The State Archives, as an institution that preserves the national memory, strives to acquaint the general public with the documentation it possesses about significant events of the past. The Macedonian Kresnen Uprising marked the tumultuous 19th century as its leaders and insurgents refused to let Macedonia remain an Ottoman province according to the decisions of the Congress of Berlin. One hundred and forty five years ago, on 17 October 1878, the united insurgents and volunteer companies led by the priest Stojan Karastoilov, the Ohrid Metropolitan Natanail Kuceviski and the teacher Dimitar Pop Georgiev Berovski appeared in the village of Kresna, starting actions whose ultimate goal was to create Macedonian state. The liberated territory, which was created in the Pirin part of Macedonia and lasted until 11 November 1878, was administered by the Headquarters of the Uprising as the highest governing body and Command of the insurgent forces.
It is particularly significant that the Macedonian Uprising Committee represented the sovereignty of the rebelled Macedonian people and used diplomatic means to affirm the goal of the Uprising to gain the support of the European Great Powers for the creation of Macedonian state. The Macedonian rebellious will for freedom and own state was not diminished when the uprising was crashed. On the contrary, the Macedonian (Kresna) uprising showed that the Macedonians leaders were ready to make sacrifices guided by the motto "Freedom or Death".
