September 9, 1944: The coup that changed Bulgaria

Sofia, September 9 — Every year on this date, Bulgaria remembers one of the most significant and dramatic changes in its history — the military coup of 1944. Today marks years since the event that not only overthrew a government but also redrew the nation's path for decades to come. On the morning of September 9, 1944, Sofia awoke to an atmosphere of tense anticipation. Hours earlier, at 6:25 a.m., the voice of the new Prime Minister, Kimon Georgiev, was heard on the radio, reading the prepared "Proclamation to the Bulgarian people" and announcing the composition of the new government. This was his last coup, bearing the imprint of a political figure who had participated in similar events in 1923 and 1934.

The path to power: Unprecedented support and repression

After the announcement of the coup, events unfolded at a rapid pace. The regents, Kiril and Nikola Mihov, were brought from Chamkoriya and forced to sign a decree appointing the government before being arrested. The third regent, Bogdan Filov, temporarily escaped this fate, as he was in the provinces. One of the first and most decisive steps of the new government was to appoint its loyal officers to key positions in the army. This measure proved successful, as the entire Bulgarian Army immediately declared its support for the coup, providing it with an unprecedented institutional foundation.

However, along with the support came immediate repression. Local military commanders arrested police officers and, along with partisan units, took action against "unfavorable" elements. The army's headquarters issued an order to liquidate all who dared to resist and refused to surrender voluntarily.

The new government also quickly undertook symbolic changes. The official name of the army was changed from "Bulgarian Army" to "Bulgarian People's Army" (BPA). A new position was also created within it — assistant commanders for political affairs, which underscored the ideological character of the new regime.

The partisans descend from the mountains

Following an order from Dobri Terpeshev, all partisan formations descended from the mountains. They joined the army to seize power in the cities and villages. By order of the Minister of War, General Damyan Velchev, and the newly appointed General Dobri Terpeshev, the partisan units were merged into the army, which led to the creation of the "Bulgarian People's Guard". Each military unit also received its own "army guard company", which had both military-police and military-political functions, solidifying the new regime's control.

Although in most cases power was taken without resistance, in some smaller settlements there were attempts at opposition by individual police and army units, but they were quickly crushed.

The subsequent period was marked by mass repression, the scale of which still causes debate among historians. According to various estimates, the number of people killed during this period ranges between 20,000 and 40,000. The so-called "People's Court" sentenced 2,730 people to death, including ministers, members of parliament, journalists, bankers, mayors, priests, landowners, and teachers, representing a broad spectrum of the Bulgarian elite.

The background of the events: The war, intrigues, and the Soviet factor

The events of September 9 did not happen in isolation. The beginning of the coup can be traced back to mid-August 1944. On August 26, faced with the threat of the advancing Red Army in Romania, the government of Ivan Bagryanov declared neutrality and ordered German troops to leave the country. At the same time, the Central Committee of the BCP issued Circular No. 4, ordering the execution of an armed uprising.

In an attempt to avoid a Soviet advance, the Bagryanov government began separate peace negotiations with England and the USA in Egypt. These negotiations, however, met with strong opposition from the Soviet Union and failed. As a result, on September 2, Bagryanov stepped down to make way for a new government headed by Konstantin Muraviev.

The new coalition government, composed of major opposition and anti-German parties, continued attempts at foreign policy reorientation. On September 4, it terminated the alliance with Germany, began disarming German troops, and released political prisoners. But on the same day, German troops captured the headquarters of the Bulgarian corps in Nishka Banya, as well as the headquarters of the Bulgarian divisions occupying Serbia.

On September 5, the Muraviev government was discussing declaring war on Germany, but this was postponed for 72 hours at the request of the Minister of War, General Ivan Marinov. It later became clear that General Marinov had coordinated his actions with the Fatherland Front to allow the USSR to declare war on Bulgaria. For this "service", he received the position of commander-in-chief of the army after the coup.

It was at this critical moment, on September 5, that the Soviet Union declared war on the Kingdom of Bulgaria. In the ensuing power vacuum, between September 6 and 7, unrest swept the country. In Varna and Burgas, the Fatherland Front took control of the administration, and in Sofia, a demonstration by tram workers was dispersed by force, killing one person. In Pleven and Silistra, prisons were attacked, and in Pernik, six people were killed when a miners' protest was dispersed. Thus, under escalating pressure and internal chaos, events quickly reached their climax, leaving less than 48 hours until the coup itself.