Katerina Cilka

Katerina Cilka
Katerina Cilka
	Katerina Cilka
Born	Katerina Dimitrova Stefanova; 1868; Bansko, Ottoman Empire (present-day Bulgaria)
Died	22 June 1952 (aged 83–84); Tirana, Albania
Occupation(s)	Nurse, teacher, missionary

Katerina Cilka (Bulgarian: Катерина Цилка; 1868 – 22 June 1952) was a Bulgarian Protestant missionary from Bansko, abducted for ransom by a detachment of the pro-Bulgarian Inner Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (IMRO) in 1901 and released in 1902.^[1]^[2]

Early life and education[edit]

She was born as Katerina Dimitrova Stefanova (Bulgarian: Катерина Димитрова Стефанова) in Bulgarian Protestant family in the Ottoman Empire's town of Bansko in 1868. Later she graduated from the American Board School at Samokov, Bulgaria. Cilka was a sister of the Sofia University Professor Constantine Stephanove.^[3] She moved to the United States to study at the Northfield Seminary and the Charity Nursing School of the Presbyterian Hospital (New York City). Cilka met in New York and married Grigor Cilka, an Albanian Protestant who studied at the United Theological Seminary. They returned to the Balkans and settled in Korçë.

Kidnapping[edit]

In the summer of 1901, Cilka helped Ellen Stone, who had to take a short training course for Bulgarian teachers in primary Protestant schools in her native Bansko. On 3 September 1901, Yane Sandanski and Hristo Chernopeev's chetas abducted both Stone and Cilka.^[4] Their captivity lasted 4 months and became known as the Miss Stone Affair. They were set free on 2 February 1902 near the town of Strumica.

Later life[edit]

After the Balkan Wars, she and her husband moved to Sofia. There Grigor died after the First World War from the Spanish flu. After his death, she went to live in Albania. She died in Tirana on 22 June 1952.^[5]

References[edit]

^ Initially the membership in the IMRO was allowed only for Bulgarians. Its first name was "Bulgarian Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Committees", which was later changed several times. IMRO was active not only in Macedonia but also in Thrace (the Vilayet of Adrianople). Since its early name emphasized the Bulgarian nature of the organization by linking the inhabitants of Thrace and Macedonia to Bulgaria, these facts are still difficult to be explained from the Macedonian historiography. They suggest that IMRO revolutionaries in the Ottoman period did not differentiate between ‘Macedonians’ and ‘Bulgarians’. Moreover, as their own writings attest, they often saw themselves and their compatriots as ‘Bulgarians’. All of them wrote in standard Bulgarian language. For more see: Brunnbauer, Ulf (2004) Historiography, Myths and the Nation in the Republic of Macedonia. In: Brunnbauer, Ulf, (ed.) (Re)Writing History. Historiography in Southeast Europe after Socialism. Studies on South East Europe, vol. 4. LIT, Münster, pp. 165-200 ISBN 382587365X.
^ On 21 August 1901, Ellen Stone, an American Protestant missionary based in Salonika, and her Bulgarian colleague Katerina Stefanova, who was the wife of the Albanian pastor Grigor Cilka, were kidnapped by the cheta of Yane Sandanski between Bansko and Gorna Dzhumaya (now Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria). For more see: Stone, Ellene (Kidnapping off); an article by Raymond Detrez (2014) in Historical Dictionary of Bulgaria, Edition 3; Rowman & Littlefield, 2014 p. 469, ISBN 1442241802.
^ Katerina’s brothers, Constantine and Nikola were to follow their sister to Ellis Island. Constantine was recorded "Kosta Stefano" a 20 year old native of "Bulgary" who arrived on the SS Westernland from Antwerp, on August 15, 1893. Nikola was recorded "Nikola Stefanoff" a 19 year old native of "Banska" in "Bulgarian Turkey" who arrived on the SS Southwark from Antwerp on September 21, 1897. Her third brother, Alexander, arrived at Ellis Island on the ship Aurania, on September 10, 1903.
^ For Freedom and Perfection (the life of Yané Sandansky), Journeyman Press, 1988, ISBN 978-1-85172-014-9, p. 71.
^ Richard Cochran, Katerina Tsilka, Institute for Albanian and Protestant studies, 2014, р. 48

External links[edit]

"Born among Brigands; Mrs Tsilka's story of her Baby", published in "McClure's magazine", New York, 1902.
Archive photos of Cilka and Stown.

[1] Initially the membership in the IMRO was allowed only for Bulgarians. Its first name was "Bulgarian Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Committees", which was later changed several times. IMRO was active not only in Macedonia but also in Thrace (the Vilayet of Adrianople). Since its early name emphasized the Bulgarian nature of the organization by linking the inhabitants of Thrace and Macedonia to Bulgaria, these facts are still difficult to be explained from the Macedonian historiography. They suggest that IMRO revolutionaries in the Ottoman period did not differentiate between ‘Macedonians’ and ‘Bulgarians’. Moreover, as their own writings attest, they often saw themselves and their compatriots as ‘Bulgarians’. All of them wrote in standard Bulgarian language. For more see: Brunnbauer, Ulf (2004) Historiography, Myths and the Nation in the Republic of Macedonia. In: Brunnbauer, Ulf, (ed.) (Re)Writing History. Historiography in Southeast Europe after Socialism. Studies on South East Europe, vol. 4. LIT, Münster, pp. 165-200 ISBN 382587365X.

[2] On 21 August 1901, Ellen Stone, an American Protestant missionary based in Salonika, and her Bulgarian colleague Katerina Stefanova, who was the wife of the Albanian pastor Grigor Cilka, were kidnapped by the cheta of Yane Sandanski between Bansko and Gorna Dzhumaya (now Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria). For more see: Stone, Ellene (Kidnapping off); an article by Raymond Detrez (2014) in Historical Dictionary of Bulgaria, Edition 3; Rowman & Littlefield, 2014 p. 469, ISBN 1442241802.

[3] Katerina’s brothers, Constantine and Nikola were to follow their sister to Ellis Island. Constantine was recorded "Kosta Stefano" a 20 year old native of "Bulgary" who arrived on the SS Westernland from Antwerp, on August 15, 1893. Nikola was recorded "Nikola Stefanoff" a 19 year old native of "Banska" in "Bulgarian Turkey" who arrived on the SS Southwark from Antwerp on September 21, 1897. Her third brother, Alexander, arrived at Ellis Island on the ship Aurania, on September 10, 1903.

[4] For Freedom and Perfection (the life of Yané Sandansky), Journeyman Press, 1988, ISBN 978-1-85172-014-9, p. 71.

[5] Richard Cochran, Katerina Tsilka, Institute for Albanian and Protestant studies, 2014, р. 48

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