| Volunteer (Bulgarian language: опълченци ) | |
|---|---|
| Participant in the Serbian-Turkish Wars (1876-1878) and the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878 | |
 The standard of the Bulgarian Opaltchentsi | |
| Active | 1877-1878 |
| Ideology | Bulgarian nationalism |
| Leaders | Collective leadership |
| Area of operations | Bulgaria |
| Strength | 40,000 |
| Originated as | Bulgarian Legion |
| Became | Bulgarian army |
| Allies |
 Russian Empire Kingdom of Romania Serbia Principality of Montenegro |
| Opponents |
 Ottoman Empire |
| Battles/wars | Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878 |
Reenactors dressed as Opalchentsi at the official commemoration of the 133 anniversary of the Liberation of Bulgaria
Opalchentsi (Bulgarian language: опълченци ) were Bulgarian voluntary army units, who took part in the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878. The people in these units were called opalchenets-pobornik (опълченец-поборник) roughly meaning "folk-" or "regiment-combatant" .
The Bulgarian voluntary army units for the Russo-Turkish War were gathered after the manifesto of Alexander II of Russia, announcing the War. The meeting point of the Bulgarian volunteers in Russia was the city of Samara. The Bulgarian Opalchentsi were given the Samara flag bearing the images of the Holy Mother and Saints Cyril and Methodius (the flag is kept in the National Museum of Military History in Sofia). The Opalchentsi took an active part in the Second and Fourth Battle of Shipka Pass and after the end of the war went on to form Bulgaria's army.
Honours[]
One of the poems in Ivan Vazov's Epic of the Forgotten, namely "Opalchentsite na Shipka", is dedicated to them. Opalchenie Peak in Vinson Massif, Antarctica is named after the Bulgarian Volunteer Force in the 1877-1878 Russo-Turkish War and the Macedonian-Adrianopolitan Volunteer Corps in the 1912-1913 Balkan Wars.[1]
See also[]
Notes[]
- ↑ Opalchenie Peak. SCAR Composite Antarctic Gazetteer.
References[]
- С. Кисьов. „Българското опълчение в Освободителната руско-турска война 1877–1878 г.“
Coordinates: 78°34′02″S 85°34′53″W / 78.56722°S 85.58139°W
The original article can be found at Bulgarian Volunteer Corps and the edit history here.