The Yugoslav communists work to strengthen their presence in Macedonia as the fascist Iron Guard leads a full scale revolt in Romania leading to their destruction. In Bulgaria, as the country moves closer to signing the Tripartite Pact, the country implements the most shameful piece of legislation in its history.

Major Characters in this Episode:

Tsar Boris III

Adolf Hitler

Prime Minister Bogdan Filov

Ion Antonescu

Timeline

• 1940, Oct 19-23rd - The Yugoslav Communist Party holds a conference in Zagreb.

• 1940, Nov 26-27th - The Iron Guard arrests and executes over 60 former aides of the exiled King Carol II of Romania.

• 1940, Nov - The first ever television broadcast in Bulgaria occurs at an exhibition of the German State Post Office in Sofia.

• 1940, Nov - The Law for the Defense of the Nation is proposed.

• 1940, Dec 8th - Around 40 German officials arrive in Sofia for secret discussions around Bulgaria joining the Axis.

• 1940, Dec 12th - The Bulgarian ship “salvador” (formerly known as the Khan Krum) leaves with 326 Bulgarian Jews making their way to Palestine and sinks in the Sea of Marmara killing about 200 people including around 70 children.

• 1940, Dec 24th - The Law for the Defense of the Nation is passed. It prohibits public organizations with international ties like the Masons, Rotary Clubs, and even PEN clubs. It also introduces a series of anti-semetic measures.

• 1940, Dec 29th - The Law for Organizing Bulgarian Youth is passed. It established the “Brannik” regional youth organizations modeled after the Hitler Youth. In theory participation is mandatory but this is not enforced.

• 1941, Jan 2nd and 4th - Prime Minister Filov meets with Hitler at Obersalzburg where he agrees to join the Tripartite Pact.

• 1941, Jan 13th - The USSR informs Germany of its displeasure of Bulgaria’s reduced neutrality.

• 1941, Jan 18th - Bulgarian opposition leaders publicly advocate for neutrality. Miller 39

• 1941, Jan 20th - After threats of invasion and an ultimatum from the German government, the Bulgarian government agrees to join the Tripartite Pact despite opposition from Foreign Minister Ivan Popov.

• 1941, Jan 20-22nd - Colonel Donovan, an American official in Sofia, fails in his attempt to prevent Bulgaria from joining the Tripartite Pact.

• 1941, Jan 21-23rd - Uprising by the Legions in Romania.

Sources:

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

• Crown of Thorns by Stephane Groueff

• History of the Balkans: Twentieth Century by Barbara Jelavich

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

• Yugoslav Communism and the Macedonian Question by Stephen E. Palmer Jr. and Robert R. King

• The Balkans by Misha Glenny

• A Concise History of Bulgaria by R.J. Crampton

• Beyond Hitler's Grasp: The Heroic Rescue of Bulgaria's Jews by Michael Bar-Zohar

• Bulgarian Jews and The Final Solution: 1940-1944 by Frederick B. Chary

• Bulgaria and Her Jews: The History of a Dubious Symbiosis by Vicki Tamir