The Fragility of Goodness

Why Bulgaria's Jews Survived the Holocaust

Browse Return to Previous Page       Related Subjects All Subjects Eastern European History History Jewish studies Religious studies

by Tzvetan Todorov,

Translated by Arthur Denner

Princeton University Press

Due/Published August 2003, 208 pages, paper

ISBN 0691115648

New in paper (F03)

With the exception of Denmark, Bulgaria was the only country allied with Nazi Germany that did not annihilate or turn over its Jewish population. Here, Todorov--a Frenchman with Bulgarian roots, accounts for this singularity.

Todorov assembles and interprets for the first time key evidence from this episode of Bulgarian history, including letters, diaries, government reports, and memoirs--most never before translated into any language. Through these documents, he reconstructs what happened in Bulgaria during World War II and interrogates collective memories of that time. He recounts the actions of individuals and groups that, ultimately and collectively, spared Bulgaria's Jews the fate of most European Jews.

The Bulgaria that emerges is not a heroic country dramatically different from those countries where Jews did perish. Todorov does find heroes, especially parliament deputy Dimitar Peshev, certain writers and clergy, and--most inspiring--public opinion. Yet he is forced to conclude that the "good" triumphed to the extent that it did because of a tenuous chain of events. Any break in that chain--one intellectual who didn't speak up as forcefully, a different composition in Orthodox Church leadership, a misstep by a particular politician, a less wily king--would have undone all of the other efforts with disastrous results for almost 50,000 people. The meaning Todorov settles on is this: Once evil is introduced into public view, it spreads easily, whereas goodness is temporary, difficult, rare, and fragile. And yet possible.

Contents

Introduction
The Sequence of Events
Memories in Competition
Why and How

Documents

Exclusion
1. Statement by the Bulgarian Writers' Union to the Prime Minister and the Chairman of the National Assembly
2. Statement by the Governing Board of the Bulgarian Lawyers' Union to the Chairman of the National Assembly
3. Open Letter from Christo Punev to the National Assembly Deputies
4. Statement by the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church to the Prime Minister
5. Open Letter from Dimo Kazasov to the Prime Minister
6. Petko Stainov's Speech in the National Assembly
7. Todor Polyakov's Speech in the National Assembly

Deportation
1. Article from the Fatherland Front
2. A Leaflet of the Sofia District Committee of the Workers' Party
3. Protest Letter by the Vice-Chairman of the 25th Session of the National Assembly, Dimitar Peshev, and Forty-two Other Deputies
4. Petko Stainov's Interrogatory, Sent to the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bogdan Filov
5. Bogdan Filov's Diary
6. Charles Redard's Report to the Federal Political Department in Berne

Internment 95
1. Minutes of a Special Session of the Holy Synod
2. Protocol No. q, 6 June I943, on King Boris's Speech to the Small Cabinet of the Holy Synod
3. Letter from Nikola Mushanov and Petko Stainov to King Boris
4. Letter from Public Figures to King Boris
5. 'Mad Assault against the Jews': An Article from the Workers' Cause

Memoirs
1. Dimo Kazasov
2. Metropolitan Stefan
3. Asen Suichmezov
4 Dimitar Peshev

Bibliographical Note
Translator's Note
Index