site.btaNew Book by Long-serving BTA Correspondent in Turkiye Deniz Delves in Ataturk's Life in Bulgaria between 1913 and 1915

The life of the founding father of the Republic of Turkiye, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, in Bulgaria is presented in a new book by Nahide Deniz, the long-serving BTA correspondent in the country. The publication, titled 440 Days. Atatürk in Bulgaria, explores his stay between 1913 and 1915, when the future President of the Republic of Türkiye was appointed the first military attaché of the Ottoman Empire, the publishers from Bulgarian History said on Friday.

For 14 months, Atatürk lived in Sofia, observed Bulgarian political and public life, maintained active contacts with the diplomatic corps and sent detailed reports to the Turkish General Staff. These 440 days had a significant impact on Atatürk’s worldview and his later statesman vision, Bulgarian History noted.

According to the publishers, the book stands out for its strong documentary value, with the narrative based on a wide range of materials – official correspondence, archival documents, testimonies, publications and interviews with Bulgarian and Turkish scholars, diplomats and descendants of prominent figures of the era.

Author Nahide Deniz, born in Bulgaria and a long-serving BTA correspondent in Türkiye, draws on the advantage of speaking both languages, which allows her to bring together sources from both sides of the border.

The topic of Atatürk in Bulgaria is often treated superficially or sensationally. With this publication, we aim to provide the most complete and balanced picture of his “Sofia years”, based solely on verifiable facts, the publishers commented.

Among the highlights in the book are the political intrigues surrounding Atatürk’s mission, attempts to assassinate him, reports to the military authorities in Constantinople, his contacts with the capital’s elite and the widely discussed personal relationship with Dimitrina Kovacheva, daughter of Gen. Stiliyan Kovachev.

Bulgarian History pointed out that the publication represents an important contribution to the topic of Bulgarian-Turkish relations at the beginning of the 20th century, enriching the understanding of Bulgaria’s role in shaping the future Turkish head of State.

440 Days. Atatürk in Bulgaria is available for pre-order in the Bulgarian History online shop and will be available in bookstores from next week, the publishers added.