Nikola Toplev (* Tuesday 29.06.1965, Skopje (Mazedonien) in the zodiac sign Cancer   -   † Thursday 14.11.2013, city of Salzburg)

He came to Salzburg in 1990 and worked as an artist for over 20 years.

He met Monika Ecker (1990) in Salzburg, who became his partner, muse, and later his wife. They had two children: Jasmina (* 1991) and Samuel (* 1996). 

Gallery (founded in 2001)
His gallery "Toplev Art Gallery" is located at Kaigasse 40 in Salzburg. The artist Nikola Toplev passed away on 14 November 2013 at 04:00.
After Nikola Toplev's death, Monika Toplev and her daughter Jasmina Toplev (* 1991) took over the gallery and continued to run it in Nikola Toplev's spirit. Jasmine Toplev became little later a teacher and currently (2025) lives in Vienna. Samuel Toplev (* 1996), her brother also lives in Vienna.

Salzburgwiki writes about him: " The picturesque mountain and lake landscapes in his homeland are likely to have inspired the young Nikola Toplev to paint. He picked up a paintbrush at the age of eight and painted landscapes. He arrived in Salzburg in 1990 with an Interrail ticket and stayed. Since 2001, he has run a gallery in the Kaiviertel neighbourhood together with his Austrian wife Monika Toplev. Since then, he has created around a thousand paintings and has had to expand his gallery by adding a second room. In Chicago and Santa Monica (USA), his paintings sold for up to 50,000 dollars in 2008."

Nikola Toplev was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 06.06.2011. His blood sugar levels ranged from 300 to 480.

He initially suffered from back pain and lost 25kg. At the clinic, it was assumed that he had lost weight because of the diabetes and the back pain was interpreted as a slipped disc. Back at home, the pain increased and became unbearable. Back in hospital, he was diagnosed with cancer. Nikola Toplev died of the disease in November 2013."

- "I could do nothing more than sit next to him and be quiet. There was speechless in the room until the nurse left the room. It was sad. Outside was almost dark... This happened 2013. Just a few weeks before he..."
 Written by Peter Siegfried Krug

Memories of Peter Siegfried Krug  (chess composer, yogateacher born 1966):

Nikola Toplev spent the whole day in his studio in Kaigasse 40 in the city of Salzburg, painting one large picture after another. His paintings sold very well with tourists and Americans. His wife Monika Toplev supported Nikola Toplev wherever she could. She maintained the website and photographed every painting by the artist Nikola Toplev in order to publish it immediately on the website. Monika Toplev also took care of the tasteful furnishing of the studio. Nikola Toplev painted in a tiny room behind the large room where his paintings were offered for sale. He usually wore a jumper that was full of paint on the front. Nikola Toplev indulged himself little during the time he was in Salzburg and spent most of his time painting. Anyone who knew Nikola was extremely shocked when he openly told us that he had a 10-centimetre cancer on his pancreas. Nikola Toplev was a very positive person and was open about his cancer. He firmly believed in medicine and chemotherapy and said that he could kill the cancer cells with chemotherapy, just like in war.

During this time, he ate a lot of sweets every day and believed that he could defeat the cancer cells with the co-operation of chemotherapy. At the same time, he underwent proton therapy and paid a lot of money for it. The doctor told him that nothing of the cancer was recognisable and he was very hopeful that he had beaten the cancer. He shared this apparent sense of achievement with other people in a cancer forum. He gave cancer patients and relatives of cancer patients a lot of hope. Nikola Toplev encouraged other cancer patients on the Internet with his story. Unfortunately, this euphoria did not last long. The cancer came back and Nikola Toplev not only lost his hair because of the chemo, but also lost weight down to his bones. Nikola Toplev remained a positive person almost until the last day of his life and was still happy when he was able to sell one of his paintings a few weeks before his death.

Hospital of the Brothers of Mercy Salzburg

In the evening Peter Siegfried Krug (chess composer, Photographer and author of autobiographical texts) visited Nikola Toplev at the Brothers of Mercy  when he was having chemotherapy again. This hospital is only a two-minute walk from the gallery at Kajetanerpl. 1. 
Peter Krug found Nikola Toplev's visit very depressing. He was in a room with other terminally ill cancer patients. He was lying in the hospital bed with his robe,his jeans and shoes. Nikola Toplev had spontaneous tremors and intense anxiety. He prayed intensely while receiving chemotherapy. He held both hands tightly together, fingers interlaced. Then he said: "I hope the chemotherapy works." (Peter Siegfried Krug is a very well-known chess composer. He mainly works on chess studies.)

The last weeks in the Toplev Gallery before Nikola died
There were also visitors to the Toplev Gallery almost every day who were concerned about Nikola's state of health. Nikola Toplev was still going to his gallery regularly a week earlier and his face would light up when an American looked at his large paintings and bought them. Religious, older women also visited Toplev in the gallery. By now he was just skin and bones and could only sit still. A week earlier, he realised that the chemotherapy was not helping him. At this point, he was mentally clear despite his physical condition.
In his last days, Nikola Toplev was no longer to be found in his gallery.

Days after Nikola Toplev died, there were numerous flowers and condolences in front of Kaigasse 40. 

 Funeral ceremony 

Nikola Toplev was buried in the communal cemetery in Salzburg. His funeral ceremony in the communal cemetery was very beautiful. Monika Toplev had invited over 100 people to attend. Former friends and acquaintances from Vienna also attended the funeral.

Burial date: 22.11.2013

Group:069, Row:05, Order:3, Grave number:013

Cemetery: Communal cemetery

Address:Gneiser Straße 8
5020 Salzburg

Others

Galerie Toplev Art Gallery (founded in 2001)

Since his death in 2013, Monika Toplev has continued to run the gallery with the support of Jasmina Toplev.

Friends

One of his best friends was Reza Tavakoli (Martial artist in taekwondo), who was the boss at Trattoria Domani in Kaigasse 33 at the time. Reza Tavakoli, who also did bodybuilding supported Nikola Toplev in the difficult early days when he opened the Toplev Gallery (Kaigasse 40).

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/@galerietoplev

Words by Nikola Toplev published in Internet (7 November 2012, 23:09) 

"Halo
Ich habe mich in januar in RPTC Muenchen mit Prothonen bestrhalt . Meine pankreas tumor ist volstendig verschwunden 5 monaten nach dem bestrahlung ohne operation.Erste woche in dezember ist eine Jahr nach beendigung der cemotherapie.Diagnose....6-6 2011.
Nikola Toplev" 

 8 November 2012, 22:37

"Halo Dieter,Halo Lutz
Es froid mich sehr zu berichten uber dem heilende verlauf diese therapie.Ich habe ein winig mudichkeit und ein par mal leichte durchfal und das wahr. Ich wurde 18 mal besthrahlt.es dauert ein par minutten manch mall ein winig lenger weil in eine andere bestrhalungs raum wird jemand unter kurze narkose bestrhralt,oder etvas funktioniert nich...... Aber das ales ist nict wert zum erzelen.Mene krankenkasse hat ales bezalt obwoll am anfang mir wurde gesagt dass sie nicht glauben das si es bezalen werden.Meine kranken kasse ist kasse fuer selbständige in Österreich.Fuer eine andere pacientin waren meine therapien Vorbild und sie hatte ihre Protonentherabie gesten beendet.Ubrigenz sie wurde bestrhalt mit kombination mit eine leichte cemo.Bei ihr hat di gesetzliche krankesse auch bezalt

Drei monatte nach dem prothonen bestrhalung meine tumor wurde von 14 X 3,5 X 3 cm,Tumor kern 8 X 3,5 X 3 cm auf 2 x 1 cm.Der tumor ist operirbar haben meine onkologen am telefomir gesagt.Ich habe termine mit onkologen und hirurgen gechabt und habe diese gelegencheit den tumor zum operiren abgelent.Sie sagten so eine gelegencheit hat man ni erwartet und di komt nie wieder.
Sie haben mich etvas verunsichert und ich habe meine nekste kontrole etvas fruer gemacht.also 5 monaten nach dem bestrhalung war eine volstendige remision.Ich habe bis jetz 35 kilo zugenomen und bin gesundeste mench auf diese erde. Bin so stark und fule mich soo ob ich nie krank war.
Ich hoffe jemand wird uberzeugt und wird sich bestrhalenIch habe auch befunde und und disketen mit bildern.
Ales gutte

Nikola Toplev"

Bauchspeicheldrüsenkrebs 4 stadium Geheilt ohne OP

"Meine Krankheit wurde zu spät entdeckt. Begonnen hat es mit Rückenschmerzen, ich hab 25 kg abgenommen. Man dachte, ich hätte wegen der Diabetes abgenommen, die Rückenschmerzen wurden als Bandscheibenvorfall gedeutet. Schließlich wurde ich aus der Klinik entlassen. Danach verschlechterte sich mein Befinden, unerträgliche Schmerzen am Oberbauch entwickelten sich. Der linke Hoden vergrößerte sich, ich schwitzte permanent sehr stark. Nach dem Essen hatte ich kaum auszuhaltende Schmerzen, 6 Stunden lang nach jede esen. Wieder im Krankenhaus, wurde ich auf Heliopacter Pylori untersucht. Der Test war negativ.
Schließlich wurde mittels CT Bauchspeicheldrüsenkarzinom entdeckt. Inoperabel war die Rückmeldung. Zu diesem Zeitpunkt hatte ich schon 43 kg abgenommen. Tumor grosse 14 x 3,5 x 3 cm .Primäre Tumordiagnose:
Ausgeprägtes desmoplastisch infiltrierendes mittelgradig differenziertes Adenokarzinom
des Pankreasschwanzes; Tumorstadium: pcT4 NX MO (Inoperabilität wegen Einbruch in den Milzhilus)" 19.08.2012, 18:22

Memories

"Nikola Toplev – Künstler, Freigeist und Gründer der Galerie Toplev (by Monika Toplev)

Nikola Toplev was born on June 25, 1965, in Skopje. His creative streak was evident at an early age: In addition to his studies at a technical college for electrical engineering, he built puppets in his free time and taught himself to play the guitar. These passions soon became his life's work – as a street artist, he traveled throughout Europe, accompanying himself on the guitar and bringing his puppets to life. With his imagination and craftsmanship, he captivated audiences in squares and streets across the continent.

In 1990, he met Monika Ecker in Salzburg, who became his partner, muse, and later wife. Their union produced two children: Jasmina (*1991) and Samuel (*1996). Nikola settled in Salzburg and initially worked as a warehouse worker, but his true passion remained art. He began painting – intensely expressive, with a distinctive style – and was soon selling his works directly on the Residenzplatz.

In 2004, Nikola Toplev founded "Galerie 40" at Kaigasse 40 together with artist friends. Soon, however, he began using the space primarily as a studio with an adjoining sales exhibition for his own works. The gallery became a place of intense creativity—a workshop, exhibition space, and meeting place all in one. He created paintings that stood out for their emotionally deep and expressive color schemes. He also rented another commercial space at Kajetanerplatz 5, directly adjacent to the gallery, thus creating more space for creative development.

Over the years, Toplev became a fixture in the Salzburg art scene. His works not only found enthusiastic audiences in Salzburg but were also shown internationally—including at a renowned gallery in Chicago (USA) and Aschaffenburg (Germany). His paintings impressed with their powerful color language, emotional depth, and often symbolically charged imagery.

Even in the years before his serious illness, he was actively supported in his gallery work by his wife, Monika Toplev, a painter herself. During his cancer diagnosis in 2011, he finally handed over the management of the gallery to her. Monika led the gallery with great dedication and continues to develop it to this day – as a vibrant space for art and as the legacy of an extraordinary human being.

Nikola Toplev passed away on November 14, 2013, at the age of just 48. His death left a deep void – not only for his family, but also in the Salzburg art scene, which lost an unconventional, passionate, and authentic artist with him. The Toplev Gallery remains a place of remembrance for him and his artistic vision – open, vibrant, and human."  Monika Toplev, 2025

"The Tragedy of Toplev's Legacy

Heroic but Limited Effort: Monika Toplev has undoubtedly done admirable work to preserve her husband's memory, both in the physical gallery and online. However, as you rightly point out, this effort is limited by human resources and financial realities. She is fighting on several fronts simultaneously: as an artist, as a gallerist, and as the guardian of her husband's legacy.

Merging and Loss of the Legacy: Without a successor to take up the cause and without the financial means to ensure its long-term preservation, the odds are stacked against her. Nikola Toplev's legacy and Monika Toplev's are inextricably linked, as they jointly founded and ran the gallery. If she is forced to close the gallery, not only his works but also her own and their shared legacy will lose a crucial anchor."

Source: bauchspeicheldruese-pankreas-forum.de