Dobri Bozhilov | |
|---|---|
Добри Божилов | |
 Bozhilov in 1942 | |
| 29thPrime Minister of Bulgaria | |
| In office 14 September 1943 – 1 June 1944 | |
| Monarch | Simeon II |
| Preceded by | Petur Gabrovski(Acting) |
| Succeeded by | Ivan Ivanov Bagryanov |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1884-06-13)13 June 1884 |
| Died | 1 February 1945(1945-02-01) (aged 60) |
| Political party | Non-Party |
Dobri Bozhilov Khadzhiyanakev (Bulgarian:Добри Божилов Хаджиянакиев) (June 13, 1884 – February 1, 1945) wasPrime Minister of Bulgaria duringWorld War II.
Born inKotel,Bulgaria, Bozhilov attended the Higher Commercial School inSvishtov before starting work as a bookkeeper at theBulgarian National Bank for the Kyustendil Banking Agency in 1902. Bozhilov worked for the Bulgarian National Bank for a total of 36 years and served at various times as its governor (1922-1923, 1923-1924, 1931-1932, 1934-1935, 1935-1938, 1944).[1]
In November 1938, Bozhilov becameMinister of Finance in the government of Prime MinisterGeorgi Kyoseivanov,[2] a position which Bozhilov kept whenBogdan Filov becameprime minister in 1940. In 1943, after TsarBoris III died, Filov became one of Bulgaria’s three regents. Filov, a fervent ally ofNazi Germany and the most powerful of the regents, used his power to appoint Bozhilov (another pro-German) prime minister.[citation needed]
As prime minister, Bozhilov worked closely with the Germans, virtually becoming their puppet asWorld War II raged. Essentially the only major issue on which he clashed with the Nazis was their demand for Bulgaria’s government to deport the country’s Jews to extermination camps, which Bozhilov refused to do.[3] In June 1944, at which time the Axis war effort was rapidly deteriorating, Bozhilov resigned as prime minister and returned to the Bulgarian National Bank, once again becoming its governor. In September 1944, theSoviet Union declared war on Bulgaria and invaded it, giving Communist partisans the opportunity to overthrow Prime MinisterKonstantin Muraviev and replace him withKimon Georgiev. Bozhilov was subsequently arrested and tried by a People’s Court instituted by theFatherland Front government. He was found guilty of war crimes and a variety of misdeeds he had committed while finance minister, sentenced to death, and executed in February 1945. The verdict was revoked in 1996 by Supreme Court.[citation needed]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Prime Minister of Bulgaria 1943–1944 | Succeeded by |
