Vandals Defile the Monument of Gratitude in Burgas

Two months after the previous act of desecration, the Monument of Gratitude in the center of Burgas was once again targeted by acts of vandalism, BTA reported, citing the Aleph Center for Jewish-Bulgarian Cooperation.

Against the backdrop of the approaching twilight, in the heart of the city, the seemingly hovering silence was pierced by the alarming signal of the latest act of aggression.

The memorial, erected nearly ten years ago by the Aleph Center and descendants of Bulgarian Jews saved during the Holocaust, is a symbol of gratitude to the citizens of Burgas. In 1943, they opposed the deportation of their Jewish fellow citizens to the death camps. Located in the bustling city center, near the municipality building and the Bulgaria Hotel, the monument is a visible witness to historical memory.

According to information provided by the organization, this time the monument was subjected to an attack with green spray paint, with the inscriptions and symbols being erased. Last August, the monument was already plastered with stickers bearing the face of Gen. Hristo Lukov – leader of the pro-Nazi Bulgarian National Legions. This is the second attack against the monument in a short period of time, which causes serious concern.

The Aleph Center categorically condemns the repeated desecration and calls on the institutions to take immediate action to identify the perpetrator and restore the memorial. "This is not just an attack against historical memory, but against the moral foundations of society. We ask ourselves, who is bothered by the feat of the Bulgarian people, who 80 years ago saved their compatriots of Jewish origin? Who doesn't like the humanity shown then and its immortalization with our gratitude and memory? Who wants to erase the moral capital of the Bulgarian people for the tolerance shown and proven humanism?", the organization states. These words echoed in the space, intensifying the feeling of deep loss.

The Monument of Gratitude, also known as the monument to the rescuers of the Burgas Jews, was restored after the previous act of vandalism, which took place in August. At that time, the founder of the Aleph Center, Alberta Alkay, commented to BTA that such manifestations are an alarming signal and require a decisive reaction from society and institutions.