History of The Jews in Bulgaria - Independent Bulgaria

Independent Bulgaria

With Bulgaria being liberated from Ottoman rule after the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78 and some small-scale looting of Jewish property by people regarding them as supporters of the Ottomans, the Jews in Bulgaria were secured equal rights by the Treaty of Berlin. The rabbi of Sofia, Gabriel Mercado Almosnino, together with three other Jews welcomed the Russian forces in the city and took part in the Constituent National Assembly of Bulgaria in 1879.

Jews were drafted in the Bulgarian army and participated in the Serbo-Bulgarian War in 1885, the Balkan Wars, and the First World War. The Treaty of Neuilly after World War I emphasized their equality. In 1936, the nationalist and anti-semitic organization Ratnik was established.

Before World War II, the percentage of Jews steadily declined compared to that of other ethnic groups, however they still grew in number. In 1920 the 16,000 Jews were 0.9% of all citizens of Bulgaria, and in 1934 there were 48,565 (or 0.8%), with more than half living in Sofia. Ladino was the dominant language in most communities, but the young often preferred Bulgarian. The Zionist movement was completely dominant among the local population ever since Hovevei Zion.