By Martina Hadzhikoleva

        Bulgarian literature has its distinct artists whose names are written in the cannon of our contemporary works of literary art. One of them is the notorious poet Geo Milev the controversy around whom has never ceased. Bulgarian students study his poem September at school, but little do they know  about the person behind the name, let alone about his significant other – Mila. Her story matters as much as his since but for her love and devotion, we would not have had his genius: their lives intertwine in a whirlpool of dramatic events and dark historical times when this remarkable woman choses to devote her life to the poet: unknown, seriously wounded in WWI  and with a face irrevocably deformed.

        Militsa Dimova Keranova was born on March 23, 1891, in the little town of Breznik.  Her father was a lawyer, healer, and judge, with a subtle sense of humor and innate artistry. Her mother insisted on good education for her children (Mila and her brother) so in 1909 she moved with them to Sofia. Later she travelled to Paris, where she got in touch with the Bulgarian poet Nikolay Liliev, who introduced her to Geo Milev. The still unknown poet was there for treatment of his injury in the still ongoing world war. The two young intellectuals (Mila and Geo) immediately established a cordial friendship since they shared the same interests, such as theater, literature, politics, fine arts, and music.

             In the beginning of 1918, Mila and Geo went together to Berlin, where Milev continued the treatment of his eye. He endured multiple surgeries there and the couple lived together. They announced their relationship in a letter dated December 25, 1917, to Liliev signed "We kiss you warmly: Geo, Mila". The problem was that Geo Milev’s family forced out the truth from Liliev and instantly they weren’t on board with the idea of his son getting married to an older woman (Mila was born 4 years earlier than Geo) with an “unworthy profession”. The young couple knew that they were perfect for each other, so they got married anyway. They weren’t wealthy but had two daughters together.

       In her daughter Leda’s records she says that her mother Mila told her many times that Geo had never been anything other than gentle with her, even if the correct words to describe him are fiery and irrational. He was extremely opinionated which basically cost him his life. After only six years of marriage, he was arrested because of his infamous poem criticizing the political regime in Bulgaria, and then nobody ever saw him again.

            For long months, the young widow searched for her husband, wandering between grief and hope. His father was also heartbroken, but he took out his despair on his daughter-in-law, accusing her of not seeking her husband diligently enough. Only later did he realize that his son"s soulmate continues to wait for him and is faithful to him and him only.

Mila’s life got harder by the day. She didn’t stop looking for her husband, hoping for his return, although she was barely surviving with two little girls to take care of. She fell into despondency and poverty, however, provided her children with the best possible education. They learnt languages ​​and read quality literature.

"My mother was widowed after only six years of married life, but she did not think that she could raise us more easily if she remarried. She felt it was her supreme duty to be faithful to her husband"s memory and preserve his literary legacy. Not with words and teachings, but with his personal example, he passed this on to us, his two daughters," writes Leda Mileva. Mila died in 1969 at the age of 77, which makes 44 years without having seen another man after Geo Milev.

            You may have read love stories or read romance novels, but you can rarely find this kind of devotion. Mila went from Heaven to Hell in the course of several months but even then she stood strong and loyal to her husband. Imagine being in her shoes. Being a young widow with two little children and not much money, to stay loyal to one man your whole life, whose family doesn’t even like you or support your relationship is another level of being unyielding. Most people won’t be able to do what she has done.

            Mila was an actress with a strong understanding of all types of art. While I was searching her history, I found a part of a letter to Milev after he had already disappeared.

“As always, my love, I"m so sad that you"re gone - so suddenly I"m alone again, without you.

I stop in front of the mirror and look at my eyes and lips - it seems to me that there is infinite suffering in them, and not only it seems to me, it"s in me, I know it...

Oh, sure, the great black night of my great old grief is gone… I live in a sunny country with you, my happiness, but sometimes, sometimes… the black threads of the old oppression creep up on me again, so painful and terrible, and then, then... my beloved boy, I think of nothingness... I see how my love is angry, how horrified that I am talking like that again... but I shouldn"t... I shouldn"t.”

            Roughly translated it still shows the beauty it holds. I don’t know why it stood out to me from all her letters, but it did, so thought of sharing it with all of you.

            All in all, I think that Mila Geo-Mileva is a bright example of a strong woman, who doesn’t let others stop her from going after the people she loves. She is the embodiment of devotion and loyalty. Her love is the definition of true love and I think that everybody in this world needs a “Mila” in his life - somebody who is going to be by your side through thick and thin and would never leave, forsake or replace you.

SOURCES:

Лилиев запознал Гео Милев с голямата му любов (epicenter.bg)

Любовни хроники: Гео Милев и Милица Керанова (iwoman.bg)

Гео Милев – Уикипедия (wikipedia.org)