Summary
Another book in the series "We Bulgarians" - "A VIEW FROM THE OUTSIDE"
Auguste Dauzon "Unpublished Bulgarian Folk Songs";
Leopold Geitler "Poetic Traditions of the Thracians and Bulgarians"
The current edition presents two famous, but relatively unknown
authors who have remained in a unique way in the history of our Revival. The unique thing is that, although in different ways, both are connected to Stefan Verkovich and his "Veda Slovena". It is precisely the controversial publication that largely determines the attitude towards them - both of them were declared "supporters" from the very beginning, which also determines their further reputation in society, or at least in scientific circles. And while Auguste Dauzon – both because of his diplomatic activity and because of his collection of folk songs – cannot be ignored (although he is far from being among the favorites of those who write and analyze that period of Bulgarian development), Leopold Geitler is firmly placed in the column “and others”.
The second thing that brings the two foreigners together is the fact that they offer us a look from the outside, figuratively speaking – through the window, at Bulgarian folklore culture. It is true that the Frenchman Dauzon was a consul (or rather vice-consul) in Plovdiv for two years, it is also true that the Czech Geitler traveled around Macedonia, but none of them was directly involved either as a collector or as a researcher of our folklore wealth.
On the third hand, their references to Bulgarian folklore are rather episodic, although Dauzon also published collections of Serbian and Albanian folklore works, i.e. his folkloristic interests are clearly expressed, and Geitler appears as a Bulgarian medievalist, but does not otherwise deal with folkloristic issues. In other words, the specific publications of both of them, the subject of this edition, are rather an exception in their creative path, but an exception that has its own characteristic place.