Bulgarian Concentration Camp Literature – Preliminary Remarks Cover Image

Bułgarska literatura obozowa – uwagi wstępne
Bulgarian Concentration Camp Literature – Preliminary Remarks

Author(s): Dorota Gołek-Sepetliewa
Subject(s): Studies of Literature, Social history, Recent History (1900 till today), Bulgarian Literature, History of Communism, Politics of History/Memory
Published by: AV ČR - Akademie věd České republiky - Slovanský ústav and Euroslavica
Keywords: Bulgarian literature of 20th century; concentration camp literature; anti-totalitarian literature; Belene; forced labour camps; memory conflicts;

Summary/Abstract: Bulgarian concentration camp literature represents a crucial area of literary studies, concentrating on the experiences of individuals repressed by the communist regime in Bulgaria from 1944 to 1989. This article examines the definitions, state of research, and reception of this literature, considering the historical contexts of forced labour camps, their operational mechanisms, and their influence on the contemporary identity of Bulgarian society. Publications related to concentration camp experiences began to surface after the democratic transition. However, their reception was hindered by the absence of a proper reckoning with the crimes of communism. Key aspects of the analysis include the uniqueness of concentration camp texts within the framework of anti-totalitarian literature. Concentration camp literature not only documents the regime’s atrocities but also plays a role in shaping collective memory and reflecting on history. In the Bulgarian context, there is a marked absence of a unified narrative regarding the past, resulting in a diversification of memory perspectives and social conflicts.

  • Issue Year: XCV/2026
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 110-121
  • Page Count: 12
  • Language: Polish
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