All Jews of foreign nationality, except American, British and French citizens, have been ordered to leave Bulgaria on notice ranging from two to 15 days. Most of those affected are immigrants from former Czechoslovakia, Germany, Italy, Spain, Rumania, Poland and Iran. Some of them, especially among the Spanish and Persian Jews, have lived in this country for more than 35 years and have developed business, owning land and other property.
Among those receiving expulsion notices were a group of 600 refugees from Germany, Czechoslovakia and Italy living in dire poverty in Plovdiv, dependent on the meager assistance which the local Jewish community has been able to give them. They are now waiting for some ship to take them to any destination.
Despite growing anti-Nazi feeling in Bulgaria, there have been some instances of anti-Semitic propaganda in the provinces. Leaflets demanding a boycott of Jews were distributed in Bourgas. On the other hand, leaflets advocating a boycott of German, Italian and Rumanian goods were distributed during the fair in Plovdiv.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.