REMEMBRANCE IN TIME - Index of

Lora DONCHEVA: The Group of Immigrant Anarchists … 33
the resistance against the regime based on the research of papers stored in the Archives
“V. Momchev ". The report also aims to reveal new details about organization of the
mission and to present the view of the only one that survived (D. Karaivanov) about the
reasons that caused failure.
Increasing repression against the opposition in Bulgaria after 1947 increased the count
of Bulgarian political emigrants in Western Europe. In 1950 in Paris was found the Union
of Bulgarian Overseas Anarchist – an organization of the Bulgarian anarchists that
emigrated from Bulgaria after the strike upon their movement on the eve of the Fifth
Congress of the BWPc (Bulgarian Workers’ Party – communists) in December 1948. The
establishment and operation of the Union were accompanied by the existence of serious
organizational and ideological differences among its members. Gradually two groups
were formed in the organization - led by Georgi Hadjiev 9 and led by Ivan Rachev 10 .
Generally, the conflicts between them were focused on the methods of management of
the Union, the ideas for cooperation with other immigrant political circles and ways and
means to combat the communist regime in Bulgaria.
The issue of political cooperation in the fight against the communist regime in Bulgaria
was the subject of many discussion among immigrant anarchists in Paris in the first half
of 1952. Part of the participants were categorically against cooperation with other
political parties and organizations. There was also controversy between those who speak
in favor of cooperation. During the process of seeking a common position on
controversial issues, G. Hadjiev presented his project for Declaration on the liberation
struggle of the Bulgarian people (the first draft of the Declaration he made during his stay
in Constantinople, and after the establishment in Paris he offered it for discussion in the
emigrant organization). Second project is presented by a group of anarchists that emerged
around I. Rachev (project was written on February 16 and completed on February 24,
1952). In May 1952, the official Declaration was adopted. It contained some of Rachev’s
suggestions. "Current methods of struggle which are more passive and defensive rather
than proactive and offensive, will not overthrow Bolshevism" was said in the Declaration.
It called for organizing and unifying of "all the forces of internal resistance, and all
progressive forces of Bulgarian emigration." Planned was coordination with agrarians,
socialists, people that rejected Fascism and Bolshevism while each of the anti fascist and
anti Bolshevik sectors keep their "full organizational and ideological independence".
Concerning international cooperation, apart from definition of the circle of anarchist,
socialists, agrarians and “all other progressive anti fascist and anti Bolshevik circles”, it
was stated: “No cooperation with foreign countries that may have colonial, national,
political, economic or social claims upon our country or people in the future”.
Despite his participation in drafting of the Declaration, I. Rachev retained overall
critical assessment about the document. He said “In its current form it is not my belief
and action and I'm not satisfied and committed, although it lies at the root of my project".
Rachev accused G. Hadjiev that following his "self-seeking, and megalomaniac appetites
for power" he organized "smear campaign" and caused shock not only “upon the friends
who accept the ideas of anarchism and cooperation in the name of liberty, understanding
the hidden dangers that arise from it” but also upon “those of us who are against any kind
of cooperation” 12 .
Disputes on cooperation were also intertwined with various opinions on the methods of
struggle against Bolshevism. I. Rachev and his followers openly blamed the "boss" (G.
Hadjiev) for not seeking cooperation for “any revolutionary struggle against Bolshevism,