site.btaSeminar in Rome Marks 80 Years since Bulgarian Jews' Rescue during Holocaust

A seminar marking the 80th anniversary of the rescue of the Bulgarian Jews from deportation to Nazi death camps during World War II was held on the hill over the Spanish Steps in Rome on June 28, said the organizers from the Bulgarian Embassy to the Holy See.

The archives of the Vatican hold many documents about the salvation of the Bulgarian Jews, which are being studied by scientists, the press release said.

After a short opening statement by the Bulgarian Ambassador to the Holy See, Bogdan Patashev, the seminar proceeded under the chairmanship of Bernard Ardura, President of the Pontifical Committee for Historical Sciences. The speakers included Assoc. Prof. Rumyana Christidi of Sofia University, Vatican archivist Dr. Johan Ickx, and the Head of the Department of Church History at the Pontifical Gregorian University, Prof. Roberto Regoli.

In a message, Riccardo Di Segni, Chief Rabbi of Rome, thanked the Bulgarian Embassy to the Holy See for the initiative. He shared his memories about his grandparents, who lived in the Bulgarian city of Ruse during World War II and were rescued from deportation to a concentration camp.

The speakers were unanimous that a huge tragedy was avoided and an example of great courage was set in Bulgaria 80 years ago. Ambassador Patashev commented: "It was as if we opened the archives during the seminar to see what they had to say about that time. Sadly, we see brutal acts still happening today and we wonder where the truth is." Patashev noted that the truth always suffers in war. "We Bulgarians are proud of our predecessors, who, in the tragic year 1943, through the agency of many civil society leaders and thanks to the support of the Orthodox Church, prevented the deportation of all Jews holding Bulgarian citizenship," the diplomat said.

He noted that many Jews, stranded between Istanbul and Palestine without travel visas, were rescued by being provided with Bulgarian identity documents which allowed them to continue on their way. Patashev cited data which show that the Jewish population in Bulgaria at that time was 48,000, and far from diminishing, it actually increased as the country's overall population expanded.

It should also be remembered, however, that the Jews from the Bulgarian-administrated territories outside Bulgaria were, regrettably, deported to the Treblinka extermination camp, where they lost their lives, the Ambassador went on to say. "Today, we have opened the archives from that historical period, hoping that by studying them honestly and earnestly, we can arrive at the truth which can educate us and help us make important decisions at present and in future," Patashev said.

The guests at the seminar, mainly members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Vatican, scholars and journalists, saw an exhibition about the life and rescue of the Bulgarian Jews. The exhibition presented many documents dating from the first half of the 20th century, provided by the National Library in Sofia.