POP HRISTOV GjORGI

( revolutionary )

Pophristov, Gorgi - Krstoarec (1878-1952), Macedonian revolutionary member and leader of VMRO, one of the most prominent leaders of Bitolas revolutionary region, educational and revolutionary activist and fighter; member of TMORO and its propagator, participant of the Smilevo congress as a representative from Bitola. He was born in v.Krstoar, Bitola. He was educated in Bitola and Solun and he finished pedagogical course at Solun's exarches high school. He was a teacher in Kavadarci, Prilep, Bitola and other places and was appointed a school inspector in Lerin.

Afterwards, he continued to work as a teacher in the village Varos next to Prilep. At the beginning of 1900 he was elected to be a member of the Regional committee (1900-1903), occupying and performing the position of a secretary activity in the local archbishop territory of Bitolas revolutionary region. After espionage that happened in 1902 in Bitola, he was arrested by the Turkish authorities and convicted to death, but after a year he got amnesty being in imprisonment for only 8 months. Under the instructions of Damjan Gruev, he became a teacher at the Primary school in Bitola. In the winter of 1900-1901 he participated in the establishment of many units in Lerin.Kostur, Demir Hisar, Krusevo and Resen area. On 12.11 1902 he was arrested and 22.11 1903 he was convicted to death. But an amnesty on is behalf, had been declared again. Damjan Gruev respected him greatly and considered him an experienced organizer and confidential friend. In the Ilinden preparations, he was appointed a superintendent of Lerin surrounding. On the congress, Lazar Pop Trajk-ov (1870-1903) a well- known revolutionary and Petar Acev a poet and Gorgi Pop Hristov were elected to be deputies of the members of the Chief headquarter. During the rebellion Georgi Pop Hristov was on the lines in Lerin. He actively participated in the renewal of the Organization in Bitola Kostur and Lerin. In May 1904 he participated as delegate at Prilep congress. The following year 1905, he also participated in Rila congress. After the Young Turkish Revolution from 1908 he became a teacher in Bitola. Two years later (1910) young Turkish authorities arrested and imprisoned him, persecuting him to Asia Minor where in 1911 he managed to escape. After the First World War he emigrated to Bulgaria and in 1925 he became a member of CK of VMRO. In 1928 he became one of the leaders of the protogerovistic flow in VMRO. Since 1931 he withdrew from the active participation in VMRO. He died in 1962 in Sofia, Bulgaria. He wrote "Memories" where in details he described the history of that period and especially the activaties of VMRO.