Today Pegman ventures to the Balkans to spend some time in Bulgaria. Feel free to use the prompt to inspire you in any way you see fit, be it historical fiction, poetry, a personal narrative, fantasy or whatever you like. The only requirement is to keep your post to 150 words or less as a gesture of respect for your readers.
Today, thanks to J Hardy Carroll and K Rawson, I’ve learned another bit of WWII Jewish history I didn’t know.
Genre: Historical Fiction
Word Count: 150
RIGHTEOUS AMONG NATIONS
My grandmother and I strolled beside the spring, arm in arm. We’d had a picnic, just the two of us, to celebrate her 80th birthday and my 13th.
“I wish my Papa could’ve been here to enjoy your Bar Mitzvah. He was a rabbi, you know.”
“I know, Nana.”
“So I’ve told you.”
With her intense dark eyes she could take you captive until she decided to let you go. I didn’t mind.
Tears trickled down her weathered cheeks. “They closed the Jewish schools. We wore yellow stars. March 9, 1943, my 13thth birthday. They rounded us up like cattle. We waited to be deported. It was inevitable. I would never see my beloved papa again. He held me and wept like a child. Then the miracle happened—”
“At the last minute Dimitar Peshev, the Vice President of the Bulgarian Parliament, got the order reversed.”
“So I’ve told you.”
From Wikipedia, After the war, the Communists brought forth charges on the Old Bulgarian Parliament for collaboration with the Germans. Peshev was tried for being both an anti-Semite and anti-Communist and was even accused of having been bribed by the Jews in exchange for halting the deportation.[2] However, his Jewish friends from the Kyustendil delegation, led by Joseph Nissim Yasharoff, testified on his behalf and saved him from a death sentence. He was sentenced to 15 years of imprisonment but was released after one year.
Goosebumps yet again. Such a tender moment you’ve captured, such a poignant story. Loved the line about Grandma’s dark eyes.
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Dear Karen,
I didn’t have to search far for this story. I started with Bulgaria in Wikipedia. How could I resist? Your goosebumps are my reward. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Fantastic story Rochelle. I had no idea about this. Vividly told.
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Dear Josh,
As I just told Karen, I had no idea about this history either. Love it when a story is just dropped into my lap. 😀 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Never heard of this guy, but it’s an awesome story (both yours and the one about Peshev). Thanks for including the video. I love the way you give life to history and make it touch the heart.
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Dear Eric,
Although they’ve built a fountain in Jaffa in his memory, not much is written about him. The death sentence was rescinded and he was sentenced instead to 15 years in prison and only had to serve one. He was a hero and a righteous gentile whose memory deserves better. 🙂 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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So good to hear that. From the vid, I thought he’d been executed. So good to know he got a break. He deserved the best we can give for helping his fellow man.
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I’ve read that although Bulgaria’s Tsar Boris III joined the war on the side of the Axis powers, he did not participate in Operation Barbarossa and saved Bulgaria’s Jewish population from deportation to the concentration camps.
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Dear James,
The poor Tsar was quite conflicted. According to what I’ve read he never agreed with the deportation of the Jews. He himself put a stop to another deportation order in May of the same year, stating that he needed the Jews to build roads. After that he died quite mysteriously. Nonetheless the Jewish death toll in Bulgaria remained at 0. These men are my heroes.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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It’s one of the reasons I made the exiled Russian in my story pose as a Jewish refugee.
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Dear Rochelle,
I so love when you go digging. Not only do we get a wonderfully told story, we come out of it just a little more knowledgable. More ammo for Trivial Pursuit!
Lotsa love,
Dale
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Dear Dale,
I didn’t have to dig very deep for this one. I looked up Bulgaria and, voila, there it was. Thank you for your sweet comment. 😀
Hugs and shalom,
Rochelle
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Wow. I never heard is. A true hero. It’s a shame he was sentenced to death, but I feel he would have done it anyway. Even if he knew. Great story and lesson.
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Dear Jan,
The video is misleading isn’t it? The Communists took over and sentenced him to death, even accused him of Antisemitism. Apparently the sentence was never carried out, because he died in February of 1973. Aside from the errors, pretty impressive history. Thanks, m’luv.
Rochelle
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I love when you integrate Jewish History into so much of your work – you write so eloquently – and this one left a smile….
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Dear Yvette,
When I find nuggets of Jewish history, I just have to share it. 😉 Thank you for sending me a smile.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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👍❤️☺️
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This is a beautiful story based on historical facts, Rochelle. Thanks for the film.
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Dear Suzanne,
This was one bit of history I was totally unaware of until yesterday. Apparently too many others have been unaware of it as well. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Love…
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Thank you, Courtney. ❤ 😀
Shalom
Rochelle
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Thank you so sharing this story, Rochelle. Extraordinary what some people were able to do to save so many lives, and that Bulgaria’s Jewish population escaped unscathed when so many surrounding were lost … Like the others, I admire your ability to tell a huge, true tale in such small, personal ways. Well done
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Dear Lynn,
It baffles me that this bit of history is so obscured. Other reports say he saved closer to 50,000 Jewish lives. 50,000 humans is significant in my book. 😀 Thank you for your generous comments re my writing.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Significant indeed, especially when you consider all of the people who would not have been born if it were not for him – thousands and thousands through 3 generations. This piece of history deserves to be more widely known. Thank you for sharing it.
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Nice piece of history. It sounds like he working behind the scenes to help as many as possible in an impossible time.
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Dear Ali,
According to his niece in an interview I watched, he was a very quiet man. He didn’t go looking to be the center of attention. Apparently he had strong moral convictions and wasn’t afraid to stand up for them. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle
There are so many stories in history, aren’t there, so many human motivations?
I really should become a student of the subject, like you, like Josh, but… something holds me back,,, I know not what.
Thank you for teaching me more about the Jews’ plight.
Your stories are always fresh, always insightful.
Shalom
Kelvin
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Dear Kelvin,
I haven’t always been a student of history, in fact, I saw no reason to be bothered with it back in school. I would still be a washout when it comes to remembering dates and names. Perhaps, for me, it comes with being of an age when I look back and remember what is now considered history.
Of course back in my school days there was no such thing as the internet. A great tool if used properly.
Thank you for your generous comment.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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A moving story that drew me in. Beautiful!
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Thank you, Magarisa. This was an unexpected one for me. I love how a prompt can lead me down the research path to something I didn’t know. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
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You’re welcome, Rochelle. Many prompts lead me down research paths.
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Every time I read one of your posts, a learn a bit more of world history. Great write, Rochelle!
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What a lovely thing to say, Lavanya! Thank you very much.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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