Famous people from Haskovo region Comenius Multilateral School Partnership project “European Multiguide” Sredno Obshtoobrazovatelno Uchilishte “Vasil Levski” Haskovo, Bulgaria This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Scientist: Asen Zlatarov Prof. Zlatarov was a prominent Bulgarian scientist, writer, public person and publicist in the 1920s and 1930s. He was born on 4 th February 1885 in Haskovo in a respected family of the Bulgarian National Revival. From 1904 to 1907 Assen Zlatarov studied Chemistry at the University of Geneva, and immediately after that he became a PhD in Chemistry and Physics at the University of Grenoble. For some time he worked as a teacher in Plovdiv. In the period between 1909 and 1910 he specialized in Munich. Later he was an editor of several science magazines: “Chemistry and Industry”, “Nature and Science”, “Nature-philosophical Writings” and “Science and Life”.

Asen Zlatarov In 1922 he became an Associate Professor in Biochemistry at the University of Sofia, In 1935 the scientist became a full-time Professor at the University. Prof. Dr.Assen Zlatarov also wrote volumes of poems, a novel, lyrical prose, literature criticism and journalistic articles. He died in In 1959 a bust-monument was erected in Haskovo, and in 1970 – the local authorities established an award on his name. Two secondary schools in the region are named after Asen Zlatarov.

Artist: Dimitar Ivanov - Litso Dimitar Ivanov - Litso was born on 1 st March, 1888 in the town of Haskovo, in the family of Ivan Roussev artisan. Since his childhood the younger Mitko has tendencies to paint. In the school he began to paint landscapes. He astounded teachers with his drawings. In the higher school his fame spread like lightning - "child prodigy." As a student he became popular in the city for painting portraits of our Renaissance people, scenery and curtains. For a short time he emerged as a talented, unique artist in Haskovo. He decorated the scenes of the Haskovo theater and other towns of the county. Dimitar Ivanov wanted to continue his education, with the hope to go to Italy for finishing painting, but because of the difficult financial situation of his big family (four brothers and two sisters), he was forced to become a seller of copper cookware of his father.

Dimitar Ivanov - Litso Initially Dimitar Ivanov had passion for portraits, but gradually his passion for landscape appeared - love, which remains faithful to the end of his life. He painted with oil paints. He made meaningful portraits of the Renaissance people, prominent people in Haskovo. The public attached his name “Litso" /The face/ because he knew how to paint faces. Litso formed as a mature artist during He had no academic education but he followed the ideological currents in Bulgarian literature and art, and they are reflected in his work. For the period years D.Ivanov - Litso had 22 solo exhibitions - in Sofia, Plovdiv, Haskovo, Stara Zagora, Rousse, etc.. cities. He was extremely hardworking and talented, and he created many works. He was known as landscapist, but also left several compositional work. Litso died on In his memory at the center of Haskovo there is a monument.

Musician: Nedialka Simeonova The first Bulgarian violinist-virtuoso, declared by the American Critics of the 1920s, is one of the best violinists in the world. She was born on 2nd December 1901 in Haskovo in a poor family. She started playing at 6, her first teacher being her father – Dimitar Simeonov – self-taught musician, trumpeter and a violinist. At 9 she was said to be “a child prodigy” by the musical critics in Bulgaria. Her first concert was in Haskovo when she was 10. In 1913 she went to the USA and performed many charity concerts, and the earned money she gave to the Bulgarian Red Cross to help the Bulgarian who had been affected by the Balkan Wars. Given a stipend by rich Americans, Nedialka Simeonova studied violin with the famous Russian Pedagogue Prof. Leopold Awer, who made her musician of world class.

Nedialka Simeonova She had many performances in Germany, the USA, Belgrade, Prague, Bratislava, South America and Bulgaria, when she returned to our country in She was awarded a distinguished civil service medal. In 1938 she studied in the Dresden Conservatory and graduated only for 6 months with excellent results. In 1946, she was employed full time in the Musical Academy in Sofia, and two years later she became a Professor. The repertoire of N. Simeonova included almost all violin works, some of them devoted to her. She died from cancer on 14 March 1959 in the Paris State Clinic. Every year in Haskovo takes place the Festival called “Nedialka Simeonova” for young and talented violinists from Bulgaria and many foreign countries.

Writer: Eli Videva Eli Videva was born on 20 th November, 1955 in Haskovo. She studied Mathematics at Plovdiv University. She specialized Marketing and management in the University of Sofia and information technologies in the Thracian University in Stara Zagora. She workes as a teacher of Mathematics and information technologies in Haskovo. She participates actively in Maths competitions and Olympiads. She is the Chairman of the Club of culture, which is co-organizer of Traditional literature days "Southern Spring". She is an author of poetry "Fire in the Rain," "House," "Life Version", "Heavenly Rider," "Words on" "In axis", "Relive ".

Eli Videva Her poems have been translated into Russian, Ukrainian, Serbian, Polish, Italian and Turkish. She has printed in literary journals in Bulgaria, Russia, Serbia, Poland and the USA. She is a winner of several prizes: “Dimcho Debelyanov”- Koprivshtitsa, " Southern Spring “ - Haskovo, “White-legged spring "- Harmanli. She is a member of the Union of Bulgarian Writers and the Union of Mathematicians in Bulgaria and Slavic Literary Artistic Academy.

Sportsman: Grigor Dimitrov Grigor Dimitrov was born on 16th May, 1991 in the town of Haskovo. He is a professional Bulgarian tennis player who on February 11, 2013 is ranked World No. 31 by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP). Dimitrov is the most successful Bulgarian male tennis player, both in ranking reachead – first and only Bulgarian player to rank inside the top 40 - and prize money won, being the only player to reach $1M.

Grigor Dimitrov is the first (and only) Bulgarian to reach an ATP final in singles (in 2013) and doubles (in 2011). Prior to his professional career, Dimitrov enjoyed a successful junior career, in which he held the World No. 1 ranking and won the Boys' Singles titles at the 2008 Wimbledon Championships and the 2008 US Open. Grigor Dimitrov

Team involved: Iliyana Panayotova – school project coordinator and teacher of English Milena Stoeva – integrated teacher Dimitar Erfandov – librarian Students from 5,6 and 7 grades involved in searching of the information. Photos and music are taken from Google.bg and local media. Thank you for your attention!