Thrace And Macedonia Bulgaria Today Thanks To Scandinavia is an educational in- Beginning in March 1943, 11,343 Jews In central Sofia, within a few hundred me- stitution that commemorates the rescue of from Macedonia and Thrace, territories ters of one another, three places of worship Jews in Scandinavia and other European then under Bulgarian control, were de- of different religions are located: the metro- countries during World War II. Thanks To ported to the death camps of Treblinka politan Bulgarian church “Sveta Nedelya,” Scandinavia awards scholarships to young and Majdanek. King Boris did not act to the central Jewish synagogue, and the Turk- people from these countries in lasting grati- prevent the deportation; while Jews liv- ish mosque “Bania Bashi.” They symbolize tude and in an effort to build new bridges of ing in Bulgaria proper were saved, the equality and sacred tolerance. friendship. Thanks To Scandinavia has king was complicit with the Nazis in granted over 3,000 scholarships to teachers Will the power of this symbol be enough to murdering the Jews of other lands. and students for study in the United States, preserve for ages to come tolerance and re- Israel, and within Europe and helped to pro- The true story of how almost 50,000 The extent to which the deportations spect for human dignity as integral parts of mote understanding of this history of rescue occurred as a result of German pres- the national self-consciousness of all Bul- and its enduring message about courage Jews were saved during World War II sure, which some argue was harder to garians? And can others learn from the Bul- and human dignity. refuse in dealing with non-Bulgarian garian example? because of the efforts of the Bulgarian citizens, is debated today. “Courage and humanity are enduring mes- The World sages that our generation and every genera- people and their church. Joseph Kiosso, president of the Union There are lessons from this period in history tion to come must hold dear.” of Jewish Bulgarians in Israel, ac- that are relevant to political and social is- —Richard Netter, founder of Thanks To knowledges the problem: “For us, King sues today as well. Scandinavia Jews in Bulgaria Boris is a hero who saved our families. For our Macedonian brothers, he is a How do leaders of countries help to shape the role and attitudes of their countrymen murderer.” For more information contact During World War II and women (for good or evil)? Laurie Netter Sprayregen, President What role can institutions (religious organi- Rebecca Neuwirth, Executive Director zations, schools, etc.) play in influencing Thanks To Scandinavia A little-known history people? 165 East 56th Street New York, NY 10022 What role can individuals (teachers, men- Tel (212) 891-1403 Fax (212) 891-1415 tors, celebrities, etc.) play in influencing so- [email protected] www.ThanksToScandinavia.org cieties? Ourselves Thanks To Scandinavia is an institute of AJC Beyond Hitler’s Grasp Beyond Hitler’s We can also engage in personal reflections (www.ajc.org). about what this story says about the poten- Credit: US Holocaust Memorial Museum tial of individuals. The deportation of the Jews from Thrace and How is it that some people will disobey or- Macedonia ders that they believe to be immoral, while Questions This brochure is based on research from others go along unquestioningly? Michael Bar-Zohar’s Beyond Hitler’s Grasp What values or qualities does a person need (Holbrook, MA: 1998). Additional sources in- author, Credit: Michael Bar-Zohar, clude Frederick B. Chary’s The Bulgarian to possess in order to do the right thing Bulgarian Jewish woman, wearing the yellow Star of David, second to the right, with her non-Jewish friends in a Bulgarian village. Jews and the Final Solution 1940-1944 (Pitts- under difficult or even dangerous circum- burgh, PA: 1972) and Angel Wagenstein, “Collective Memory: the Bulgarian Case,” in stances? History and Memory. Bulgaria: Facing the What does it mean to be a hero? Is heroism Holocaust (London: 1972). Thanks to Nir Thanks To Scandinavia Baruch for his input. something that only exists in dire situations, An institute of AJC or can we incorporate heroism into our daily Brochure created by Galya Galabova; with lives? additional research by Aron Di Castro. Are there ways that we can, or do, help those who are suffering or in need in our own lives? Bulgaria: How Church and People Said “No” to Hitler 19391945 Bulgaria Soon after, the Wehrmacht launched headquarters about the difficulty of de- Hitler and his Nazi party came As a result of peace treaties ending two lightning offensives: one against porting the Jews from Bulgaria. A mem- Greece and the other against Yu- ber, Volf Oshlis, concluded: “Bulgarian to power in Germany in 1933 World War I – the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Neuilly—Bulgaria, goslavia. Both countries collapsed. Six people are democratic and practice re- and remained until 1945—only which had fought on the losing side, weeks later, the Germans invited the ligious tolerance. Bulgaria is a country lost three important territories to neigh- Bulgarian army to occupy Macedonia without anti-Semitism and respects the twelve years in total. And yet, boring countries: the northern plain of and Thrace. Hitler needed all his troops achievements of other people.” by the end of Hitler’s regime, Dobrudja to Romania, Macedonia to Yu- for the invasion of the Soviet Union, In 1943, the Bulgarian government took goslavia, and Thrace to Greece. The launched on June 22, 1941. Administra- further steps to crack down on the the world had been plunged Bulgarians considered these treaties an tion of these territories was handed Jews. Interior Minister Gabrovski and insult and wanted the lands restored. over to the Bulgarian authorities, and Theodor Dannecker, the Third Reich’s into global world war, Europe Jews suffered a murderous fate, very Germany also contested these peace special adviser on Jewish affairs, different from in Bulgaria proper. was in shambles, and nearly treaties. When Adolf Hitler rose to signed a secret agreement to deport In 1942, after the Wannsee Conference 20,000 Jews to German territories. The 30 million people had died. power, he tried to win Bulgarian King Boris III’s allegiance. In the summer of in Berlin, measures against the Jews pact called for sending 11,000 Jews Credit: US Holocaust Memorial Museum from Thrace and Macedonia and anoth- Among the dead were six mil- 1940, after a year of Nazi-instigated worsened considerably. Jewish proper- the Reich, he refused to deport the In northern Bulgaria, farmers threat- er 8,000 from Bulgaria’s old borders. war, Hitler hosted diplomatic talks be- ty was seized and anti-Jewish propa- Jews. Four hours before the deadline, ened to lie down on the railway tracks lion Jews—men, women, and The remaining Bulgarian Jews were to tween Bulgaria and Romania in Vienna. ganda increased. A Commissariat for the order was cancelled. to prevent passage of the trains. Elin be deported later. On September 7, an agreement was the Jewish Problem in Bulgaria was es- Pelin, the president of the Bulgarian children—who were systemat- The Outcry signed for the return of Dobrudja to Bul- tablished. The anti-Jewish campaign Deportions Halted Writers Association, wrote: “The con- ically slaughtered because of drew the opposition of many peasants, Knowing that the Commissariat for the garia. The Bulgarian nation rejoiced. The initial roundups were to begin on science of the Bulgarian people hangs city dwellers, intellectuals, and the Or- Jewish Question would be furious, Pe- the Nazis’ racist ideology. The Threat March 9, 1943. In Kyustendil, a town on in the balance. The stain cast on our thodox Church. shev moved to prevent any future sur- the western border, the boxcars were fellow citizens by the expulsion of our There was, however, a price to be paid prises. He had 42 members of parlia- In November 1942, Adolf Beckerle, the lined up. But as the news about the im- Jewish neighbors will not be erased for Jews first arrived in Bulgaria for the return of Dobrudja. This was the ment sign a letter protesting the depor- German ambassador to Bulgaria, re- minent deportations leaked, protests generations to come.” adoption of the anti-Jewish “Law for tation plan and sent it to Prime Minister in 70 A.D. The community, ported: “Partly raised with Greeks, Ar- began throughout Bulgaria. The Holocaust the Protection of the Nation” in late De- Filov. Similar letters came from groups Nazi pressure on King Boris continued. menians, Turks, and Gypsies, the aver- which expanded again in the cember 1940. Bulgarian Prime Minister In the morning of March 9, a delegation of writers, lawyers, physicians, and At the end of March, Hitler invited the age Bulgarian does not understand the Bogdan Filov and Interior Minister Peter from Kyustendil, comprised of eminent army officers. king to visit him. Upon returning home, fourteenth century with Jews meaning of the struggle against the Gabrovski, both Nazi sympathizers, public figures and headed by Dimitar King Boris ordered able-bodied Jewish Jews, the more so as the racial ques- Orthodox Church leaders in Sofia and were the architects of this law, which Peshev, the deputy speaker of the Na- men to join hard labor units to build seeking refuge from Spain, tion is totally foreign to him.” Plovdiv also spoke out. Bishop Stephan, restricted Jewish rights, imposed new tional Assembly, met with Interior Min- roads. Some claim he did so as an ex- the head of the Sofian church and the lived in peace until the start taxes, and established a quota for Jews On April 5, 1943, the German legation in ister Gabrovski.