Kiro Gligorov
A shrewd political survivor who steered his newly independent nation through the treacherous waters of the Balkan wars with a steady hand.
1917–2012 (age 95)·1st president of Macedonia·Birthday: May 3·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Born in Štip under Ottoman rule, Kiro Gligorov’s life was a map of 20th-century Balkan history. He studied law in Belgrade and, during the Second World War, joined the communist partisans, helping to lay the political foundations for Macedonia’s future. For decades, he was a quiet but influential figure within the Yugoslav federation, serving as a federal minister and economic planner in Belgrade. When the federation began to crumble, this veteran insider emerged as the unexpected but essential choice to lead the Republic of Macedonia to independence in 1991. His presidency was defined by a delicate balancing act: asserting a new national identity while avoiding the ethnic violence consuming neighboring states. He survived a devastating assassination attempt in 1995, an event that only solidified his image as a resilient father of the nation. Gligorov left office in 1999, having secured international recognition for his country under its constitutional name, a legacy of pragmatic statecraft.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Kiro was born in 1917, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Kiro Was Born
The biggest hits of 1917
#1 Movie
Cleopatra
Kiro's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1917Born
Russian Revolution overthrows the tsar; US enters WWI
President: Woodrow Wilson
1922Started school
King Tut's tomb discovered in Egypt
President: Warren G. Harding"April Showers" — Al Jolson
1930Became a teenager
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1933Could drive
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1935Could vote
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
1938Turned 21
Kristallnacht and the escalation toward WWII
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $2,850Min wage: $0.25/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Begin the Beguine" — Artie ShawBest Picture: You Can't Take It with You
1947Turned 30
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1957Turned 40
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1967Turned 50
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1977Turned 60
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 70
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 80
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2012Died at 95
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
Key Achievements
- Served as the first President of the independent Republic of Macedonia from 1991 to 1999.
- Played a key role in the Anti-fascist Assembly for the National Liberation of Macedonia during WWII.
- Helped guide Macedonia to peaceful independence amidst the violent breakup of Yugoslavia.
- Successfully navigated a Greek economic blockade over the country's name in the early 1990s.
Did You Know?
He was the oldest serving president in the world at the time of his election in 1991.
He lost an eye in a car bomb assassination attempt in 1995 but returned to work within weeks.
Before politics, he worked as a lawyer in Skopje.
He was instrumental in the design of Macedonia's national flag, the Sun of Vergina.
“We have no other country but Macedonia.”
