From the Personal Archives of Bulgarian Officers – BAS Members, Kept at the Scientific Archive of BAS

After the Liberation, a great part of Bulgarian academics participated actively in public and political life, and were among the first generation of politicians in the young Bulgarian state. This paper is based on the contents of the personal archives, kept in BAS’ Scientific Archive, of Bulgarian officers who were also members of the Academy – namely, the generals Hristofor Hesapchiev and Ivan Fichev, but also on Colonel Petar Darvingov’s exceptionally rich fund. Particular emphasis is placed on the documents created and deposited in these archives in 1917.

The private documents of military and academic persons presented here constitute a true archival treasure-trove. Not only do they reveal the various stages of people’s lives and careers, but they also shed much light on the period in which they were born and grew as individuals. These people represent the military intellectuals of the end of the 19th and the early 20th century, who left a memorable trace in Bulgarian history as direct participants in it, through their literary, diplomatic and public activity.