World_War_II_and_after History_of_Bulgaria_(1878–1946)

under filov s government bulgaria drifted world war ii, faced invasion , bribed return of southern dobruja romania, on orders of hitler (see second vienna award), in september 1940. in march 1941 bulgaria formally signed tripartite pact, becoming german ally, , german troops entered country in preparation german invasion of greece , yugoslavia. when yugoslavia , greece defeated, bulgaria allowed occupy of greek thrace , of macedonia. bulgaria declared war on britain , united states, resisted german pressure declare war on soviet union, fearful of pro-russian sentiment in country.

in august 1943 tsar boris died after returning germany (possibly assassinated, although has never been proved) , succeeded six-year-old son simeon ii. power held council of regents headed young tsar s uncle, prince kirill. new prime minister, dobri bozhilov, in respects german puppet.

resistance germans , bulgarian regime widespread 1943, co-ordinated communists. agrarians, led nikola petkov, social democrats , many army officers founded fatherland front. partisans operated in mountainous west , south. 1944 obvious germany losing war , regime began way out. bozhilov resigned in may, , successor ivan ivanov bagryanov tried arrange negotiations western allies.

meanwhile, capital sofia bombed allied aircraft in late 1943 , 1944, raids on other major cities following later.

the communist coup

but soviet army rapidly advancing towards bulgaria. in august bulgaria unilaterally announced withdrawal war , asked german troops leave: bulgarian troops hastily withdrawn greece , yugoslavia. in september soviets crossed northern border. government, in desperate attempt @ avoiding soviet occupation, declared war on germany, soviets not put off, , on september 8 declared war on bulgaria – found few days @ war both germany , soviet union. on september 16, soviet army entered sofia.

the fatherland front took office in sofia following coup d état, setting broad coalition under former ruler kimon georgiev , including social democrats , agrarians. under terms of peace settlement, bulgaria allowed keep southern dobruja, formally renounced claims greek , yugoslav territory. prevent further disputes 150,000 bulgarians expelled greek thrace. communists deliberately took minor role in new government @ first, soviet representatives real power in country. communist-controlled people s militia set up, harassed , intimidated non-communist parties.

in february 1945 new realities of power in bulgaria shown when prince kirill , hundreds of other officials of old regime arrested on charges of war crimes. june kirill , other regents, 22 former ministers , many others had been executed. in september 1946 monarchy abolished plebiscite, , young tsar simeon sent exile. communists openly took power, vasil kolarov becoming president , dimitrov becoming prime minister. free elections promised 1946 boycotted opposition, , in november, 1945 fatherland front won in single-party election. agrarians refused co-operate new regime, , in june 1947 leader nikola petkov arrested. despite strong international protests executed in september. marked final establishment of communist regime in bulgaria.

the holocaust

despite series of anti-jewish legislation starting in 1940 (e.g. jews excluded public service, banned areas, restricted economically, , not allowed intermarry; see law protection of nation), bulgaria country besides albania, denmark , finland resist deportation of jewish population. plans made deport jews in 1943, , 20,000 expelled sofia, protests (initiated dimitar peshev) political , clerical leaders stopped further cooperation, saving of 50,000 jews in country. however, in march 1943 12,000 jews in thrace , macedonia, both of administered bulgarian government on behalf of nazis, deported auschwitz , treblinka, murdered. see also: bulgarian jews during world war ii.