From: bliznako@envmsa.eas.asu.edu (Plamen Bliznakov) Newsgroups: alt.news.macedonia,soc.culture.greek,soc.culture.jewish,soc.culture.europe Subject: Re-post from soc.culture.bulgaria Date: 13 Jan 1994 16:06 MST Distribution: world Keywords: There were some articles some time ago treating the issue "Jews and Macedonia" (I have forgotten the exact subject). In soc.culture.bulgaria I saw a reply. I am cross-posting this article to the groups the discussion was in. Best regards, Plamen From: george.phillipou@adam.com.au Newsgroups: soc.culture.bulgaria Subject: JEWS & Date: 12 Jan 1994 08:11:36 -0600 Lines: 150 Message-ID: <9401122344.A7252wk@adam.com.au> Reply:- sshopov@extro.ucc.su.OZ.AU(Sacha Shopov), ref:<9401050825.A6793wk@adam.com.au>,<14668@m1.cs.man.ac.uk> (Luben Boyanov) Dear Sacha: As a _Macedonian_, I cannot even begin to convey the abject disillusionment I felt in reading your article. Is this all we have learnt during our years of repression and nomadic existence - to mimic the fanaticism of our overlords? Can't you comprehend our people need individual _freedom of choice_, and not exchange of one fascist master (hellenism) for another (macedonism). Sacha don't you feel we have a responsibility to bring the next generation of Macedonians a true and rational interpretation of our history as gained by the devoted efforts of the world community of critical minds. Why do you still tenaciously cherish the myths, fantasies and outright lies of the past Serbian inspired ideology. If you believe I am wrong then answer Luben Boyanov's criticisms using the complete, not selective, historic record and _hypothetico-deductive approach_. Otherwise, if you must embrace mythology to justify your existence, then at least have the moral integrity to say that is what you are doing and why. Sacha can't the Macedonians finally dispense with all this philosophical cant and self-deception? Perhaps, Sacha, I am most angry that your article _reeked_ of a style of opportunistic propaganda which through judicial exclusion and implication sought to "score a few cheap nasty points" with total disregard for the overall truth. In this way you show yourself without compassion or honour, just another extremist with little attendant credibility. That is not how I wish Macedonians to be portrayed. Your approach directly encourages the normal person to join the fanatical fringe of our adversaries. I cannot comment on anti-semitism amongst the Greek people, however I do know the facts pertaining to the Bulgarian nation and I provide two articles to place the matter in its true perspective. ----------RJ Crampton "A Short History of Modern Bulgaria" (1987) page 127-- In the second of the two main issues at stake between Berlin and Sofia, that of the fate of Bulgaria's 50,000 Jews, the king, his ministers and the Bulgarian nation were face to face with the lunacy of Nazi doctrine and no rational arguments could be usefully employed. This did not weaken resistance to what was widely thought to be wrong ..... The legislation of 1940 and 1941 had produced protests from professional organizations, from the Subranie and from the Church, but these were muted compared to the anger which greeted the deportation proposals. In street demonstrations, parliamentary resolutions and newspaper articles a national outrage poured forth in which, perhaps, other frustrations were given a cathartic release. The deportations plans were abandoned ..... +------+-----+ ---------------------Submitted Letter to the Editor----------------------- -----Opinion and responsibility for content is that of P Mladenoff-------- TO: Mr Rackel Weinstock - TORONTO STAR Dear Sir: RE: HOW THE JEWS WERE SAVED IN DENMARK (Toronto Star, 23 Nov 1993) Mr Kress concludes :In Europe at that time, nobody, but nobody saved the Jewish people. NOT TRUE, NOT TRUE, AT ALL. On November 2nd 1987 in Berlin there were Festivities and celebrations honouring the Bulgarian and Danish people for saving the Jews during the second world war. The communist Bulgarian government attempted unsuccessfully to get the credit. ** HOW 48,000 BULGARIAN JEWS WERE SAVED FROM THE DEATH CAMPS IN POLAND ** _Volf Oshlis_ a young German historian did comprehensive research on who saved the Bulgarian Jews, and why they celebrate their salvation on March 9th. In reality _King Boris III_ was responsible for their release on March 9th 1943. All measures before and after his mysterious death were steps for saving the Jewish people. All this is confirmed in the recollections of one Bulgarian ASEN SUICHMEZOV, pages 308 to 310 of his memoirs, safeguarded in government archives in the town of Kustendil. Deportation of the Jews to the death camps in Poland was opposed by all Bulgaria. The Church headed by Bishop Kiril of Plovdiv (later Patriarch of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church) threatened to lie on the railway tracks in front of any train transporting the Jews to Poland. Some 40 members of parliament rebelled against the government. All leaders of the political parties sent protests to the government and the King, who while secretly condoning the civil disobedience, had not cancelled the deportation order. _Asen Suichmezov_, a businessman from Kustendil, on March 8th goes to Sofia, and on March 9th heads a delegation of four, comprising himself, Strahil Momchilov (lawyer), Peter Mihalev, and Vlado Kurtev (teacher and Central Committee member of Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization). On the way to the parliament Kurtev tells them to go and meet with Dimiter Peshev (vice-President of Parliament) and says :I am going to meet with Stanishev, President of the Macedonian Brotherhoods, :most powerful and influential organization of the Macedonian Bulgarians. At the meeting with Dimiter Peshev, Suichmezov crying, describes how the Jewish people have been packed into trains at Kustendil awaiting deportation, under terrible and inhumane conditions much worse than even for animals. The four then meet with the Minister of the Interior, Gabrovski. After much indecision the Minister tells them to wait outside. After awhile, over the phone he orders the Director responsible to stop the deportation of the Jews. Gabrovski then calls Peshev and tells him of the order to stop the deportation. Peshev finds Suichmezov in the corridors, squeezes his hand and announces :The deportation of the Jews is stopped. You may phone Kustendil immediately. Suichmezov and Momchilov go to a nearby store to use the phone. They are followed by two older men. One is asking who is Mr Suichmezov :Let me squeeze your hand, you are men of courage and bravery. :I am Colonel Tajer, a Jew. _Colonel Avram Tajer_, holding the highest rank in the Bulgarian Army, has been one of the most outspoken defenders on behalf of Macedonian Bulgarians at the International Human Rights Conferences in Europe. He had established an excellent relationship with the Macedonian movement. He uses all his energy to ensure that the Macedonians pay their pledge. Colonel Trajer's efforts pay off. All this information is confirmed by IAKO BARUH 192 report which reads :The hour deciding the fate of the Jews was coming to an end. I was waiting :for the terrible decision hiding in the garden above the parliament :building. About 7.30-8 o'clock in the dark appeared member of parliament, :Mihalev, who in a trembling voice tells me, "For now the Jews are saved." :He further states that on the 10th March the Jews returned to their homes. _Benjamin Artidy_ in his recollection of the events entitled "How the Bulgarian Jews were Saved" goes a little further and states :The Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization warned the Bulgarian :government "If the Jews are deported to Poland heads will be rolling through :the streets of Sofia". On April 5th 1943 the German legation in Sofia made a confidential report to the headquarters of the SS concerning the difficulty in deportation of the Jews from Bulgaria. _Volf Oshlis_ concludes: Bulgarian people are democratic and practice religious tolerance. Bulgaria is a country without anti-semiticism and respects the achievements of other people. _David Ben-Gurion_ the founder of Israel in his memoirs "The Creation of the State of Israel Rights" says :In the Turkish parliament in the 1900s the Jewish interests were guarded by :the Bulgarian parliamentarians from Macedonia _Bulgaria gave Israel Moshe Dayan_ their first Minister of Defence, a graduate of the Bulgarian Military Academy. _Bulgaria gave Israel Sami Rafael_ the first organizer and commander of the Israel air-force. Could it be possible that the Jewish people are so ungrateful and soon forget the only friend they had who stood up to Hitler and said NO. Pando Mladenoff - Toronto, Ontario 23nd November 1993