Zhivkov – energetic but unpleasant, Anton Yugov looks like a barber

Bulgaria through the eyes of British diplomats (1956-1963). They also make characteristics of Chervenkov, Pirin’s father, Patriarch Kiril Georgi Traikov

After the April plenum of the Central Committee of the Bulgarian Communist Party in 1956, it became clear that the communist regime in Bulgaria had finally won, and the country was firmly attached to the Russian cavalry troika.

At that time, the Foreign Office (British Foreign Office) was seriously discussing whether to close the legation in Sofia.

There are many votes “for” – why waste money, but still the arguments prevail that “the presence of a legation can maintain hope for independence among Bulgarians …”.

We offer you interesting facts and analyzes from the written reports of the first three plenipotentiary ministers, which they send from Sofia to the Foreign Office. These reports, as well as all the archives, were declassified years ago.

On June 27, 1956.

the term of office begins

of Richard Speight

A career diplomat who worked at the embassies of Budapest and Warsaw, he was also an assistant foreign minister. Two months after his arrival in Bulgaria, he sent a report with his first impressions.

“I notice that in terms of external signs, there is no contrast between Bulgaria and a free Central Europe. When arriving in Bulgaria, the traveler from the West does not feel that he has gone to another world. Towns and villages are no less battered than those in Yugoslavia and even Italy. ”

According to Speight, however, Bulgaria lags behind other Soviet satellites – it is still a “country of gray uniformity” and even the privileged classes have few of the material benefits already available to their counterparts in Poland, the Czech Republic and even Romania. This gives the British diplomat reason to claim that the Bulgarian communist regime “holds the reins tighter than other regimes behind the Iron Curtain.”

In his report to Foreign Minister Sluin Lloyd, the ambassador wrote that due to the strong influence and position of Valko Chervenkov, Bulgaria was slowly applying the lessons of the XX Congress of the CPSU in Moscow.

It was not until the plenum in April 1956 that Chervenkov was severely criticized for his dictatorial methods and cult of personality. He was replaced as prime minister, and Anton Yugov took office – “a colorless but steadfast follower of the party line.”

The ambassador’s attention does not escape the fact that in the center of Sofia there are many decorated Christmas trees, but stubbornly called New Year’s. In the shops, the bearded old man is sold as Santa Claus, who totally replaces Santa Claus. Religious Christmas cards, replaced by New Year’s greetings, are also disappearing …

From September 21 to 27, 1957, a session of the International Olympic Committee was held in Sofia – the first beyond the Iron Curtain. Ambassador Speite wrote in his report that since the Communists took power, there has been no such gathering of influential people from the non-communist world.

The experienced diplomat immediately reads the host code. There is no talk of the “great achievements of communism”, the emphasis is on the Bulgarian cultural and historical heritage. And the main trump card of the Bulgarians at this session is, of course, Gen. Vladimir Stoychev, chairman of BOC.

Since November 5, 1958

power of attorney

Minister

is Anthony Lambert

Also a career diplomat, he worked in the embassies in Brussels, Ankara, Beirut, Stockholm and others. On January 2, 1959, Lambert sent his first report to the Secretary of State, written in an elegant and humorous style.

The first and most lasting impression is summed up in the word “satellite”. Bulgaria, of course, is most closely connected with Russia in terms of blood, history and language – much more than any other country in the Soviet bloc, “Lambert wrote.

And he continues: “Bulgaria has its hands and feet tied by a huge economic and political apparatus. The picture he leaves with the outside observer resembles a helpless dog locked in a space probe, barking in the bezek wasteland … ”

The diplomat apparently refers to the launch by the Russians of spaceships with dogs in the 1950s. The most popular are Camomile, Squirrel and Arrow, but there are a dozen other four-legged astronauts, some of whom are dying.

In August 1959, the British Legation in Sofia informed London about the key leaders of the Bulgarian state and politics. This is how Anthony Lambert saw them.

1. Todor Zhivkov – a man with strong influence and energy, a possible successor to Yugov. He is said to have an unpleasant character and lack manners and manners. The Briton knows – at the plenum of the Central Committee of the Bulgarian Communist Party, held on the eve of the 8th Congress of the party, Anton Yugov was removed from all posts and Todor Zhivkov took his place.

2. Georgi Traikov – extremely obedient and disgusting servant of the communists. He speaks very vindictively against Petkov and Gichev at their trials.

(Nikola Petkov was the leader of the Bulgarian Agrarian Union and the united democratic opposition after 1944. In 1947 he was sentenced to death by hanging for his resistance to the imposition of the communist regime. Tortured and killed with a hammer, he was hanged dead.

Dimitar Gichev is one of the founders of the Bulgarian Agrarian Union and one of the leaders of the legal opposition, but he refuses to cooperate with the Communists. He was sentenced by the People’s Court to 1 year in prison, but later received a life sentence. Died in 1964)

3. Anton Yugov – polite and kind. With its perch of carefully maintained curly hair and neat appearance, it looks like a berberine. There is a certain demagogic appeal to party followers. His names have been acquired. (His real name is Anton Tanev Gyoshev).

4. Valko Chervenkov – an impressively tall, ruthless and energetic man. He is a zealous doctrinaire, a cunning politician, and an ingenious orator. Despite his menacing demeanor, he can be relatively kind on the surface when it suits him.

5. Georgi Pirinski – Former Secretary General of the Slavic Committee in the United States. Expelled from the United States in 1951 for communist activities. In May 1957 he was nominated as Minister Plenipotentiary in London, but was denied an agreement.

(This is Georgi (Geo) Nikolov Zaykov, known as Pirinski. He is the father of Georgi Pirinski, a member of the Bulgarian Communist Party and the Bulgarian Socialist Party, a longtime MP.)

6. Cyril, Patriarch of Bulgaria – under the leadership of Cyril, the church is completely subordinate to the government.

From 1960 to 1963

Anthony Lincoln

is the Minister Plenipotentiary in Sofia. He has previously been in Beunos Aires, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Chargé d’Affaires in Copenhagen and Ambassador to Laos.

In one of the first reports, the new ambassador analyzed Todor Zhivkov’s speech in the National Assembly. In this speech, Zhivkov “reported” on his participation in the session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

After describing the parliament building inside and out, Lincoln said: “Zhivkov read his speech at high speed, waving from time to time. His audience, on a signal from the rostrum, complemented the words with what the newspapers rated as “moving in the hall”, “prolonged”, “enthusiastic” or “loud” applause … “

From his seat on the balcony of the hall, however, the Englishman sees some deputies secretly reading something hidden under the banks. His assessment of the report, read by Zhivkov for an hour and a half, is ruthless: “It was a formless performance and contained nothing to suggest that the Bulgarian delegation in New York enjoyed any independence of thought and action.” The ambassador added that the periodically aggressive tone of speech reflected Khrushchev’s style.

Among the documents of the Foreign Office is a curious black-and-white photo taken during a parade on September 9th. Sending the photo, the legation in Sofia reports: “Western diplomatic missions have shown interest in the identity of the African in a Bulgarian general’s uniform. The man in the photo appears to be known as General Chonda or Chondar. He has been in Bulgaria for 18 months. He is from Rhodesia, it is not known whether North or South, and it is said that he was on a course in or around Plovdiv. “

In the Foreign Office they make a reference to the photo and on October 25 an employee of the ministry reports: “Very interesting. We have this man’s file. His correct name is John Chanda. ”

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