In his time, Captain Dimitar Spisarevski cut a truly dashing figure, ultimately going down in history after laying down his life to save dozens in Sofia during the bombing of Bulgaria’s capital city in World War 2.
On 1 August, 1943, a US bomber division launched a major operation against Romania. It was not a success and led to heavy losses – the division lost half of its aircraft, six of which were downed by Bulgarian pilots as they overflew its territory. Because of Bulgaria’s involvement in this operation, the allies launched retaliatory strikes against Sofia and other towns around the country. And so it came about that the name of Dimitar Spisarevski, then 27, became the stuff of legend. On 20 December, 1943, during a night-time bombing raid, he downed two American bombers, but because he was out of ammunition, to down the second airplane, he used his own plane as a battering ram, losing his own life. He was promoted to the rank of captain posthumously, and in 2009 – to colonel from the Bulgarian air force.
It is 106 years on 19 July, 2022 since the birth of Dimitar Spisarevski, and to mark the occasion, a photo exhibition is opening at the Regional Museum of History in his home town of Dobrich. The title of the exhibition “Wed to Bulgaria” comes from Spisarevski’s own words – “I am wed to Bulgaria”. The exhibition is on in the lobby of the Zahari Stoyanov youth centre in Dobrich.
Throughout the day the public will be able to lay flowers at Captain Spisarevski’s commemorative plaque, put up next to the house where he was born.
Editing by Vessela Krasteva
After Cheesefare (Forgiveness) Sunday, the Great Lent has begun on March 3. Orthodox Christians will abstain from eating animal food including meat, eggs, milk and dairy products. The Great Lent symbolizes the 40 days which Jesus spent in the..
Batak is a name every Bulgarian remembers with deference and pain because the fate of the small town in the Rhodopes is scarred by one of the bloodiest events in national memory – the Batak massacre. During the first days after the outbreak of..
There is a map which helped usher in the birth of modern Bulgaria during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878. The Austro-Hungarian researcher Felix Kanitz (1829 – 1904) was the first West European to have travelled to more than 3,200 towns and villages..
On 20 April, all Christians will celebrate the Resurrection of Christ. Against the backdrop of our divided and troubled world, Catholics, together with..
Holy Saturday services begin on Friday evening with Vespers. The Church commemorates the burial of Christ the Saviour and His descent into hell to save the..
Patriarch Danil of Bulgaria, Metropolitan of Sofia, greeted the faithful with the joyful words "Christ is risen!" In his Easter message, he called on..
Partly Cloudy