The rescue - How the Bulgarian Jews survived

There were only two countries in Europe whose Jews were not deported into extermination camps: Denmark and Bulgaria. The survival of the 5000 Danish Jews is well known and Civilians, politically organized people. And the church. When the extermination of 11 millions European Jews was finally announced at the Wannsee-Conference 1942, the 48000 Bulgarian Jews are also on the list. After the deportation of around 12000 Jews from Treblinka it was now Bulgaria’s turn itself. The stations where they had to leave form were decided on, trains were provided. Already when the so-called “Anti-Semitic Laws” were passed there was a wave of protest in the Parliament of Sofia. The Bulgarian people began to boycott the deportation of the Jews with loads of protest letters and telegrams addressed to the government. A delegation of Member of Parliament called at the Prime Minister. Writers, chimney sweeps, bakers, lawyers, judges, tobacco-workers, communists, and politically organized resistance fighters protested vehemently against the planned deportation. It was the Bulgarian-Orthodox Church with the Metropolitan at the top who always reminded the czar of the mutual fight of Jews and non-Jews against the 500 years of the Turkish rule and who warned the czar not to extradite the Jewish brothers to the Germans. Interviews with stil living witnesses, rare documentaries, scenes of a Bulgarian film which was shot after original protocols tell the unique story of the rescue of the Bulgarian Jews.