Mihailo Apostolski

Apostolski was born Mihail Mitev Apostolov{{cite book|title=The Liberation struggles after the First World War, 1919-1944|first1=Dobrin |last1=Michev|publisher=Macedonian Scientific Institute, Historical Institute (Bulgarian Academy of Sciences)|date= 2003|isbn=9548187612|page= 430}} in Novo Selo, in the Kosovo vilayet of the Ottoman Empire (now North Macedonia), in a Bulgarian Exarchist family to Mite Apostolov and Vasa Apostolova. He attended primary and secondary school in Štip. In 1927, he graduated from the Military Academy in Belgrade, capital of Kingdom of Yugoslavia. In 1933, he graduated from the High Military Academy, and in 1938 he graduated from the Commanding Academy as a major.

During the invasion of Yugoslavia in April 1941, he was a commander of the alpine units of the Royal Yugoslav Army in Ljubljana.Kiro Gligorov, Macedonia is Everything we Have, Izdavacki centar TRI, 2001, Skopje {{in lang|mk}} Киро Глигоров, Македонија е сѐ што имаме, Издавачки центар ТРИ, 2001, Скопје. According to another report, he was a general staff officer in charge of the railway transport.According to a document signed by the Chief of the General Staff of the Bulgarian Army, General Konstantin Lukash; ДВИА ф. 20, оп. 3, а.е. 60, л. 534 София, 15 декември 1941 г. At that time he was in Belgrade.Блаже Миневски, Дража Михајловиќ: Вие Македонците сте целосно онеправдани. [https://novamakedonija.com.mk/makedonija/politika/дража-михајловиќ-вие-македонците-сте/ Од НМ - 12:19 06.08.2021]. After the capitulation of Yugoslavia and the subsequent occupation of Vardar Macedonia, Apostolski returned to Ljubljana, where was captured by the Italian army and was taken to the camp Vestone. Shortly after, his father, a First World War Bulgarian army veteran, petitioned the Bulgarian Minister of War to help release Apostolski.Dimitar Bechev, Historical Dictionary of the Republic of Macedonia, Volume 68 of Historical Dictionaries of Europe, Scarecrow Press, 2009, {{ISBN|0810862956}}, p. 16.

After being released from prison, Apostolski received a certificate that he was a "trustworthy Bulgarian".Михов, Милен Василев, Гребенаров, Александър Георгиев, (2016) Освобождението на българи от Вардарска Македония - военнопленници от бившата югославска армия през Втората световна война. Българска академия на науките, стр. 97, {{ISBN|9789542903253}}.Властите в Щип гарантират за българския произход на Михайло Апостолски. Документът е публикуван в „Освобождението на българи от Вардарска Македония – военнопленници от бившата югославска армия през Втората световна война”, С., 2016, [http://www.mni.bg/2016/07/blog-post_11.html Македонски научен институт, 11/07/2016 г.] Later he filed an application for appointment in the Bulgarian army.Македонски научен институт, 13 юли, 2016 г. [http://www.mni.bg/2016/07/mihailo-apostolski-iska-da-stane.html Михайло Апостолски иска да стане български чиновник.] He was offered the rank of captain, however he refused.[https://books.google.com/books?id=P-1m1FLtrvsC&dq=yugoslavia+bulgarian+army+1941+macedonia&pg=PA13 Contested Ethnic Identity: The Case of Macedonian Immigrants in Toronto, 1900-1996, Chris Kostov, Peter Lang, 2010, p. 13.], {{ISBN|3-0343-0196-0}} Later, General Konstantin Lukash, interceded for him, looking for a job in the Bulgarian State Railways' system, but without success.Високопоставен български офицер ходатайства за ген. Михайло Апостолски. [http://www.mni.bg/2016/07/blog-post.html ДВИА ф. 20, оп. 3, а.е. 60, л. 534 София, 15 декември 1941 г.] Afterwards, Apostolski entered the Sofia University, where he conducted underground work.Dimitris Livanios, The Macedonian Question: Britain and the Southern Balkans 1939-1949, OUP Oxford, 2008, {{ISBN|0191528722}}, p. 122. In April 1942, he became a member of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia, and in June the same year he was appointed commander of the General Staff of the National Liberation Army and Partisan Detachments of Macedonia. In May 1943, he was promoted to Major General. During the Second Session of Anti-Fascist Council for the National Liberation of Yugoslavia (AVNOJ) he became a member of the Presidency of AVNOJ. In addition to the Macedonian brigades operating under his command, in February 1944, he commanded the brigades from Kosovo and Southern Serbia. He became a member of the Initiative committee for the organization of the Antifascist Assembly of the National Liberation of Macedonia (ASNOM). He participated in the First Session of the ASNOM and was elected to its presidency.

File:Ченто и Михајло Апостолски во ослободена Битола.jpg in liberated Bitola in November 1944.]]

File:Po osloboduvanjeto na Skopje, 1945 11.jpg at end of the National Liberation War of Macedonia in 1945.]]

File:Михаило Апостолски.tif

In 1995, the Military Academy in Republic of Macedonia was named "General Mihailo Apostolski".

After the Second World War Apostolski became one of the military leaders of the new Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY). After the end of his active military service, he began intensively dealing with the history of the Macedonian nation. From 1965 to 1970, he was the head of the Institute of National History in Skopje, SR Macedonia. He was accused by Bulgarian historians of systematically falsifying history and in the use of hate speech against Bulgaria and the Bulgarian people.[http://macedonia.kroraina.com/kc/cyrn40_b.html 40. Противобългарската дейност на Темпо и неговите сподвижници - Апостоловски и Колишевски - II] On that occasion Apostolski became famous among Bulgarian historians with his phrase: "I have no evidence, but I claim it".Венко Марковски, "Кръвта вода не става", София, издателство на БАН, 1981 стр. 100. He was actively involved in the formation of the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts, of which he was member of since its creation. He was also its president from 1976 to 1983. He was also a member of:

• Serbian Academy of Sciences,
• Yugoslav Academy of Sciences and Arts (now: Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts),
• Academy of Sciences and Arts of Bosnia and Herzegovina and
• Academy of Sciences and Arts of Kosovo.

He died on August 7, 1987, in Dojran, SR Macedonia, SFR Yugoslavia.

His birthplace, the House of Mihajlo Apostolski, is recognized as a protected object of Cultural Heritage of North Macedonia.{{cite web |last1= |first1= |title=Национален регистар на објекти кои се заштитно културно наследство |trans-title=National register of buildings that are protected cultural heritage |url=http://mkopen.org/entry/b4lneRwy7EHOIGvCtgc7Vg |format= |accessdate=May 4, 2022 |date=2012 |publisher=Ministry of Culture |language=mk |archive-date=August 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210809121456/http://mkopen.org/entry/b4lneRwy7EHOIGvCtgc7Vg}}

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• {{cite web|url=http://www.morm.gov.mk/morm/mk/Ministry/military-academy.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110702030926/http://www.morm.gov.mk/morm/mk/Ministry/military-academy.html |archive-date=2 July 2011|website=Website of the military academy |title=МИНИСТЕРСТВО ЗА ОДБРАНА НА РЕПУБЛИКА МАКЕДОНИЈА ВОЕНА АКАДЕМИЈА "ГЕНЕРАЛ МИХАИЛО АПОСТОЛСКИ" - СКОПЈЕ |trans-title=MINISTRY OF DEFENSE OF THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA "GENERAL MIHAILO APOSTOLSKI" MILITARY ACADEMY - SKOPJE|lang=mk|access-date=27 February 2023}}

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Category:1906 births

Category:1987 deaths

Category:People from Štip

Category:People from Kosovo vilayet

Category:Yugoslav Partisans members

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Category:Members of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts

Category:World War II prisoners of war held by Germany

Category:Recipients of the Order of the People's Hero

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Category:Macedonian people of Bulgarian descent

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