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TAHIR, Nuri Ali
1912-1913 Balkan Wars and the Conversion of Pomaks in Bulgaria: Creating More Solid Borders
and the Making of Co-Nationals
The issue of forcible conversion of Pomaks in Bulgaria during the Balkan Wars (1912-1913) and its impact on the
nation building policies in the region are the main topic of this paper. One of the least discussed aspects of the Balkan
Wars is the situation of Pomaks in Bulgaria who became subject of compulsory conversion conducted systematically by
the Bulgarian authorities and the Bulgarian Orthodox church. This was a policy adopted to strengthen the borders between
Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire while increasing the number of Christian subjects in Bulgaria which could present legitimate
reason for keeping certain territories like Rhodope Mountains.
Certain similarities between Bulgarian and Pomak language Bulgarian authorities decided that they would be
the first thing to get engaged for the creation of “Bulgarian nation-state”. Since national Orthodox Churches were the bases
of national movements in Southeast Europe, Bulgarian Orthodox Church decided to follow forcible conversion campaign
towards Muslim Pomaks in order to strip them off from the Ottoman Muslim millet and to pave the way for their integration
with the Bulgarian nation. As a result of growing tensions the church representatives agreed to halt the forcible conversion
of Pomaks, however, they tried to follow other means to make them part of Bulgarian nation through different policies. Disintegrating
rapidly in 1912 and 1913, the Ottoman Empire was not able to follow these developments adequately. Sources
from the Bulgarian archives show how the process was managed systematically by the Bulgarian side.
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