Bulgarians in Germany
Encyclopedia
Bulgarians in Germany are one of the sizable communities of the Bulgarian diaspora
in Western Europe
. According to official data from 2007, Bulgarians
in Germany
numbered around 46,800, though unofficial estimates put that number at 80–100,000. Estimates by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
of Bulgaria
put the number of Bulgarians in Germany at over 90,000, half of which having acquired German citizenship.
was in contact with the German-speaking lands in medieval times, though the Ottoman
conquest of the Balkans in the 14th and 15th centuries severed those ties. In the 16th century, Bulgarian Orthodox
clerics were known to have been in contact with the German Lutherans
and by the 18th century Bulgarian merchants in Leipzig
were distinguished from other Balkan Christian merchants.
It was not until the 19th century, however, that German–Bulgarian ties became once again more pronounced, and this was mainly owing to education. In 1825–1831, Bulgarian enlightener Petar Beron
studied at the University of Heidelberg, while from 1845 to 1847 journalist and linguist Ivan Bogorov
was a student at the University of Leipzig
. From 1846 to 1847, Bogorov published the first Bulgarian newspaper, Bulgarian Eagle, out of Leipzig.
After the Liberation of Bulgaria
in 1878, the German Empire
continued to be a centre of higher education for Bulgarians, and hundreds of Bulgarian students were sent to Germany on state scholarships by the Principality of Bulgaria
and Eastern Rumelia
(pre-1885). German universities were, together with universities in Switzerland
, only second to those of Russia
and Austria–Hungary among the most favoured foreign educational institutions for Bulgarians. Associations of Bulgarian students were formed in Leipzig, Berlin
, Munich
, Dresden
, Heidelberg
, Erlangen
, Halle an der Saale and Freiburg im Breisgau in the late 19th and early 20th century. The University of Leipzig alone had 101 Bulgarian students from 1879 to 1899 and a total of 194 dissertations were successfully presented by Bulgarian students in Germany from 1900 to 1918.
The Bulgarian–German Association was established in Berlin on 16 February 1918 and had branches in many German cities. Educational ties were preserved after World War I: in 1926–1927 alone, 302 people from Bulgaria studied in Germany.
Today, there are Bulgarian Orthodox
parishes in Berlin, Leipzig, Düsseldorf
, Cologne
, Bonn
, Munich, Stuttgart
, Regensburg
and Passau
, with a bishop's seat and cathedral in Berlin.
for the first time in their social history. Migration to Germany, in particular, was initiated by those Bulgarian Turks who, for various reasons, were unable to join the first massive migration wave to Turkey in 1989 or who were part of the subsequent return wave which was dissatisfied with the conditions of life or the social adjustment prospects there. The majority of Turks from Bulgaria migrated to Germany in the 1990s asylum
regime, which provided generous social benefits.
Bulgarian Turks are to be found predominantly in the less protected sectors of the German labour market associated with ethnic businesses that require higher flexibility and tougher working conditions. They appear to rely for employment predominantly on co-ethnic networks established by German Turks. The majority of this group of Turks are relatively new in Germany which now consists of regular migrants who legalised their status largely through marriages of convenience to German citizens. Some members of this group have managed to bring their children to Germany whilst there are also a smaller number of people who have given birth in Germany.
Bulgarian diaspora
Bulgarian diaspora consists of Bulgarian emigrants and their descendants.The number of Bulgarians outside Bulgaria has sharply increased since 1991, following the collapse of the communism in Eastern Europe. Over one million Bulgarians have left the country, either permanently or as temporary...
in Western Europe
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
. According to official data from 2007, Bulgarians
Bulgarians
The Bulgarians are a South Slavic nation and ethnic group native to Bulgaria and neighbouring regions. Emigration has resulted in immigrant communities in a number of other countries.-History and ethnogenesis:...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
numbered around 46,800, though unofficial estimates put that number at 80–100,000. Estimates by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Bulgaria)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria is the ministry charged with overseeing the foreign relations of Bulgaria. It has been in existence since shortly after the Liberation of Bulgaria, with the first minister stepping into office on 17 July 1879...
of Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
put the number of Bulgarians in Germany at over 90,000, half of which having acquired German citizenship.
History
The Bulgarian EmpireBulgarian Empire
Bulgarian Empire is a term used to describe two periods in the medieval history of Bulgaria, during which it acted as a key regional power in Europe in general and in Southeastern Europe in particular, rivalling Byzantium...
was in contact with the German-speaking lands in medieval times, though the Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
conquest of the Balkans in the 14th and 15th centuries severed those ties. In the 16th century, Bulgarian Orthodox
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
clerics were known to have been in contact with the German Lutherans
Lutheranism
Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
and by the 18th century Bulgarian merchants in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
were distinguished from other Balkan Christian merchants.
It was not until the 19th century, however, that German–Bulgarian ties became once again more pronounced, and this was mainly owing to education. In 1825–1831, Bulgarian enlightener Petar Beron
Petar Beron
Dr. Petar Beron was a famous Bulgarian educator. He created the first modern Bulgarian primer, erroneously called the Fish Primer because of the dolphin drawn in the end of the book .-Biography:Petar Beron was born around 1800, probably in 1799, in the town of Kotel in a rich family...
studied at the University of Heidelberg, while from 1845 to 1847 journalist and linguist Ivan Bogorov
Ivan Bogorov
Ivan Bogorov was a noted Bulgarian encyclopedist from the time of the National Revival. Educated in medicine, he also worked in the spheres of industry, economy, transport, geography, journalism and linguistics....
was a student at the University of Leipzig
University of Leipzig
The University of Leipzig , located in Leipzig in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, is one of the oldest universities in the world and the second-oldest university in Germany...
. From 1846 to 1847, Bogorov published the first Bulgarian newspaper, Bulgarian Eagle, out of Leipzig.
After the Liberation of Bulgaria
Liberation of Bulgaria
In Bulgarian historiography, the term Liberation of Bulgaria is used to denote the events of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78 that led to the re-establishment of Bulgarian state with the Treaty of San Stefano of March 3, 1878, after the complete conquest of the Second Bulgarian Empire, which...
in 1878, the German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
continued to be a centre of higher education for Bulgarians, and hundreds of Bulgarian students were sent to Germany on state scholarships by the Principality of Bulgaria
Principality of Bulgaria
The Principality of Bulgaria was a self-governing entity created as a vassal of the Ottoman Empire by the Treaty of Berlin in 1878. The preliminary treaty of San Stefano between the Russian Empire and the Porte , on March 3, had originally proposed a significantly larger Bulgarian territory: its...
and Eastern Rumelia
Eastern Rumelia
Eastern Rumelia or Eastern Roumelia was an administratively autonomous province in the Ottoman Empire and Principality of Bulgaria from 1878 to 1908. It was under full Bulgarian control from 1885 on, when it willingly united with the tributary Principality of Bulgaria after a bloodless revolution...
(pre-1885). German universities were, together with universities in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, only second to those of Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and Austria–Hungary among the most favoured foreign educational institutions for Bulgarians. Associations of Bulgarian students were formed in Leipzig, Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
, Heidelberg
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
, Erlangen
Erlangen
Erlangen is a Middle Franconian city in Bavaria, Germany. It is located at the confluence of the river Regnitz and its large tributary, the Untere Schwabach.Erlangen has more than 100,000 inhabitants....
, Halle an der Saale and Freiburg im Breisgau in the late 19th and early 20th century. The University of Leipzig alone had 101 Bulgarian students from 1879 to 1899 and a total of 194 dissertations were successfully presented by Bulgarian students in Germany from 1900 to 1918.
The Bulgarian–German Association was established in Berlin on 16 February 1918 and had branches in many German cities. Educational ties were preserved after World War I: in 1926–1927 alone, 302 people from Bulgaria studied in Germany.
Today, there are Bulgarian Orthodox
Bulgarian Orthodox Church
The Bulgarian Orthodox Church - Bulgarian Patriarchate is an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Church with some 6.5 million members in the Republic of Bulgaria and between 1.5 and 2.0 million members in a number of European countries, the Americas and Australia...
parishes in Berlin, Leipzig, Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
, Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
, Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
, Munich, Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
, Regensburg
Regensburg
Regensburg is a city in Bavaria, Germany, located at the confluence of the Danube and Regen rivers, at the northernmost bend in the Danube. To the east lies the Bavarian Forest. Regensburg is the capital of the Bavarian administrative region Upper Palatinate...
and Passau
Passau
Passau is a town in Lower Bavaria, Germany. It is also known as the Dreiflüssestadt or "City of Three Rivers," because the Danube is joined at Passau by the Inn from the south and the Ilz from the north....
, with a bishop's seat and cathedral in Berlin.
Turkish minoritiy
From the early 1990s Western Europe began to attract Bulgarian TurksTurks in Bulgaria
The Turks in Bulgaria number 588,318 people and constitute 8.8% of those who declared their ethnic group and 8.0% of the total population according to the 2011 Bulgarian census. 605,802 persons or 9.1% of the population pointed Turkish language as their mother tongue. They are also the largest...
for the first time in their social history. Migration to Germany, in particular, was initiated by those Bulgarian Turks who, for various reasons, were unable to join the first massive migration wave to Turkey in 1989 or who were part of the subsequent return wave which was dissatisfied with the conditions of life or the social adjustment prospects there. The majority of Turks from Bulgaria migrated to Germany in the 1990s asylum
Right of asylum
Right of asylum is an ancient juridical notion, under which a person persecuted for political opinions or religious beliefs in his or her own country may be protected by another sovereign authority, a foreign country, or church sanctuaries...
regime, which provided generous social benefits.
Bulgarian Turks are to be found predominantly in the less protected sectors of the German labour market associated with ethnic businesses that require higher flexibility and tougher working conditions. They appear to rely for employment predominantly on co-ethnic networks established by German Turks. The majority of this group of Turks are relatively new in Germany which now consists of regular migrants who legalised their status largely through marriages of convenience to German citizens. Some members of this group have managed to bring their children to Germany whilst there are also a smaller number of people who have given birth in Germany.
Notable people
- This list includes people of Bulgarian origin born in what is today Germany or people born in Bulgaria but mainly active in Germany.
- Ludmilla DiakovskaLudmilla DiakovskaLudmilla "Lucy" Diakovska is a Bulgarian singer-songwriter, music producer, dancer, stage actress and television personality, who rose to fame as one of the founding members of the successful all-female pop band No Angels, the "biggest-selling German girlband to date," according to the German...
(b. 1976), singer - Dimiter GotscheffDimiter GotscheffDimiter Gotscheff is a Bulgarian-born German theater director. His work is often associated with dramatist and director Heiner Müller.- External links :* from the Goethe-Institut....
(b. 1943), theatre director - Dimitar InkiowDimitar InkiowDimitar Janakiew Inkiow was a Bulgarian writer.He studied mining engineering and later in Sofia's Drama Academy, where he was graduated as drama director. He wrote several theatrical plays before having to leave the country in 1965 for problems he had with the government...
(1932–2006), writer - Oda JauneOda JauneOda Jaune is a painter. In July 2000, she married Jörg Immendorff with whom she has a daughter Ida, born August 13, 2001...
(b. 1979), arist - Ari Leschnikow (1897–1978), first tenor of the Comedian HarmonistsComedian HarmonistsThe Comedian Harmonists were an internationally famous, all-male German close harmony ensemble that performed between 1928 and 1934 as one of the most successful musical groups in Europe before World War II...
- Mirco Nontschew (b. 1969), comedian
- Dobrin PetkovDobrin PetkovDobrin Petkov was a Bulgarian conductor.-Life and career:Born in Dresden, Germany, Petkov was the son of a famous violin pedagogue, whose students were leading musicians in Bulgaria and abroad. His mother, Tsvetana Zografova, studied singing in Vienna, Austria...
(1923–1987), conductor - Ivan StranskiIvan StranskiIvan Nikolov Stranski was a Bulgarian physical chemist. The founder of the Bulgarian school of physical chemistry, Stranski is considered the father of crystal growth research. Stranski headed the departments of physical chemistry at Sofia University and the Technical University of Berlin, of...
(1897–1979), physical chemist - Ilija TrojanowIlija Trojanowthumb|Ilija Trojanow Ilija Trojanow , is a Bulgarian-German writer, translator and publisher.-Life:...
(b. 1965), writer