World War One Sites - The NETWORLD Database

The memorial of the First Sofia Division, Sofia

The memorial of the perished soldiers from the First and Sixth Infantry Regiments of Sofia is located in the capital of Bulgaria. It was officially opened on the 28th of October 1934 by Bulgarian monarch Boris III. At the ceremony, the flags of the regiments waved before the solemn soldier's order.

Bulgaria, Sofia

Type of WWI-heritage

  • War monument

Dimensions

State of repair/preservation

Good

Historical WWI Context

The monument consists of a lion sculpture situated in the middle of the three large marble walls with the names of over 3000 dead soldiers from the two regiments in the Balkan war (1912 - 1913), the War from (1913) and the WWI (1914-1918). The Monument was a place for celebrations, memorials, parades, and other military celebrations until World War II. During the bombing over Sofia, the eastern wall was destroyed. After the 9th of September 1944, the Communist government removed the statue of the lion. During the construction of the National Palace of Culture in 1980, the other two walls are destroyed. During the WWI, the division participated in the fighting in Serbia. Later, took part in the capture of the Tutrakan fortress, and after the victory, the regiment of the division passed in a solemn march along the streets of Bucharest. In 1917, the First Sofia Division was transferred to the Southern Front where, after the break-through at Dobro Pole and the Thessaloniki truce, was holded in captivity. During this period, no regimental flag falls into the enemy. All of them were saved at the risk of the lives of dozens of officers who hide it under their clothes, pillows, cachets and after escapes and long night marches, they were able to bring all flags intact to the palace. In 2017, the lion was returned to the same place where he has stood for 45 years. It is expected that in 2018 the restoration of the memorial will continue.

State of legal protection

public

Owner

Public municipal property

Opening

Free access

Entrance Fee

No entrance fee

Further information sources

www.mediapool.bg/lavat-ot-voinishkiya-memorial-e-varnat-pred-ndk-news271339.html

offnews.bg/obshtestvo/vojnishkiat-lav-se-varna-pred-ndk-snimki-668566.html

https://www.24chasa.bg/novini/article/6529366

https://trud.bg/%D0%B2%D0%BE%D0%B9%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%88%D0%BA%D0%B8%D1%8F%D1%82-%D0%BB%D1%8A%D0%B2-%D1%81%D0%B5-%D0%B2%D1%8A%D1%80%D0%BD%D0%B0-%D0%BD%D0%B0-%D0%BC%D1%8F%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%BE-%D1%81%D0%B8-%D0%BF/

https://www.bgonair.bg/sutreshen-blok/2017-11-02/lavat-ot-voynishkiya-memorial-zaema-myastoto-si-pred-ndk

http://dnes.dir.bg/news/pametnik-ndk-lav-memerial-pehoten-polk-26538836

https://sofia.bg/bg/web/guest/municipality-in-the-media/-/asset_publisher/cq9y7gNqoN8Y/content/l-v-t-se-v-rna-pred-ndk?inheritRedirect=false&redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fsofia.bg%3A443%2Fbg%2Fweb%2Fguest%2Fmunicipality-in-the-media%3Fp_p_id%3D101_INSTANCE_cq9y7gNqoN8Y%26p_p_lifecycle%3D0%26p_p_state%3Dnormal%26p_p_mode%3Dview%26p_p_col_id%3Dcolumn-1%26p_p_col_count%3D3%26_101_INSTANCE_cq9y7gNqoN8Y_advancedSearch%3Dfalse%26_101_INSTANCE_cq9y7gNqoN8Y_keywords%3D%26_101_INSTANCE_cq9y7gNqoN8Y_delta%3D10%26p_r_p_564233524_resetCur%3Dfalse%26_101_INSTANCE_cq9y7gNqoN8Y_cur%3D25%26_101_INSTANCE_cq9y7gNqoN8Y_andOperator%3Dtrue

https://www.dnevnik.bg/gradska_sreda/2017/07/29/3007305_kakvo_e_ostanalo_ot_memoriala_na_purvi_i_shesti/

https://liternet.bg/publish8/ves_veselinov/memorialyt/memorialyt.htm

https://misal.bg/parvi-i-shesti-pehoten-polk/

https://www.peticiq.com/za_vuzstanoviavane_pametnika_na_purvi_i_shtesti_pehoten_polk

https://bg.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9F%D0%B0%D0%BC%D0%B5%D1%82%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%BA_%D0%BD%D0%B0_%D0%BF%D1%8A%D1%80%D0%B2%D0%B8_%D0%B8_%D1%88%D0%B5%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B8_%D0%BF%D0%B5%D1%85%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%BD%D0%B8_%D0%BF%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B5

https://www.bnt.bg/bg/a/chast-ot-memoriala-na-prvi-i-shesti-pekhoten-polk-veche-stoi-v-gradinkata-na-ndk

http://kanal3.bg/video/14273-Montirat-lava-ot-memoriala-na-Parvi-i-Shesti-pehoten-polk-pred-NDK

http://www.bta.bg/bg/video/show/id/0_8g8sraag

http://eurocom.bg/news/article/purva-ceremoniia-pred-luva-ot-memoriala-na-zaginalite-voinici

http://btvnovinite.bg/article/bulgaria/parva-ceremonija-na-novija-pametnik-pred-ndk.html

https://www.md.government.bg/bg/

 

stara-sofia.com

Bibliography:

Йотов, Петко, Добрев, Ангел, Миленов, Благой. Българската армия в Първата световна война 1915 – 1918 – Кратък енциклопедичен справочник. София, 1995.

Барбар, Отон. Моите спомени от войните 1912 – 1918. Част I. Спомени от Балканската война 1912 – 1913

Георгиев, Георги Ст. Един от първа дивизия

Българската армия през Първата световна война 1914– 1918 г., Национален военноисторически музей

Конни полкове, Национален военноисторически музей

Пламен Николов, Победа, Добруджанска трибуна, 28 август, 2006

Конните дивизии през първата световна война, Български бойни знамена, Агенция Фокус

Стефан Тошев, запасен генерал, Победени без да бъдем бити, София 1924

За паметниците и моралните дефицити на днешния ден

Недев, С. Командването на българската войска през войните за национално обединение, София, 1993, Военноиздателски комплекс „Св. Георги Победоносец“

Колектив при Щаба на армията, „Българската армия през световната война 1915 – 1918 Том II“, София, 1936, Държавна печатница

 Кратък обзор на бойния състав, организацията, попълването и мобилизацията на българската армия от 1878 до 1944 г., София, 1961, Държавно военно издателство

Тодоров, Т., Александрова, Я.   Пътеводител на архивните фондове 1877 – 1944 г. Т. 2. София, Военно издателство, 1977.

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