EXCESSES AND CRIMES OF BULGARIAN OCUPATOR AGAINST THE NEDIĆ’S GOVERNMENT LOCAL AUTHORITIES IN THE COUNTY OF LESKOVAC BETWEEN 1942 AND 1943

Abstract

Bulgarian crimes in Yugoslavia lasted throughout the occupation, and become even more emphasized in the County of Leskovac following the arrival Bulgarian troops in the area at the beginning of 1942. The occupation of Serbia was followed by the establishment and the development of domestic collaborative apparatus. The stance of new Serbian government towards the Bulgarian troops was undetermined. Germans have often tolerated the behavior and actions of Bulgarian soldiers, and Serbian government had no means to intervene, save for making complaints. Bulgarians benefited from such situation, acted self-willed and carried out violence on domestic population. The district authorities of cities of Leskovac and Niš, SDS, as well as other institutions and armed units have often informed on Bulgarian crimes such as robbery, arresting, beating, but also on the incidents between the Bulgarian army and SDS. In the ˈˈИзвод из књиге евиденције о изгредима Бугара и учињеним интервенцијама у времену од 1. марта 1942. до 1. маја 1943.ˈˈ, not enough attention is paid to crimes such as murders, arson and setting fires on entire villages, etc. The exceptions are murders in Raljica (January 1943), Dešilovo (February 1943), Vlasovo (February 1943), Tumba (February 1943) and Blac (April 1943) and arsons and murders in the villages of Gornji and Donji Gajtan (March 1973). Likewise, the authorities of Nedić’s government have also informed on Bulgarian actions against the partisans, although the crimes committed in the course of the advancement of Bulgarian forces were not treated as such. This was due to the fact that the partisans were treated as illegal formation, and the fact that military units of Nedić’s government have often collaborated with the Bulgarians against the partisans.