For faster navigation, this Iframe is preloading the Wikiwand page for Dobri Bozhilov.

Dobri Bozhilov

Dobri Bozhilov
Добри Божилов
Bozhilov in 1942
29th Prime Minister of Bulgaria
In office
14 September 1943 – 1 June 1944
MonarchSimeon II
Preceded byPetur Gabrovski (Acting)
Succeeded byIvan Ivanov Bagryanov
Personal details
Born(1884-06-13)13 June 1884
Kotel, Eastern Rumelia
Died1 February 1945(1945-02-01) (aged 60)
Sofia, Bulgaria
Political partyNon-Party

Dobri Bozhilov Khadzhiyanakev (Bulgarian: Добри Божилов Хаджиянакиев) (June 13, 1884 – February 1, 1945) was Prime Minister of Bulgaria during World War II.

Biography

[edit]

Born in Kotel, Bulgaria, Bozhilov attended the Higher Commercial School in Svishtov before starting work as a bookkeeper at the Bulgarian National Bank for the Kyustendil Banking Agency in 1902. Bozhilov worked for the Bulgarian National Bank for a total of 36 years and served at various times as its governor (1922-1923, 1923-1924, 1931-1932, 1934-1935, 1935-1938, 1944).[1]

In November 1938, Bozhilov became Minister of Finance in the government of Prime Minister Georgi Kyoseivanov,[2] a position which Bozhilov kept when Bogdan Filov became prime minister in 1940. In 1943, after Tsar Boris III died, Filov became one of Bulgaria’s three regents. Filov, a fervent ally of Nazi Germany and the most powerful of the regents, used his power to appoint Bozhilov (another pro-German) prime minister.[citation needed]

As prime minister, Bozhilov worked closely with the Germans, virtually becoming their puppet as World War II raged. Essentially the only major issue on which he clashed with the Nazis was their demand for Bulgaria’s government to deport the country’s Jews to extermination camps, which Bozhilov refused to do.[3] In June 1944, at which time the Axis war effort was rapidly deteriorating, Bozhilov resigned as prime minister and returned to the Bulgarian National Bank, once again becoming its governor. In September 1944, the Soviet Union declared war on Bulgaria and invaded it, giving Communist partisans the opportunity to overthrow Prime Minister Konstantin Muraviev and replace him with Kimon Georgiev. Bozhilov was subsequently arrested and tried by a People’s Court instituted by the Fatherland Front government. He was found guilty of war crimes and a variety of misdeeds he had committed while finance minister, sentenced to death, and executed in February 1945. The verdict was revoked in 1996 by Supreme Court.[citation needed]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Bulgarian National Bank Governors". www.bnb.bg.
  2. ^ "Ministry of Finance :: Ministers". www.minfin.bg.
  3. ^ For more information see F. B. Chary, The Bulgarian Jews and the Final Solution
Political offices Preceded byPetur Gabrovski Prime Minister of Bulgaria 1943–1944 Succeeded byIvan Bagryanov
{{bottomLinkPreText}} {{bottomLinkText}}
Dobri Bozhilov
Listen to this article

This browser is not supported by Wikiwand :(
Wikiwand requires a browser with modern capabilities in order to provide you with the best reading experience.
Please download and use one of the following browsers:

This article was just edited, click to reload
This article has been deleted on Wikipedia (Why?)

Back to homepage

Please click Add in the dialog above
Please click Allow in the top-left corner,
then click Install Now in the dialog
Please click Open in the download dialog,
then click Install
Please click the "Downloads" icon in the Safari toolbar, open the first download in the list,
then click Install
{{::$root.activation.text}}

Install Wikiwand

Install on Chrome Install on Firefox
Don't forget to rate us

Tell your friends about Wikiwand!

Gmail Facebook Twitter Link

Enjoying Wikiwand?

Tell your friends and spread the love:
Share on Gmail Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Buffer

Our magic isn't perfect

You can help our automatic cover photo selection by reporting an unsuitable photo.

This photo is visually disturbing This photo is not a good choice

Thank you for helping!


Your input will affect cover photo selection, along with input from other users.

X

Get ready for Wikiwand 2.0 🎉! the new version arrives on September 1st! Don't want to wait?