Emergence of the Goriyani Movement
After the communist regime was established in Bulgaria in the autumn of 1944, an underground armed resistance movement began to take shape. This movement was known as the "Goriyani," or "Forest Dwellers." Its members came from various backgrounds, primarily rural areas, and included middle-class and poor farmers who strongly opposed the government's expropriation of their land.
By the end of 1947, peasants made up 47% of those involved in the Goriyani resistance. This number increased to a peak of 70% between 1950 and 1951. As the government eliminated opposition parties and enforced mass collectivization of land, the Goriyani movement spread across the country. Throughout the 1950s, there were very few mountainous regions in Bulgaria that did not have active Goriyani groups, supported by many locals.
Government Response to the Resistance
The communist regime was determined to crush the Goriyani movement. By the end of 1948, this struggle led to the creation of the first internal military battalions. By October 1950, there were ten battalions in total: two in Sofia and one in each of the cities of Plovdiv, Burgas, Varna, Stara Zagora, Yambol, Blagoevgrad, and Belogradchik. The Politburo of the Central Committee of the Bulgarian Communist Party decided to reorganize these internal military troops into a division, increasing their numbers significantly Istanbul Tour Guide.
These troops were trained to operate like the Soviet Union's internal forces and were expected to show unwavering loyalty to the Communist Party. Their main mission was to fight against and eliminate the Goriyani detachments, thereby suppressing the entire resistance movement in Bulgaria.
State Security Reports and Clashes
By 1951, the State Security reported the existence of 176 underground resistance groups, with 47 located in Sofia. This information highlighted the scale of the Goriyani movement and the challenges facing the regime.
On October 1, 1951, a significant confrontation occurred when 19 young men were killed during an action against a Goriyani detachment in the Turiya forest in the Kazanluk region. Around the same time, State Security troops were engaged in fierce battles with two Goriyani groups in the Iskar River pass, with 30 and 40 members in each group, respectively.
The Goriyani movement represents a crucial chapter in Bulgaria's struggle against the communist regime. Comprising mainly of farmers and rural citizens, the resistance fought fiercely to defend their rights and land. Despite facing brutal crackdowns from the government, the Goriyani movement reflected the widespread discontent and resilience among the Bulgarian people during a time of oppression. The conflicts and efforts to suppress this movement highlighted the intense struggle between the regime and those who sought to resist its control.
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