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Title: Bulgaria Reawakens
Date: 1990, May
Language: en
Topics: Bulgaria, anarchist movement,
Source: Scanned from Black Flag (U.K.), May, 1990

Bulgaria Reawakens

Bulgaria had a strong anarchist tradition prior to the movement being

smashed and driven underground or into exile after Bulgaria was

consigned to the Stalinist sphere of influence in the post-1945 carve-up

of Europe.

The national revolutionary movement that developed around 1870 was to

free the Bulgarians from five centuries of Turkish domination (1393

through 1877) was heavily influenced by the Russian revolutionaries of

the time. including the anarchist Mikhail Bakunin. Cristo Botev, the

Bulgarian national hero who died fighting for Bulgarian independence in

the mountains, was a disciple of Proudhon and Bakunin.

After national independence anarchism remained a force in Bulgarian

society. The movement's historic paper Rabotnicheska Missal was founded

before the First World War. Bulgaria entered WWI allied to Germany and

Austro-Hungary. Popular discontent with the war and the news of the

Russian Revolution led the masses to revolt. Frontline troops deserted

en masse and marched to Sofia, forcing the king to abdicate. The

Agrarian Party came to power, under Stambuliyski.

In 1919 the influential but disorganised anarchist movement took a step

forward by founding the Bulgarian Anarchist-Communist Federation (BCF).

From being a movement of small groups and closed circles, the

anarchist-inspired revolutionary movement developed into a mass movement

second only to the Communists (who had the support of the Bolshevik

Government in Russia) in terms of influence amongst peasants and

workers. The ruling class was frightened by the revolutionary

atmosphere.

The Stambulyiski government began to persecute the leftists, workers

halls were attacked and militants assassinated. Behind the scenes a

right wing military coup was being prepared. The anarchists could see

what was coming and called for the people to be armed. But the Communist

Party had been won over to electoral opportunism and did nothing, while

the Agrarian Party didn't take the idea of a military coup seriously and

continued to attack the anarchists and Communist Party.

The anarchists formed combat groups which resisted the fascist coup

d'etat in 1923. Later, the Communist Party also realised a stand must be

made, but by now it was too late. The fascist coup was successful and

the country plunged into a long night of repression. torture and

assassination. Some partisan units continued to operate in the

mountains, formed by anarchists.

In 1931 elections were held and a bourgeois democracy ushered in. Things

became slightly easier for anarchist propaganda, though still difficult.

The movement grew again. As well as the BACF there was a burgeoning

syndicalist movement. But in 1934 the military staged another coup, and

the clampdown returned.

During the Second World War the country was occupied by the Germans.

Partisan resistance groups formed once again, with the anarchists to the

fore. Acting independently or in co-operation with the Communists, they

came immediately after the Communists in number of combatants. Bulgaria

was liberated from the Nazis in 1944.

Following the liberation, local and factory committees took over

administration. In the streets the victorious people openly displayed

its revolutionary will. The union movement reorganised. But as the

Russian Army occupied the country, the Communist Party began to take

over, in alliance with some very dubious friends who had been involved

in the 1934 military coup (the 'Fatherland Front').

At first the anarchist halls had been reopened, free unions were

allowed, and Rabotnischekska Missal reappeared. But as the Communists

strengthened their position in the government, the anarchist locals were

closed down and militants arrested. Many anarchists perished in the

labour camps or endured many years of imprisonment. The Bulgarian

syndicalist union (CNT) for many years continued a precarious existence

as a small exile group.

In November 1989, as neo-stalinist regimes crumbled across central

Europe, a plenum of the Communist Party ditched its leader, Zhivkov, in

a desperate effort to stay ahead. But strikes and demonstrations

continued. A free union was set up, and in December an opposition

demonstration of 100,000 took place in Sofia. The bureaucrats have

attempted to stir up anti-Turkish sentiment to deflect the popular

discontent.

And the anarchists have re-emerged in Bulgaria from over forty years of

repression, clandestinity and exile. BACF militants have spoken at many

meetings, and the paper has recommenced publication.

— Translated by DM

Additional historical footnote: A part of the exiled Bulgarian movement

took ship to Australia, and its militants have helped in the building of

the movement there, also preserving the records of the movement for the

younger generation now arising back home. Also, of several militants who

had fought in Spain, two Macedonians—threatened in France with

deportation to their native country where they were wanted on charges of

guerrilla activity—made their way to Mexico on British passports (who

says only the monarch has the right to grant nationality?) and carrying

on with the struggle there, finally got deported to the UK! We know they

returned to Bulgaria. If still alive and reading this, we would love to

hear from them again.