Bulgarian peace treaties
This article summarizes the Bulgarian peace treaties of the 19th and 20th centuries and the associated diplomatic efforts in a clear form.
Contracts in detail
Preliminary remark on dates: The older Julian calendar was valid in Bulgaria until January 1, 1916. If it was the legal date in Bulgaria at the time of the event, the corresponding date according to the Gregorian calendar was placed after it.
Peace of San Stefano (March 3, 1878)
On July 1st jul. / July 13, 1878 greg. the representatives of the six great powers ( France , German Empire , Russian Empire , Austria-Hungary , Great Britain ) and the representative of the Ottoman Empire signed the Berlin Treaty , with which the problems and questions were settled in the east by the events of the years 1875–1878 - Russo-Ottoman War (1877-1878) - and the end of the war by the provisional peace treaty of San Stefano of March 3.
Berlin Congress (June / July 1878)
With the Berlin Treaty (bulg. Берлински договор) the right of the Bulgarians to establish an independent, tributary principality under the sovereignty of the Turkish sultan was recognized. With the signing the Bulgarian statehood was restored - 482 years after the conquest of the Kingdom of Vidin (Bulgarian Видинското царство). The newly created principality comprised the areas between the Danube and the Balkan Mountains . The northern Dobruja and parts of the Sanjak Sofia (Bulgarian Софийския санджак) were excluded from this . The principality covered a territory of 62,777 km².
South of the Balkan Mountains, in the Thracian Plain , north of the Sakar Mountains (Bulgarian Сакар), Strandscha (Bulgarian Странджа) and Rhodope Mountains (Bulgarian Родопи) stretched the autonomous province of Eastern Rumelia with a territory of 35,208 km². Philippopolis became their capital .
Macedonia, as the third large region annexed to Bulgaria in the Treaty of San Stefano , remained under Ottoman rule.
No representatives from Bulgaria were admitted to the Berlin Congress, where the fate of Bulgaria was discussed and its design was decided. He revised the resolutions of the Peace Treaty of San Stefano, so that he shaped Bulgarian foreign and domestic policy until 1945. In Bulgaria, in relation to the Berlin Treaty of 1878, one speaks of the First National Disaster (Bulgarian Първа национална катастрофа).
Connection of Eastern Rumelia - Tophane Treaty
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After an upheaval in Eastern Rumelia on September 6th, July / September 18, 1885 greg. the Bulgarian Revolutionary Committee proclaimed the unification of the area with the Principality of Bulgaria . Two days later, Prince Alexander I (Alexander Battenberg) issued an "order for unification" (Указ за Обединението) in the city of Veliko Tarnovo . With this he recognized the revolutionary act that had taken place.
The area around Tamrash (Тъмраш) was spun off from Eastern Rumelia and placed under the Ottoman Empire. This area was not under the administrative administration of Plovdiv even before 1885 . Parts of the area around Kardzhali were also spun off from Eastern Rumelia. These two areas had an area of 1,640 km².
After the recognition of the unification of Eastern Rumelia with Bulgaria in the Tophane Treaty , the Bulgarian territory actually grew to 96,346 km².
Peace of Bucharest (1886)
Main article: Peace of Bucharest (1886)
The peace of Bucharest of February 19th jul. / March 3, 1886 greg. ended the Serbian-Bulgarian war .
The only point in the treaty was that peace and the status quo ante be restored between the two countries. There were no changes of territory and no war compensation for either side. The treaty, however, cemented the Bulgarian position for the recognition of Bulgarian unification, which the great powers had previously opposed to.
Turkish-Bulgarian Protocol of Istanbul
On September 22nd, Jul. / October 5, 1908 greg. the Principality of Bulgaria proclaims its independence from the Ottoman Empire and proclaimed itself a kingdom.
In the following year, the independence was contractually fixed. April 6th July / April 19, 1909 greg. the Turkish-Bulgarian protocol was signed in Istanbul (at that time in Bulgaria always referred to as the “tsar city” - Цариград) , thus recognizing Bulgarian sovereignty over its territory.
Bulgarian-Romanian talks in London
At the end of 1912 the Balkan Federation smashed the Ottoman Empire. Shortly afterwards, the peace talks began on the division of the conquered Turkish territories on European soil.
At the same time Romania made demands for a settlement in the south Dobruja. Romania took advantage of the fact that Bulgaria had exhausted its forces in the war and, on the other hand, was speculating on large increases in area in Macedonia .
After unsuccessful Bulgarian-Romanian talks in London , both sides accepted the mediation of the great powers .
St. Petersburg
A conference of envoys was then held in the Russian capital of St. Petersburg.
The conference recommended that Bulgaria cede the city of Silistra to Romania. On April 26th, July / May 9, 1913 greg. then signed the protocol on the Bulgarian-Romanian border in the Dobruja in Saint Petersburg . With this agreement Romania got the city of Silistra and the area to the west and south of it - within a radius of 3 km. It was about 10 km² of territory.
Peace Conference in London
On December 3rd jul. / December 16, 1912 greg. a peace conference was called in London. Bulgaria insisted on the following border line to the broken Turkish empire: a line that connects the Gulf of Malatra on the Black Sea (south of the city of Midia - Мидия) with the city of Rodosto on the Marmara Sea .
Because of the resistance of some great powers, it was agreed that the future border in Thrace will be moved to the north.
On May 4th jul. / May 17, 1913 greg. Then in London the treaty with the Ottoman Empire was concluded, with which all territories of the Ottoman Empire on European land up to the line between Midia on the Black Sea and Enos (Мидия - Енос) on the Aegean coast were ceded to the countries of the Balkan Federation - with Exception to Albania .
The territorial affiliation of the Turkish islands in the Aegean Sea (Bulgarian: Бяло море - White Sea) should be determined by the great powers. Because of the events that followed, the London Peace Treaty was not ratified and revised after a few months.
The contradictions that arose between the allies of the Balkan Alliance over the division of Macedonia led to armed conflicts. The conflicts broke out despite the fact that Bulgaria and Serbia had already agreed on indisputable and contentious Bulgarian areas in the area. The armed conflict grew into a war between the allies.
Shortly thereafter, the Romanian and Turkish armies invaded Bulgarian territory. This forced Bulgaria to strive for peace.
Peace of Bucharest (1913)
Main article: Peace of Bucharest (1913)
The peace talks on the Peace of Bucharest (1913) were held in Bucharest. The former allies agreed to the division of Macedonia to the disadvantage of Bulgaria. Romania achieved a revision of the Saint Petersburg agreement and received the South Dobruja with an area of 7,696 km².
With the Bucharest peace agreement dated July 28 jul. / August 10, 1913 greg. The dream and ideal of union of Bulgarians from Moesia (Мизия), Thrace (Тракия) and Macedonia (Македония) in a free and independent Bulgarian state was destroyed.
Bulgarian-Turkish peace treaty
The Bulgarian-Turkish peace treaty ( Treaty of Constantinople ) was signed 50 days later - on September 16, July. / September 29, 1913 greg. - signed in Constantinople (bulg. Цариград).
With this treaty the common border into Thrace was moved into - Sakar (Сакар) and through Strandscha (Странджа). Turkey received Eastern Thrace , or about 14,000 km², back, which it had to cede four months before in the London peace treaty.
As a result of the Balkan Wars , the Bulgarian territory grew by 15,491 km² to 111,837 km². Of this, 23,187 km² were from the liberated areas of Thrace and Macedonia.
First World War
After the outbreak of World War I , the two main camps made efforts to win Bulgaria on their side.
In the second half of 1915, the Kingdom of Bulgaria oriented itself towards participating in the war against Serbia - in alliance with the Central Powers .
However, Bulgaria insisted on territorial surrender by the Ottoman Empire, which was under pressure from landing operations of the Entente on the Gallipoli peninsula ( Battle of Gallipoli ).
Sofia Convention
Negotiations on this issue end with the signing of the Sofia Convention on August 24th . / September 6, 1915 greg. , according to which Turkey ceded its territories west of the Mariza River and a 2 km wide strip on the left bank of the Mariza. The cities of Odrin (Одрин) and Enoz (Енос) and their surroundings were excluded from this strip . Furthermore, Turkey ceded the north-western half of the area, which is enclosed by the Mariza and Tundscha rivers and the Bulgarian border.
By correcting the border with the Ottoman Empire, Bulgaria gained a territory of 2,588 km² and reached its largest area - 114,425 km².
Provisional Buftea Peace Treaty
During the war Romania was defeated by the Alliance of Four. Romania was forced to sign a provisional peace treaty with the Alliance of Four (March 5, 1918, Buftea / Буфтея), with which Dobruja was ceded to the Alliance of Four.
Peace of Bucharest (1918)
This provisional peace treaty was reinforced two months later with the signing of the Bucharest Peace Treaty on May 7, 1918. After that Bulgaria was again the South Dobrogea and part of Norddobrudscha. Thus the old border between Bulgaria and Romania from before 1913 was restored.
The victorious powers received the rest of the North Dobruja as a protected area ( condominium - съвладение). It extended north to the southern arm of the Danube Delta - Sveti Georgi (Св. Георги).
Bulgaria was not satisfied with the breaking up of the Dobruja and demanded that the entire Dobruja be incorporated into Bulgarian territory.
After the negotiations on Sep 25 In 1918 in Berlin a protocol was signed between Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey and Bulgaria on the cession of North Dobruja to Bulgaria, in which Bulgaria in return undertook to return the left bank of the Mariza to the Ottoman Empire.
For the first and last time, the entire Dobruja was again part of the territory of the Third Bulgarian State. The Dobruja has an area of approximately 20,600 km² (excluding the Danube Delta - 2,700 km²).
The Kingdom of Bulgaria had to capitulate to the Entente four days later. The surrender was signed in Thessaloniki on September 29, 1918 . In addition, the Romanian parliament did not ratify the Bucharest Treaty until the end of the war, which was changed for the German side as a co-signatory by the Versailles Treaty .
Treaty of Neuilly-sur-Seine
(see also the external link to the contract document below)
The amendment of the Bucharest Treaty, which was never ratified, was made for the Bulgarian side by paragraph 171 of the Neuilly-sur-Seine Treaty (Ньойския мирен договор). The Neuilly-sur-Seine Treaty was one of the Parisian suburban treaties that formally ended the First World War. This also included the Treaty of Versailles with Germany.
In Neuilly-sur-Seine Bulgaria was punished with loss of territory, which the Bulgarian side viewed as a degrading, unjust and predatory dictate.
According to the Treaty of Neuilly-sur-Seine (November 27, 1919), the Kingdom of Bulgaria lost 11,278 km² of its territory.
Bulgaria had to cede territories to Greece, but retained access to the Black Sea.
The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes got 2,566 km² from Bulgaria.
These were the following areas:
- A strip, on average 5 km wide, on the lower reaches of the Timok River (Тимок), which extends almost to its mouth. Including the area of the Kulska Region (Кулска околия - City of Kula ) - 172 km² - and the Vidin Region (Видинска околия) - 17 km².
- The region and the drainage basin of the upper reaches of the Nizhava River (Нишава) - that is 418 km² in the Zaribrod region (Царибродска околия) - and 278 km² in the Tran (Трънска околия) region - that is the upper course of the river Erma.
- The water supply area on the upper reaches of the Dragovishtsitsa River (Драговищица) - near Bosilegrad (Босилеградско). These are 661 square kilometers of the region Kyustendil (Кюстендилска околия). The areas listed under 1. through 3. are known as the Western Areas - 1,545 km². They were already within the borders of Bulgaria before 1878 (the liberation of Bulgaria from 500 years of Turkish rule; through the Russo-Turkish war of 1878).
- The region and the drainage basin of the Strumica River (Струмица) - Strumica Region (Струмишка околия) - and on the upper reaches of the Lebnitsa River (Лебница) - 1,021 km². These areas were incorporated into Bulgaria in 1912.
The Entente (the main allies and their other allies) took Bulgaria in the south 8,712 km² of its territory, with the right to decide later which countries these areas should be assigned to. These areas only came to Bulgaria in 1913 (6,499 km²) and 1915 (2,213 km²), or from the Bulgarian point of view, were liberated in 1913 and unified in 1915.
The following areas were involved:
- The upper reaches of the Djawolska Reka (Дяволска река - Devil's River) in East Macedonia. This is the southwestern part of the Shampalisky region (Пашмаклийска околия) - 253 km².
- Western Thrace - approx. 8,200 km².
- The left bank of the Mariza, which is mainly in the area of Eastern Thrace - approx. 300 km². Despite the Berlin Protocol of September 25, 1918, this area remained within the borders of Bulgaria, as it was not ratified by the Bulgarian Parliament (Народно събрание - People's Assembly).
After the First World War, the area of Bulgaria was reduced to 103,146 km².
Craiova Treaty
During the Second World War, Bulgaria managed to achieve the return of southern Dobruja from Romania peacefully. With the Treaty of Craiova (Крайовска спогодба) of September 7, 1940, Bulgaria got the southern Dobruja back within the borders of 1913 - 7,696 km². Bulgaria had a territory of 110,911 km².
Treaty of Lausanne
In 1923 Greece and Turkey signed a peace treaty ( Treaty of Lausanne ), which, however, did not affect Bulgaria. In the Treaty of Neuilly-sur-Seine (see above ) in 1919, Greece and Bulgaria had already agreed to an exchange of population between their countries.
Angora Peace Treaty
After Greece and Bulgaria had agreed on a population exchange (of all in Thrace ) between their countries in 1919 , this followed with Turkey on October 18, 1925 through the so-called Peace and Friendship Treaty of Angora (the old name of Ankara ). The treaty was ratified by the parliaments of both countries, but was never implemented by the Turkish side. The contract regulates compensation for the loss of the property of the respective parts of the population who were expelled from Eastern Thrace and Asia Minor in the course of the Balkan Wars of 1912–1913 .
As the implementation is still open and in the background of the accession negotiations between Turkey and the EU, the problem was added to the agenda of the negotiations by the European Parliament in 2008. With the protocol, the European Parliament calls on the Turkish government, among other things, to accelerate the compensation process for the Bulgarian refugees from Thrace. According to official data from the Bulgarian government from 1983, payments of 10 billion US dollars from the Turkish state are outstanding.
Paris Peace Treaty
After the end of the Second World War, Bulgaria managed to keep the unity of its territory at the Paris Peace Conference of 1946 with the benevolent support of the Soviet Union. The Paris Peace Treaty of 1946 confirms Bulgaria's borders as they existed five years earlier - on January 1, 1941.
present
From September 7, 1940 until today, the internationally recognized Bulgarian borders have remained unchanged. Apart from some border disputes, border agreements and international agreements on newly created islands in the Maritsa river in the area of the border between Bulgaria and Greece, as well as the joint correction of the river Timok (Тимок) on the border with Yugoslavia. A point of dispute with Turkey after the natural change of the course of the Resowska (Резовска) at its mouth was resolved , as well as the determination of the size of the Bulgarian territorial waters and the continental shelf .
According to the latest calculations, Bulgaria has a size of 110,994 km².
Web links
- Border according to the treaties of Constantinople, San Stefano, Berlin, London, Bucharest, Neuilly
- Document of the Treaty of Neuilly-sur-Seine
Individual evidence
- ↑ Thracian Society "Anthim Parwi" ( Memento of the original dated February 6, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ http://www.socialistgroup.eu/gpes/pressdetail.do?id=80825&lg=en ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
