Bulgarian Generals

AJK · Post by **AJK** » 11 Nov 2004 00:48

Split from The First World War section-Bulgarian Army--Peter H

Hi von Klinkenhoffen!

Thank you for the information about the book. Both Steen and I are interested in compiling a list of Bulgarian Generals. I think Steen is more interested in the World War 2 period (per his website http://www.generals.dk), whereas I would like to put together a complete list for the period 1900 - 1945. Obviously, it would be asking a lot to expect you to plough through 4 volumes and list all the Generals, which is why I would like to obtain a copy of the book, if possible. I have contacted the Bulgarian Ministry of Defense to ask them if the book is still available, and I will have to hope for the best.

Regards,

AJK

dibo · Post by **dibo** » 30 Nov 2004 23:12

I have such a list of generals, but it is still incomplete and is in Bulgarian. I'm working on a site about the Bulgarian generals. Some of my work can be found here (in Bulgarian):
http://forum.boinaslava.net/showthread.php?t=6033

The book you are discussing is indeed in 7 volumes, but published in 4 separate books. The author is Rumen Rumenin. The publishing house is the Military publishing house. It has a site here:
http://www.vi-books.com
(The site is currently unaccessible, but can be found in Google's cache)
The book contains many thousands entries for nearly every officer that served in the Bulgarian army in 1878-1945. As said it is inaccurate, but is the only encyclopedic source openly available on the subject outside the military archives in Veliko Tyrnovo. Quite a rare book - I have seen it only twice here in Sofia - at the Central Military Library and at the National Library. Needless to say I'm looking to acquire it myself - so far with no luck...
One major drawback of the book - it does not contain photoes of the people decribed.
Each entry in the book contains the following:
Name of the officer;
Family status;
Military service - when, where;
Promotions in rank.
And that's all

Nevertheless there is one book that you may still find or obtain:

"ТАШЕВ, Ташо и Светлозар Недев. Върховното ръководство и висшето командване на Българската армия (1879-1999). С., УИ Св. Климент Охридски, 2000. 410 с. ISBN 954-07-1111-8."

Rough translation of the title: "The Supreme Command of the Bulgarian Army (1879-1999)".

This book contains very good bios and pictures of all the Ministers of War and Chiefs of the General Staff of Bulgaria from 1878 to 1999. All in all - several dozens of Bulgarian generals. Sounds like a good start for your research.

AJK · Post by **AJK** » 01 Dec 2004 00:19

Hi Dibo!

Thank you for the information about your work on Bulgaria's Generals. The link to your posting on the Slav military forum has provided me with a lot of useful information. When you complete your site, please let me know.

Thank you also for the information about the biographical reference book. To date, I have not received a reply from the Bulgarian MOD publishing office. I will see if I can track down a copy of the other book that you refer to.

Keep up the good work!

Best wishes,

AJK

dibo · Post by **dibo** » 02 Dec 2004 15:52

Have you contacted these people about the "Officer Corps":

http://www.vi-books.com/contact.php

I suggest the following two e-mails:

Rumen Evtimov
Head of Military Publishing House
[email protected]

Boriana Karadjinova
Head of Trade Section
[email protected]

AJK · Post by **AJK** » 02 Dec 2004 16:22

Hi Dibo,

Thank you for the links - I will certainly follow up with them.

Best wishes,

AJK

AJK · Post by **AJK** » 02 Dec 2004 16:34

Hi Dibo and von Klinkenhoffen,

I would be grateful if you could provide me with the final ranks (General of Infantry, General-Leytenant, General-Mayor) reached by the following officers, and also the dates for Generals Kutinchev, Panov and Popov:

General Nikola Ivanov (1861 - 1940)
General Stilian Kovachev (1860 - 1939)
General Vasil Kutinchev
General Grigor Kyurkchiev (1864 - 1925)
General Hristo Lukov (1887 - 1943)
General Nikifor Nikiforov (1858 - 1935)
General Konstantin Panov
General Stefan Paprikov (1858 - 1920)
General Gheorgi Popov (1887 - ?)
General Sava Savov (1864 - 1940)
General Damyan Velchev (1883 - 1954)

Many thanks in advance for your help.

Best wishes,

AJK

DenesBernad · Post by **DenesBernad** » 02 Dec 2004 20:03

Photo of General Boyadyem, C/O of the 1st Bulgarian Army (15. II. 1916).

Dénes

dibo · Post by **dibo** » 03 Dec 2004 11:02

AJK wrote:Hi Dibo and von Klinkenhoffen,

I would be grateful if you could provide me with the final ranks (General of Infantry, General-Leytenant, General-Mayor) reached by the following officers, and also the dates for Generals Kutinchev, Panov and Popov:

General Nikola Ivanov (1861 - 1940)
General Stilian Kovachev (1860 - 1939)
General Vasil Kutinchev
General Grigor Kyurkchiev (1864 - 1925)
General Hristo Lukov (1887 - 1943)
General Nikifor Nikiforov (1858 - 1935)
General Konstantin Panov
General Stefan Paprikov (1858 - 1920)
General Gheorgi Popov (1887 - ?)
General Sava Savov (1864 - 1940)
General Damyan Velchev (1883 - 1954)

Many thanks in advance for your help.

Best wishes,

AJK

Velchev, Damian - MG 09.09.1944, LG 10.11.1944, Colonel-General - 06.05.1945;
Savov, Sava - MG 14.02.1914, LG 20.05.1917; General of Infantry - 29.07.1919;
Popov, Gheorgi - MG 06.05.1935; LG 03.10.1938 ; General of Artillery - 06.08.1941; Retired -11.08.1941; Recalled with rank of Colonel-General - 09.10.1944; Died - 21.01.1954;
http://bgarmy.eamci.bg/Scripts/isapiVWB ... MEID=13004
Paprikov, Stefan - MG 15.11.1900; LG 17.04.1908;
Panov, Konstantin - MG 01.05.1934;
Nikiforov, Nikifor - MG 15.11.1909, LG 02.08.1912;
Lukov, Hristo - MG 06.05.1935; LG 25.01.1938;
Kiurkchiev, Grigor - MG 15.08.1917;
Kutinchev, Vasil - MG 01.01.1904; LG 02.07.1912; General of Infantry - 25.10.1918
Kovachev, Stilian - MG 16.05.1905; LG 15.08.1917; General of Infantry - 06.05.1936;
Ivanov, Nikola - MG 15.11.1900; LG 02.08.1912; General of Infantry - 06.05.1936.

dibo · Post by **dibo** » 03 Dec 2004 11:05

DenesBernad wrote:Photo of General Boyadyem, C/O of the 1st Bulgarian Army (15. II. 1916).

Dénes

Actually this is General Boyadzhiev, see previous page

Anyway thanks for the photo

AJK · Post by **AJK** » 04 Dec 2004 00:12

Hi Dibo,

Thank you very much for the information, which is much appreciated. As a follow-up question, do you have the first names (and any other information, such as dates of birth, death) of the following Generals who served during WW2?

General-Mayor V. Balarev
1943: Commander of Cavalry, Ministry of War

General-Mayor Bekiarov
1942: Director of Civil Mobilization

General-Mayor Bojadzhiev
1943: Inspector of Artillery

General-Leytenant Filipov
1939 - 1940: Intendant-General

General-Mayor Karov
?: Commander, 12th Infantry Division
1943: Inspector of Infantry

General-Mayor G. Kovachev
1943: Commander, 4th Infantry Division

General-Mayor Murnov
1942: G.O.C. II. Corps of Occupation, Thrace

General-Mayor Nikiforov
1943: Head of the Supreme Military Tribunal

General-Mayor Popov
1941 - 1944: Chief of Operations, General Staff

General-Leytenant Simov (? - 1945)
?: General Officer Commanding, Occupation Forces in Greece

General-Mayor Yanchev
1943: Commander, 9th Division

Thanks very much in advance for your help.

Best wishes,

AJK

dibo · Post by **dibo** » 04 Dec 2004 10:18

Vasil Balarev - born 13.12.1893 - Karlovo; MG 06.05.1943
Bekiarov - ??????
Stefan Boyadzhiev - MG 06.05.1943;
Mladen Filipov - MG 15.05.1930 or Ivan Filipov MG 31.10.1930 - should check these...
Petar Karov - born 20.02.189? in Kiulevcha, near Shumen. MG 06.05.1943 Commander 12th ID - 1941, Infantry Inspector - 1941, Retired 1944;
Georgi Kovachev - born 09.09.1891 in Veliushti, Macedonia - Colonel 03.10.1938, Commander 4 ID - 1941
Murnov - ????????????
Nikifor Nikiforov - MG 06.05.1937
Ivan Popov - born 02.07.1896 in Sestrimo, near Tatar Pazardjik; MG 06.05.1944; retired 1944
Simeon Simov - born 09.09.1895 in Kiustendil; MG 06.05.1944; Commander 24 ID - 1943
Dimitar Yanchev - MG 06.05.1943 Commander 9 ID - 1944

This is what I have - it's not much - sorry

AJK · Post by **AJK** » 04 Dec 2004 19:07

Hi Dibo,

Again, many thanks for the information - it was more than I could have hoped for. You have been very helpful and I appreciate your kindness.

I don't want to continue to bother you, but information about the Bulgarian armed forces is not easy to obtain, and you have a lot of knowlege about the subject. Can you provide any details about the commanders of the Bulgarian Navy during the period 1900 - 1944? I am only aware of General-Mayor Konstantin Kirkov, Navy commander during WWI, Kontra-Admiral Sava Ivanov, who commanded the fleet during 1935 - 1937, and Kontra-Admiral Ivan Variklechkov (1891 - ?), who commanded it during 1937 - 1939.

Do you have any further information about these officers, and about any other Navy commanders?

Thank you in advance, and best wishes,

AJK

dibo · Post by **dibo** » 04 Dec 2004 20:58

See attached file.

dibo · Post by **dibo** » 04 Dec 2004 22:17

Variklechkov, Ivan - born 07.07.1890, Sofia. Rear-admiral - 06.05.1937
See:
http://free.bol.bg/mv/b126.htm
http://www.eunet.bg/media/show_story.ht ... =137236023

Kirkov, Konstantin - Born 31.08.1869 in Pleven. MG 27.02.1918. Died 01.09.1920.

AJK · Post by **AJK** » 05 Dec 2004 04:57

Wow! What can I say, Dibo!! That information is so much more than I could have hoped for. Thank you so much.

Best wishes,

AJK

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