How exactly did it come to be that the Jews of Bulgaria were saved?
According to A Guide to Jewish Bulgaria, the mainstream theory promoted by the Communist government after the war was that the Communist Party and media played the decisive role in “preparing the general public for the protests against the Jews’ disenfranchisement and planned deportation.”
The book
states that “at the present time, most Bulgarian politicians and statement try
to avoid the controversies by claiming that the Bulgarian Jews were saved as a
result of the efforts of ‘the whole nation.’”
Certainly
all elements of the nation played a role. King Boris III, who sided with the
Germans primarily in efforts to regain Bulgarian territories, refused to hand
over his country’s Jews just as he resisted the German demand that he launch a
military campaign against the Soviet Union. The Bulgarian Orthodox church took
a stand on behalf of its Jewish neighbors and Bulgarian politicians stood up
bravely to oppose the pro-German ministers who sought to appease the Nazis’
demands to deport the Jews.
In the book
Beyond Hitler’s Grasp, Michael Bar-Zohar details the rescue of Bulgaria’s Jews in
dramatic fashion, almost like a suspense thriller. In fact Bar Zohar, who was
born in Bulgaria and served in the Knesset between 1981 – 1992, has written
many spy novels and this true story comes across sounding almost like a work of
fiction.
Bar-Zohar
relates that in March 1943, camps had already been prepared for the country’s
Jews and empty freight trains awaited their mission to transport the Jews to
the east. At the last minute, a warning reached local politicians in the town
of Kyustendil and they set off as a small delegation to Sofia to confront the Interior
Minister and protest the plan. The deportation was delayed, but the rescue of
Bulgaria’s Jews was not yet ensured.
Bar-Zohar
explains that for most Bulgarians, the Jews were just like everyone else in the
country. The Germans, who came to promote their Final Solution, discovered that
in Bulgaria there was no problem that needed solving. In his book, written in
1998, Bar-Zohar points out the unique rescue of Bulgaria’s Jews, the largest
and most dramatic rescue during World War II, is a story that is almost
completely unknown.
In the years
after the war, most of Bulgaria’s Jewish community made aliyah and moved to
Israel. Today there are some 6,000 Jews living in Bulgaria. Bulgaria and Israel
share a special relationship and Israelis of Bulgarian extract regularly visit
their former homeland.
Two years of
living in Bulgaria proved to me that the country remains remarkably free of anti-Semitism.
At no time did I hesitate telling Bulgarians that I was Jewish, or that I came
from Israel. The replies I heard were ones of welcome.
I was proud
to live, even for a short time, in a country that refused to turn its Jews over
to the Nazis. The heroism of Bulgaria’s citizens deserves to be shared with the
world.
For further reading: What Happened to Macedonia's Jews during the Holocaust?
Picture: Sofia Synagogue
For further reading: What Happened to Macedonia's Jews during the Holocaust?
Picture: Sofia Synagogue
I had no idea Bulgaria was able to save its Jewish population. Thanks for sharing this, Ellis.
ReplyDeleteNot many are aware of this amazing true story.
ReplyDeleteMr Shuman: I am now reading -- and enjoying -- "The Virtual Kibbutz," and found -- and enjoyed -- your blog as a result of googling you. This evening, I read your blogpost on the Jews of Bulgaria.
ReplyDeletePerhaps you are already aware of Tzvetan Todorov's book "The Fragility of Goodness: Why Bulgaria's Jews Survived the Holocaust." The author traces the chain of fortuitous events that led to the survival of the contry's Jewish population. He finds not so many heroes, and posits that the happy outcome could have been very different if one or more circumstances been different (e.g., a less wily king, or a differently comprised church leadership).
Thanks for alerting me to that book! I agree with the author's summary of how easily the outcome could have been very different.
ReplyDeleteSo interesting. I, as, well, didn't know that about Bulgaria. Great article.
ReplyDeleteIt's incredible that this happened. It's also incredible that I never learned about this in school. What amazes me is the fact that Bulgarians agreed collectively that this was the right choice. What kept the Nazi's from enforcing their edict?
ReplyDeleteAn amazing and encouraging story. Thank you for sharing this with us!
ReplyDeleteThis is really fascinating, and inspiring. Now I'm interested to read the book!
ReplyDeleteI visited Sofia in April 1970 as a student and met with the head of the Jewish Community at that time. He told me of the story that you relate of the saving of Bulgaria's native Jewish population, but also told me that Jewish refugees without Bulgarian citizenship were turned over to the Nazis.
ReplyDeleteI would like to recommend the book The Man Who Stopped Hitler by Gabriele Nissim to those who are interested in additional information. The book focuses on Dimitar Peshev who was the driving force behind the successful rescue of the Bulgarian Jews.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, also the Jews in Albania, most of them refugees, were saved. Not as a result of governmental policy, but as a result of the besa, the traditional word of honor and hospitality of the Albanians. Hundreds of Albanians (mostly Muslims) were hiding Jews in their homes during the war, at an incredible risk for themselves and their families.
It is one of the fantastic act in the history of humanity. Hats of to Bulgarian citizens. Very few people in the world know about it. Thanks to Ellis.
ReplyDelete