The bust-monument of Peter Berkovski was inaugurated on June 24, 1971. It is located in a small park area at the beginning of G.S. Rakovski Blvd. Designer of the monument is Yani Stavrev. The foundation is made of stone and has the following text “Peter Berkovski 1852-1892 /dimensions – 0,60/0,50/1,85 m./ The bust is made of bronze,” treated realistically – with portrait characteristic and resemblance “/ dimensions – 0,55/0,42/1,30/.

Peter Berkovski was born in 1852 in the city of Lom. In 1872 he was appointed chief teacher in Haskovo and thus connected his destiny with our city. He was President of the Haskovo Revolutionary Committee, which was founded on the Apostle’s coming in the autumn of 1872. After the Haskovo Attempt in May 1873, he was exiled to Diyarbakir where he spent almost three years. He managed to escape and joined the ranks of the Bulgarian Army of Volunteers during the Russian-Turkish Liberation War. He was the first district governor of the Haskovo Department during the period of the Russian Interim Administration until May 1879. In 1881 he was elected mayor of Haskovo, a post he held until October 30, 1882. During that time he was also Chairman of the School Board. Having fallen into the whirlpool of sharp political struggles, he resigned but he was once again elected by the population of Haskovo. By an open letter to his fellow citizens he thanked them and refused the new choice. The thanksgiving statement of the citizens of Haskovo to Berkovski reflected their gratitude for his outstanding and selfless apostolic activity of the teacher, the revolutionary, the volunteer, who had connected his life and his work with our city. In 1883 he had already moved to Plovdiv where he was publishing newspaper Saedinenie and had devoted himself to the cause of the unification of the Principality of Bulgaria and East Rumelia. Later on he was a governor in Lovech and Oryahovo, and at the announcement of the Unification (September 6, 1885) and during the Serbian-Bulgarian War – in Lom. In his capacity as Lom’s District Governor, he developed exceptional activity during the siege of Vidin and Belogradchik fortresses, for which he was awarded the Order “St. Alexander – IV degree with swords “. He died in his hometown on March 15/27, 1892

 

Author: dr. Violeta Kostova