site.btaAssoc. Prof. Indzhov Analyses Press Coverage of Campaigns for the Rescue of Bulgarian Jews in the Early 1940s

There is almost nothing about all the campaigns for the rescue of the Bulgarian Jews in the newspapers of the Kingdom of Bulgaria, regardless of whether they were distanced from the government, pro-government or backed by the government, Assoc. Prof. Ivo Indzhov of Veliko Tarnovo University said Thursday at the 17th World Meeting of Bulgarian Media in Tel Aviv organized by BTA.

Indzhov participated in a discussion on "The Media and the Rescue of the Bulgarian Jews". He presented the findings of his study of the controlled press in Bulgaria and anti-Jewish propaganda between 1940 and 1944.

In his words, late in 1940 and early in 1941, while the Protection of the Nation Act was being adopted, the newspapers covered the views of both pro-government MPs and of those who were against that law. After its passage, however, the apparent balance of views was gone, Indzhov said.

The press started carrying short reports, like a popular version of the State Gazette. "I would say that the newspapers created a politico-administrative image of anti-Semitism. Without going to extremes, with very few exceptions," said Indzhov.

The 17th World Meeting of Bulgarian Media is held in partnership with Aurubis Bulgaria, Postbank and Dimitar Madjarov-2 Ltd.