The Belene labour camp, also referred to as Belene concentration camp, was part of the network of forced labour camps in Communist Bulgaria. It was located on the Belene Island, between two branches of the Danube river. At the height of Valko Chervenkov's repressions in 1952, the camp had 2,323 inmates - 2,248 men and 75 women.
Map of Belene Island
The Belene Prison is still operating as a penitentiary in the western part of the island, while the eastern part is a managed natural reserve.
This camp operated officially from 1949 to 1959, though a break in deportations to Belene occurred from 1954 to 1956. Between 1985 and 1989 Turks in Bulgaria who resisted the policy of changing Turkish names and surnames to Bulgarian ones, (see Assimilation Campaign in Bulgaria) were imprisoned in the prison on Belene. During those years, the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation broadcast a series named "Belene Adası" (Belene Island) on the policies of the Bulgarian government against Bulgarian Turks.
From 1949 onward, Evangelical Christian pastors in particular were targeted as "enemies of the State" and sent to Belene. In 1949, the infamous "Pastors' Trial" was conducted, trying 13 Protestant pastors as "spies". The men received sentences of varying lengths. Haralan Popov, who survived and later founded the mission "Door of Hope International" to bring Bibles behind the Iron Curtain, published his autobiography under the Bulgarian title "The Bulgarian Golgotha". It was later released in English as "Tortured for His Faith".
The camp and some its survivors were the subject of a documentary film by German TV program ZDFVorwärts aber nie vergessen - Ballade über bulgarische Helden "Moving on, but Never Forgetting - A Ballad of Bulgarian Heroes" directed and authored by Ilija Trojanow.[1][2]
Stoyko Kavrukov (Kavrukov and Perinchev-only successful escape-1953) Belene-The Island of the Forgotten by Nedyalko Geshev, published in Belgium - 1983
Atanas Perinchev (Kavrukov and Perinchev-only successful escape-1953) Belene-The Island of the Forgotten by Nedyalko Geshev, published in Belgium - 1983
In popular cultureedit
David, from I Am David escapes from Belene in 1952. However the camp shown in the film doesn't resemble the real Belene camp, as it is located inland in a mountainous area rather than on a river island.
Referencesedit
^Vorwärts und nie vergessen! videos of the documentary and the interview with the author Trojanow (in German)
^Trojanow, Ilija (2007-12-11), Vorwärts und nie vergessen - Ballade über bulgarische Helden (Documentary), Stefan Walkow, retrieved 2021-02-22
belene, labour, camp, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, septe. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Belene labour camp news newspapers books scholar JSTOR September 2010 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Belene labour camp also referred to as Belene concentration camp was part of the network of forced labour camps in Communist Bulgaria It was located on the Belene Island between two branches of the Danube river At the height of Valko Chervenkov s repressions in 1952 the camp had 2 323 inmates 2 248 men and 75 women Map of Belene IslandThe Belene Prison is still operating as a penitentiary in the western part of the island while the eastern part is a managed natural reserve This camp operated officially from 1949 to 1959 though a break in deportations to Belene occurred from 1954 to 1956 Between 1985 and 1989 Turks in Bulgaria who resisted the policy of changing Turkish names and surnames to Bulgarian ones see Assimilation Campaign in Bulgaria were imprisoned in the prison on Belene During those years the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation broadcast a series named Belene Adasi Belene Island on the policies of the Bulgarian government against Bulgarian Turks From 1949 onward Evangelical Christian pastors in particular were targeted as enemies of the State and sent to Belene In 1949 the infamous Pastors Trial was conducted trying 13 Protestant pastors as spies The men received sentences of varying lengths Haralan Popov who survived and later founded the mission Door of Hope International to bring Bibles behind the Iron Curtain published his autobiography under the Bulgarian title The Bulgarian Golgotha It was later released in English as Tortured for His Faith The camp and some its survivors were the subject of a documentary film by German TV program ZDF Vorwarts aber nie vergessen Ballade uber bulgarische Helden Moving on but Never Forgetting A Ballad of Bulgarian Heroes directed and authored by Ilija Trojanow 1 2 Notable inmates editHaralan Popov 1949 1962 Konstantin Muraviev 1956 1961 Lea Ivanova Late 70s citation needed Stoyko Kavrukov Kavrukov and Perinchev only successful escape 1953 Belene The Island of the Forgotten by Nedyalko Geshev published in Belgium 1983 Atanas Perinchev Kavrukov and Perinchev only successful escape 1953 Belene The Island of the Forgotten by Nedyalko Geshev published in Belgium 1983In popular culture editDavid from I Am David escapes from Belene in 1952 However the camp shown in the film doesn t resemble the real Belene camp as it is located inland in a mountainous area rather than on a river island References edit Vorwarts und nie vergessen videos of the documentary and the interview with the author Trojanow in German Trojanow Ilija 2007 12 11 Vorwarts und nie vergessen Ballade uber bulgarische Helden Documentary Stefan Walkow retrieved 2021 02 22 43 39 28 N 25 08 18 E 43 65778 N 25 13833 E 43 65778 25 13833 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Belene labour camp amp oldid 1024485402, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
