The U.S. Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad published its Survey of Jewish Monuments in Bulgaria on Dec. 28. Most of the information on the Bulgaria pages of the JHE website is based on material prepared for this Survey.
The Commission’s report, illustrated with many photographs, is posted online in two parts:
Jewish Historic Monuments and Sites in Bulgaria, Part 1
Jewish Historic Monuments and Sites in Bulgaria, Part 2
On his blog, Samuel Gruber, who oversaw the survey, describes the project and notes the people who worked on it.
The most substantial part of the report includes mostly unknown and unpublished results and photographs from site visits by teams organized by the Jewish Community of Bulgaria to cemeteries in Burgas (Bourgas), Chirpan (Shirpan), Dupnitsa (Dupnica), Gotze Delchev (formerly Nevrokop) , Haskovo, Karnobat, Kazanlak, Kyustendil, Lom, Pazardjik, Pleven, Plovdiv, Ruse (Rousse), Samokov, Shumen (Kolarovgrad, 1950 – 1966), Silistra, Sliven, Sofia, Varna, Vidin, and Yambol (Iambol).
While some of these cemeteries are well maintained, most have suffered significant damage from vandalism and neglect.