site.btaPencho Slaveykov Combined Modernization of Bulgarian Culture with Preservation of Its Distinct Identity, Says Literary Scholar Yordan Eftimov

Pencho Slaveykov was one of the key figures who, at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, sought both to modernize Bulgarian culture and preserve its unique character, said poet, literary scholar and critic Yordan Eftimov during a discussion at BTA’s National Press Club in Kazanlak.

The event was part of BTA’s Pencho Slaveykov Today initiative, dedicated to the 160th anniversary of the birth of the poet from Tryavna and to Bulgarian modernism. The initiative continued at BTA’s National Press Club in Kazanlak on the fourth anniversary of its reopening in its renovated form and during the city’s Rose Festival celebrations.

Eftimov said that the initiative is part of a series of events held at BTA’s national press clubs across the country, aimed not only at highlighting the life and work of Pencho Slaveykov but also at exploring Bulgarian modernism and the cultural exchange between Bulgaria and Europe.

According to him, one of the central themes throughout the series has been Slaveykov’s attitude toward Bulgarian folklore. The literary scholar recalled the poet’s essay Bulgarian Folk Song, in which Slaveykov described the genius of the Bulgarian people as unparalleled and emphasized the importance of folk creativity for the development of Bulgarian literature.

Eftimov said that the subject has so far been discussed mainly in academic circles and less frequently in a broader public context. In his opinion, greater attention should also be paid to the relationships between Pencho Slaveykov and the other leading representatives of Bulgarian modernism.

He also drew attention to the connections between literature and the other arts. Eftimov highlighted Kazanlak’s significance as a city with rich traditions in the visual arts and expressed hope that the discussion would help establish new links between Pencho Slaveykov’s literary legacy and the achievements of Bulgarian painters and artists.