THE BULGARIAN UNDERGROUND ORGANIZATION RATNITSHESTVO ZA NAPREDAKA NA BULGARSHTINATA (MOVEMENT FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF BULGARIA)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00047R000400410003-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 1, 2009
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: May 13, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

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c LA551 r I (;A i i U N CONFIDENTIAL
COUNTRY Bulgaria
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
SUBJECT The Bulgarian Underground Organization
Ratnitsheetvo Za Napredaka Na Bulg rshtinata
'Movement for the Advancement of Bulgari 7
PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE DISTR./3 May 195425X1
NO. OF PAGES 8
NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
DATE SUPPLEMENT TO
ACQUIRED REPORT NO.
THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE
OF THE UNITED STATES, WITHIN THE MEANING .11111E IS1 SECTIONS 797
AND 794, Of THE U.S. CODE, AS AMENDED. ITS TSANSMISSIDN OR SEAN.
LATION OF ITS CONTENTS TO OR RECEIPT SY AN UN AVTHOSISED PESSOH IS
PROHISITED SY LAS. THE REPRODUCTION CF THIS FORM IS PAONISIT[0,
CLASSIFICATION CONVIDENTIAL
D
40
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
25X1
25 YEAR
RE-REVIEW
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CONFIDENTIAL
a3-
3. Program and Ideology of RNB
a. The political ideology formulat9d by the RNB. ? was contained in a creed
which consisted of 12 points; the program for the functioning of this
organization consisted of 35 points. As a.consequenc,e., a detailed plan
for the future administration of the Bulgarian nation was worked. Qut
between 1936 and 19+3 by the Planning. Department, of, BNB Over 600
specialists took part in developing this plane For its colors the
organization adopted a banner which.?%as dark burgundy, red in color.
The insignia on this pennant was calked "Bagar", t'ie ancient Bulgarian
emblem which was in the form of a crossed circle. The beeii principles
fr nwhich the ideology and program. were derived were:
(1) . Bulgaria is an ethnical, spiritual,.. social and territorial entity
possessed of its own individuality and predestined by God not to, be
subjected to any individual interests..
(2) Unification of Bulgaria.
(3) Social justice is a fundamental need of the Bulgarian people and
is to be realized ,in a. non-internationalistic philosophy.,
. (14.) Rule. by a l3,beral parliamentary system.
(5) To say that one is a Bulgarian citizen is:an, assertion which has to
be proved daily through,deedso
(6) Members must maintain integrity and honor:
(7) An emphasis on the Bulgarian people?s-relationship to God., to the .
Bulgarian soil9 and to the idea of freedom for ,all -- as individuals
and as members of a total Bulgarian society.
(8) The Bulgarian Orthodox Church is the religious expression of the
Bulgarian people (99 percent of the Bulgarians were members of. the.
Orth6dox Church) .
(9).The Bulgarian king is an expression of the aspirations of the
Bulgarian people. (After the death of King Boris, RNB stood for-
the idea of a republican form of governmex;t, )
(10) No professional politicians are desired as members,
CQNF'IDENTIAL
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II.
(11,);Product.ive labor. is the duty of.every Bulgarian..
(.12)
+, Organizational Structure of RNB
a. The dictatorial regime, of Bulgaria deprived the, people of political
freedo j. public speech!, peaceful, assembly and freedom of the press.
Public life was controlled and..directed by the state which curtailed
any political activity .contrary to its' own philosophy.
b. The basic. pr.inc1t'.es of the ..RNB:.Organi2ation. were covertness.).ndepeiid-
ence,; and membership . comprised of qualified and willing personal.
.Within the framework ; of organization, the RNB compartmented . its
activities in-order that members knew only those who were in their
own units, Information was disseminated within the organization on
a need. Pto:_know basis4 The diverse functions of the organization,were
set. up on .the basis of projected activities. The following scheme
portrays in general the organizational structure of RNB,.
Head Staff
(Chiefs.).
Legal
Defense
service
Financial
Service
Special
Secret Members
& Adherents Br.,.
(Army officers,.
.police officers,
justices, etea)
Organization of
tha:. Country
Students-Branch
(Universities,
.High Schools,
Jr.High Schools,
Trade Schools,.
Business Schools
Agricultural "
Celle
Branch
CONFIDBIAL
.Lecnnlca 1.
Flanttiag I Services
Dept. f ((Printing,
Combatants
Branch
rACLIO
Broegd-
casting)
Activists
Branch
Institution for
Orators, Speakers
& Indoctrinatorsi
MCL:Lcal
Help
Service
Womens
Branch
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5?
CONFIDENTIAL
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Development of RNB
a. From. 1936 to 1938 the growth of RNB was.;quite rapid. In fact, on three
different occasions the organization refrained from recru in and
admitting new members. Reasons for its rapid propagation
were the following:
(1) The intellectually capable leaders who originally formed the. nucleous,
(2) Sincere leadership.
(3) A model organization in that it satisfied the political desires of.
the youth of Bulgaria,
(4) The ideological and political vacuum of the country.
(5) Inability of former political parties to analyze the prevalent
political situations of the days
.(6) The unpopularity of the authoritarian government.
(7) An anti-Bolshevik policy,
(8) A large quantity of well written ideological literature and sound
. training of its members.
(9) Political tact or. the official level.
b. In 1938 another turning point occurred in the political life of RNB. In
March of that year the "People?s Movement" which was considered a conserv-
ative Bulgarian party (led by Professor A. Teankoff), and the Communist
"People?s front" undertook a strange coalition, One of the' major tenets
in this platform was to direct their combined assaults upon RNB. Two
bloody street fights ensued in-which the younger elements of.,,R B deci-
sively defeated personnel of the mentioned coalition. The ruling
elements of Bulgaria were surprised by the size and character of RNB.
Consequently, that same year T1938
7 they began to persecute this organ-
ization on the ;game level as they did the Communist Party. In their
estimation the RNB was as dangerous to the administration as the Com-
munist Party. As a result of these persecutions, RNB was forced to go
further underground for large numbers of its members had been arrested,
many had been sent to concentration cam a and several were tried by
Bulgarian