Memoirs, Vol. 3: Revolutionary Struggle 1924-1934

Memoirs, Vol. 3: Revolutionary Struggle 1924-1934 by Ivan Mihailov, published in 1967 as part of his multi-volume recollections, covers the most turbulent decade of internal conflict, armed actions, and political realignment within the IMRO. The volume focuses on the period following the assassination of Todor Alexandrov in 1924 and presents Mihailov’s account of how the organization was preserved, reorganized, and redirected during a time of crisis. The narrative combines personal testimony with political justification, portraying IMRO as the central force defending the Macedonian cause against Serbian and Greek state policies.

A central thesis of the volume is the claim that the Slavic population of Macedonia formed part of the Bulgarian national body, and that the revolutionary struggle represented the continuation of Bulgarian national aspirations in Macedonia. Mihailov describes punitive actions against alleged collaborators, confrontations with Yugoslav authorities, and the broader campaign of armed resistance carried out during the late 1920s and early 1930s. The text presents these actions as necessary measures to prevent denationalization and political suppression.

Today, the publication is treated as a source representing a Bulgarian nationalist reading of the Macedonian revolutionary movement. As a memoir written decades after the events, it reflects Mihailov’s ideological convictions and his opposition to the recognition of a distinct Macedonian nation. At the same time, the volume remains a significant primary source for understanding internal divisions within IMRO, the escalation of revolutionary violence, and the broader geopolitical tensions surrounding the Macedonian question in the interwar period.