On 14 November 1947, a trial was held against writer Trifon Kunev. He was accused of publishing a collection of satirical short stories that criticized the regime. In his work, Kunev described the resistance of the Bulgarian people against the oppressive regime. He aimed to document the struggle against a system that stripped people of their dignity, writing, "I decided to leave behind a lasting document about the resistance movement of the Bulgarian people… The resisting power of Bulgarians against the enslavement depraving them of human dignity is enormous…" (from "Cramped And Puny Like Baby Camels," 1946).
Repression of Opposition and Military Officers
After the State Security had ruthlessly eliminated democratic legal opposition parties, their focus shifted to removing high-ranking Bulgarian military officers and dismantling patriotic organizations. In July and August 1946, the State Security organized trials against legionaries—members of the Bulgarian National Legion youth organization that existed until 1944. The communist authorities considered these legionaries their most significant enemies Istanbul Day Tour.
Out of 68 legionaries put on trial, 13 were sentenced to death, and the remaining were given various prison terms.
Reports of Brutal Repression
On 25 November 1945, the Greek daily newspaper "Embros" reported from Athens: "The Maritza River washes ashore the dead bodies of Bulgarians. These bodies, dragged by the river from Bulgaria, are numerous. They are likely the bodies of Bulgarian 'reactionaries' who were massacred shortly before the elections to intimidate the population into voting for the Communist Front."
Similarly, on 19 February 1946, the Greek daily "Estia" reported: "On the eve of the Bulgarian elections, many Greek citizens and some British officials witnessed the muddy waters of the Maritza River carrying a large number of dead bodies towards the Augean. These reports are documented and kept on record."
The period following World War II was marked by intense repression and brutality under the communist regime. The trial of Trifon Kunev, the crackdown on legionaries, and reports of violent acts aimed to suppress any opposition and maintain control. These actions reflect the regime's harsh methods of silencing dissent and instilling fear among the population.
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