The state institute for the deaf and dumb in Skopje 1943 – 1944

THE STATE INSTITUTE FOR THE DEAF AND DUMB IN SKOPJE 1943 – 1944 

 Zhivko Lefterov 

 (Summary) 

"The article examines a practically unknown episode of educational and social policy during the Bulgarian rule of Vardar Macedonia 1941 – 1944: the opening of the State Institute for the Deaf and Dumb in Skopje. Re gardless of the difficult wartime conditions and the unresolved problems of the deaf community in the old boundaries of the country, the Bulgarian state, guided by responsibility and humanity towards the deaf schoolchil dren in the new lands, including Pirot and Vrana districts, made maximum efforts to respond to their needs and to fulfil the endeavour. 

Unfortunately, despite the finding of a suitable building and its equipment, the second ment of appropriately trained teachers from the three institutes for the deaf and dumb in Bulgaria and the allocation of the necessary budget funds, the activity of the State Institute for the Deaf and Dumb in Skopje, which only started at the end of 1943, was discontinued already at the beginning of 1944 – given the end of classes and the evacuation of a number of educa tional institutions due to the bombing of the city by the Allies..."