Petur Gabrovski
Encyclopedia
Petur Dimitrov Gabrovski (1898-1947) was a Bulgaria
n politician who briefly served as Prime Minister during the Second World War
.
Gabrovski began his political career as a National Socialist, forming his own movement the Ratniks of the Advancement of the Bulgarian National Spirit (Ratnitsi Napreduka na Bulgarshtinata)-Ratnik
or the Ratnitsi, as they became known. The group was virulently Anti-Semitic
and was said to have links to Nazi Germany
, although it failed to achieve anything approaching a mass following.
Gabrovski joined the cabinet of Bogdan Filov
in 1940 and was appointed as Minister of the Interior. In this role he became associated with the transportation of Jews to concentration camps and most notoriously signed a written agreement to approve the transportation of 20,000 Jews from Macedonia
and Thrace
on 22 February 1943 .
Following the death of Boris III
Gabrovski served as acting Prime Minister between 9 September and 14 September 1943, whilst the country's main political leaders served as regents for Simeon II. He was overlooked for the job full-time however and his position waned from there on. He was eventually executed, along with many of the old regime, under the new communist
government.
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...
n politician who briefly served as Prime Minister during the Second World War
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...
.
Gabrovski began his political career as a National Socialist, forming his own movement the Ratniks of the Advancement of the Bulgarian National Spirit (Ratnitsi Napreduka na Bulgarshtinata)-Ratnik
Ratnik
Ratniks for the Advancement of the Bulgarian National Spirit or "Ратник" was a Bulgarian Nationalist organization founded in 1936. Its ideas were close to the German National Socialism, including far-right Nationalism, Antisemitism, but also loyalty to the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. Ratnik was a...
or the Ratnitsi, as they became known. The group was virulently Anti-Semitic
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
and was said to have links to 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...
, although it failed to achieve anything approaching a mass following.
Gabrovski joined the cabinet of Bogdan Filov
Bogdan Filov
Bogdan Dimitrov Filov was a Bulgarian archaeologist, art historian and politician. He was Prime Minister of Bulgaria during World War II. During his service, Bulgaria became the seventh nation to join the Axis Powers....
in 1940 and was appointed as Minister of the Interior. In this role he became associated with the transportation of Jews to concentration camps and most notoriously signed a written agreement to approve the transportation of 20,000 Jews from Macedonia
Macedonia (region)
Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of the Balkan peninsula in southeastern Europe. Its boundaries have changed considerably over time, but nowadays the region is considered to include parts of five Balkan countries: Greece, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, Albania, Serbia, as...
and Thrace
Thrace
Thrace is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. As a geographical concept, Thrace designates a region bounded by the Balkan Mountains on the north, Rhodope Mountains and the Aegean Sea on the south, and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara on the east...
on 22 February 1943 .
Following the death of Boris III
Boris III of Bulgaria
Boris III the Unifier, Tsar of Bulgaria , originally Boris Klemens Robert Maria Pius Ludwig Stanislaus Xaver , son of Ferdinand I, came to the throne in 1918 upon the abdication of his father, following the defeat of the Kingdom of Bulgaria during World War I...
Gabrovski served as acting Prime Minister between 9 September and 14 September 1943, whilst the country's main political leaders served as regents for Simeon II. He was overlooked for the job full-time however and his position waned from there on. He was eventually executed, along with many of the old regime, under the new communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
government.