In Thessaloniki, Aegean Macedonia 132 years ago VMRO was founded for free Macedonia

On October 23, 1893, the Internal Macedonian-Odrin Revolutionary Organization (VMORO) was founded in Thessaloniki, in order to win Macedonia’s autonomy through a revolutionary struggle.

The top point of VMORO’s activity is the organization of the Ilinden Uprising in 1903 in Macedonia and the Transfiguration Uprising in Odrin Thrace. The foundations of the organization are laid on November 5, 1893 (October 23 – according to the old calendar) in the house of bookstore Ivan Hadzi Nikolov in Thessaloniki.

The founding meeting is attended by: Dr. Hristo Tatarchev-Doctor, Birth of Resen, Dame Gruev-Teacher, Birth of the village. Smilevo – Bitola, Petar Pop Arsov – Teacher, born from the village. Bogomila – Veles, Ivan Hadzi Nikolov – a bookstore in Thessaloniki, born from Kukush, Anton Dimitrov – teacher, born from the village. Ajvatovo – Thessaloniki and Hristo Batandziev – teacher, born from the village. Gumenja, Enidzhe Vardar.

The founders are beginning to spread these revolutionary ideas among the progressive youth in the Thessaloniki Bulgarian Men’s Gymnasium. Soon the students in the gymnasium create circles, conspiratorial groups and more. They go to their hometowns after finishing and they are starting to agitate.

Young students and their professors become the pillar, ie the driving force of the Macedonian revolution. The emissaries perform tours in the villages in Macedonia and Odrin Thrace and form local committees.

After this way the structure of the organization was formed, the process of creating armed detachments began and the procurement of weapons on illegal canals from Bulgaria and Greece began.

This day, October 23, is celebrated as the Day of the Macedonian Revolutionary Struggle.