THE CITY OF KNEZHA, VRATSA OKOLIYA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A005100230007-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 24, 2007
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: October 19, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2007/07/24: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA005100230007-6
V.
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
COUNTRY Bulgaria
This Document contains information affecting the Na-
tional Defense of the United States, within the mean-
ing of Title 18, Sections 793 and 794, of the U.S. Code, as
amended. Its transmission or revelation of its contents
to or receipt by an unauthorized person is prohibited
by law. The reproduction of this form is prohibited.
SECRET--U. S. OFFICIALS ONLY 0
SUBJECT The City of Knezha,
Vratsa Okoliya
REPORT
DATE DISTR.
NO. OF PAGES
19 October 19541
PLACE ACQUIRED I REFERENCES
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
1. The city of Knezha (N 113-30, E 24-05) is located in the Danube valley, approximates-
ly 60 kilometers from Vratsa.
2. The sources of livelihood for the city of Knezha are drawn from agriculture and
livestock breeding. This area is eminently suited to agriculture and livestock
raising because the terrain is flat and vast and the soil fertile. Over 90 per
cent of the population is employed in these pursuits. Everyone in Knezha owns
a piece of land, except for the gypsies who, having been given land, always refused
to cultivate it, preferring to remain beggars. Several times land was distributed
to those without property, and around 19112 no citizen was without land and each
family owned a minimum of 40 cultivable decares. However, no one owns more than
300 decares, and there are approximately 130 landowners with over 100 decares of
land. A large portion of the population from 50 to 80 decares of land, which are
sufficient to guarantee a comfortable living for one family.
3. Prior to 9 September 191111, a great deal of property belonged to religious communi-
ties, schools, libraries. livestock grounds, and the city hall. After that date
all this land was expropriated, and a large percentage of the private landowners
were incorporated into the kolkhoz.
Lt. The city of Knezha has approximately 13,000 inhabitants, most of whom are Bulgarians,
but a large minority (about 800) is composed of gypsies who live in the eastern
part of the city, north of the Turkish quarter. Another minority consists of 150
Turks devoted to handicraft work and to agriculture.
5. The Pleven-Byala Slating and the Oryakhovo-Cherven Bryag roads cross in the center
of Knezha. The other streets in the city are unpaved and are muddy in the winter
and dusty in the summer.
SECRET-U. S. OFFICIALS ONLY
STATE x ARMY X INAVY I x JAIR X J FBI I IAEC
(Notes Washington Distribution Indicated By "X"j Field Distribution By "#".)
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6. The population of Knezha, although hard-working and thrifty, has a low standard
of living; in spite of this the city was in the process of rapid rebuilding until
1948, when the Communists forbad construction of new buildings.
7. After 9 September 1944s the city administration passed into the hands of men who
were criminals and who had no previous experience in city government work. The
few municipal employees who remained in service are persons who are always ready
to follow the direction of the wind. Among these area. Ivan Zlatanov, Mara
Dakova, Kanyu Kyusovski, and Iliya Beloperkinski.
8. A certain Kanyu Kusovski, aided by Sando Goshovski, is noted for his rigid enforce-
ment of regu)ations whic1h nearly always take away from families the last morsel of
food. Dimitur Shopov, a municipal employee, also rigidly enforces the Communist
laws.
9. After 9 September 19449 the first mayor was a lawyer, Angel Bachyiski, who,
seconded by the People's Court, brought about the death of 18 persons and the
imprisonment of 30 others. During his administration, a great deal of money was
collected for the alleged use as "aid to the front" and "aid to power." Later
Bachyiski was replaced by a former nrogymnaziya teacher, Petur Mikhatolov, who,
together with his aide Petko Kusovski, became renowned for their rigid enforce-
ment of Communist laws.
10. In 1950, Boris Tomov Katarsky was named mayor of Knezha. He was the son of a
wealthy farmer who later went bankrupt. Katarsky particularly distinguished
himself in the nationalization of land and in the persecution of landowners who
opposed the kolkhoz. Kanchovski and Matyu Mladzhovski became known as two persons
who assigned materials and foodstuffs only to Communists and to their own relatives.
11. The Knezha section of the Bulgarian Communist Party was created in 1923 and many
of its members took part in the "September Revolution." In 1949, there were
approximately 1,200 members of the Bulgarian Communist Party, and after the purge
which took place that same year, that number was reduced by half. In early 1953,
Party members in Knezha numbered 600. The secretary of the section was Vasil
Mishovski, a vulgar and completely intolerant man.
12. A large portion of the population of Knezha were members of the dissolved Agrarian
Party and many others favored it. The general line for collaboration and common
fight with the Communists against the former rightists regimes which at one time
was held by the Agrarian Party was accepted by the citizens of Knezha, members of
the Agrarian Party, with certain reservations. After the coming to power of the
Mushanov coalition in 1932, this collaboration terminated. In the Agrarian Party
there were traitors, who, after the rise of the Communists, played their game and
took part in the formation of the "Fatherland Front.' These unscrupulous activists,
after the official abandonment in 1945 of the "Fatherland Front" by the Agrarian
Party, remained in the ranks of the traitors of the Bulgarian people, forming a
new "Agrarian Party," headed by Alexandur Obov and Georgi Traykov. In Knezha,
these men have only 50 followers, of which only three or four are farmers, while
all the others are employees of the various municipal offices and teachers who had
never interested themselves in politics and who became members of the so-called
"Agrarian Party" only to preserve their positions.
13. A certain Tseko Petrovski is a known provocateur who, having become a member of
the Agrarian Party in 1923, following orders of the Communists, is now employed to
give an appearance of legality to the new party.
youths of the pseudo-party of farmers, "ZEXS" (Zemedelskiya Mladezhki Suyuz9
Agrarian Youth Union), which collaborates with the Communists, has only six
members in Knezha (a gimnaziya teacher and five students from the same school)
who have been granted work in return for their diligent activity as traitors.
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SECRET--u. S. 4F l' [C c: ONLY
Ili. In Snesha'tere are five eleaenta r r schools f0 p Bulgarians and one for the gypsy
'merit Purth rq, _theis are mixe&, gimnaziyay a gimnaziya for pVactiga1
'
i
prior to 9- September ,,1y1t
themselves-:to becfte- p
the'.collection of q,
,
g
g
ipge. The aajoxity of teachsro of the mixed gimnaziya of the handicraft school
and of the agricultera3-school come from other parts of ?3uIgaria -and are traits.
ferred after onls pose or two Terre'` stay in Xnezha-e
15. From 1915 to 1ia'r' the .aa3ority of the members of the opposition parties were found
at the mixed gin~,naziy and the agricultural gimnaziya. $fter that time the most
active portion of the opposition was, expelled from the school end others were
obliged to become memo rs of J NM (Dimitrovski Styut na Narodnata Nlsdezhs Dimitrov
Union of the People's ?oath).
1b. Teachers in ! nezha who petrtioulErb distinguished themselves as the faithful
followers of the Commur4e4s were: Vaehko Narinski,. Ivei- Oorchev, Georgi Shyachki,
Boris Marinski, Dedinskt (fn>a,, Penka.Nilashka, Mara Nekhrizovska, Kharalempi
Andreichev, Velichko Markoi kj, and others whose names are unknown. Certain
teachers, in spite of the persecution,., )iave remained faithful to their people;
among these -area Savcho Ao'aa~rski9 an active anti-Communist, former president of
the 'agricultural gixnlaeiy, diaNieeed from the. ranks of teachers' eii ce 19471
Ruako Bebovski; Zvetan Popov; Dagypna Dahu4ardsheleva, Rmko t4inovaki; and other,
all fired by the Cc nmunists-6 --
17. with the `advent Of Communism #n Enesha, Combat GroU (I'Vojna Grupa".,) of the Caenunist
Party were fotimed, whose task it ? we -to-meet,, the persons condemned by the People ? s
.Co't and te..bring about the disappearance of the enemies of the people. These
grdups-:ilire,cads up of or ego'. today are?.mi%ittamenj,-ixfpoartant' administrative
e>eployses, Agents of the 1$, (ai haena.Stgurnoetg state Seca ty), officials of the
Party, or. heads of prof eee gQnnal'organieatjone. B eliminated in large part,..
the enemies of the people) the "Combat oroups"', etarted.carrying out, military
exercises in. the area eoutheM.st of the city.
18. Awd14ary militiarleri arrest oiaiss guilty, of is ctlons to the norms, in ord~tr
to a~ohviaoe th m to join the ' kOlldeos, and assist. the voluntary collection of
feed
gat
>ee
d
io f
th -
g
.
*ea
:
or
...
19. The Chief off' t,4e: "Caabat Groups" ia-,mAesha eI'.1lzhaactgelekia Other aeabera ;
aret Ivan t * s b o e , and his 'wife Tsqaa who kBart- i n : ii: urdere at O r y a h h ? W T ter 9 tembee/ 3.9lala; petkov D i a i ' t Zen evj c'ollsborator o f the 1 Ivan
omw ~o iuski,, fanatical communist; 06041 Borisov raledzhkovekit ranyu Kaeovek~i4.
N.~ea Fetrova Stefano"; Vasil, Hisheveki, areorsta r-eq the Commuaiet Part,, and.
dozens of Others ? .
SECRET--U. S. GrFICIAIS arc?
"5'
c e, _a t for handier to and two progimnasi- Most, of the teachers
of the eis thry schools and-Of the.progimnaziya come frnrn cadres -which existed
Tin order to -retain their positions they have adapted
tern of `the .""new Conpttnniat doctrine," to take : part in
in preelection fights
and in public meetin
s and
ather-
Approved For Release 2007/07/24: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA005100230007-6