THE HEROES OF BULGARIA

Under King Boris III, Bulgaria joined Hitler and the Axis powers. In doing so, Macedonia and Thracia, territories they had lost during World War I, were regained. This resulted in the deportation of 11,343 innocent Jews from the territories to Treblinka death camp where they were murdered. The rest of Bulgaria’s Jewish population was then gathered into warehouses and detention centers, and preparations were made for them to be deported, as well. However, an action taken by Dimitar Peshev, deputy speaker of the parliament, joined by Metropol Stefan, head of the Bulgarian church, and, eventually, King Boris III, led to the rescue of 50,000 Bulgarian Jews, whose lives were spared. “The Heroes of Bulgaria” retells this amazing historical event through personal encounters of those who became the leaders of a great movement within the country.