THE RESCUE OF THE BULGARIAN JEWS
Bulgaria is one of the few European countries that managed to rescue the Jewish people, living on our land, from deportation to Nazi concentration camps.
THE HISTORY
In 1943, the madness of World War II continued to cause destruction around Europe. Concentration camps, among which were Auschwitz, Majdanek and Treblinka, were a death sentence to anyone, who was sent there.
Precisely, Treblinka was where the Bulgarian Jews were supposed to be deported to. The train was supposed to be composed in Plovdiv.
With the unprecedented support of the spiritual, intellectual and political elite, Tsar Boris III does not allow the Bulgarian Jews to be sent to their certain death. In defense of the Bulgarian Jews were 43 members of Parliament, led by the Chairman of the Assembly – Dimitar Peshev, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, intellectuals, writers, artists and common citizens. They publicly submit their protest letter to the Prime Minister:
“The Bulgarian honor, and the one of our people, is not just a matter of emotion. It is, above all, an element of our politics.”
On March 9th, 1943 the order of deportation of the Jews was revoked and on March 10th, part of the detained Jews were released.
THAT IS HOW THE DEPORTATION OF NEARLY 50 000 PEOPLE TO CONCENTRATION CAMPS IN GERMANY, WAS SUSPENDED
Actually, Bulgaria saves from persecution not only Jewish people who were Bulgarian citizens, but also thousands of Jewish subjects of foreign countries, using diplomatic representatives abroad, with the help of the International Committee of the Red Cross and others. That also explains why Bulgaria is the only country in Europe during World War II that has a larger population of Jews after the war, compared to before.
The rescue of Bulgarian Jews is a one of a kind act with which an entire nation stands up to the antisemitic politics of the times.
DID YOU KNOW THAT…
- Nearly 6 million Jews became victims of the systematic Nazi persecution/
- Governments and experts from different countries, among which is Bulgaria, are united in the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. To this day, the network of IHRA spreads over 40 countries, along with key international partner organizations, representatives of leading global institutions.
FILMS TO WATCH ABOUT THE HOLOCAUST:
- “Schindler’s List”
- “The Pianist”
- “Harry Haft”
- “Sophie’s Choice”
- “The Boy In The Striped Pajamas”
