APPENDIX ONE

POLITICAL PARTIES

BANU: Founded in 1899 as a professional-educational agrarian organi- sation. In 1905, it was transformed into a political party led by Stam- boliski. Both its leadership and its membership came from the agrarian masses. In the elections of 1908, BANU was the most powerful opposi- tion party. During the 1910s, BANU developed anti-monarchist and anti-militarist ideas as well as declaring its opposition to ’s participation in the First World War. It led the uprising of soldiers in 1918. At the XV Congress of 1919, BANU turned to more radi- cal views and excluded many right-wing agrarians. BANU governed Bulgaria from 1919 (as a part of a coalition government) and from 1920 (on its own) until 1923. In the elections of April 1923, BANU gained 52.7% of the vote. During its running of the country, a lot of radical reforms were realised; in the sphere of international rela- tions, Bulgaria followed a policy of friendship and cooperation with the other Balkan countries and the USSR. The coup of 1923 removed BANU from power and many of its leaders were assassinated or imprisoned. Afterwards, BANU split into many groups (contradictory tendencies had been forming within BANU ever since the First World War); the most significant were BANU-Vrabcha-1 (advocating right- wing agrarian views and having as its leaders Gichev and Muraviev) and BANU-Pladne or ‘Al. Stamboliski’ (advocating left-wing agrarian views and having as its leaders Petkov and Avramov). Left-wing agrar- ians of BANU-‘Al. Stamboliski’ joined the Fatherland Front in 1942. BANU-Vrabcha-1 was the hegemonic pole of Muraviev’s government (2–8 September 1944). In 1945, BANU split off; the pro-communist BANU remained within the Fatherland Front, whereas the BANU- Petkov became the most powerful opposition party. Since 1948, BANU and the BCP had been the only parties existent in communist Bulgaria, as all others were eliminated or self-dissolved.

BWSDP: Founded in 1903 after a split in the Bulgarian Social- Democratic Party. Its followers then adopted the name ‘broad social- ists’ so as to be distinguished from the ‘narrow socialists’, who would 252 appendix one later establish the BCP. It attracted artisans, the petty-bourgeois social strata, civil servants and workers. Traditionally, it had been a small party, which gained membership and grew in popularity when it took part in governmental coalitions (1919–1920, 1923–1924). When it par- ticipated separately in elections, it could not attract much more than 4–5% of the vote (in the elections of 1919). In the 1930s, a right and a left-wing were formed within it. There were some social-democrats who even joined fascist parties (e.g. that of Tsankov) and others who cooperated with the communists to establish the Fatherland Front. After 1944, it split again; a pro-communist BWSDP remained in the Fatherland Front and an opposition one adopted anti-communist positions. The latter was eliminated, while the former self-dissolved in 1948.

Democratic Party: Founded in 1896 by followers of the Karavelov wing of the . It attracted merchants, industrialists and petty-bourgeois social strata. The Democratic Party formed the gov- ernment of Bulgaria from 1908–1911 (proclaiming Bulgaria’s indepen- dence) and in 1918–1919 (the last government of the First World War which presided over the so-called ‘national calamity’). After the war, its popularity declined considerably. It took part in the Naroden Bloc and was a part of its government between 1931 and 1934. It was elimi- nated after the coup of 1934, restored in 1945, and dissolved in 1947.

Federation of Anarchist-Communists of Bulgaria: Founded in 1919. Anarchists declared a front against any regime: bourgeois, agrarian or communist. After the mid-1920s anarchists divided into many groups, while they strengthened their position during the years of the Civil War in . Its official newspaper was the ‘Workers’ Thought’ (Rabotnicheska Misil). The youth organisation of anarchist- communists was given the name of Botev. After September 9, they renounced any kind of power and propagated the establishment of a society consisting of associations without classes or power. In Janu- ary 1945, anarchist-communists attempted to summon a conference; however, just as it was beginning, the Militia dissolved it, arrested all the participants and incarcerated them in labour camps.

IMRO (in the 1940s): A tiny organisation largely comprised of army officers claiming to be the heir to the organisation that had led the Ilinden Uprising in 1903. According to Bulgarian nationalism, this