Dimitar Peshev

A delegation of Kyustendil residents arrived at the office of Dimitar Peshev on 8 March 1943 to report that local Jews were ordered to prepare for immediate deportation. This confrontation prompted the Bulgarian politician to challenge the government policy that had scheduled the expulsion of 48,000 citizens to German-occupied territory in Poland.

Political Career and Alignment

Born in 1894 in Kyustendil, Peshev pursued studies in Saloniki and later graduated from Sofia University. After serving in World War I on the southern front, he established a career in law before entering politics. By 1938, he held the position of Deputy Speaker within the Bulgarian National Assembly. Although he initially supported the 1940 Law to Protect the Nation, which imposed severe restrictions on Jewish citizens, his stance shifted when deportation orders were finalized in 1943.

Intervention Against Deportations

Upon learning of the planned deportations from his friend Jakob Baruch, Peshev contacted government officials to verify the intelligence. He attempted to meet with Prime Minister Bogdan Filov but was refused. Instead, he coordinated with colleague Petar Mihalev to pressure Interior Minister Petar Gabrovski. Their efforts successfully halted the mobilization of trains from Kyustendil on 9 March. While authorities failed to prevent similar actions in occupied Thrace and Macedonia, where thousands were sent to Treblinka and Auschwitz, the intervention shielded those within Bulgaria's pre-war boundaries.

Censure and Post-War Life

Peshev authored a formal protest to Prime Minister Filov on 19 March 1943, securing 43 signatures from pro-government deputies to demand the suspension of anti-Jewish legislation. The government responded with hostility, and on 24 March, Peshev was stripped of his position as Assembly Vice-chairman. Following the conclusion of the war, he faced political persecution by the Communist regime, which tried him on charges of collaboration and anti-Semitism. He lived his remaining years in isolation until his death in 1973.

Historical Recognition

In January 1973, Yad Vashem bestowed the title of Righteous Among the Nations upon Peshev for his risk-taking actions during the Holocaust. Bulgaria eventually acknowledged his contributions decades later, awarding him the Order of Stara Planina in 1997 and naming him an honored citizen of Kyustendil. In 2000, a bronze bust of the former politician was installed at the Council of Europe, commemorating his role in the protection of human rights.

Fast facts

• Born: 1894, Kyustendil
• Died: 1973, Sofia
• Education: Sofia University
• Role: Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly
• Award: Righteous Among the Nations (1973)
• Award: Order of Stara Planina (1997)
• Citizenship: Bulgaria

Questions readers ask

Did Dimitar Peshev oppose all anti-Jewish laws in Bulgaria?

No, he initially voted in favor of the Law to Protect the Nation in 1940 before later organizing political resistance against deportation plans in 1943.

Why was Peshev removed from his government position?

He was dismissed from his role as Assembly Vice-chairman on 24 March 1943 after leading a group of deputies to protest government deportation orders.

Achievements

• Order of Stara Planina — 1997
• Righteous Among the Nations — 1973
• Worked as politician
• Educated at Sofia University