811.91274/9–1045: Telegram
The Secretary of the United States Mission in Bulgaria (Rewinkel) to the Secretary of State
[Received 6:30 p.m.]
520. Re Department telegram 258.57 Department indicated that White House was especially interested in facilitating entry into Bulgaria of Reuben Markham of Christian Science Monitor whose long residence and intimate knowledge of conditions in Bulgaria give great weight to his observations.
In response to earlier suggestion to him by Charles Ross, Presidential secretary, he requests that his following comments based on intense study of events and contacts with all persons of importance within and without local government as well as with workers and peasants, be urgently conveyed to Mr. Ross for attention of the President.
He observes that majority of Bulgaria considers itself in totalitarian prison. Present regime which has done some good things and enjoys support of workers who constitute only small part of nation is extremely dictatorial, brutal and utterly irresponsible. He lists its main characteristics as follows:
- 1.
- The FF (Fatherland Front), completely dominated by Communists who work in constant and intimate contact with Russians, is in almost absolute control of Government. Bulgarian Communists recently arrived from Russia hold many vital posts and other Bulgarian Communists occupy most important positions in Cabinet and administration. This front has nearly the power in Bulgaria which Nazi Party had in Germany.
- 2.
- FF imposes will by violence using murder and terror unprecedented since time of Turks. It maintains a Communist-dominated militia equipped with tanks, artillery, machine guns and rifles as well as special shock troops resembling Hitler’s SS men. It and other Communist agencies recognize no law and threaten every opponent with death. He estimates that no fewer than 20,000 non-Communist Bulgarians have been killed with many more thousands held in concentration camps. Threat of blood baths and camps casts its shadow over every non-Communist in Bulgaria from two members of Regency through Cabinet ministries to the last peasant.
- 3.
- No property is safe. Militia seize furniture, houses and factories on few hours notice simply appearing and expelling occupants.
- 4.
- Regime is one of extortion. People are jailed in order to force them to deliver arbitrary sums in gangster kidnapping tradition.
- 5.
- There is complete suppression of freedom of expression. It is worth one’s life to hold an independent meeting or express opposition of opinion. Communists are turning youth into fanatics who shout for death of non-Communist Bulgarians.
- 6.
- Not only bourgeoisie but especially peasants are subjected to this terror. Most Bulgarians are village peasants whose villages are terrorized by armed, organized Communist bands who willfully dispose of life and property. Regime is exact antithesis of people’s government and is regime of dictatorship by small group of workers and intellectuals directed against people.
- 7.
- Through their FF regime Communists employ all branches of state apparatus for their own political purposes. They are hastening to communize people’s thoughts and to press nation’s mind into Communist mold. To accomplish this they are using press, schools, sport, labor unions and all workers functionaries, agencies and institutions.
- 8.
- The considerable belief well founded that if Communists win elections they will become more cruel than ever, throw aside all pretense and by placing forceful Georgi Dimitrov of Moscow in charge of country make Bulgaria a part of USSR and thus exclude all American intervention. Many Communists openly boast that this will take place.
- 9.
- There can be no fair elections in this atmosphere of terror. Acts of present regime are marked by illegality and violence and no Bulgarian believes that voting managed by Communists could be fair. They fear that every ballot will be secretly marked and that every oppositional vote will bring dire reprisals.
- 10.
- Markham believes that US Government should now make it clearly known that it will not recognize any Bulgarian government until FF is deprived of its dictatorial power, the militia transformed and Ministry of Interior placed in non-Communist hands. It should be stated that US cannot conclude peace with conspiratorial government which would perpetuate regime of unlimited autocracy. Prestige here of US is very high and its opportunity great.
I realize that transmission of this report may be irregular but it is submitted to Department as good résumé of Bulgarian situation by recognized objective observer and for decision as to its further disposition as concerns Markham’s request.58
- August 17, 8 p.m., p. 293. [Page 323] Billions of leva have been stolen at point of guns. Such money is sometimes used for government and other times used for party purposes and even for purely personal advantages.↩
- This information was given to the White House on September 11 by the office of Donald D. Edgar, information officer.↩