Organized resistance in Macedonia

On October 23rd, 1893 TMORO (a secret Macedonian revolutionary organization) is formed in Thessaloniki by Dame Gruev, Hristo Tatarcev, Ivan Haji Nikolov, Petar Pop Arsov, Anton Dimitrov and Hristo Batanjiev. Hristo Tatarchev was the president of the Executive Committee and Dame Gruev was the Secretary in General. Membership was obtained in a ritual manner - each new member was put under oath before an open gospel which had a sword and a revolver placed over it. The first revolutionary congress was held in Resen on 15.08. 1894. The constitution was accepted thus increasing the number of its members. Goce Delchev's membership is of particular importance. He was expelled from the Military School in Sophia because of his rebellious nature. Other eminent names of the Macedonian revolutionary movement joined such as Gyorche Petrov, Pere Toshev, Dimo Hajidimov, Jane Sandanski, Hristo Uzunov, etc. In 1896 Pere Toshev, Dame Gruev, Gotse Delchev, Gyorche Petrov, Hristo Tatrchev, Hristo Matov, Petar Pop Arsov, Ivan Haji Nikolov particpated in the first Congress of Thessaloniki. Macedonia was divided into 6 revolutionary districts (Thessaloniki, Skopje, Seres, Odrin, Shtip, Strumitsa). A representative organ was formed in Sophia which consisted of 2-3 members (Gyorche Petrov and Gotse Delchev). The organization had local committees and branches in the villages, districts and legislative bodies who were to take over the prerogatives. Conspiracy was at its peak and rigorous measures were taken against those who were caught. One of the constant problems was the flow of cash, which was provided through membership fees, and voluntary donations but proved insufficient. The problem was resolved by plundering the rich Turkish population and demanding a ransom for missioners. In 1901 Jane Sandanski kidnapped the missioner Miss Stone and her friend Tsilka at the advice of Gotse Delchev and received 14.500 Turkish lira for them. 15 -17 January 1903 the leading members held a congress. They discussed on the notion of arousing huge uprising at this congress. Ivan Garvanov insisted on this uprising claiming that Bulgaria would assist them. Gotse Delchev was not opposed to the idea. He considered the internal and external factors as inappropriate. On 29.04.1903 the group of anarchists Gemijii (Ordan Ivanov - Ortse, Milan Brashnarov, Dimitar Mechev, Konstantin Kirkov, Pavel Shatev, Milan Arsov, Vladimir Pingov) organized bombings in Thessaloniki. They destroyed the Ottoman bank, gas, German club, and the French ship Gvadalkivir. The assassins were killed, some were caught and sentenced to death or sent to exile in Asia Minor. Pavel Shatev was the only one who returned alive. On May 4th, 1903 in the village of Banitsa, near Seres, Gotse Delchev was killed in a siege. May 2-7, 1903 the Thessaloniki Congress discussed the notion of commencing an uprising in the village of Smilevo, near Bitola. After a unanimous vote, Dame Gruev and the majority of the Congress chose to initiate the uprising. Dame Gruev, Anastas Lozanchev and Boris Sarafov were in the main headquarters.