GORNA-BANYA OFFICERS' TRAINING SCHOOL

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP81-01036R000200080054-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 15, 2011
• Sequence Number: 54
• Publication Date: July 12, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/22 : CIA-RDP81-01036R000200080054-6
U.S. Officials Only
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
COUNTRY Bulgaria
SUBJECT Ooraa Darya ?ffiters$ Training School
Or TNR UNITED RTAYSS. M:tHIN THE MEANIN. Of TITLE 14. SECTIONS 792
AND 7D., 0/ THE U.S. COOT. AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR RIVE.
LATION OF ITS CONTENTS TO OR RECEIPT DV AN UNAUTHORIZED ARSON II
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
DATE DISTR?/.Z J701y /95*
NO. OF PAGES 2
NO. OF ENCLS. 25X1
SUPP. TO
REPORT NO.
1. A Bulgarian officerst school has been in operation at the resort of Aorna-Banya since
the spring of'1953. .,It is easy to reach frog Sofia, either by railroad or. by street rail-
way No, 5, to rashevo ic . The school is directly adjacent to the village. The'
gain entrance is op the-pofiia-lnyalhevo highway. The school occupies an area of 350
by 700 meters. There are good.-concrete walks between the buildings.
2. The school comprises the following buildings: two three-story barracks, each 40 by
80 asters, bowing the staff offices and quarters and the coanandantta residence; a
three-story house with quarters in the third story for overflow classrooms; three
three-story barracks forL?students; a two-story building, 40 by 80 meters, containing
movie theater, infirmary, and quarters for civilian employees; a two-story hospital
building. The school ostensibly has no postbox amber.
3. The school trains young officers for all branches of service except the armored force
and cavalry. 25X1
4. The commandant is Colonel Maria Orlovsky, a Bulgarian, who lived until
X945 in the Soviet Aaioay and is a graduate o advanced military schools. The 25X1 ti-
cal officer is Captain 5vandsieff, who was sent to a Soviet,ac~..A~j in
1949 and recalled in 19 . The deputy c is Lt-Col Techolakoff, wlao before world
WAr II' was an away lot t. }ad was reduced f t activity. The training
officers are Illlajor Bemico f, a former partisan 25X1
1st Lt. Milecev, also a former partisan
There is. a liaison staff' of Soviet.. officers who live in Sofia, but appear at the
School every day and t an active part in the training, They wear civilian clothing
and are never addressed their titles. smoag the ? tiers of this staff are 25X1'r
Iikoia elr Major halasovsky, and lot )6v.
Zahariev, a ll trained young officer The Soviets
lot kr" ~imos , the f arias 0 ' ~l~q & ~ediested above It is not to be transmitted ,..u
This is rot o use within the the me cues eompon m s e sepor Without the concurrence of tt office d r ?qt:l the P.scicttnc D-rector of the Office of CoH crion and C s r e^ti 7 C ::',.. All or parts of the eoSlllt~'
however, in:.y b u::e?d by td., :.. nc. ,.L?! c. tins rec int .,,.c uton ,..rov;d:no ,hr , u t:cacon bars tits crveaZ"`J`X1F17IC1ALi
OTAII 14d the Ckwp 11 it 4ua4, {tt,.1 a :iy to "C.. Source".
U.S. Officials Onty'
SEE LAST PAGE LI 'f & AREA CODES
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/22 : CIA-RDP81-01036R000200080054-6
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/22 : CIA-RDP81-01036R000200080054-6
SFCRBT
6. The service. staff of the school consists of 125 Bulgarian ailitary personnel; the
supply staff Of 85 or-90 Bulgarian military, and. there is a civilian staff of 55 or 60.
7. The school has about 1,050 or 1,070 students, who are'divided into classes according to
their branches of service. The course is three years, but the last year is shorter and
lasts only eight months, There are two main branches'of instruction: political and
ideological, and theoretical and practical training in arcs.
8. The.dayss activity begins at 6 an, with gymnastics. There are two hours of political
sat two-hours of military instruction in the forenoon., The political instruction is
along two in themes: warx1an-Leninism, and the history of the Soviet Union and the
aodira eoosoric order. Ih the afternoon there is theoretical teaching and practical in-
struction with arcs, in the barracks and the immediate neighborhood. Once a week there
are general arms and field exercises for all classes either on the Mass. Plamina or
the Win Planima, both 'sear Sofia. Bad weather is no hindrance. rrercises Ii defense
against partisans are also conducted an the mountains. Practice alarms are usually
held once a week, by day or night.
The youngest class age is 17, the oldest 20. Students are accepted after completing
? course in an intermediate school. They wear.-the infantry uniform of the Bulgarian
army, but without rank or service insignia. They receive a complete new outfit of
clod ca isg adiittred: F Way selected yopng Cookatists are also a11mitted if they
haee obtained certificates is a quick training (Sohmellsieder) course. Applications
for admission must be approved la every case by tie local Coimlemi.st Party organization.
The parents Mast be active Party members. Simple Party membership is not enough.
10. T food in the'school is excellent, outstandingly better and more varied than in any
branch of the army.
11-. Leave are given once` a ,year, in surer. otherwise there are no leaves except-in sale
of?the.death of parents
mr.11wa"i f 4o. ), t 1tn;, alh?r
12. The 'school is fully aetoprised.- It has-10 passenger cars and 82 or 8 trucks . Students
have their own- driving sichool. Oa'turnouts the-vehicles are driven by students. There
arc no armored vehicles nor horses, consequently the school does not train cavalry, or
arn.red forel officers.
13. ]Ogsip"at and lxwasaent. There are large quantities of all kinds of light weapons. Of
7~.2
hea#y weapbas? there ar'` I3, light antitank caunn, 8 sedum antitank guns, JX INS
!~'ieeld gums, sin 15 ems, six 122 ai howitzers j, eight 37 ,aw antiaircraft guys, six
20 light machines guns, 20 heavy machine guns, twenty 82 as mortars,
85 am antiaircraft
Sam
#rssntpr 5 mortars.Th are also, single'pieces of special artillery, such signal
equipi iit, find' radio lad lophoiw eginipmeat, many- modern . tools, bridge eosstructiea and
engineering material, and equipment for gas and air defense, including rubber clothing,
*to.
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/22 : CIA-RDP81-01036R000200080054-6