REMEMBRANCE IN TIME - Index of

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Remembrance in Time
subjects were taught in Turkish). A special Department of Turkish Philology was opened
at the University of Sofia, and three colleges for Turkish primary school teachers were
established in Kurdjali, Shumen and Blagoevgrad. (Marushiakova, Popov :13). The
membership of the emerging Turkish intelligentsia in the Communist Party was greatly
encouraged. All efforts were directed towards creating a Turkish nomenclature as a
mediator between communist administration and Turkish community.
The new policy on minorities in Bulgaria began with the April plenary session of the
Central Committee of the Bulgarian Communist Party in 1956. This plenum
recommended important corrections to the previous government policies towards the
Turkish population. The new concept was adopted: ”The Bulgarian Turks are an
indivisible part of the Bulgarian people.“ Between 1959 and 1972, Turkish schools were
merged with Bulgarian schools and Turkish language instruction was gradually
eliminated.
More than 80% of Bulgaria’s ethnic Turks were concentrated in the north-eastern and
the south-western parts of the country. A majority of them are employed in tobacco
farming, but a large number of Turks also used to work in the more profitable
manufacturing sector. A privileged elite of urban-based, university-educated Turks was
formed during the communist era and, as Maria Todorova notes, “Among them are to be
found the most ardent exponents of a distinct ethnic consciousness” (Todorova 1992:
154).
Starting from 1960ies its assimilatory policies were directed toward small ethno-cultural
groups (Roma, Pomaks). A harsh assimilation campaign was conducted by totalitarian
regime in the period 1984-89 directed toward Turks (so-called “national revival
process”). The main action can be resumed as follow 3 :
• “Turkish-Arabic” names were changed. People could choose from an official list
with “Bulgarian” (Christian or Slavic) names;
• Turkish language was forbidden. Speaking Turkish was pronounced to be felony;
• Religious and local communities life was controlled by state security services;
circumcision was pronounced to be felony etc;
• Constant interventions in traditional culture especially in the customs, costumes,
folklore were conducted;
• Constantly persons and families were interned from “compact Turkish” regions
to “clear Bulgarian” places.
Ethnography
“Before they changed our names we were decorating our brides beautifully. Heavily
made up with flowers drown on the face of the bride… Our wedding parties were so
convivial, just like Bulgrian weddings. Now it is so expensive”, said Milka, 43, village
Bistrentsi, distr. Rousse (record 1994).
“When they changed our names it was forbidden to come to Dambula at the night of
Huderlez [6 th of May]. Militia was urged to blockade roads and no body was allowed to
fill a bottle of holly water. Once a border guard officer was filling water and a militia
officer passed a remark to him. Nearly sitting Turks started to fill water too and there
started a scandal”, Ali (48), (record may 1995), around the healing water source
Dambula, near Momchilgrad, Eastern Rodopes.
3 For details see literature cited.