As Bulgaria begins seriously rearming and reequipping its military, the European map begins to change at a rapid pace as Germany annexes several key territories.

Major Characters in this Episode:

Tsar Boris III

Adolf Hitler

Neville Chamberlain

Hristo Lukov

Hermann Göring

King Carol of Romania

Timeline

• 1937, Jun 9-11th - German foreign minister Baron von Neurath visits Sofia to improve Bulgarian-German political relations.

• 1937, Jul 4-5th - Bulgarians from all over Romania gather for a conference in Bucharest which creates a Bulgarian minority party.

• 1937, Late Sep - Early Oct - The first Bulgarian military maneuvers since the end of WWI are held near Popovo.

• 1937, Dec 11th - Italy withdraws from the League of Nations.

• 1937 - Construction of Sofia’s airport begins (Terminal 1 will open in 1939)

• 1938, Jan - Court cases are held against the leaders of banned parties.

• 1938, Jan 25th - War Minister Hristo Lukov is promoted and transferred to the reserves, alongside being replaced as war minister.

• 1938, Feb 10th - King Carol of Romania takes dictatorial powers.

• 1938, Mar 2-13th - Trial against the right-Trotskyist bloc is held in Moscow. Krustyo Rakovski is sentenced to 20 years in prison.

• 1938, Mar - Elections are held under the new electoral law and without the participation of the banned parties. The ruling party gains 27% of the vote, the opposition 14%, and 58% for ‘unelected candidates.’ The new National Assembly has 93 pro-government members and 67 opposition members.

• 1938, Mar 12th - The first secret Bulgarian-German protocol for the supply of military equipment is signed. It is worth 30 million Marks over two years.

• 1938, Mar 12th - Anschluss of Austria into Germany.

• 1938, Mar 23rd - During an election speech against the government at the Modern Theater in Sofia, Alexander Malinov has a stroke and dies.

• 1938, Apr - Turkish police uncover a plot by Yugoslavia’s intelligence services to assassinate Ivan Mihailov, who is living in Istanbul in exile.

• 1938, Spring - Sofia University celebrates its 50th anniversary.

• 1938, May 22nd - Opening of the 24th National Assembly. The body quickly approves all of the decrees issued since the May 19th coup.

• 1938, May - The May Crisis further erodes western commitments to resist Germany and protect allies.

• 1938, Jun 8th - Despite opposition resistance, three of the five deputies with links to the Communists are ousted from the National Assembly.

• 1938, Jun 16th - A racist and nationalistic organization known as the “Bulgarian Horde” is founded by Dimitar Saslov.

• 1938, Jul 28th - Failed coup attempt against Metaxas in Greece.

• 1938, Jul 31st - Salonika Agreement signed between the Balkan states lifting the restrictions of the Treaty of Neuilly and eliminating the five kilometer demilitarized zone along the Thracian border from the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne.

• 1938, Aug 5th - Bulgaria obtains a 375 million franc loan from France.

• 1938, Aug-Sep - Tsar Boris III and Tsarina Ioanna tour Europe, visiting Italy, then Britain (spending time at Balmoral castle), Paris, Germany, then Yugoslavia. In Germany, Boris helps mediate the Munich agreement. On September 27th he meets with Prince Regent Paul in Bled.

• 1938, Sep 29th - Oct 1st - The second set of military maneuvers since the First World War are held north of Plovdiv and Pazardzhik.

• 1938, Sep 30th - The Munich Agreement sees Germany annex the Sudetenland.

Sources:

• История на България в Дати by Vasil Katsunov, Plamen Mitev, Valeri Kolev, Evgenia Kalinova, and Iskra Baeva

• The Rose of the Balkans by Ivan Ilchev

• Crown of Thorns by Stephane Groueff

• History of the Balkans: Twentieth Century by Barbara Jelavich

• The Balkans by Misha Glenny

• Bulgaria During the Second World War by Marshall E. Miller