YORDAN LECHKOV

Yordan Lechkov is a famous Bulgarian football player from its most successful period – he was part of the squad that won the bronze medals from the World Cup in USA 1994. The whole team from these years is known as the “Gold generation” of the Bulgarian football. And Lechkov is one of the main elements in this team.

He is born in the town of Straldja on July 9th, 1967. He starts to go to school in the town of Sliven, and finishes the High school of mechanical engineering again in Sliven. Lechkov starts playing football in the Sliven football club, where he makes his debut in the professional football at the age of 18. In 1990, Sliven wins the National Cup – a huge success for a small, provincial team. Lechkov is among the most valuable players in the club, a fact that is noticed by the big clubs, and in the next, Lechkov already plays in the Sofia CSKA. With CSKA Lechkov wins the title in 1992. After that he is transferred to the German Hamburger SV. In fact, he is the first Bulgarian player who established himself in the German first Division. He plays for HSV for the next 4 years. As said before – these are the most successful years not only for Lechkov himself, but for the Bulgarian football at all. He participates in all of the World Cup matches, scores 2 goals - against Greece in the group phase, and the winner against Germany (the country in which he plays at club level!) in the quarterfinals. The team returns to Bulgaria where the players are welcomed as national heroes. All of them are awarded with the “Stara Planina” order by the president of the republic – Zhelio Zhelev. Lechkov is also awarded the title honorary citizen of the town of Sliven.

After his stay in HSV, in 1996 Lechkov goes to Olympic Marseille where he stays one year. After this he moves to the Turkish team of Beshiktash for a year. Then he puts an end to his football career, after 45 matches for the national team and 5 goals.

A new period of his life is about to begin. It starts in June 1998 with opening his hotel near Sliven – probably the best hotel in the region till now. After this – in 2000 Yordan decides to take over the sport in his town, first by engaging with the Municipal football team of Sliven – the one he played for in the beginning of his career, but was currently in the lower divisions of the Bulgarian football. The whole process of involving Lechkov in the deeds Sliven municipality finally gets him to the elections for mayor of the town, which he wins in 2003, and again in 2007. One of his greatest successes is the renovation of the sport complexes in the town and finally – the returning of the local club in Bulgaria’s First Division. In the meantime, Lechkov is also admitted in the Managing committee of the Bulgarian Football Union, and its vice-president since 2005.

IVAN VAZOV

Ivan Vazov is a classical Bulgarian writer, generally considered as “the patriarch of the Bulgrarian literature”. He was also a politician and an academician.

Ivan Vazov is born in the town of Sopot on July 9^th, 1850. His father was a merchant, and his family was honouring the religious believes and traditions and was very much moved by the ideas of the Bulgarian Revival. Ivan’s brothers Georgi and Vladimir later join the Army and become important military figures, while his other brother – Boris become politician.

Ivan Vazov studies in the local school. He reads Bulgarian and Russian literature. In 1865 Vazov studies Greek language in the Kalofer School (where one of the teachers is Hristo Botev’s father). It is there where he gets access to many Russian and French books that influenced him a lot. In 1866 Ivan joins the Plovdiv High School, where he continues to study Greek and French languages, but also makes his first steps in Turkish language. After two years, his father calls him back, to help him in the family business. Butyoung Vazov is not keen on trade – he has probably found his real passion – writing. His first poem “Borba” (“Struggle”) is published in 1870. In the same year, Vazov is sent by his father to Romania to help his uncle there, who is a tradesman himself too. What Vazov really does there is learning Romanian language and reading the best examples of the Romanian poetry. He continues to write his poems and publish them in the Bulgarian newspapers issued in Romania – “Otechestvo”, “Svoboda”, etc. One day he escapes from his home and lives almost 3 months among the Bulgarian emigrants known as “Hushove” (“Exiles”). From this period of his life, Vazov gathers materials and characters for his later novel “Hushove” (“The Exiles”). It is again this time of his life when Vazov becomes more political aware. In 1872 Vazov returns to Bulgaria and works as a teacher in the nowadays town of Svilengrad, then – as a translator on the Sofia-Kiustendil railroad. In 1875 he goes back to his native town –Sopot and joins the Sopot Revolutionary Committee. After the failing of the Stara Zagora uprising, he is forced to escape to Romania, in order not to be arrested. There he works on his first Books of poems – “Tugite na Bulgaria” (“The Sorrows of Bulgaria”) and “Priaporets i gulsa” (“A Banner and a Rebec”). During the war of independence Vazov works as a clerk in Svishtov, then in Ruse and Berkovitsa.

After the Liberation of Bulgaria, Vazov moves to Plovdiv, the capital of the Eastern Rumelia formation. In 1881 he is chosen for chairman of the Plovdiv Society of Science and Literature and becomes chief editor of its magazine – “Nauka” (“Science”). In 1885, Vazov, together with Konstantin Velichkov start issuing the “Zora” magazine – the first fully literature magazine in the country. As a whole – this is a very fruitful period in the work of the author. He writes some of his best known poems and novels – “Epopeia na zabraventie” (“The Epic of the Forgotten”), “Novoto grobishte krai Slivnitsa” (“The New Graveyard near Slivnitsa”), “Nemili-nedragi”, “Ide li?”, “Chichovtsi” (“Uncles”), etc. All these works mark the beginning of the Bulgarian post-liberation literature, they influence the young authors, and represent the main motives that excite or upset the Bulgarians after their Liberation.

But Vazov is once again forced to abandon his country due to political reasons. He moves to Odessa, where he writes his most famous novel “Pod igoto” (“Under the Yoke”).

Vazov returns to the country in 1887 and this time settles in Sofia, in a house, that is now a house museum of the writer. In 1897 he accepts to become minister of the Education and works in the government since 1899.

Vazov is a witness of the First World War, the Balkan War. He is one of the very few Bulgarian writers who write before and after the Liberation, thus giving us the opportunity to understand better the uniqueness of the Bulgarian customs and traditions, but also to feel the disappointment of the liberated country and its difficulties in keeping its place on the map of the world, the disappointment of the people who have had struggled for better future and witness the raw reality.

Vazov died in 1921, generally accepted by the Bulgarians as probably the greatest writer of the country.

Some of his works and more detailed autobiography may be seen here.

Atanas Mihaylov

Atanas, (or Nachko as he is mostly known) Mihailov is a former Bulgarian football player. He was born in the town of Sofia, on July 5^th, 1949. He is one of the brightest stars of the Bulgarian football – a legend of the Lokomotiv Sofia football club where he makes his full squad debut at the age of 15. He spends in Lokomotiv (his first club) almost 15 years, in which he has more than 300 matches and 130 goals – Mihailov is the top goal-scorer in the history of the club. He wins 2 titles – in 1964 and 1978. Nachko
Mihaylov has played 45 matches (with participation in the World Cup in Germany 1974) for the Bulgarian national team in which has scored 23 goals. He is also a silver medalist from the Olympic Games in Mexico – 1968. In 1979 Nachko wins the Player of the year award in Bulgaria. Soon after this he makes his probably most memorable matches – in the UEFA Cup tournament against the French team Monaco – in two games, he scores all the goals of his team – 5!!!. Mihailov also stays a while in the teams of Slavia and Nea Salamina (Cyprus).

Mihailov was a strong forward, very fast, possessing fantastic goal-scoring abilities. He was famous for his brilliant free kicks (many generations of later players of Lokomotiv learned from him the technique of the free kick). Nachko is also famous for scoring several goals directly from corner kicks.

Mihailov died on October 1^st, 2006. His funeral ceremony was attended by hundreds of visitors who wanted to say farewell and thank you for everything to one of Bulgaria’s most admired players of all the time.

Stilian Petrov

Stilian Petrov is a Bulgarian football player. He was born in the town of Montana on July 5th, 1979. His first club is the local “Montana” where he plays till 1997. The next two years are very important in the life of the young player – he is noticed by the scouts of the Sofia CSKA team and joins them. Only after 2 years, Petrov is transferred in the famous Scottish team Celtic Glasgow. He plays there for more than 6 years, and wins all of the trophies in the Scottish football. Stilian Petrov becomes famous among the fans as Stan (which is easier for pronunciation :) and step by step receives the status of a legend of the club. His most successful period in the club is under the coach O’Neal. It is O’Neal who makes Stan one his first signings after joining the English Aston Villa. So, from 2006, till now Petrov plays for the club of Birmingham. Petrov was a captain of the Bulgarian national team after Krassimir Balakov’s retirement. But later, following some misunderstandings with the coach Stoichkov, he quits playing for the team. Still later, he returns and by now is a member of the team.

Georgi Ivanov

Georgi Ivanov is the first (of only two) Bulgarian cosmonaut. He was born in the town of Lovech, on July 2^nd, 1940. His real name is Georgi Kakalov. In 1954 he finishes the High School of Electronics (his father was an electrician too). Georgi joins the army in 1958. In 1964 he finishes the Military School. He obtains the qualification for pilot First degree. On March 1^st, 1978 it is decided that he should be the first Bulgarian astronaut. It is also decided that he should change his family name from Kakalov to Ivanov. The flight is on April 10^th, 1978, Ivanov is on board of the Russian spaceship “Souiz 33”, with the Russian astronaut Nikolay Rukavishnikov. The spaceship returns to the Earth by compulsion on April 12^th, 1978. During the flight the ship has made 31 full circles of the Earth. After returning to Bulgaria, Ivanov is welcomed as a national hero. Later he becomes a member of the National Parliament.

Georgi Dimitrov

Rosstisa (Rossi) Kirilova

Rossi Kirilova is a very popular singer in Bulgaria, loved from several generations of fans. She was born on July 2nd, 1963 in the city of Sofia. In 1990 she graduated from the Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, specialty “Journalism”, and in 2004 she obtained her MD for TV & Cinema Arts in the New Bulgarian Univrsity. In 1981 she took part in the vocal-instrumental band “Sleda”(“Trace”). In 1983 she recorded her first solo songs “Silence” and ”I live for you”. In 1984 with the songs “Bialata reka” (“The White River”), “Den i nosht” (“Day and Night”), etc., Rossi wins not only the awards of the specialists in the jury of the “Spring” Radio competition, “XV Youngster Competition” and XІX International Festival “Golden Orpheus”, but the sympathies and the heart of the public. The next year she wins two first awards - “Melody of the year `85”(TV show) with the song “Love Forever” and “Spring `85” ( radio competition contest) with the song “Sbogom klas” (“Farewell class”) which she performs together with the brothers Blagovest and Svetoslav Argirovi. In 1988 again in the radio competition “Spring”, Rossi Kirilova wins the first prize with the song “Something incredible”, which she sings in duet with Georgi Hristov. The two of them are awarded with platinum gramophone record of Balkanton for their first album together “Something incredible”.
Rossi Kirilova was repeatedly announced for Bulgarian “Singer №1” in the traditional year chart of the famous show of Bulgarian National Radio “Music stairs”. In 1992 Rossi Kirilova and Panaiot Panaiotov in duet win two first prizes (of the jury and public) in Interfest Bitolya (Macedonia). First prize on the song contest ”Songs for Sofia” 2003 together with Mimi Ivanova and Vania Kostova with ”Sofia’s Limetree Fragrance”. In 2007 Rossi’s composition ”Like Yes and No” wins the first prize on the song contest “Burgas and the Sea” Rossi is the first Bulgarian singer who performs the hit of the legendary Emil Dimitrov – “Moia Strana – Moia Bulgaria” (“My country, my Bulgaria”) on his 30th anniversary. The song finds place in her album “Everything has it`s Time”.
In the meantime, in 1995 Rossi Kirilova started her own TV show “Za jivotnite s liubov” (“For the Animals with Love”) on the Bulgarian National TV. For 12 years now she successfully combines the careers of a journalist and singer. In 1999 she was announced for “The Ambassador Of Good Will” of UNICEF for Bulgaria and together with the composer Haigashod Agasyan and the writer Alexander Petrov create the anthem of UNICEF for Bulgaria.
Rossi Kirilova has recorded 19 albums, has had many concerts in Bulgaria, Germany, Finland, Romania, Sweden, Czech Republic, Russia, Turkey, etc. In 2006 Bulgarian National Television made documentary film-portrait about her career of a popsinger , journalist and composer. Rossi has sang with some of the most popular Bulgarian singers as Panaiot Panaiotov, Georgi Hristov, Bogdan Tomov, Nelly Rangelova (the first female duet), Duet SHIK, Vanya Kostova, Mimi Ivanova, etc. Among her greates hits are te songs: “Bosa po asfalta” (“Barefoot on the Asphalt”), “Ima shans, niama shans” (“There is a chance, there is no chance”), “Sbogom, klas” (“Farewell class”), etc.

Anelia

NIKOLA KOTKOV

Nikola Kotkov was a Bulgarian football player, forward. He was born in Sofia on June 9^th, 1938. He played in the teams of Lokomotiv Sofia from 1956-1968, Slavia (in 1969) and Levski Sofia (1969-1971). Kotkov has more than 320 matches in the Bulgarian first division and scored 160 goals. He was champion of Bulgaria in 1964 (with Lokomotiv) and 1970 (with Levski); two times winner of the Cup of the Soviet Army (the third tournament in Bulgaria, in terms of importance). Kotkov has played for all the national teams of Bulgaria – from Under 17 to the full squad, with 26 matches for the first team and 12 goals. (Including a match in World Cup in England 1966.) He was part of the Bulgarian under-17 team that wins the European title in 1959. In 1964 Kotkov was given the Player of the year award in Bulgaria.

Kotkov was particularly known for his fantastic left foot playing, and brilliant free kicks striking. He is also famous for being a great gentleman on the pitch, respecting the enemies. In 1970 Kotkov wins another trophy – the individual sportsmanship award.

Unfortunately, Kotkov will always be remembered for the terrible car accident which took his life, on June 30^th, 1971. They were traveling together with his teammate (and also one of the greatest football players in Bulgaria) Georgi Asparuhov. They both died in that accident, leaving millions of Bulgarians with regretful and bad wounded hearts (as a song devoted to their death says).

Nikola Kotkov is honored as a legend of his first team – Lokomotiv Sofia, which has organized an annual youth tournament in his name.

Petya Buyuklieva

Petya Buyuklieva is a Bulgarian singer, born on June 24^th, 1959 in the town of Asenovgrad. Petya studies in the piano class of the musical school in Plovdiv, and lated stage performance in the Music Academy. She is among the discoveries of the Bulgarian stage in the 80-ties. One of her first participations was at the Sofia Jazz Meeting in 1980. Since 1981, Petya sings as a soloist of the Sofia Orchestra. In 1986, Buyuklieva wins the “Golden Orpheus” award (one of the highest musical competitions in Bulgaria during the Communist era). Her first album is recorded in 1987, followed by the albums “Hobbie” (1990), “Me, Petya” (1994), etc. In her career she has won several other prestigious awards from Bulgaria and International festivals – in Cuba, Macedonia, USA, Turkey and Slovakia.

Among her greatest hits are the songs – “Zhena na vsichki vremena” (“Woman of Every Time”), “Hobbie”, “Prolet” (“Spring” – a collaboration with another unique Bulgarian singer – Georgi Hristov).

Nina Nikolina

Nina Nikolina is a famous Bulgarian pop singer. Nina is also song writer and composer of several well known Bulgarain songs. She is born in the town of Vratsa, on June 25th, 1975. One can say her career starts in the age of 3 years when Nina becomes a soloist in her school choir. In the beginning of the 80-ties Nina has lessons in piano and solfegio. In the period 1985-1994 the young singer studies in the Musical School “Liubomir Pipkov” in Pleven. It’s interesting to mention that she took courses in two disciplines at the same time – in folklore singing and contrabass. In 1989 Nina participates in a concert with Vratsa symphonic orchestra, singing a suite with folklore motives. In the very next year she is already a soloist of her native town bras band. The period 1994-1998 is very good for the singer. She studies in the National Academy for song and Dance Arts in Plovdiv, from where she graduates again in 2 specialties – “Conducting of folklore choir and orchestra” and “Musical pedagogy”. In the meantime she records several songs for the National Radio and National TV. And, Nina is a soloist of the Academy folklore ensemble. In 1996 she records her first album, “Nina Nikolina”. Her music is a hot mixture of Bulgarian folk elements and modern sound. From these years date here contacts with Slavi Trifonov (the most popular Bulgarian TV showman, who likes her voice and invites her to sing in many of his concerts. She also participates in Slavi’s show “Hushove” in the period 1997-2000 – the most popular, alternative show on the TV program in these years. In 1999 the whole group of the show goes on a large tour with concerts in 16 Bulgarian towns, named “Voices against the drugs”. Every one of the live performances was attended by 40 000 to 60 000 people, which inevitably makes the singer Nina Nikolina very popular among the Bulgarians. And for one reason or other – 1999 is the year of Nina’s second album – “Slunchogled” (“Sunflower”). The album includes 15 traditional folklore songs from different Bulgarian regions. For the period 1990 – 1999 Nina Nikolina sings at the International song festivals in Denmark, Finland, Romania, Belgium, Italy, Egypt, France, England, Portugal, Spain, etc. Her third album is recorded in 2001, named “S otvoreni ochi” (“With Opened Eyes”). Part of it is the song “Neka vali” (“Let it Rain”) – one of her greatest hits so far. Her next total hit is the song “Ti” (“You”) (2003) – it was 7 consecutive weeks on the top of the music charts in Bulgaria. In 2004 the song “Ti” wins the awards of “BG Radio” for best song and best video of the year. It also makes her “Singer of the year” of the annual MM TV music awards. On the very next year, 2005 follows Nina Nikolina’s consecutive hit – the song “Ne moga” (“I Can’t”). She wins the “Best singer” award of “BG Radio” for 2005.

Preslava

Preslava, whose original name is Petya Ivanova, is maybe, currently the most popular Bulgarian pop-folk singer. She is born on June 26th, 1984 in the town of Dobrich. Preslava is 164cm high, with auburn hair and brown hair. She has the fame of the pop-folk singer in Bulgaria with the highest natural chest measurement which she recently had to diminish with surgery. Of course, this easily helped her gain the reputation of one of Bulgaria’s sexiest women. Maybe part of her reputation is due to the fact that unlike her colleagues, such as Emilia, Alisia, Desislava, etc. Preslava has never shot photos for any of the popular Bulgarian versions of the magazines FHM, Playboy, Maxim, etc.

Her first public appearance is with another pop-folk idol J Milko Kalaidjiev, and the song “Nezhen reket” (“Tender Blackmail”). Few months later she records her first solo song – “Tazi nosht bezumna” (“This Mad Night”). Soon, her first album “Preslava” is recorded. From this album is probably the first song that can be labeled as a hit – “Obicham te” (“I LoveYou”). Of course, the song that really fires her in the top of the pop-folk charts is “Diavolsko jelanie” (“Devil’s Desire”), later becomes part of her next album with the same name; it also includes the songs “Finalni dumi” (“Last Words”) and “Niamam pravo” (“I don’t Have the Right”) Almost all of the songs from it become hits. Preslava’s popularity grows enormously fast and soon she is engaged in several advertisements, and becomes face of the Karnobat anisette. In 2006 her next album, “Intriga” (“Intrigue”) is recorded. Itis the top sold album in Bulgaria for almost 2 months. Parts of it are the songs “Predai se na jelanieto” (“Surrender Yourself to the Desire”), “Umorih se” (“I got tired”), “Parvi v surceto” (“First in the Heart”), etc. But the song that helped Preslava receive popularity even among the non pop-folk fans is “Luja e” (“It’s Lie”).

The next album comes very soon. The hits from it are “Moiat nov liubovnik” (“My New Lover”), “Vodka s uteha” (“Vodka with Consolation”), “Ne sum angel” (I’m not an Angel”), etc.

Gloria

Gloria, whose real name is Galina Peneva, is often referred to as the “prime singer of the Bulgarian pop-folk”. She is born on June 28^th, 1973 in the town of Ruse. The girl was very emotional and live. An accident happened when she is in second degree – she is threatened to even lose one of her legs. The first operation in Ruse is unsuccessful; the experts prognosticate that the girl will be disabled till the age of 18. But her mother refuses to give up and contacts professor Shoilev in Sofia – one of the most respected experts in this field in Bulgaria. He makes the second operation which this time is successful.

After 4 years her parents divorce. Gloria and her brother are sent to live with their grandparents in the town of Dve Mogili. This is a hard period in her life. But she manages to go through it. Gloria graduates from the local Agricultural High School. But it is not agriculture that she is destined to do. Gloria has a talent on completely different field – music. She starts to sing with the “Izvor” (“(water) Spring”) before the age of 18. The “legend” says that her talent was first noted during her cousin’s wedding when she annoyed all the guests with a song of the Serbian singer Lepa Brena. The musicians from “Izvor” offer her to be their second singer right away. This “transfer” soon makes them one of the most popular orchestras in Ruse and the region, followed by a travel to Serbia. After 2 years the group breaks apart. Gloria starts to sing on variety shows. She performs songs of Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Madona, etc. But sooner she gets bored of singing foreign songs and wants to have some of her own. One beautiful day she meets her Maria and Mitko Dimitrov (also known as Mitko Paynera – the future producer of many other pop-folk singers, owner of the Planeta TV) who help her record her first sole album, called “Shtastieto e magia” (Happiness is a Magic”). Gloria produces it by herself. The year is 1994; it is a complete hit and as it is often said, a new legend on the Bulgarian music field was born. The singer is still at the age of 20 years. By this time Gloria meets and marries Ilia Zagorov, the father of her daughter Simona and a composer of some of her greatest hits – “Nostalgia”, “Ne ostariavai, mamo” (“Mummy, Don’t Get Older!”), etc.

Gloria works with Payner Music ever since then. She easily gains enormous popularity and in the same time, helps her genre – the pop-folk music – to win many new fans.

By now, Gloria has the reputation of probably the most influential singers in the pop-folk genre. It is one of the reasons why she was invited as a judge in the first Bulgarian Music Idol jury in 2007.

Like most her colleagues from the genre, Gloria is a woman of extreme beauty.

Dimitar Dimov

Dimitar Dimov is one of the most popular Bulgarian writers and novelists. He was born in the town of Lovetch, on June 25^th, 1909, in a very interesting family. His grandfather – Spas Harizanov was a lawyer in the town of Dupnitsa. He was a man of good wealth and spends enough money for the good education of his children. One of them – Ivan (an uncle of Dimitar Dimov) became a journalist and politician of influence in the period between the world wars. He has his strong influence over his nephew as well. Spas Harizanov’sister, on other hand, was mother of one of Bulgaria’s most famous revolutionists – Yane Sandanski. Dimitar’s mother, Vesa, wants to make a poet or an artist out of her child, but he is keener on natural sciences –chemistry, physics - a reason for many arguments between mother and son. His father dies as an army officer. Young Dimitar was a quiet and uncommunicative boy with rich imagination. His schoolmates found him very strange. He lived with his family in the town of Dupnitsa till the age of 10 years. Soon, his mother marries another military officer and the family moves to the capital – Sofia. Dimitar graduates from the high school. In the meantime, his step-father retires from the army and starts to work as a tobacco expert in a wealthy company. He shares his experiences with his son, and this gives Dimov some of the most important clues for his future most famous novel – “Tiutiun” (Tobbacco”).

In 1928, Dimov is admitted in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, where he graduates in 1934. In the meanwhile he has already started studying Spanish. His first job after graduation is in Sofia, then in Burgas. Since 1939 Dimov works again in Sofia, as an assistant professor in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Sofia. In 1943 he goes on a specialization in Madrid, Spain. He gets in Bulgaria in 1944 and is almost immediately called up in the army and send on the White Sea front. After the World War II Dimov works as an associate professor in Plovdiv. Since 1953, Dimov becomes professor in the Sofia Agrarian University, with more than 20 scientific works.

Dimitar Dimov is chairman of the Union of the Bulgarian Writers from 1963 till his death in 1966. His writer’s work has begun in 1942. He starts publishing different stories, tales, travel notes, etc. for different newspapers – “Mir”, “Otechestven Front”, “Narodna Kultura”, in the magazines “Septemvri”, “Teatar”, etc. His works reveal a deep understanding and mastership over psychological and social themes. Dimov is generally popular as the writer of the novel “Tiutiun” (“Tobacco”). However, Dimov is also a scientist with more than 20 researches. His works show him as a master of the psychological and social novel. Dimov was a person with very strong democratic ideas; his characters have strong feelings and ambitions.

A small part of his most popular work – “Tiutiun” was first published in 1946 in the newspaper “Literaturen Front”. Another part was published two years later. The novel was finally finished and published in 1951. However, the novel was not appreciated very much by the governing class and the author was forced to make the “necessary” revision. He was obliged to enlarge the description of the working class and include new characters. Thus, in 1954, the novel was published in its new revised edition. Among his other works are the novels “Poruchik Benz” (“Lieutenant Benz”), 1938; “Osadeni Dushi” (“Condemned Souls”). 1945.

Dimitar Died in the Romanian town of Bucuresti on April 1^st, 1966.

Dobri Djurov

Dobri Djurov was a Bulgarian politician from the communist era. He was born on January 5th, 1916 in the village of Vrabevo, Lovetch district. Djurov was a member of the Bulgarian Communist Party since 1938. Because of his political believes, in 1942 Djurov was sent to a detention camp in Krastovo Pole from the government of Bogdan Filchev. He managed to escape from there and stood ahead of the partisan detachment called “Chavdar”. After September 9th, 1944 (when the Communists took over the control of the country) Djurov joins the Bulgarian Army and graduates from the Military Academy in the former USSR. (In the army, Djurov gets the rank general.) After this, from 1962 and until 1990 (the fall of the Communism in Bulgaria) Djurov was the Minister of Defense of Bulgaria, and from 1977 – member of the head quarters of Central Committee of the Bulgarian Communist Party. After the fall of the Communism, Djurov still played an important role in the political life of the country and was elected for a member of the Parliament several times.

Hristo Smirnenski

The very talented writer died in 1923. He was praised by the Communist Literature critics (not in the last place because of the social ideas in his work). Smirnenski is often described as an author of outstanding parody talent and great potential, which was unluckily stopped by the death.

Here you can see some of Smirnenski's works.

MARIA GROZDEVA

Boiko Borisov