Stefan Nerezov
Encyclopedia
Stefan Mikhailov Nerezov (born on 12 November 1867 in Sevlievo
,died on 16 April 1925 in Sofia
) was a Bulgarian
General
and Chief of the Bulgarian Army Staff.
, at the time part of the Ottoman Empire
. After the liberation of Bulgaria he was a volunteer in the Student's Legion during the Serbo-Bulgarian War
and took part in the defense of the unification of the Principality of Bulgaria
and the province of Eastern Rumelia
. After the war he served for a short time as a corporal
in the 12th Infantry Regiment and in 1887 he was accepted in Sofia Military School. After his graduation he served in the 4th Artillery Regiment but in 1892 was send to specialize in the Turin
Military Academy in Italy
. There he spent four years between 1892 and 1896.
With his return to Bulgaria he performed different duties in the General Staff of the Army and in some of the field units. In 1903 Prince Ferdinand took him in his retinue and made him Commandant of the Palace and promoted to major. In 1908 Nerezov was appointed Chief of the Operations Department of the Army Staff and as such took part in the preparations for the war against the Ottoman Empire in 1912.In 1911 he was promoted to colonel
besides Chief of the Operations Department of the Army Staff he was also Assistant to the chief of the General Staff general Ivan Fichev
. With the end of the that war the growing tension between the former allies general Fichev, who was deeply opposed to a military solution of the disputes between Bulgaria and Serbia, preferred to resign from his post but his resignation was never accepted. Nevertheless he did not take part in the preparation of the war. Some of his functions were assumed by colonel
Nerezov. Bulgaria didn't have a general plan for a war against its former allies so in May colonel Nerezov submitted his suggestions for approval by the High Command. In them he planned a simultaneous attack by all five Bulgarian armies with the bulk of the forces directs against Macedonia
while the rest drive deep into the prewar borders of Serbia
in order to cut its supply and communication lines. This planned was approved but was not fulfilled as intended.
When the war began on 16 June 1913 only two of the Bulgarian armies were ordered to attack while the other three remained idle for almost one week. This and the entry of Romania
in the war meant that Nerezov's plan was compromised. The Bulgarian High Command chose to withdraw the forces deployed against Old Serbia even though they had achieved success in the initial operations by taking Knjaževac
and were poised to take Pirot
and advance to Niš
. The Bulgarians now concentrated their forces to the south and managed to completely halt the Serbian advance after the battle of Kalimanci and almost encircle the Greek Army in the battle of Kresna Gorge
. These successful military operations couldn't prevent the Romanian Army from threatening the rear of the Bulgarian Army and reaching the vicinity of capital Sofia
which forced the Bulgarian capitulation.
the next year and took command of the entire division. With the entry of Bulgaria
in the war his division was assigned to the First Army for operations against the valleys of the rivers Timok
and Morava
. In the following battles the Serbian Army was defeated but managed to avoid encirclement at Kosovo Pole. With the end of the Serbian Campaign
the Ninth Division arrived at the Macedonian Front where it became part of the 11th German Army
.
On 25 November 1916 he was appointed commander of the Third Army
on the Dobrudja Front where he remained for one year. In 1917 he was appointed to command the newly created Morava Army Region in occupied Serbia
.
In Summer of 1918 when the 5th Bulgarian Division was defeated at the Battle of Skra-di-Legen the Commander in Chief general Nikola Zhekov
decided that a command change was needed in the First Army in order to increase the morale of its troops. General Dimitar Geshov was replaced with general Nerezov, who was described as "more healthy, more lively and more steadfast". In August he was promoted to Lieutenant General
.
In September the Allies began their final offensive to knock out Bulgaria out of the war. The Bulgarian Army which was stretched on a 350 km front with all its forced arrayed in a single line had little reserves to prevent a breakthrough at the Battle of Dobro Pole
. General Nerezov's First Army was attacked by the British and Greeks at the Battle of Doiran
. The fighting was hard but unlike other sectors of the front the Bulgarian troops kept their high morale and battle readiness due to the personal visits of the commander of the army on the battlefield. Unlike other commanders he had also positioned his forces in such a way that made available two infantry regiments as an immediate reserve. As a result the Bulgarians achieved an important victory which encouraged general Nerezov to begin preparations for a counter-attack with his army. However the Senior German and Bulgarian commanders were overwhelmed by the Dobro Pole debacle and feared giving a last general battle with all available forces. Instead the First Army was ordered to retreat and for the remaining days of the war it was pursued by the British and fought only small rearguard battles. The war ended in Bulgarian defeat and the First Army was demobilized in October 1918.
General Nerezov died on 16 April 1925 when he was killed in the St Nedelya Church assault
.
Sevlievo
Sevlievo is a town in north-central Bulgaria, part of Gabrovo Province. Sevlievo is known as one of the wealthiest towns in Bulgaria owing to the well developed local economy, high employment rate and major foreign investments, such as the American Standard Companies factory...
,died on 16 April 1925 in Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
) was a Bulgarian
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:...
General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
and Chief of the Bulgarian Army Staff.
Biography
Stefan Nerezov was born in SevlievoSevlievo
Sevlievo is a town in north-central Bulgaria, part of Gabrovo Province. Sevlievo is known as one of the wealthiest towns in Bulgaria owing to the well developed local economy, high employment rate and major foreign investments, such as the American Standard Companies factory...
, at the time part of the Ottoman Empire
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...
. After the liberation of Bulgaria he was a volunteer in the Student's Legion during the Serbo-Bulgarian War
Serbo-Bulgarian War
The Serbo-Bulgarian War was a war between Serbia and Bulgaria that erupted on 14 November 1885 and lasted until 28 November the same year. Final peace was signed on 19 February 1886 in Bucharest...
and took part in the defense of the unification of the Principality of Bulgaria
Principality of Bulgaria
The Principality of Bulgaria was a self-governing entity created as a vassal of the Ottoman Empire by the Treaty of Berlin in 1878. The preliminary treaty of San Stefano between the Russian Empire and the Porte , on March 3, had originally proposed a significantly larger Bulgarian territory: its...
and the province of Eastern Rumelia
Eastern Rumelia
Eastern Rumelia or Eastern Roumelia was an administratively autonomous province in the Ottoman Empire and Principality of Bulgaria from 1878 to 1908. It was under full Bulgarian control from 1885 on, when it willingly united with the tributary Principality of Bulgaria after a bloodless revolution...
. After the war he served for a short time as a corporal
Corporal
Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to NATO Rank Code OR-4....
in the 12th Infantry Regiment and in 1887 he was accepted in Sofia Military School. After his graduation he served in the 4th Artillery Regiment but in 1892 was send to specialize in the Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
Military Academy in 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...
. There he spent four years between 1892 and 1896.
With his return to Bulgaria he performed different duties in the General Staff of the Army and in some of the field units. In 1903 Prince Ferdinand took him in his retinue and made him Commandant of the Palace and promoted to major. In 1908 Nerezov was appointed Chief of the Operations Department of the Army Staff and as such took part in the preparations for the war against the Ottoman Empire in 1912.In 1911 he was promoted to colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Balkan Wars
During the First Balkan WarFirst Balkan War
The First Balkan War, which lasted from October 1912 to May 1913, pitted the Balkan League against the Ottoman Empire. The combined armies of the Balkan states overcame the numerically inferior and strategically disadvantaged Ottoman armies and achieved rapid success...
besides Chief of the Operations Department of the Army Staff he was also Assistant to the chief of the General Staff general Ivan Fichev
Ivan Fichev
Ivan Fichev was a Bulgarian General, Minister of Defense, military historian and academician.-Biography:...
. With the end of the that war the growing tension between the former allies general Fichev, who was deeply opposed to a military solution of the disputes between Bulgaria and Serbia, preferred to resign from his post but his resignation was never accepted. Nevertheless he did not take part in the preparation of the war. Some of his functions were assumed by colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Nerezov. Bulgaria didn't have a general plan for a war against its former allies so in May colonel Nerezov submitted his suggestions for approval by the High Command. In them he planned a simultaneous attack by all five Bulgarian armies with the bulk of the forces directs against 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...
while the rest drive deep into the prewar borders of Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
in order to cut its supply and communication lines. This planned was approved but was not fulfilled as intended.
When the war began on 16 June 1913 only two of the Bulgarian armies were ordered to attack while the other three remained idle for almost one week. This and the entry of Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
in the war meant that Nerezov's plan was compromised. The Bulgarian High Command chose to withdraw the forces deployed against Old Serbia even though they had achieved success in the initial operations by taking Knjaževac
Knjaževac
Knjaževac is a town and municipality situated in the eastern part of Serbia bordering the Republic of Bulgaria and is part of Timočka Krajina region. It is found between the latitudes of 43°20' and 43°45' north and between the longitudes 22°11' and 22°41' east. The town is situated between three...
and were poised to take Pirot
Pirot
Pirot is a town and municipality located in south-eastern Serbia. According to 2011 census, the town has a total population of 38,432, while the population of the municipality is 57,911...
and advance to Niš
Niš
Niš is the largest city of southern Serbia and third-largest city in Serbia . According to the data from 2011, the city of Niš has a population of 177,972 inhabitants, while the city municipality has a population of 257,867. The city covers an area of about 597 km2, including the urban area,...
. The Bulgarians now concentrated their forces to the south and managed to completely halt the Serbian advance after the battle of Kalimanci and almost encircle the Greek Army in the battle of Kresna Gorge
Battle of Kresna Gorge
The Battle of Kresna Gorge was fought in 1913 between the Greeks and the Bulgarians during the Second Balkan War.After the Serbian front became static, and seeing that the Bulgarian Army in his front had already suffered defeat, King Constantine ordered the Greek Army to march further into...
. These successful military operations couldn't prevent the Romanian Army from threatening the rear of the Bulgarian Army and reaching the vicinity of capital Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
which forced the Bulgarian capitulation.
First World War
In 1914 colonel Nerezov took the command of the 2nd Infantry Brigade of the Ninth Pleven Infantry Division and was promoted to major generalMajor General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
the next year and took command of the entire division. With the entry of 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 war his division was assigned to the First Army for operations against the valleys of the rivers Timok
Timok
-Places:*Timočka Krajina, a region in Serbia*Timok , a river in Serbia and Bulgaria**Beli Timok, a river in Serbia**Trgoviški Timok, a river in Serbia**Svrljiški Timok, a river in Serbia**Crni Timok, a river in Serbia-Other:...
and Morava
Morava
Morava is a Slavic river name. It may refer to:Rivers:* Great Morava in central Serbia** South Morava , tributary of the Great Morava** West Morava , tributary of the Great Morava...
. In the following battles the Serbian Army was defeated but managed to avoid encirclement at Kosovo Pole. With the end of the Serbian Campaign
Serbian Campaign (World War I)
The Serbian Campaign was fought from late July 1914, when Austria-Hungary invaded Serbia at the outset of the First World War, until late 1915, when the Macedonian Front was formed...
the Ninth Division arrived at the Macedonian Front where it became part of the 11th German Army
11th Army (Germany)
The 11th Army was a World War I and a World War II field army.-World War I:The 11th Army was formed in early 1915. It briefly fought on the Western Front during the Battle of Ypres, holding the line against the allied attack...
.
On 25 November 1916 he was appointed commander of the Third Army
Third Army(Bulgaria)
The Bulgarian Third Army was a Bulgarian field army during the Balkan Wars, World War I, and World War II.-Balkan Wars:After 1907, during times of peace, the territory of Bulgaria was divided into three army inspectorates, each one comprising three divisional district. During war they formed three...
on the Dobrudja Front where he remained for one year. In 1917 he was appointed to command the newly created Morava Army Region in occupied Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
.
In Summer of 1918 when the 5th Bulgarian Division was defeated at the Battle of Skra-di-Legen the Commander in Chief general Nikola Zhekov
Nikola Zhekov
Nikola Todorov Zhekov was the Minister of War of Bulgaria in 1915 and served as Commander-in-Chief from 1915 to 1918 during World War I.-Biography:...
decided that a command change was needed in the First Army in order to increase the morale of its troops. General Dimitar Geshov was replaced with general Nerezov, who was described as "more healthy, more lively and more steadfast". In August he was promoted to Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
.
In September the Allies began their final offensive to knock out Bulgaria out of the war. The Bulgarian Army which was stretched on a 350 km front with all its forced arrayed in a single line had little reserves to prevent a breakthrough at the Battle of Dobro Pole
Battle of Dobro Pole
The Battle of Dobro Pole was a World War I battle, fought on 15 September 1918. The battle resulted in a decisive Entente victory, with a defeated Bulgaria left to sign an armistice, which removed it from World War I....
. General Nerezov's First Army was attacked by the British and Greeks at the Battle of Doiran
Battle of Doiran
The third Battle of Doiran was fought from 18 September to 19 September 1918, with the Greeks and the British assaulting the positions of the Bulgarian First Army near Dojran Lake. The battle was part of World War I and took place in the Balkan Theatre...
. The fighting was hard but unlike other sectors of the front the Bulgarian troops kept their high morale and battle readiness due to the personal visits of the commander of the army on the battlefield. Unlike other commanders he had also positioned his forces in such a way that made available two infantry regiments as an immediate reserve. As a result the Bulgarians achieved an important victory which encouraged general Nerezov to begin preparations for a counter-attack with his army. However the Senior German and Bulgarian commanders were overwhelmed by the Dobro Pole debacle and feared giving a last general battle with all available forces. Instead the First Army was ordered to retreat and for the remaining days of the war it was pursued by the British and fought only small rearguard battles. The war ended in Bulgarian defeat and the First Army was demobilized in October 1918.
Later life
After the war general Nerezov served as Inspector of the Infantry and in 1919 as Chief of the Bulgarian Army Staff. In 1920 he was promoted to General of the Infantry which was the highest rank in the Bulgarian Army and went in to the reserve.General Nerezov died on 16 April 1925 when he was killed in the St Nedelya Church assault
St Nedelya Church assault
The St Nedelya Church assault was an attack upon St. Nedelya Church in Bulgaria. It was carried out on 16 April 1925, when a group of the Bulgarian Communist Party blew up the roof of the St Nedelya Church in the capital Sofia. This occurred during the funeral service of General Konstantin...
.
Awards
- Order of BraveryOrder of BraveryThe Order of Bravery is a Bulgarian order during the Kingdom of Bulgaria and the Republic of Bulgaria. It is the most esteemed Bulgarian order and the second highest in the Kingdom of Bulgaria and forth highest in the Republic of Bulgaria...
, II grade and III grade,1 and 2 class - Order of St AlexanderOrder of St AlexanderThe Order of St Alexander was the second highest Bulgarian order during the Kingdom of Bulgaria. It was established by Knyaz Alexander I and named after his patron saint .-History:...
, IV and V grade without swords - Order of Military MeritOrder of Military Merit (Bulgaria)The Order of Military Merit is a Bulgarian order during the Kingdom of Bulgaria and the Republic of Bulgaria. In is the third highest order in the Republic of Bulgaria along with the Order of Civil Merit and the Order of the Madara Rider.-History:...
, I grade with military decorations - German Iron CrossIron CrossThe Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
Sources
- General Nerezov(in Bulgarian)
- http://books.google.com/books?id=DicVpKMgBY8C&pg=PA21&lpg=PA21&dq=%22Stefan+Nerezov%22+-wikipedia&source=bl&ots=JAXzqBG3lL&sig=GUUPZTcAyEkrMPkuM9Y8-bmm2bA&hl=en&ei=99EsTJKIItuPnAeZ-8j0Ag&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CCoQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=%22Stefan%20Nerezov%22%20-wikipedia&f=false
- http://books.google.com/books?id=ZSllgZ-1D4YC&pg=PA155&lpg=PA155&dq=%22Stefan+Nerezov%22+-wikipedia&source=bl&ots=mZx99Bp9Qm&sig=qQHZYwMgaZafKOR6zLM86LajrrA&hl=en&ei=99EsTJKIItuPnAeZ-8j0Ag&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10&ved=0CDUQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=%22Stefan%20Nerezov%22%20-wikipedia&f=false