The Bulgarian Occupation Zone During World War II

Abstract

After the invasion of Yugoslavia, especially Kosovo by the German army in World War II (1941), Kosovo was divided into three occupation zones, which were defined in the Vienna talks. In addition to the interests of of the big countries like Italy and Germany, the latter also sought to meet the demands of Bulgaria, another ally of the Fascist Bloc. Thus, Bulgaria sought to pass under its rule a part of the districts of Gjilan, Vitia, Old Kacanik, the region of Presevo, Kumanovo, Skopje, Veles, Prilep and Bitola. In these regions lived about 200.000 Albanians, who came under Bulgarian occupation. Thus, the Bulgarian occupation zone covered an area of 900 km², with 60.842 inhabitants, or 8 percent of the total area of Kosovo and over 9 percent of its population. The Bulgarian invaders declared all Albanian territories annexed by them as an integral part of the Bulgarian Kingdom. The policy followed by the Bulgarians against the Albanians during their rule in these areas was usually of the ordinary brutality. Albanians were interned, imprisoned, and killed in the most inhuman ways. In others word, they have been denied every national and human right. As a result of the violence and pressure on the part of the Bulgarian invaders, by September 1942, 3.000-4.000 Albanians were displaced from their lands invaded by the Bulgarians.