On Friday, October 30, the Day of the National Enlighteners was celebrated in Razgrad; as part of the festivities, the exhibition “Mission: Teacher – Pencho Dimitrov (1868–1956)” opened to the public at the Ananie Yavashov House-Museum.
It is dedicated to Pencho Dimitrov—a teacher, local historian, public figure, and cultural enlightener from the village of Golyam Izvor in the Razgrad region. Prof. Dr. Rositsa Angelova, Head of the “Modern and Contemporary History” Department at the Regional History Museum in Razgrad, presented the exhibition and the messages it conveys—messages that originate from a bygone era yet remain highly relevant today, both for current and future generations. The opening was attended by the Deputy Mayors of the Municipality of Razgrad—Polina Ivanova, Elka Nedelcheva, and Zornitsa Evgenieva—as well as students, educators, and heads of local cultural institutions.
Prof. Angelova and Museum Director Tanya Todorova welcomed Darin Tsankov—the great-grandson of Pencho Dimitrov—who shared memories of his distinguished relative. They also welcomed representatives from the Gabrovo Regional History Museum, including its director, Rosen Yosifov.
“Today, we are not merely opening an exhibition; we are opening a door to a bygone era, to a life of dignity, and to the memory of a man whose journey began in this region but extended far beyond its geographical boundaries”, stated Prof. Angelova. She recalled the historical context in which this educational figure lived—a period of profound transformation, during which the foundations of the new Bulgarian state were being laid. Prof. Angelova noted that the life path of Pencho Dimitrov—born in the village of Kara Arnaut (now Golyam Izvor) in the Razgrad region—led him through various schools and educational centers in Sevlievo, Gabrovo, Lovech, and Veliko Tarnovo. Pencho Dimitrov dedicated more than three decades to the cause of education, leaving an enduring mark on the history of Bulgarian schooling.
The life and work of the teacher are presented across 16 posters, featuring photographs, materials from his family archive, books from his personal library, and various periodicals. Among the particularly valuable documents is a manuscript in which he recorded the criteria that a teacher should meet. The exhibition also includes photographs provided by historical museums from the towns where he worked. A prominent place is given to photographs of teachers, students, and other individuals from the period of his professional career. The exhibition helps to reconstruct the world of the Bulgarian school system as it existed in the late 19th and the first decades of the 20th century.
Prof. Angelova expressed her gratitude to the specialists from the regional historical museums in Gabrovo, Lovech, Tran, and Sevlievo, the National Museum of Education, the State Archives in Lovech, the regional libraries in Veliko Tarnovo and Lovech, and the Open-Air Ethnographic Museum “Etar”—all of whom assisted her in her research on Pencho Dimitrov, a teacher, cultural figure, and local historian. During the opening, representatives from the Regional Historical Museum in Gabrovo expressed an interest in hosting the exhibition.
Tanya Todorova, Director of the Regional History Museum in Razgrad, and Prof. Dr. Rositsa Angelova have issued an appeal to the descendants of Pencho Dimitrov—many of whom reside in the Ludogorie region—to provide the museum with family archives and documents related to this educational figure and cultural enlightener. This would help enrich the body of information regarding his life and work, while ensuring that the memory of his contribution to Bulgarian education is preserved for future generations.
