Figures of Plovdiv

Figures of Plovdiv

ASEN HRISTOFOROV (1910 - 1970)

1/1/2012 12:00:00 AM

ASEN HRISTOFOROV – an economist and writer, born on December 16, 1910 in Plovdiv. He studied Economics in London, where he graduated in 1934. He was among the founders of the Statistics Institute. He was professor of Economics (1945-47). He wrote interesting memoirs from his studies in London (“Sketches from London”). After 1948 he also wrote a number of fiction books. He died in 1970.


Asen G. Hristoforov was born in 1910 in Plovdiv, in an old house on the Sahat Tepe hill (i.e. the Clock Tower Hill). He studied at the Robert College in Constantinople and later became the first Bulgarian to graduate from the London Institute of Economy. He refused to pursue an academic carier in London, and came back home to found the Institute of Econometric and Statistics at the Sofia University and at the age of 35 he was a Professor of Financial and Administrative Sciences.

In 1947, the communists had him fired from the university banning him from reading lectures to students for the rest of his life. He was also banned from living in the capital city of Sofia.

Asen Hristoforov spent the years 1950-1052 at the Belene concentration camp.From 1952 till his death in 1970 he was living in the small village of Govedartsi.

A brillian economist, Asen Hristoforov was also a writer and one of the best literary translators from English into Bulgarian. Bwing allowed by the communist authorities to work on his translations for living, he was the very first to translate James Joyce's "Dubliners" without even having dictionaries or reference books at hand. His translation of Jerome K. Jerome's works is considered the work of genius.

Asen Hristoforov has also translated Jack London, Chalotte Bronte and Fileding in Bulgarian. He is also the author of a latge number of original books. His eesays on Plovdiv are among the most poetic pieces ever written about our city.





 

Nayden Todorov (born 1974)
Nayden Todorov (born 1974)
1/1/2012 12:00:00 AM
Nayden Todorov was born in 1974 in Plovdiv. He received his first piano lessons at the age of five, and by sixteen had led his first concert as conductor. He studied with Alexander Vladigerov in So...
Dimitar Kirov (1935-2008)
Dimitar Kirov (1935-2008)
1/1/2012 12:00:00 AM
Eminent Plovdiv artist. He graduated in 1959 from the academy of Arts in Sofia. He lives and works in Plovdiv. Winner of numerous art awards. His name has been connected to the so called P...
Hristo G. Danov (1828 -1911)
Hristo G. Danov (1828 -1911)
1/1/2012 12:00:00 AM
Teacher, man of letters, founder of the organised publishing in Bulgaria; member of the BG Literary Society (todays Bulgarian Academy of Sciences). In the period 1854-56, while a teacher ...
Alexander Bourago, Captain / later Colonel (around 1853 - 1883)
Alexander Petrovich Bourago was an eminent military figure. He graduated from the Nikolaevsko Military Cavalry School in Sankt Petersburg, Russia. Captain Bourago was the comander of a cavalry squa...
Yosafat Shishkov, Father (1884 - 1952)
Yosafat Shishkov was born on February 9th, 1884 in Plovdiv, in a catholic family. In 1900, he became a novice in Turkey and accepted the name of Yosafat. He studied Philosophy and theology in Belgi...
Hristo Hristov (April 11th, 1926 - April 17th, 2007))
Hristo Hristov is among the most eminent film directors and screen writers in Bulgarian cinema. He was born on April 11th
Georgi Atanassov, Maestro (1882 - 1931)
Conductor, composer, pioneer of Bulgarian opera. He graduated as a student of Pietro Mascani at the Rossini College in Pesaro, Italy, as Maestro di Musica. Atanassov made his early career as a mili...
Theodosii Spassov (born 1961)
Theodosii Spassov (born 1961)
1/1/2012 12:00:00 AM
The eminent Bulgarian musician is often a guest to his beloved Plovdiv on various cultural occasions. The virtuoso, who is the most popular shepherd flute “kaval” ‘s jazz performer, is practically ...
Tsvetana Maneva (born 1944)
Tsvetana Maneva (born 1944)
1/1/2012 12:00:00 AM
She was born in Plovdiv on January 30th, 1944, and her artistic career starts from here. Today, most Bulgarian consider her an “intellectual type of actress “. The eminent Bulgarian actress makes h...
Atanas Samokovliev (1832 - 1905)
Atanas Samokovliev (1832 - 1905)
1/1/2012 12:00:00 AM
Atanas Samokovliev (also known by the nickname Atanas Samokovets) was born in 1832 in the town of Samokov. He was a trader and a public figure. He was the first Mayor of Plovdiv ...