinion in the matter of the freedom of Macedonia and to urge the social conscience of the oppressed in Thessaloníki and the general area toward more "revolutionary" ideas.

Attack plans

The group started to make plans for bomb attack in Salonika and Istanbul. In the summer of 1899, Slavi Merdjianov and other members of the group, planned the assassination of the Sultan and that December of the same year they went to Istanbul to find that even with the help of some local Armenian revolutionaries (Tashnaks) it was impossible, so they planned to blow up the central offices of the Ottoman Bank. During 1900 Merdjanov called Otrtzeto in Istanbul to discuss the blowing of the Ottoman bank in Salonika and after that members of the Boatmen started to "work" in both cities [Megas G., "The Boatmen of Thesalloniki, p. 55] . On the 18th of September, 1900 the police apprehended Kozakov in Istanbul, who was carrying the explosives for the bombing and afterwards Merdjanov, Sokolov and Shatev were caught. [Megas G., The Boatmen of Thesalloniki, p. 57] . The group hastily disbanded for security and only Pingov stayed in Thessaloníki. In 1901 Merdjanov, Sokolov and Shatev were deported το Bulgaria after pressure from the Bulgarian Government. They returned to Thessaloniki and continued to plan the bombings.

Bombings

So on the 28 April 1903, Satev blew up the French steam boat Guadalquivir and at the same time Metsev, Arsov and Trutskov bombed a train at Alexandroupoli. The next day the police tried to find and arrest Satev. The same day Kirkov blew up the light gas pipes and the water pipes of the city, Arsof attacked a German café, killing one waiter. Some minutes later Pingov threw dynamite into the garden of the Ottoman Bank, from the hotel "Bosnak Hani". In the end he tried to burn the hotel but failed. He threw his remaining dynamite into the entrance of the Bank and killed one person. Meanwhile Ortetzo ignited explosives which were packed in a tunnel under the Ottoman bank, resulting in the total destruction of the bank and an explosion that shook the town. One tobacco seller was killed. Pingof started to head to the house of Metsev and Trutskov but on his way he was stopped by an army patrol. He was asked to show his papers and when he refused he was killed. Kirkof, after the attack in the gas light pipes, went to the area Bardaris when the demolition of the Ottoman Bank occurred. When he heard the explosion he started to throw dynamite sticks everywhere in his line of sight. One stick exploded in front of the "Grand Hotel" and another in front of the "Eden" theater. He then hid in his house.Trutskov and Metsev attempted to blow up the factory that produced light gas but they failed. On their way home they also threw dynamite sticks. This led to them being followed by soldiers and policemen.They arrived at their house but were then surrounded. They were killed by the gun shots of the soldiers but they managed to kill and injure some soldiers (number unknown).

Aftermath

In the wake of the attacks, martial law was declared in the city.Many Bulgarians were arrested. Ortzeto was hiding in a house near Allatini factory. When he was surrounded by the Turks, he started to throw bombs in the street. When the soldiers managed to break into the house he killed himself.Kirkov was also killed by a soldier, Tsvetkov committed suicide with a bomb when he was cornered by a patrol and on the 2nd of May, Bogdanov was arrested carrying a crate full of explosives.On the 6th of May, Satev was moved back to Thessaloníki after he was arrested in a train headed to Skopia.On the 13th, Bosniakov was arrested after he remained hidden for 14 days.

On the 6th of June the four remaining members of the team, Bogdanov, Bosniakov, Arsov and Payle Potsied (Satev's real name) were sentenced to death and sent to the Eptapyrgio prisons.The autumn of 1905 the sentences were commuted from death to exile and the four were sent to Fezan jail in Libya. Bosniakof died from Malaria on the 14th of February, 1908 and Arsof from exhaustion the 8th of June the same year . On the 30th of July 1908, because of the movement of the Young Turks, amnesty was given and the two remaining "Boatmen", after they cut the heads of their comrades leave and arrive in Thessaloníki at the 18th of October, where they give the heads to the parents of the deceased.Bogdanof died a few years later in Bulgaria and Satef was killed in 1946 by Tito's men.

Members

The members of the boatmen were [ "James Sotros..." same with citation 1, p. 194 ,Megas G. The Boatmen of Thesalloniki. page 72 ]

:Born at Veles
*"Jordan Pop Jiordanov", also known as Jiordan Orgadtziev, but called Ortzeto. He was born in 1881 in a bourgeois family and mixed with radical-revolutionary organizations after he entered the Salonika Bulgarian School in 1894. He is thought to be the mastermind of the Boatmen. He was killed during the bombings and he is the only one of the boatmen from whom no picture is saved.
*"Kostadin Kirkov", was bonded with Ortzeto from early age. They entered the Bulgarian School at the same age. He was known for his great memory and his sarcastic humor. He was killed five days after the bombings.
*"Milan Arsov", born in 1886, was the youngest of the team and still at the 4th grade of school when the attacks where made. He died in exile.
*"Dimitar Metchev", born in 1870 tried to kill a man from the local authority in Veles with an axe in 1898. When he failed, he left for the mountains to join with armed guerrilla groups. He died during the events.
*"Georgi Bogdanov", born in 1882, originate from a wealthy family. In 1901 his father sent him in Thessaloníki to work in a real estate office of a relative, Ilia Papastefan. He died in exile.
*"Ilia Trutchkov", born in 1885 worked in Thessaloníki as a shoemaker. He died during the bombings.
*"Vladimir Pingov, born in 1885, was a "daredevil" and always took the most dangerous missions. He was the first of the group who died.

:Born in other places
*"Marko Stoyan Boshnakov" from Ohrid, it is said that he was an officer in the Bulgarian army and he was the one that made the plans for the tunnel under the Bank. He was the only one who did not take part in the bombings. He was caught 14 days after the bombings, exiled in 1908 and died in Bulgaria at sometime during 1915.
*"Trayko Tsvetkov", born in 1878 was from Resen and lived several years in Salonika. He was an active member of the Bulgarian community. He was the last of the team killed during the events.
*"Pavel Satev", born in Kratovo in 1882. His father was a trader. He got in the Bulgarian School in 1896. From 1910 until 1913 he returned to Salonika and worked as a teacher in the Mercantile College. He was killed by Tito's men in 1946.

Modern references

The Municipality of Veles constructed a monument by a recently built iron bridge.Also the [http://www.veles.gov.mk/en/download/Mile%20Pop%20Jordanov.mp3 anthem of Veles] "Bolen mi lezi Mile Pop – Jordanov" speaks of them.

Sources

*James Sotros "The Greek Speaking Anarchist and Revolutionary Movement (1830-1940) Writings for a History", No God-No Masters, December 2004
*Megas G. "The Boatmen of Thesalloniki. The Bulgarian anarchist group and the bomb attacks of 1903", Troxalia, 1994 ISBN 960-7022-47-5

Notes