Chavdar Partisan Brigade

The Chavdar Partisan Brigade was a subdivision of the  First Sofia Insurgent Operational Zone of NOVA during the Bulgarian resistance movement during World War II (1941-1944). It operated in the vicinity of  Novo Selo,  Botevgrad,  Pirdop,  Etropole and  Yakoruda.

The 'brigade' started out at the size of a detachment, but by 1944 had grown to Battalion size, it was only towards the end of its existence that it was the size of an actual brigade. It was incorporated into the Fatherland Front shortly after.

History

The first partisan group in the area of Murgash Peak was established in the autumn of 1941. After its expansion in September 1942, it formed the Chavdar Partisan Brigade. The first Brigade commander was Tone Perenovski, the political commissar was  Dobri Djurov, and the deputy commander was  Ivan Shonev. It was divided into two detachments - "Bacho Kiro" and "Boycho Ognyanov". In October 1943, a conference of the detachment's leadership was held, at which a plan for its political and military activities was drawn up. Todor Zhivkov was made the Plenipotentiary of the BRP Regional Committee for the brigade.

Until the end of 1943, actions were mainly carried out in the villages of  Bunovo,  Smolsko, Radoslavovo (now  Chavdar), and the post at the  Galabets pass. In December 1943, the Bacho Kiro detachment fought in Lopyanska Gora with about 200 policemen and defeated them. On March 8, 1944, they captured the village of Kremikovtsi, which is in close proximity to  Sofia. On March 24, 1944, together with the Georgi Benkovski Partisan Brigade captured the town of  Koprivshtitsa. The actions provoked discussion in the Regency Council on a report by the Minister of the Interior  Docho Hristov. Regents Bogdan Filov and Nikola Mihov noted that the concentration of guerrilla forces around the capital, and outlined measures to counter the army, gendarmerie and public force. The actions of the brigade were also in the field of view of the German intelligence in Bulgaria, which marked their scale in the cases of the village of Kremikovtsi and the town of Koprivshtitsa.

In April 1944, the brigade numbered 437 partisans and grew to a greater size, and was thus divided into three companies. The commander of the brigade at this time was  Dobri Djurov, the assistant commander was Dimitar Kirkov, and the political commissar was Stamo Kerezov. On April 26, 1944, I and II companies raided the warehouses at Sarantsi station, which armed most of the partisans. III company was transferred to  Rhodopes and carried out actions in the village of  Sestrimo and  Yakoruda station. They grew into a battalion. A new Field Battalion was formed.History of the anti-fascist struggle in Bulgaria, vol. II 1943/1944, Sofia, 1976, pp. 215 - 216

On May 3, 1944, I and II companies fought a great battle over the Eleshnitsa Monastery. In May and June 1944, the two companies came under blockade, organized by the military, gendarmerie and police units from the cities of  Vratsa, Pleven and Sofia. The guerrillas suffered many casualties in the bloody fighting, but eventually emerged from the blockade. The survivors of the two companies united with the survivors of the  Hristo Botev Partisan Battalion and conducted actions in the villages of  Seslavtsi, Kremikovtsi and  Botunets. III company participated in the formation of the  Fourth Sofia Insurgent Brigade.

On September 9, 1944, the Chavdar Brigade participated in the establishment of the power of the  Fatherland Front in the  Ihtiman,  Botevgrad,  Pirdop and Sofia regions.

References

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Military units and formations of Bulgaria in World War II