“Farewell at the Parting of Three Detachments”: A Restored Photography part of our Ilinden Archive.

This historic photograph, known in various collections, has been carefully digitalised and restored by our team to remove later-added text and other alterations.

Years after the Ilindensko-Preobrazhensko Vustanie (The Ilinden-Preobrazhenie Uprising), the Bulgarian Kingdom organised a special archive to preserve the most memorable events of the Bulgarian revolution in Ottoman territories.
Among these precious documents is a photograph titled "Three Cheti"—depicting the detachments of Georgi Trenev, Konstantin Kondov, and Ivan Sarbakov, who united their insurgents. However, a careful eye will notice something remarkable: the photograph actually shows four detachments, not three: standing prominently in the center is Pitu Guli, unmistakable with his characteristic hair!
This discovery places the photograph in the surroundings of Veles, where Pitu Guli resided before his tragic death, which occurred just days after this photo was taken.

This photograph is an authentic piece of Bulgarian history, capturing a moment that contributes to the broader narrative of the Ilinden-Preobrazhenie Uprising. The historical truth preserved in this photograph (and others from the period) contradicts pro-Serbian Macedonist narratives, as it reflects the documented views and national identities of those involved, ensuring that the reality of this period remains clear and undisputed.