Bulgaria commemorates rescue of Jews
Parliament marks anniversary of mass protests that prevented deportations during the Holocaust
SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Bulgaria’s Parliament has marked the anniversary of massive public protests that led to the rescue of more than 48,000 Bulgarian Jews from deportation to Nazi death camps.
In a declaration adopted on Friday, Parliament described the rescue of the Bulgarian Jews in 1943 as a “remarkable act of humanity demonstrating the tolerance of the Bulgarian people.”
It expressed regret, however, that 11,343 Jews from Macedonia and Aegean Thrace, which were territories then administered by Bulgarian authorities, were exiled and murdered.
Though an ally of Germany during the war, Bulgaria was the only Eastern European country that saved its Jews from the Holocaust.
About 45,000 Bulgarian Jews emigrated to Israel after it was established in 1948.