Katerina Trajkova Nurdzieva, niece of Goce Delcev
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Speech about Gotse Delchev, from his niece, Katerina Trajkova Nurdzieva, read at Gotse Delchev Night, February 5, 2000, Toronto
Who had seen him once, he never forgot him. He was killed. But he lives! Before us is the light of his face and it lights up the path that leads to the people’s freedom. His undying stature is the perfect expression of the spirit and heroism of the people who were fighting for a free life.
Numerous are the names of those great man who fell, are still falling and who delighted the world with their heroism and with their own devotion. Their teacher was Gotse Delchev. His mission as apostle and revolutionary with unbroken belief never left him. For him fatigue did not exist. The Turks called him “Kanatl” (flying devil). For religion, Gotse had his own believes. For them he gave not only his life as a victim, but he gave even harder things, his thoughts, because he did not have other thought but to serve to the liberating cause.
Where ever dusk will find Gotse, he will not be found alone. Everyone was ready to give his own heart, and everyone stood with belief in their given duties. Where Gotse went, a path was made for every apostle and fighter. Gotse created the first committees, the first units, and the first congresses. But, his modesty was not comparable, uneven, and unrepeatable. With that quality, he won everyone, even at the time when he was holding the reins from the whole organization.
The biggest enemy of the organization, Dervish Efendi, the police director of Skopje’s Vilayet (county), said: “Tell that grandiose fighter, that I want to see him, and bow in front of him. All of us, from the king to the last “zaptija” (policeman), we are all tired, and he is the only one who does not get tired”.
He was stranger to chauvinism. Gotse worked for everyone who was victimized by tyranny. And before his convincing word like a fire, the national misunderstandings were disappearing in the name of one self-governing Macedonia. Gotse loved and adored people, and the people saw the closest, most faithful, most loved teacher, friend and son in his face. He lived, he worked and he died for those people. For him the people sang beautiful songs from the heart. He died, but he stayed immortal for the people, as an example for the present and future leaders, who should love Macedonia, so that we can have her forever.
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