21433 | 11 April 2025 | 15:42
The patriot Sava Filaretov published in 1859 in the "Monthbouk of Bulgarian Literature" a poem dedicated to Nikolay Katranov, as well as a "Short Memoir" which gives biographical information about his friend. Russian poet Nikolay Dobrolyubov, Anzhe Mizan, Dmitry Pisarev, Ivan Shishmanov, Petar Odzhakov, Iliya Radoslavov and Nikolay Shishkov also wrote about Katranov.
Unfortunately, little is known about this colorful and interesting Bulgarian, a fighter for our freedom. He accidentally becomes the prototype of Insarov from Turgenev's book "On the Eve". The author depicts him as a man who suffers for his enslaved homeland, ready for self-sacrifice for freedom. In the novel, the author also depicts his great love for Elena. Without the student Karateev's diary (in the novel – Bersenev), Turgenev would hardly have created the literary work where he describes the Bulgarian.
Nikolay Katanov was born in May 1829 in Lyaskovets. He inherits from his mother Paunka Katranova a love for science, a strong spirit, and a beautiful appearance. She is slender, well-built, tall, with refined taste. She is passionate about literature and can freely read the famous "Greek Encyclopedia" from that time. She would gather women at her home and read to them from this well-known book. Her husband passed away and she went to live with her sons Iliya and Petko. She passed away at the age of 81 in Turnu Magurele. Nikolay Katanov was her oldest son. She would always say about him: "This Nikolay, who went so far away from me, will break my heart."
His father Dimitar comes from a wealthy family and was a famous merchant, with many contacts in Vienna, Istanbul and Venice. He was a strict, but fair person. During the Crimean War, he secretly supplied valuable goods to the Russian soldiers and Bulgarian volunteers.
His eldest son, Nikolay Katranov, studied under the great revivalist Hristaki Pavlovich, father of Nikolay Pavlovich. The teacher was surprised by his student, who quickly memorized everything. It was during these years that Nikolay Katranov began collecting folk songs and stories.
In 1848, he went to Moscow to continue his education. He had escaped the cholera outbreak that was raging in his hometown. Many people, including his teacher Hristaki Pavlovich, died from the disease. He studied at the Historical-Philological Faculty in Moscow and attended lectures on history, law, and literature. At this time he continues to process heroic folk songs, which he particularly likes, as well as proverbs. He edits collections of folk songs.
He writes poems. In 1853, "Constantinople newspaper" prints three of his poetic miniatures. He translates "The Bride of Abidos" by Byron.
He completes his education. Everyone around him sees a man with great abilities. But Nikolay Katranov wants to be a teacher in Bulgaria. He has a passionate temperament - he desires the freedom of his enslaved people. In Russian newspapers, he speaks out against the deportation of Bulgarians from Lom, Vidin, and Belogradchik to Russia after the defeat of the uprising in 1850 and the Crimean War. He associates with patriotic Bulgarians from Lom, who have settled in Odessa.
Karateev writes in his journal, which he later gives to Turgenev: "Nikolay Katranov creates compilations from Russian to Bulgarian and vice versa. He translates songs and Bulgarian chronicles (stories), edits Bulgarian songs in Russian." This is described in chapter XI of the novel "On the Eve." It is true that Katranov deeply desires to become a teacher. The Bulgarian Ivan Denkoglu, his patron in Moscow, writes in a letter to his family that a capable young man from Russia named Nikolay Katranov will soon arrive in Sofia. The reasons for his refusal to become a teacher in Sofia are unknown.
He goes to his hometown with his wife Larisa - a captivating Russian woman. His friend Karateev introduces them. The Bulgarian falls in love with the beauty and Larisa responds with the same strong love. She had helped him in revolutionary affairs and remained by his side until the end of his life. This strong love of the two was described by his friend Karateev in a small notebook. He wanted to use it as the plot of his literary work. But this did not happen because Karateev went to the front to participate in the Crimean War. He did not know how his life would end. He handed his notes over to his neighbor Turgenev.
The writer was already working on the book "On the Eve". He just needed to find a main character to fit the image of Elena. He needed a person with will, not a dreamer. Turgenev admitted later that he thought about finishing the novel and clearly imagined the main heroine Elena - a woman of a new type for Russian society. The writer flipped through the pages and read what Karateev had written in his notebook. He thought to himself: "Here is the hero I've been looking for!"
This is how NikolaynKatranov and Larisa became prototypes of Insarov and Elena in the famous book.
While in Russia, Nikolay Katranov strongly desires to return to his homeland. He arrives in Svishtov and briefly becomes a teacher. But he is already sick. His benefactor Ivan Denkoglu brings him to Poland, then to Austria, Serbia and Venice, in order to treat him. Katranov writes to Georgi S. Rakovski, saying that he wants to start an uprising and to participate in it. But he dies during a walk in the Grand Canal. He is admitted to a Venetian hospital, but the doctors are unable to save his life.
According to the register of deceased in the Greek Orthodox Church "St. George" in Venice under No. 2, the following is recorded: "Katranov Nikolai Dimitrov, born in Bulgaria, 24 years old, passed away yesterday, May 5, 1853 and was buried in the tomb of "St. Christopher".
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