Hristo Smirnenski

Who was Hristo Smirnenski?

Hristo Smirnenski, born as Hristo Izmirliev, was a Bulgarian poet and prose writer. His hometown was Kukush in Macedonia, Ottoman Empire, which had militant traditions and an enterprising population. Hristo spent a happy childhood in a friendly and understanding patriarchal home. He was a free, witty and playful child with a vivid imagination and keen sense of humour. He wrote songs, stories about birds and animals and rhyming jokes.

He made his literary debut in 1915 during his second year at College in the satirical newspaper "K'vo da e". Hristo first called himself "Smirnenski" in the magazine "Smyah i salzi". His hard tireless work and deprivations undermined the 25 year-old poet's health and he died on 18 June 1923 from tuberculosis, "the yellow visitor". He had followed political events and kept his faith, optimism and sense of humour right until his last breath. In the eight brief years of his prolific career Hristo Smirnenski penned thousands of pieces of poetry and prose in various genres using more than 70 pseudonyms.