Bulgarisation
Encyclopedia
Bulgarisation is a term used to describe a cultural change of the spread of Bulgarian culture within various areas in the Balkans.
The modern use is in connection with the attempt of the former communist regime in 1980s to assimilate
a Turkish
minority living in Bulgaria
. In the Republic of Macedonia
it is used regarding the claimed Bulgarisation of the Slavic-speaking people inhabiting Pirin Macedonia. This view is refuted because the ethnic Macedonian identity and nationalism emerged in the 20th century outside Pirin Macedonia and actually the local Slavic people in Pirin Macedonia have ever been Bulgarians
since Middle Ages, with no other than Bulgarian self-identification, and de facto never been bulgarisated.
(mainly in the south-east and north-east) of the country was forced to change their names from Turkish or Arabic to Bulgarian in 1984, during the Todor Zhivkov
regime. Turkish culture and language as well as Islamic beliefs were also suppressed. The argument was that the Turkish population of Bulgaria were allegedly Bulgarians forced to convert to Islam
during the Ottoman rule
.
This violation of human rights
met forceful resistance from large-scale protests, international pressure and cases of terrorism. After the collapse of the Zhivkov regime, people were free to revert back to previous names or adopt new Islamic/Turkish names.
In 2003 the Islamic Human Rights Commission
claimed that religious discrimination remained a major problem, but this has not been noted by other human rights organizations.
During the Second World War
, Bulgaria shared in the triple occupation of Greece with its allies, Nazi Germany
and Fascist Italy
. The Bulgarian Army entered Greece on 20 April 1941 and eventually occupied the whole of northern Greece east of the Strymon River, except for most of Evros Prefecture
on the border with Turkey
, which was occupied by the Germans. Parts of this territory - the Western Thrace
region - had been part of Bulgaria between 1913 and 1919 (see Treaty of Bucharest), and were thus the target of Bulgarian irredentism. Bulgaria proceeded to restore her territories on 14 May 1941.
Throughout the Bulgarian occupation zone, Bulgarian policy was to forcibly Bulgarise as many Greeks as possible and deport and expel the rest. A massive Bulgarisation campaign was launched right from the start, which saw all Greek officials (mayors, judges, lawyers and gendarmes) deported. The Bulgarians closed the Greek schools and expelled the teachers, replaced Greek clergymen with priests from Bulgaria, and sharply repressed the use of the Greek language: the names of towns and places changed to the forms traditional in Bulgarian.
Large numbers of Greeks were expelled and others were deprived of the right to work by a license system that banned the practice of a trade or profession without permission. Forced labour was introduced, and the authorities confiscated Greek business property and gave it to Bulgarian settlers. By late 1941, more than 70,000 Greeks had been expelled from the Bulgarian occupation zone, while many of the Bulgarian settlers had themselves fled the occupied territories following WWI.
, people from the Gagauz ethnic group
remaining in Bulgaria were noted to have been Bulgarianised at the end of the 19th century.
The modern use is in connection with the attempt of the former communist regime in 1980s to assimilate
Cultural assimilation
Cultural assimilation is a socio-political response to demographic multi-ethnicity that supports or promotes the assimilation of ethnic minorities into the dominant culture. The term assimilation is often used with regard to immigrants and various ethnic groups who have settled in a new land. New...
a Turkish
Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
minority living in Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
. In the Republic of Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
it is used regarding the claimed Bulgarisation of the Slavic-speaking people inhabiting Pirin Macedonia. This view is refuted because the ethnic Macedonian identity and nationalism emerged in the 20th century outside Pirin Macedonia and actually the local Slavic people in Pirin Macedonia have ever been Bulgarians
Bulgarians
The Bulgarians are a South Slavic nation and ethnic group native to Bulgaria and neighbouring regions. Emigration has resulted in immigrant communities in a number of other countries.-History and ethnogenesis:...
since Middle Ages, with no other than Bulgarian self-identification, and de facto never been bulgarisated.
Turks
During the Communist period of Bulgarian history, the Turkish minorityTurks in Bulgaria
The Turks in Bulgaria number 588,318 people and constitute 8.8% of those who declared their ethnic group and 8.0% of the total population according to the 2011 Bulgarian census. 605,802 persons or 9.1% of the population pointed Turkish language as their mother tongue. They are also the largest...
(mainly in the south-east and north-east) of the country was forced to change their names from Turkish or Arabic to Bulgarian in 1984, during the Todor Zhivkov
Todor Zhivkov
Todor Khristov Zhivkov was a communist politician and leader of the People's Republic of Bulgaria from March 4, 1954 until November 10, 1989....
regime. Turkish culture and language as well as Islamic beliefs were also suppressed. The argument was that the Turkish population of Bulgaria were allegedly Bulgarians forced to convert to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
during the Ottoman rule
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
.
This violation of human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
met forceful resistance from large-scale protests, international pressure and cases of terrorism. After the collapse of the Zhivkov regime, people were free to revert back to previous names or adopt new Islamic/Turkish names.
In 2003 the Islamic Human Rights Commission
Islamic Human Rights Commission
The Islamic Human Rights Commission is a non-profit organization. Its stated mission is to, "... work with different organizations from Muslim and non-Muslim backgrounds, to campaign for justice for all peoples regardless of their racial, confessional or political background.". The group is...
claimed that religious discrimination remained a major problem, but this has not been noted by other human rights organizations.
Greeks
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Bulgaria shared in the triple occupation of Greece with its allies, Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
and Fascist Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. The Bulgarian Army entered Greece on 20 April 1941 and eventually occupied the whole of northern Greece east of the Strymon River, except for most of Evros Prefecture
Evros Prefecture
Evros is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of East Macedonia and Thrace. Its name is derived from the river Evros, which appears to have been a Thracian hydronym. Evros is the northernmost regional unit. It borders Turkey to the east, across the river Evros, and it...
on the border with Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, which was occupied by the Germans. Parts of this territory - the Western Thrace
Western Thrace
Western Thrace or simply Thrace is a geographic and historical region of Greece, located between the Nestos and Evros rivers in the northeast of the country. Together with the regions of Macedonia and Epirus, it is often referred to informally as northern Greece...
region - had been part of Bulgaria between 1913 and 1919 (see Treaty of Bucharest), and were thus the target of Bulgarian irredentism. Bulgaria proceeded to restore her territories on 14 May 1941.
Throughout the Bulgarian occupation zone, Bulgarian policy was to forcibly Bulgarise as many Greeks as possible and deport and expel the rest. A massive Bulgarisation campaign was launched right from the start, which saw all Greek officials (mayors, judges, lawyers and gendarmes) deported. The Bulgarians closed the Greek schools and expelled the teachers, replaced Greek clergymen with priests from Bulgaria, and sharply repressed the use of the Greek language: the names of towns and places changed to the forms traditional in Bulgarian.
Large numbers of Greeks were expelled and others were deprived of the right to work by a license system that banned the practice of a trade or profession without permission. Forced labour was introduced, and the authorities confiscated Greek business property and gave it to Bulgarian settlers. By late 1941, more than 70,000 Greeks had been expelled from the Bulgarian occupation zone, while many of the Bulgarian settlers had themselves fled the occupied territories following WWI.
Gagauz
According to Centre National de la Recherche ScientifiqueCentre national de la recherche scientifique
The National Center of Scientific Research is the largest governmental research organization in France and the largest fundamental science agency in Europe....
, people from the Gagauz ethnic group
Gagauz people
The Gagauz people are Turkic speaking group living mostly in southern Moldova , southwestern Ukraine , south-eastern Romania and northeastern Bulgaria. Unlike most other Turkic speaking people, the Gagauz are predominantly Orthodox Christians...
remaining in Bulgaria were noted to have been Bulgarianised at the end of the 19th century.