Education as a means for nationalistic propaganda : The Bulgarian policy of assimilation in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace 1941-1944
Part of : Balkan studies : biannual publication of the Institute for Balkan Studies ; Vol.42, No.1-2, 2001, pages 115-124
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115-124
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During WW II and after the accession of Bulgaria to the Axis EasternMacedonia and Thrace were occupied by the Bulgarians from April 1941 up toOctober 1944. As this occupation was an excellent opportunity for potentialpermanent annexation of those regions to the Bulgarian state, Bulgariafollowed a clear policy of assimilation in all sectors of public life. Amongthem was that of education, since the Bulgarian Ministry of NationalEducation itself proclaimed that the control of education is the best and mostefficient way for the channeling of the intellect. This article examines: a) Theincorporation of the Region’s Education into the Bulgarian EducationalSystem, b) The propagandistic nature of Bulgarian Education, which wasapplied mainly to the Greek population and the Pomaks, c) The role of theBulgarian Educators, who were considered as front-line fighters for theimposing of Bulgarian-cultural models and d) the vague, practically nonexistant, “results” of the Bulgarian Educational Planning.
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