The trial has been opened here of the antisemitic terrorists Dimiter Kalpaktschieff, one of the leaders of the antisemitic Rodna Zastita organisation, Radon Radeff, the secretary of the organisation, and Toma Stoyanoff, who are accused of having kidnapped a number of Jews, and plotted to kidnap also the President of the Central Consistory of the Bulgarian Jews, Colonel Tadjer, and the President of the Bulgarian Section of the Jewish Agency, M. Chaim Farchi.
Ex-Minister Professor Kuleff, Advocate Runewsky, the President of the Chamber of Advocates, Advocate Mazankieff, President of the Bulgarian League of Human Rights, and the Jewish lawyers Dr. Mevorah and Advocate Fayonoff are appearing against the accused.
The Jewish lawyers have received letters threatening that if they appear in court against the accused they and their families will be killed.
Clashes have taken place outside the court between members of the Rodno Zastita organisation and opponents of antisemitism, both Jews and non-Jews, with several injured on both sides, and a number of arrests have been made.
The members of the public are searched for arms before being admitted into the court.
121 witnesses have been called in the case.
Kalpaktschieff is adopting the air of a national hero, proclaiming himself a patriot who is fighting against the Jews (he uses the abusive term – “Tschifuti”), because they are the enemies of Bulgaria.
A committee was established in Bulgaria in January in order to conduct a campaign to combat antisemitism, the incentive for the organisation having been given by the arrest of Kalpaktschieff and the discovery of the plot in which he and other members of the Rodno Zastita were engaged. The committee consists of General Nikiphoroff, Dr. Stamischeff, M. Grigor Wassileff, and ex-Cabinet Minister, Dr. Penakoff, and Dr. Triphonor.
At the meeting at which the Committee was formed, the speakers blamed the Rodna Zastita for spreading antisemitism in the country, and claimed that though small groups of people infected by its propaganda resorted to acts of antisemitic terrorism, there was no real soil for antisemitism in Bulgaria. The Jews are good and loyal citizens of the fatherland, they said, interested in the welfare of the country, and the anti-Jewish activities of the Rodno Zastita can only do harm to the interests and good name of Bulgaria.
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