The Balkan Wars: 1912-1913: Second EditionSchurman, Jacob Gould
History
The Balkan Wars: 1912-1913: Second Edition
Schurman, Jacob Gould
Balkan Peninsula -- History -- War of 1912-1913
It does not follow, however, that the people of Central Macedonia, even
if Bulgarian churches are in the ascendant among them, are really
connected by ties of blood and language {89} with Bulgaria rather than
with Servia. If history is invoked we shall have to admit that under
Dushan this region was a part of the Serb empire as under Simeon and
Asen it was part of the Bulgarian. If an appeal is made to
anthropology the answer is still uncertain. For while the Mongolian
features--broad flat faces, narrow eyes, and straight black hair--which
characterize the subjects of King Ferdinand can be seen--I myself have
seen them--as far west as Ochrida, they may also be found all over
Northern Servia as far as Belgrade though the Servian physical type is
entirely different. There is no fixed connection between the
anthropological unit and the linguistic or political unit.
Furthermore, while there are well-marked groups who call themselves
Serbs or Bulgarians there is a larger population not so clearly
differentiated by physique or language. Undoubtedly they are Slavs.
But whether Serb or Bulgarian, or intermediate between the two, no one
to-day can demonstrate. Central {90} Macedonia has its own dialects,
any one of which under happy literary auspices might have developed
into a separate language. And the men who speak them to-day can more
or less understand either Servian or Bulgarian. Hence as the anonymous
and highly authoritative author of "Turkey in Europe," who calls
himself Odysseus, declares:
"The practical conclusion is that neither Greeks, Servians, nor
Bulgarians have a right to claim Central Macedonia. The fact that they
all do so shows how weak each claim must be."
Yet it was Bulgaria's intransigent assertion of her claim to Central
Macedonia which led to the war between the Allies.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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