World War One Sites - The NETWORLD Database

Monument-fountain of the gunmen from the Shumen garrison, Shumen

The fountain monument, standing today in front one of the military bases, was built in the area of the Fifth Artillery Regiment in 1929. It features an inscription with the names of its donators and the day of its opening, as well as the names of all victims from the Shumen divisions.

Bulgaria, Shumen

Type of WWI-heritage

  • War monument

Dimensions

100 m2; height- 5 m

State of repair/preservation

Good

Historical WWI Context

The monument is dedicated to all involved and perished in the wars. On the 4th of November 1929, the memorial plaques were inaugurated. In the Shumen newspaper from the same year some data from this event was kept. The monument was built with donations from citizens and relatives of the perished.

The Polk was formed by decree No 40 of March 31, 1889 in the town of Shumen.  It includes the 2nd, 4th, 7th and 8th Field Batteries and the Forestry (mountain) platoon from the first Bulgarian Artillery Regiment (2nd Artillery Regiment, at that time quartered in Shumen). An eternal glory covers the battle flag of the regiment on the battlefields of Thrace, Dobrudzha and Macedonia during the First World War. The undisputed peak of this war is the Tutrakan epopee. An important role for this great victory is the Batteries have 5th and 15th Artillery Regiments showing not only excellent combat training, but also a high fighting spirit and unshakeable rush. There follows new glorious pages in the history of the regiment near Aptaat, Kubadin, Dobrich, Karalez Fountain, Mezhidie. In Kubadin the 5th Regiment's artillery officers show that they are brave sons of Shipka's defenders.

At the beginning of the 1930s, monuments were built throughout Bulgaria. Their aim is to raise the spirit of the Bulgarians after the end of the war and the Treaty of Neuilly-sur-Seine. These places of memory are an expression of the belief that the heirs of the heroes must continue the struggle. Due to the fact that most of solders have died outside Bulgaria, the monuments are built with the idea  the relatives of the heroes to have a place to go to worship, a place to perpetuate the cause of those men and to preserve their memory. After the Ministry of Defence have donated the monuments land to the Municipality of Shumen, different organizations started to take care of it. In 2015 the monument was adopted by Dimitar Alexandrov, who is currently a deputy. The cannon from the monument is now dismantled and replaced with a copy. There are only guns lakes this around the world. It can still produce a shot. The cannon is currently in the Polk garrison museum.

The monument is one of the emblematic places for Shumen. An expression of respect that citizens have about this place is the fact that when the local authorities decided that the monument should be moved all people defended and saved it.

State of legal protection

public

Owner

Public municipal property

Opening

Free access

Entrance Fee

No entrance fee

Further information sources

 

www.aadcf.nvu.bg/museum/museum.html

www.pan.bg/view_article-59-21969-dnes-praznuvat-bylgarskite-artileristi-chestito.html

oblastshumen.government.bg/files/memorials/Memorials2013.htm

dariknews.bg/regioni/shumen/shumenskite-voenni-shte-otbelezhat-11-mart-den-na-raketni-vojski-i-artileriqta-1557858

Bibliography:

Тодоров, Т., Александрова, Я.. Пътеводител на архивните фондове 1877 – 1944 г.. Т. 2. София, 1977.

Йотов, Петко, Добрев, Ангел, Миленов, Благой. Българската армия в Първата световна война 1915 – 1918 – Кратък енциклопедичен справочник. София, 1995.

Бойчев, Петър. Симеонов, Радослав. Те загинаха за Добруджа. София, ИК „Гутенберг”, 2016 г.

Първата световна война и събитията на Добруджанския фронт. The First World War and the events on the Dobrudzhan  front. Сборник с изследвания. Тутракан, 2011 г.

Dobrudja – Politicsq Societyq Economy and Culture (XIX-XX Centure). Добруджа – политика, общество, стопанство и култура (XIX-XX в.). Тутракан, Ковачев, 2015 г.

Dobrudzha in the Wars for National unification. Добруджа във войните за национално обединение. Добрич, 2016 г.

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