Perret re eer a Pee ey ee eee ee ee oe Se ets ee ert peer ey ee ee ne rere or ee ee ee cot ee ee Ca ee ee ol ee ens ea ee et coe ee ee peree er here ring Communion provides an invaluable contribution to contemprary historical and as = Micnaet Kessneoy, Dirgetor ofthe Watson Insitute for ee et Penne een mc et ets ge en etre rs Pee eee 11 Pen caer eee)Rrwesannine CosteAls ree a ‘Paid Ss Sem Ress ol hme piers ablrom/emenbeiag-ommei! ved Maik Table of Contents, ‘The Process of Remembering Communism Maria Toors Inerrimionst Dracoonses a 37 9s Rethinking Communism Social Approaches to Comprehendng "Tha Soityin Postsomnannie Bulga Paya Kabokbics Bulgarian Transition and the Memory ofthe Soalst Past dra Beco, Eognia Kaliova cuaerens “The West as Intellectual Utopia Milena Niolbina (Ona History ano Axrnnorotoor a7 “When We Were Europe Svat Worker in Serbia and their Nostale Narratives "The Case ofthe Cable Factory Worker in Jgodina anja Paroie155 cnaerens rom “fanissarieto“Hooligas”: Greck and Macedonian Refugee Children in Commonist Hungary iki Yn Bochoten 187 cuxprens Socilsn and Moderrzaion Reflect in Life Stories of Ukeinian Bulgtans “Tye Boneoa 23 ouoreRy Pasfr the Present “The Social Memory o®Tetle Workers in Slovenia Nina Voepioe Arcuives ano Mesonns 237 charren Remembering Commaniem in Modern Rusi: ‘Archives, Memoirs and Lived Experience Braderck C. Corny 253 cnarreny Recollecons as Atemative History igona Maroon 275 cuawres 0 In Parmit of Preserved Memon: “The Popular Memory Peojecin Sofa alia Miche How Texrsoons Retest 293 onarrense Changing Cereinses Socialism i German History Textbooks Augite Dino 37 emarrrans ‘Textbook Memori(aizing Literate Textbooks in Bulgaria Mena Hrances 335 carten ss ‘Communism and Communist History in Slovens and (Crotian History Textbooks Pater adepices Visua Masons 349 carrey [Narratives and Images of Soilst Consunptions A Study ofthe Visual Constrvesian of Consumes Culture in Bulgaria inthe 19608 Mite Mineoe 373 cartons ‘The Commanse Period in Postcommunist Bulgarian Cinema Vania Sianoon31 as ccuarren 6 Blowing Up the Pas “The Mausoleum of Georg Dimitra Liu de Mencive Maria Todoeca Coermmerons “The Process of Remembering Communism Marie Ttoreoa A fw yeas ago a an important forum in Geran blace set was drawn up onthe state of the so-called DDR. Poroug (the sty the former Geran Democratic Republi) while 1989 had ony 67 ents {cavity of DDR tops 1999 had 224, By the tum ofthe entry, fer 7700 eles ad been pbs onthe fre conus state after its collage, and hi amber was going exponential in thes yeas ofthe pesto millenium (Bipince eta 205; Eppelmann Fauenbac, nd Mer 200; Kock 2003) ‘The cuphori flowing the en of el ailin"™—the opening of the archives, the pouring os of memoirs, the immodest bt esate predictions ofa evluion in Kiso stenment—wold av ed one to cxpct that this wuld he he ase most everwhere in Eastern Barge "That this obviously not sorts none ovo cicumtance. Noto simply mater unduly his cieumstance may note the only one but sin its significance, tis a suciet one Ix Germany, this reseach at ‘nsitonalied in several prominent centers of which the moe impor tant are the Research Centr for Contemporary History in Pusan ‘he Foundation fr the Reappraisal ofthe SED Dicstorhip in Berlin {he Tease for History and Biography atthe eraniversitis Hagen, Whichis ao the eat ofthe Interitinal Oral History Avsociatons the Institutes for Comtemporsy History in Bein and Munich the Maxlack atte for Belo Research in Hale; and the Cee or the History and Cultus of East-Centat Europe atthe Universi of cpa Equally important this esearch wes wel forded. "Not thanstinson studying the oatmporary prod or questions of suis are nsing in Eastern Europe. On the national eve, ‘ere he ben inne in a uber of counties to reat repstores Format fom the conan peiod; to pls soure materia rd to gine resesch group aout a vreyof problems. To sneation trae these effort nce te Inte of Natal Remembrance in Poandi the Open Society Atchiveo the Central Eopean Univesity in Budapest, which house the archives ofthe Radio Fre Europea Tier (RFERE) Rescrch Inte heres a he RFE/RL. archives ac hep at the Hoover lnattution t Stanford University inthe United Stes) the lost for Conttnorary History ia Prague the Romanian Tria fo Recent History oter national insites or contemporary story or espns on contemporary history at national insiaons; and th Poplar Memory poet nite by the "Team Khadaisi"Tnstiate {nS There ar sso «umber of shorter or longer-term collaborative eeach poets involving scholar fom the region and their Western omteparts inthe Unite States o European counties. However, with the exception of sme short-term research projet thse iniiaties are pool ude a al "There esti pervasive prescriptive or normative quality to much ofthe research on Ease Europe, and itan be defined athe obesion ter Pgangenbit dvb (Te unaslatable German ter, me Jing reasesment, coming to terms with the pst, and coping ad deal- ing with ty alo incest and even etebution) The Hungarian iter Pte Etatrhey sil this lect Tis no wonder there no ‘Serespning word for Vegenenteiwihgang in Hungarian’ beaise the sn coresponig ctv which he alls "weak 2 Evopean ry” (seerhiy 20047 elo Geter 2004, 33). He goes ono cri is empatio andthe et of arte Burge fr not dealing quay with the recent pastas the Germans di afer Wold War dee, Timothy {Garton Ash 2001-2002} pst the extene of new norm of ney ADIN-standa Det Iutrieor) in hstory wring, On the ‘ter hand ares McAdams (2003) ake heer hi so see Gerenan specifiy even a new Sondra To counter thi morazing pd mildly patronising moti shoud be pointed ou htt i no only the Rast European who are not following this road: it cok 4 whole eneation in pov Franco Spain after 1975 to put the ue on the abe fn reach the climactic oping of mass graves in 2000, not eo aetion ‘helo generation and ove two decades forthe Germans to begin 0 come terms withthe legac proces that ssl incoplete? "The pot here isnot to expan (or admonish or eu) hy Vngengentibethigeng soot hoch term in Eastern Europes lotto question the mandatory charter ofthis approach, Fit and fore ‘mors premised on drawing straight hin between Naas andthe comaively long East European experienc, which went throgh dif ferent tages and played amzing geographical aii Even astict parallel between the Ni and the Sins pode ean be questioned le alone the qulaslydiferene historical stages across and within rational bonds, What tome ha been most aratng (probably because Tam deeply step the conventions of yen discipline) is that most ofthe eal efor at approaching eal seco (oe however we pref tw name it) stared with theory and not with cps eseuce fi he lallenges to democratic thors then the whole ranstologyenterpie which needed a dozen yeas before it war robustly ctgued then the dominant civil society pag, which sony now beginning to be a= sol questioned; and soon (Bunce 1999, 203; Career 2002; King 2000 Ice stay of Bare Germany the promise of waitin theory virally ceases unde mpc erating and what becomes highlights especially in insituional research, ave aporias,aninomies and pas doves rather than the igi eontnors of regi formula (Wippernana 1998; Abe 2003). This doce not mean that compete comcnaus hat ‘een reached there stil tension and pasionae debate betwen othe ‘one hand, "he bli inthe omieesence of contagious tate (Charles (Male) hich cold not he oid, and on the other hand, respect for the eatgoricl imperative ofthe upright couse even in depen ci ‘umsances, which ws alized in the ver of housed finial” (Cinenberger and Sabrow 2003) In the German eae, Jrgen Kock (2002) idee! three main fel of research: asians, expecially he eine abou he ee chances Qlstions on resins and opposition tothe regime and sca, cera and everyday story Thesabquent dite produed tact grecrent tha while te fst eo eat ‘pores ofinguty have Bevo almost overeseuched and thee need fora Lge andespeilly comparative famewook, thre ll macht be done we he third abi "The reascn wo such pac is devoted to the German sation it thay beste othe ste of thea, tir becoming the inviabl saad aginst which sbseguen scholarship wil be measured. This ofcourse, pens pst but ital points potential ill Fie comparing ito the gener German cae after World Wa I, dang wih the past jn Basem Bure har a wider seleance ha the stem to reach social catharsis, Unlbe fice, wot sigfcance i the porta erod wat ‘nowy a traumatic aspect of experience and memory tobe ih aad ‘acally recone, the much longer and mach moc diverse communist ‘ite as actly had no Stunde Mul and Yas been fadngoutina more or less energti bt seni gradual way. ‘Second he East Ger cicumstance ft unifcation unig, and eather than uid upon insights about chi development, one should Fighlight the fndamentaldfeencs between two drama different ‘utcmes or sear of ranfonmation and incon into the Earopean framework, Oe an abrupt and puinfl, bt complete absorption and intron bale with he forme acy he others much more grad val adjstment with inatttional or personnel continuities hese ae ‘ofcourse, ext inthe former German Demoerstic Republic 0) that ‘ary fn pice pce The approaches to and the wl fornterpeting these developments seem tobe sini for Basten Europe but quai> rately difereny, in terms of economy, social sac, and expecially Pyshalgy for (Eat) German where ne ar the complet eatin tthe vnerpioningr ofa sverig ae and dhe perception of canal veka Tn the one of Bastern Europe, machi tobe done inal spheres of ssearch, but thee is 3 particule agency about approaching the foci and clu aspects of everyday He under the veal formula of | “emenbeingsommuniscn* This purty responds to orate, appre- tends a poblic demande be nate ofthe pects of transformation of objective ret int a subjective one and wo eke it seiush:™ At the sme time, the concer with individual ved experience in no way inertia the vale of honey informed sacral explanations: the two approaches complement cach other. In addon, the ies not tosastate che pacity of» Manchaean view of communism wih the “rue, bjetve o simply new mode f what corms was Rather focusing on the proceso remembering wees wo ae the problem. On the oe ind, we have to el with dais proce in sich ther are constant and conse restcsent the communist perience. On the other hand, org the ter “remesbeing” oer “memory emphases ved experience tone infected bythe exigencies the momenta which the ac of ellen (emebering) kes place "There ae sete agurcnts that make remembering commis? a relevant endevor 1. Phiagpisal Even if there ane of histoy” and communis soci a thing fee past oto town sete has Been thrown note dt of story. fom where itcanot (or souk ity according ro some) be eived tsi instracie tole bout altratve ways of ogninng sci oro thinking aout o p= ing for che “goo ie" Philosophers ae divided inti ates toward he historical pst. Some, especially the nes belonging to ‘the analy adiion, iegud he historic legacy: They teat as something that relates to presen philosophy a the history of scence relates o science, Other, however age that on can nd does pesiodially turn to pedaceor for glimpses uth or teas vali insgh, such as canbe brought back the preset. To gives concrete expe it would be instructive to look not only athe record of lence of commanism, of thos and otal tara practices, bu especlly at chismoment lo athe ora sie legacyn education cla i eneal eat ae and welfare While dha legacy otto Be idealized it would be ical to dims 2. Palit One noes serious explanations of soup of os-border phenomena: ones the periodic etm ofthe Let (not nese Sy only former communists) inthe politi leadership of Eastern Europe. Inthe ery stage of portcommonisedevstopment, one ould read poitially comet nd pei analyse thatthe wis ‘fundamental dsineton been the Cental European who had che ou chee commnis an the et the Balkans Rss eadthe former Soviet Repub), who wer ieee these were, atraly promoted by he Central European thems. Arar, ‘the practice challenges great modes ad there isthe uncomfore she ice thar this happened lo among the "bes i Plan, the ‘Czech Repobl and Hungary More important, what accounts oe this general phenomenon of posteommenist aorta what rite ‘ects ad how iit atcaated? Iisa problematic that eer ‘out for comparative studs Te poses the question under what cond tions eae cen terble ola unpessant, thing be forgot tex? This has importatimpliatoos for socal eeoncatio. It albo underscores the gap beeen egal and institutional change, on the one hand and the public's pereesion of and ates toward erocray onthe other an! Butte peal haa wider reso- nance hatha to do wit the worldwide reception of and ecions fowaginst globalization, Nov only is chere no end of history as ‘well sn end of decoy, the fymptoms pont tan ncipint Hie offs orientation ana renewednterer i ese pits With thi rie, the aberation ofan adequate (ie, conet,histxially roundel and nuanced) scholay perspective on the communist ‘perience adits egacy seems mandatory. 8. Mitel and eset. There certain gency shot approtch- ing the sue simply put people who “emcmnber the beans ‘of communism in Basten Burope as alive expevence are ily ‘ying ot. The ones eho were Born nde communism and spent All hci formative yen under this soime—the one ot to sy yeas old—are sly adapting or atively forgeting. At he same tein he sce hat in the pas ifteen years hae come out of and ae moving sway fom communism, ther iste if ny sop Pt for eos eeeasch onthe commit pat part fom the understandable fecus onthe oppesve side of the system. This rake rather pressing the choir sk to esse from bon the sacs but especially the thoughts, abot thir past. Tre, hee it rely an enormous body of memes wating to be stematcly inerpreed, but hiss uit adie sue Oneistempred almost to call forwhat Alfie Kroeber defined as“alvage ethnography 4. Mtiodelgcal What fst glance might cem a simple rescue ‘operation i fact, ceatng,setematiing. and/or pserving an Snredily ich nl wique source for scolar anayi. Won ae fetoo obvious, Team ey to jus iwith Hobsbuwms definition of istorans ar “profesional remembrances of wha their flow line losis lot sts, anit ks to ideology deleted tin the Pebli' ee The ist new interpretations of thence past ee From jonrsalinn, memoir, and poplar hitory Wie interest esesing {eps Lively in theft transition as, by the mid 19s it had fren way to caste concen, Baers nd Kano present dete svey ofthe profound transformation oF aides toward the past by sn omnes ce" lad "Bare ie ly Mire hese ne “Caan rnin tg cen ch Soe a ay Inc topline rin ny pny pet te the ‘ling of iti owe hater 118 nd oo ony aps obs in sg em, Thi apes Brian Comat Pay dos 4 embed hatin Bri banger ato November 10,98, steered peo” 5. Tunney PE Mie and A uch in he Mio Kanes anos Cash a Fecha Cech rg ho as Th Bf anh and a 2. Thine te gee pnt, iho any set jinn Works Ced Ape D4. Te Pitf Marzi, Chey of Chg re. ‘roth Hamab 73, Torin Sof Parana at Monch ts sss ot Soft Mo ee Pe 1998 Kapiti rsp Sofas UK unt An 203 Kale ie ise? kate owe peihnnn” Shien 2. Chali an 208 Sinan seo nt jit” Si pro Desa Roamer. 191, Batt carne rin j ptutirom, Sf ‘asenitentiadeoS KO” any Dein 208 “Obese eee cialis na dar (Bere Tosi Mo Sapp 3. 1, Tbr irom Gone Gents Ne ‘rc a 39, pots ne gt ise sida Sf psi Geng e206. esos Pld ne, (Gopi Cont Ye Gann. 206, “et nao” Vin ra Ber 1988, Goan sr Sin Manish Ca Hae Veg ‘Guenchor Roia 208. "Zruie a aie” Sitihd pen 12 attics ey 0, Gps rte dpa Sas LIK, aise 986, Crediton ont Dim Sin SB ad ‘Sry Cambie MA MIT Pe Kins, lsd 195 Notes on the el Cong Cans” Cle pate ‘ft Mateo Pres, Ox Lenin, ini 197,“ sadsh et lt” sa pre iy Soe Partin, en przekn Sai Pait Mines, Daa Py Rabies, 19%, Pa -t ari Sf Mg ie 2" pti” Sito ben 2 Mac er E1983, °Or oman Ki eke” Sy Pra Moe Barge. Aci on Iain Capi an Sie ow a Oxon Unni rs 96 Sit Origin ip an omar Mss Ps. Mahi, ete 208 sr, am str Sa: Geter, Moy. 303. Za ats a So ek Zap Naso Gea. an re. So: VIKONE KOS ‘ils Nin nt GepiMied. 208 Vpn ria ah: rama sa sete ap Sips poo 1-2 nora Sn 20a mabe sch pb (Ot ‘ht DPO Semi Sai pon 2Sle ne Tol dy 191 empl Soft Irae hes ino maining Bala, New Yo One Pre. Bulgarian Transition and the Memory ofthe Socialis Past, ub Boo, Begonia Kalinooa “The Balan aston tha began in 1989 seers to have changed vey thing, Visily nothing remains ofthe Stalinist spe of state scialim The one parry poll sem was abolished and eplced by plat system comping ore then 260 partis. Oy Biv si of hee paria 2 in Palament but ll of ther, ihe or conserve, determine the European aspect of pla fin Bularia The centrally planned econ- omy was gradually replaced bya matt economy a it acknowladged by EU uropean Union) observes. The sca sae was completely dsswoyed, andi i place a welize atte of the West European ype ie bing crested. The eduatonal sytem, the mass medi the clr and ‘sient intiutios have all ben ently transfnmed The end fat ‘easton posed the problem of how Belgas today acep thei soca Jsepase aot aran clement af the political srg hut pat of heirs ‘onsciousnes and identification (Raiche and Stich 2004 Kalnova nd Bacva 2002, 357-6) This chapters a attempt point tothe ways in which Bulgarian history fer Work War Il bas ben reexamined and imbucd with new meaning. rig the Set mont and years fllowing November 10, 1989, sociey wa rnp interested te frfve-yea period oF Bulgarian story thar had jst ended. Many Bulgarians wanted eo learn more about ‘tw blankspots that events, cts and proces tha a been idenhom the pb Tey were png teat haw ee wp 0 se eta wander wy teste, ich aml 989 ad weirdo swong md table cned in ich aspect way ror Tov) uy cholerae ws ily repel a ving SDE vie deed manplaton nay al che covering sp cfctine Tuli nes in the immedi pat depended on he sei nce of iret ss rope i ais problems 0d prod Danae the wrested praivn erpizatn), member ofthe Pultan Comat Pay (OCP) whieh crise fem oe mi samme athe bginng ofthe tation peso mee mos itr Eide recumiing the py lcs od te maton gen, este seed Macedotation of the Pin ego ig the yobs he poll epson (Sinor apd Tey 2990 impo AAS eon esos sb the areal comple the Mestad Plant Kreme codecs indy a Ih beeping plein Rai They mailed he tees a he BCP for mang poe dein. The acoso bing {Eee Tor Zio ajo bo overtone wSeity Pee Mlaenr snd An! Louk, the ow als of be nates Solar Party (BSP) Snel she BCP who were foxerng Theor frie image seis ition myth that ed {hedge they had edn opposing Zhi Tah 199; Neder 1999 Tomo 1998, 200) ‘Manterof the acl option hat emerged aie Never soso bad fen arate tori past Spas 2000. Thy con~ carat on ae pet he iil pesos fe ate 140s ‘Sid cette Peles Courant dn Gis prom? amp a re tele well as erber fhe ar open ais te erenion in he mae of 1956 price Tete aor cep er Lovech he sence guint he Bian ‘Tehsig the el proce ater 1986; the eet BCP ace, toate nd he dg ae the sapped pariion of Se lpn sec pli in lial soins rte ane SRC Poe ohn Pal on May 13,1981, an the mdr of he rot writer Geog en Landon on Speer 7.1978 r= Sib pine mel Interest inthe past depended on the age of those remembering it “The generation ofthe middle-aged hoe ove ft) sw the scat vid in ight oftheir own past, wanting epin orecietheir wn nstental succes file: Follower ofthe BCPVBSP eid to defend ‘he meusing ofr ves, wheres the anticommunist oppsion sought ‘olnation for theirs, The ata ofthe younger generation that ‘fst cid out he Balai ‘velve evolution” was ite dierent fe ‘he summer nd autumn of 1991, he youth ongnied cil disobedience tnd stent kes protesting the BSP clecoral mrry of Jane 1990 “Ty ao cognceed the emuval of soa President Madenoe July 6.1990) and Pime Minister Loukano (November 23,1980), Fo those ‘er hig he pst iso with mater andntlesta mit ‘don end characterized by the absueiy of the communis ideology: The yong peopl asesment ofthe pst ino sed on concrete knw, tuto neve erated pola yeh tha lyon denial ofthe pasta necessary colton fo farther development ‘ting the inal prio of he Blan tension, interest inthe puts motated bythe concern the a Pisco the bln ‘he socal frction of history, acorn which each geneson sect cn inerpreaton ofthe past order to adres contempory problems “he ace "reer" history has been arcuate immer gents iso tas and other reac, school extbook and popu bak The quality of new historia work requis not ony thorough eves ‘gation of achive but lo strongly depends on bistorcl dance that comes only with the pane of tine. However, daring the revolton= ny sage of he ansition pesod changes occured so quickly chat hee ‘vs no opportunity for profesional historians to soberly assess chem therefore ew interpretation ofthe wc pst were moat ofered by jal, meme wets, o popula istorians! There would be nath- ing wrong with thar if thse iterretsons wer accompanied by se Pulburecuch not nBuenced by conjectural eclagil requirements “Therein” oF the history ofthe socialist period has alread begun, cared out wth the lp ofthe mass medina agly exploited in the conterporaty pls svggle After the il of communise, Bulgin expevenced an ray of ‘oc and economic problems asaciated withthe eransigon: the mass loving of enterprises, employment, poverty and limited acceseductona and cr instiusions. fa the i 1990s when the pi ‘Sttssosidon to democracy ended stomps to atonalze the soit jv gadally began to diminish people attention became fos on The cle problems of everday ie, Regus ofthe fit shat ring the season period poble interest in history had lessened, the baie emory makes that the highly ible synbols and ways of masking the pst, were changed. This change was ofen abrupt and cacti out ‘py ccota an led sae isto, Ar the same time, the wang of pla interest in historyeeted the opportunity fora more gral ‘Cansfonnation of historia symbols rough historical scholusip Stil publ interpretations of the soil priog conned ro be based on {Vn of myths. The following seion traces the change of memory seater in he diferent sphere tha inaenced the Bulgarian historical The Atte of Political Pes toward he Past (One ofthe fst great changes athe beginning ofthe rans period soos she formation of now oll partes and the resurrection of his- ‘Deka one th had existed prior 0 he imposition of sae soca at the end ofthe 1940, All them hase dc own interpretations ofthe toa past that ave evolved daring the cour of pital bates Mant of the pts that entered the coalition ofaticonmnist oxcer—the Usion of Democratic Forces (UDF) formed on December 7,1989-—were newly crest by the maliiccted dsident movement: the National Movernent “Ekoghsnow che Green ary the Clab for Publicity and Demooracs the Independent Assocation for Protstion tf Human Rights the Movement" Grachdansa Iisa’ the Labor Confederation Podleps the Fecraion ofthe Independent Stent Associaton; the Cub ofthe Repesed after Seprember 9, 1945 the Commitee forthe Defese of Religious Rights, Freedom, of Conscience toa Spl Values the United Democratic Center (Simeonov 1996). Tei ides were infuenced by thee bie dissident struggle is 1956-8 and the viewed soi athe enmy tat hd to be deed [A the sme time ec platform ws furure-orented and supportive of the flor to erate a Europea-age democracy. This became evident sn their attempt co we roundtable als, uved onthe Pais nol to resol the please "Phe “historical parties—the Buaian Agrarian Peoples Union (BAPU) “Nika ehon the Bugaan Labo Soia-Demoratic Pary= (hited (BLSDP), both of thm co-aing ia the period ofthe "Peoples Democracy’ the Democets Pay (DP) the Raical-Derocratc Paty RDP) he Tener Macedonian RevoltioniryOranizaion IMO) and the Bulgran Democratic Foran (BDF or he omer Bulgarian Legion) waa sgh dierent atid toward sca, They wanted "make “pith the past by ending tei old spe with the BCP. For this exon, they egnerted te feelings of aos forthe more distant pst BAPU “Nila Pty” and BSD ithe prod of the pope's democracy’ the Legion forthe pre-1988 gine and the other parties for tepid prior tothe coup deat 1934 beau in 1934 they were bane. “The nin force drvingBalgrianpoital development fe 1989 hasbeen the ned ek inks withthe communis past This process sed though evel sages: sinc rom, exposing, raul este ‘ono and the complete lgsidation of commit forms af proper political and social nganiztions symbols, and momarents Parts such bs the DP and se RDP started Srv BAPU took oer the second age ofthe process The development ofthe BDF and IMRO, however, wat somewhat flee. Tei anticommunist character i evident in thir tenga on the idea of the “nee period of socialise chim thatthe communist regime presented a“iscontnun” in Bulgarian development and thee al fa ero precommunist values, pital formations and experiences ‘The wo partes most ative athe beginning ofthe 1990 the RDP andthe DP, dente with the precormunist oll past The RDP ‘va at atempt by several men of eter, including its founder, Mikhail edly a svive the sal party of urban intelectual (Nedelchey 200). elece an foe create an intel vison of the past thar roe to adage prewar coaoic and poll values othe elites ofthe ate swe century Tn he case af the DP desire for evenge an be dceme in ite founding platform, Created on December 19, 198, the DP was nota cofounder ofthe UDF bu wat ater accepted Seta the coaiton. Ie was par ofthe UDF as both an opposition snd a ‘ling partyin Philip Diiton's goreoment (1991-82) and saciith the mos inportane attempt to reconrrct he present onthe bas fhe pe-1944 past ty mean of prpety sitios and punts (On the eve ofthe December 199 lection the DP lee the UDF and formed new colon with BAPU cal the Nasional Alliance (NA). “Theo pari atempted to atact voters by stoning anscom~ unis plies aware da their adaptations of pre-1938 party poses ‘vou no nicely corespond with the nant of contemporary nt “They rete one ofthe most power al and atv ornate, eating a demoaie image ofthe communis rege. This entation ‘th atcommsnism, which helped maintain thes popula for scan siderable ie, wa he oly congruence in he plafrns of thee pts “This became crdent in the oid 1990s whe the RDP disapeared fom pote Iie andthe DP which could not exis separately had enter into colton wth one of the agrarian partie, ‘Simi, IMRO made we of a anticommunist platform but ‘ended i wth nationalist, comervative and il-conceled senopho- bic sentiments The pty succeded in ging cern socal eat ana euanaged to survive due tote national evived ducing the let ecades of Zhivkonstegime. At that time, “the Macedoaian question” ‘var not regarded a 2 problem endemic t the soled Prin epion (ceo known as Blagnergrad district, in onder to avoid the we f the ume” Macedonia” which was demi withthe Sociale Republic of “Macedonian Yagosail athe twas assosiated wih th history ofthe ational "evil period with heey ofthe modern Balas ste, 2d withall Bulgarian atonal aspraons Polical eed owed and scat resexch onthe previously forbden "Macedonian question Panicpunts in the Macedonian movement wanted t take pat in he cretion ofthe UDE; bt this was voted dawn by UDF members, ‘Oa January 5, 1990, the ngiaton was restored under the mame ‘ofthe Union ofthe Macedonian Clr and Editon! Axsosiatons in Bulgaria. Later art congrest in mid December 190, revived is former same, IMRO, adding the pe “Union of the Macedonian [Asiana The restortion of it mame reeled the desi revive the metoryof"the glorious pat and, most importantly, permite the resttaton of significa proper TIMRO’ second congres (Febraey 20-21, 1993) imposed certain resction on the putiiation of altar anconais nit execute ody I the putimentry cleton of December 1994 and Api 1997, MRO had two depute ia calison withthe UDE.Tn 2001 the UDF ed nel wath newly formed igh wing pasty "Gergionden and id vin oy set the hiryinth National Asem I the June 25, 0s clecions it partied in an eto coaion with BAPU, under ‘Anaasia Mover and the Union ofthe Fre Democrats under Stein ‘ofan. IMO has ben gradually osing istration and inf nce bat has fil hep ite pace within she ela Right, maitsned ‘teatonaine character an sontnuad ite flrs orev the myth of *Masedoria” ‘pica exmple of the total reton othe commonis period it the BDF Iegoied the Union of Blguian National Legion founded $n 1980(ihe Legionary vee), raising patton, arachment ‘tional Bulgarian nation ves apd anioramunisn. Ie debery [sed the histori record of the monemen goings ar ax denying is pronounced fc and ant Senit characte, and managed 0 rete nea the mot power posconmuniat arsformaton myths. “The transformation ofthe ofcial BAPU ofthe scat period iva perfec example ofthe break with the poisal practice of he past thing combination of wentiestion and mobiizaion. Atte begining tf Fabry 1990, i efsed oo enter ito Andee Lookanovs cabins, trying to draw ine Beran tl and the communist heritage, and Tegan orev its sociation with the period before September, 1944, (On December 9, 1989, BAPU' *Nikola Pekov” was restored and in Febuary 199, the thesis congress of the offal BAPU decid its beak with communism, announsing its eur othe estage ofthe saratinn leader Alexander Staboie Ia Jly 199, che leaders ofthe paian pla emigation who returned to Bulgaria engineered the ‘teton of new frmation-—BAPU ited “Another endeny in Bulgarian pits has bee the introduction of conservative eas tat were apposed 0 confi the West European ‘entation ofthe new pla rgaiatons. Manifested hic m= Intmeat wo eligiows abe and character ofbodk new and oi nt= ‘rani prtiy, it cn e found in the numerous organizations that te the BAPU abrevson swell ai the ranks of the RDB the DP, {nd others, On December 19,1992, on the bass of such anata ‘rete identity the Chistian. Agrarian Paty (CAP) of van Gluskowves founded delrngitelfantcomnun ad ight fener The anti~ Communist paradigm has edo 4 number of tansformations, coalitions “Sh paryeainattions bo within the atonal center occupied by BAPU, a wel che letof cee. "There hae alo been pate ecdy to cooperate withthe BSP or wich communist organizations sch x BAPU Alexander Stamblis.” Founded in Ape! 198, and BAPU “Alexander Staribolisk-19992 Yet another agraan postions epexented by the radical populist rtm ‘eine ension governments ariculated bythe Bulgarian Araian National Associaton founded in 1999 (but subsequently slic into ‘National Association BAPU and other fins). These agrarian groups tue conceme with the contemporary situation; hey we mths ofthe ps only to emphasize the attractiveness ofthe agrarian clog. which faker Chem moderately anticommunist In present-day Bulgar, there te about ineteen agratan organisations tha have ocesionall ed to ‘nite, ut these temps have aay ile “The obese anicmmuniam ofthe “iste partis” and thir Asie to comple beak withthe past explain why it as been impor~ ble for them to wor ou their we economic and social progr rd hp one undesstad the tendency toward the eeabilitation of fst pola oration pd leaders, even ani-Sernite ons. ‘Some lest partes have also ken prt in the reasessment of the commons period, In April 1990, the Bulgarian Communist Party (BCP) was renamed he Bulgarian Soca Paty (BSP) The BSP of tilly acknowledged it communist beige bat as temper distance ‘et om the BCP? leguy, Even before the enaming the party contin~ tit exert gfcnt plc inflncethrogh various chanel athe ‘eginnng ofthe easton period it oil newspaper, Rabrnchts tla bad a ceclation of one elon readers The state medi eported txtesively on the seston of the BCP’ Cental Committee and che taocdnay Sree party congress (January 30-Febraty 2,19 Th the BCP played the mont important role athe fs ates to eaness the pst starting with the prt central poston nthe changes ff Novernber 1989 The new ary leaders preseted a native image of the cent pst ad ted to wn public suport by ejecting everthing that had been achieved dung the BCP ele and casting he blame for Allsheilsof the communist egime on he “athorasin aniston of Todor Zink ad his associates. One of the nat vid examples of ‘hisapproach was the BSP Supreme Councils declaration on March 30 1991 scondeing the BCP (Dama, Mach 31Apfi 3,199), ‘arte ets of ich an approach to the ps were relate sore ved. Alkhugh the BSP ener won an absolute asjryinthe ist ‘Sopocrat eeton of Jane 199, the party ha lalalime “ouliton. Ibi ts, the mas poters agit the BSP elector viory ‘vere dist psn the new BSP eae, Present Mladen and Prime Misses Leshan, oe th of hem to resign (Baevs 199). “hes nmi 1991, sion of he ae reappeared within che pl cal Lefe Todor Zhivioe. Ex an open leew Pusiament, he took fll ‘espnsbiiy no onl fr dhe ng, br also forthe postive develop nents during hie tenure Zhivko 1998, 1998. A fit, his position wax ignotd bts the year pad, twas gradi adopedas the comsnon pstion of the Lee This process accompanied the diminishing resources tthe f-ing pts, inching the BSP, and thr evened ability 0 Indo pbc opinion a her newpaper and othe pubiaians cher Ainipeared or witnesed a drop in izcltion to only tno fees thou tan As nostalgia forthe soil ecu ofthe vce period peared, ‘he BSP tied tread the istry of iam in anew rial and a Iyic wy (BSP 1996, 1997; Gio Dimi 2003), but without having sy signieant nduence o the pai Legal Procoedigs against Explitians (On November 18, 1989, a tee fest ie meting edn font ofthe St. Alexandr Nek Cathode cisidents played posters showing Todor ‘hivhoe behind prion bare nd ise ha pica eimials be pat on ‘a The BSP cil fr the condemnation of thos individuals respon sible or the rts, while the UDE wanted «more nveeping conderina- ‘in of communi, Retrouctive ual setibution is ot a new phenomenon in Bulgarian ollie, On Nonerber 22,1919, the seratin orermest| lof Aleande Stanblis adopted law eeating a tte cour fr“lgal Proceedings and punishment ofthe sponsible forthe national its- "tophs"of the ssn Balan wa (1913) and World War 1 (1915-18)(On September 30,194, the Futhesand Front government pase lew roving forthe prosecution of thor policane who had led Bulgaria into World War IL The aaneage ofthis sproach ay inthe eae onuemnaton ofthe past which mae it moe long-lasting hatha ‘imply been apoitaldeison Tra allowed seiety to move beyond ‘he potion of alive responsibly by personalising sine. "The intitve to make se ofthe cours was taken by the BSR, hos atid toward Todor Zhivkov uderwent «major tansorma tion: on November 10, 1989, hehadreceved the new lade grate for his wok; in December af she same year he was epee fr the pur Its dial oy whether dhe tsnrcund was provoked by pb lic opinion, which was insisting tha ofl guy of erimes be con vice oy a poner stage beowen part lade On anay 18, 190, hivkow was charged with "isting national hostile" On Jamiry 2, hes rested ad remained in detention, ating ei in June 190. He remained under house ae snot util the end of his ie, ‘The desire ofthe opposition to solve poli problems by ju inl means inensited after the sping of 1990 and sepia afer it lector los. The tring point wi the outburst of cv disobedience in the summer of 1990. On July 6, the actor Toi Shade pe- sented the demand of he pote, one of hich was calf "pblie tl of Todor Zhivkow and his cle." Whi the majority of the judge aligned themselves withthe UDE the new Constitution of ly 12,1991, had made judsal power completely independent fom poll nt «nce, The UDP’ tong position wihin the adil stem motivated he oer talon he corso proses foeme conmniat polician ‘Tis pressure eventually ed to the opening of four major tials desing with crimes commited daring the commie pio il I—Zhivkow and his assacates charged with abuse of power rial 2—the “revival proces ial 3—rowth of the nasonal extra debt and eal 4the economic catatophe. The fist ial was ofthe retest importance for ublicopinio ait wa aginst Zhivo hin who ad been the ain Figure ofthe commis past. Tal In which people expected find an ‘planation for and an assessment oF the whole connie psi, was Seen a model becase twa the fst one to star while investigations forthe others wee tl in progres ‘Thal 1 was asst Zhivkor and ht csi plc! aistat, Miko LT she of power cage nce grin Ige s 2 cnmentaoanc”t meer fhe Pou andthe BCP ‘SeETCommiter Sect he Ste Couch he roo ofthe fumes and th povernnente dbutn of 7 ee and 125 cowmed earnest ad ching lag amount of ney fr the fiat ff vlmesof Ziv compete wos an 199). Je che some rater ings apne he rblic. Auicomeuai propaga hal ley pemoaded Blgaian cry ‘Micah member foaled meta sant hues STnoney an ined foc ander commas, The etignnn of ‘rk however reveled hath ado el nat and war ving in pangs la Thewal ean on Feary 25,199. Pos Kr Zor szased hiv of bes tht ha cot the wate 265 lon lve iGemcea 1985 apd 198 the ate xchange fr 1 berween 83 ISI lo A te set pu ter ba eg ‘ne the fl filed show conning evens fr the conden on of communism as gem. The legal ed mone. tudparenshich had ben gen ayo popular aon rte {tier and he vdeo ths wrongdoing bad a incre inept con pion 208 wher he inoraion wpb that 72 sintered prone ad Bon dbo Shri the perio berwen 197 an 2001, Gan Mask one ofthe inant acm thn UDF peri ered ely that len Zia had en hem peopl oe speci mre in Bug, securely hy we bing ent Snore {Minko 205) ih whch ended on Spembe 4192 00 tece Zion tere ea in pion and Bal we eas Zito Aefese apse, on Feb 9,96 he Spee Cort ne ‘ned eens ling tht Zs ore ben oo Tales hei ben head of te Th the main ad ot ‘cel demonsttng he nil cance of he aor oe 70-199 commis genetTal 2 focused on one of the most controversial problems of the lt year of communi, Between December 194 and Jamury 1985 about ‘ght hundred thousand Bulgarian Tks hd own forced to change thie “Maslin ames fo Bulgarian ones. The change of names, an import snake feces ed to undermine the sense of Trish den- tity among the population Aer 1985, the goverment conde c= pg devine 1 shove that Bulgarian Tals had nothing in common ‘with Tuk. In accordance with panty istructions, hitrians red to Prove that the Bulgarian Turks wee of Bulgin origin but cha uring ‘Onoman rl (Fourteenth-nincteenth century) they had been fribly ‘converted to ar thes Bulan oneness hd been “red” and they had begun co see theresa Turks. This isto wrong had to |e recifed, and he part devied to “car” ad ese their Bulgarian ‘onaciosoc This argurent became th iologieal oudation of the tercilled revival proces, a phrise apposed to lend istoria authen tii party policy bys invoction f the nineteenth-ceniy ei ofthe Bulgarian nation (Mikblor192}-Benreen 1985 and 1989, the authorises atempted to mplement this eologyeaoagh various fre of repression, such as banning the ws ofthe Tukish guage in public places and rigs ceremonies ae well as banning traditional Musi ‘thing. nthe pring of 1989, a wave of valence apt the country The “Tash population orguszed demonstrations, demanding human snd iil ights andre emigration, BCP leaders dosed tallow eigaion, sd more than 320,000 rk ed Try inthe so-called big exe tion, while acy Bulgaiane were faced t ake ner heir job in order to maintain the shared economy. CCondemsing the e-rler for their ole in the revival process” vas part of the UDF election campaign, and on Desember 2, 1989, the BCP Cental Committe denounced i ae wel (Proceeding ofthe Cental Commitee Plenum, December 2, 1989), la Mare 1990, the soverment pase sn restoring the original names ofthe Tork rd later, Turkish guage inaction became an optional bjt in chon Staring in 1993, ows roadarts in Turkish were lowed on Dugan ‘i (and on Bulgarian TV in 2001). In 1992 the propery of Bulgarian “Task who had ef the county in the summer of 1989 was estore Although some ofthe consequences were revere, the question of egal esponsibility forthe “eval proces wae not resolved. In 1991, the armed feces prosecutor started an inesigation aginst Zhi, Cemeniers of she Pltbure and other minister eho were in power ‘using that prod (Georgi Ataaso, Dini Stiaoy, Pte Madeno, ‘nd Pecho Kebadina) They were al charged with “inciting rail or tional ow 19, the poncitor dropped his cate apne Mladen and Kanai, citing ask of evidence In 1995 and again 1997, he bright the indict ‘nent aise Zhivox, Manson and Stoo to the Sepreme Coit Both times, he court ordered adstional investigation into the exe, insisting that all the victims ofthe “eval proces” be questions. Tro approaches to the peoblem emerged: one agued that pola leaders ould ate posecied a they had acid cut state pic, he ther was tected inthe intention ofthe cout to detecmine the pesonal espa ‘bit of those who nd commited specific cies and mer The scond approach gradually gained for. The pozestr mi ged Sind 446 Bulgarian cizens of Tush origi, nd 322 0 them ‘vee questioned ae witness. Since 1998, the material fo the jl al nguty have grow to fory-cigh voles. There ars ome 126 ‘People to be questioned, bu they curren ede in Turkey So athe ‘evesiation her reed in the conviction of four indivi, of Cin ofthe Missy of Interior andro ans for thir oi the ‘pander of Bian lskov Hadaiew of Dabropodno lagen the district of Varna This, however, hile ost the wictims and they con tinue to cal fr arial Tn March 2003, delegation of Bulgarian Turks wha had emigrated Tukey an hve dal tizenehip even appealed to ‘he Couns of Europe. Meanwhile the ccse, with the excepion of foxmer prime minister Atanas, ave died nd the cases gains hem have been dropped. “The eval se il exits public enton Thc was demonstrated ‘once again in January 2001 when national TV ste Tatiana Valter documentary fi led Tethnolpi ale [Tecnology of il, The Sin wasaied onthe ew ofthe prmenty dactoneand was genealiy ecived a one-sided since fed expan the resins fer the "eal Proce" the intemational situation in which had been cation tad "he asin which diferent group ated ot Tei not even mention nfs punishable by up to eace erin prs.‘he underground este of he Bulgari Turks, The fil did no ale She suk of depening public debate bout his moet vind memory of the ili period a, iatend, proved to be an cumple ofthe pital sewing stor according tothe itr of te cotempoay poi ‘The goa of wal 3 was to convict those responsible forthe growth of| Bulgari externa deb, which by 1989 had reached oes ea bilion dal- Jar, The inestgnon followed wo trail: secret abies (nancial and ‘narmancn? tht the BCP had sent to revotinary noveents al oer the word the eweny elon dolls wth which the ate nanced joint ventires designed to hay new high technologie from abroad snd Alevelop new onc at home (these ventures were aloof get we the Soviee Union 1992, an ini war stared int the sere abide, whose cetimated valu wat 14 lion della. Twente snebers ofthe Secretariat and the Poitbuo ofthe BCP Cental Committe were accused of making these decisions The inquiry, however, wat msinly acute on Aas Loukanoy and Alexander Lloy, tive polit lead css atthe tine ofthe investigation. The chief prosecutor’ fice, headed by IMIRO fanctionar Ira Tetuchey, bce preted Patament ‘0 sevoke shee parkamentay imi Loukano' on ul 8, 192, ad Lior on Jansry 19,195, Lukanor was een arsed ad inpined berweenJly 9 ane December 30 1992, awaiting tial: Despite these flrs, the ngury id ot sueceed in proving the charges because the ‘bss a Been gen tin accordance with United Nations a pro rams fr developing countries Furshermore in 1997 the Internationa (Cour for Human Rights in Stshoury convicted the Busan tate ‘human sights volons forts detention of Lokanov (Delt Laukenoe 1993) Ths tril 3 ot only ed eo condemn commana bt alo con tebuted othe emergence of communist nostalgia in Bulgaria between 1998 and 1998 ‘Ta ried to expoe the cates behind the economics in Bulgaria at the end of the 198Ds. The formulation of charges wa made dificult ty theft hath was oui phate forthe ere “sis”, (att as divided into several epriteinguiies and tr. AS ely a8 {pend oF 1990, when socey wae ler tensive rote consequences the accident athe Chernobyl nilese power stati swe asthe gas ‘lion caved by the Romanian chen plan ars fom te town of Fes, the sate began an invention ito hone people and organizations deemed responsible fo the ecologies pluion ofthe county Tiry= ‘hem major enersnes were investiga the els wer gathered i 10 volumes but body wis rough wi "1992, van Kost former minister of nance in the fat UDF _gonemment acs the BSP cen athe BCP’ sso of sg ileal Francng sets between 1952 and 1990, These accustions flowed Parlaments dion to const the propery of all totaliteian onan tation bu di ot suk ina Portherore, here ar 0a or ‘ne sendlsuounding the soiled Moscow fund, ato which the BCP had een deporting money (sme dee milion dollars rom 3982s 1987) for he Sancing of ntmatonalreolonary pares nd move ‘ments Lalo and Vleve 2007, 77 ’ few ofthe conor ested in convictions One on cerned 210,00 ea that had been legally dsuted olden whose cts had ot theives in the anes osiance The defendants Ths cate were forme rime minister Aunssovand the former minister ‘ofeconomy and planning Stan Ovcharo. Ta 1992, Aamasov was se0° tence ote yeas and Oxcharo to nine yeas in prison, However, on ‘Angst 1 1994, President Zein Zier pardoned Atsnasow Another ‘ase was agin! hovel sponsible forthe atermath ofthe Ape 26, 1986, Cheenobp accident. Eerie premier Grigor Stoichkor and the Chel sanitary rapes Chandar Shindarov were eack etenced 10 £90 “Theft wr wis eng wth snes ofthe comma psd fied ban te sommanist neo psd of cin and Mamet fr he nomi nny ewe te roll ine ad os prone she aon Byte mid 99 he ‘nur of ha meted nny eerie clean a etrneand opal pac var ed Aris fit cman few ot ws ch re ined by aes i ich was ld gi oe eo acstablshed the mor recent hor detention camps in 1959 (closed in 1962) near the own of Lovech. The iniy ware in 1990 ad entered its decisive stage when Ivan Tatrchev cite chief prosecutor Thove respomibl for renting the cts who were sil alve weve arsed od charged with fourteen count of mdr the former depury mister of interior Micho Spasoy, the leider of the mens camp Peis Gogo, his