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The Wall in Sofia

© Fanny Heidenreich

In spring 2006, the Berlin Senate gave a segment of the Berlin Wall to Sofia, the Bulgarian capital, as a “token gift of appreciation”. The initiative behind this gesture came from the Bulgarian foundation “Nasledstwo” (heritage). The foundation is dedicated to the preservation of Bulgaria’s heritage. The Balkan State branch of “Funke Mediengruppe” sponsors the project. The city government requested a piece of the Wall in March 2006. On 13^th April 2006, after receiving consent from Germany, the decision was made by the city council to place the section of Wall in the park next to the National Palace of Culture. This location was chosen due to its position directly in the vicinity of the monument for the victims of the communist regime in Bulgaria, erected in 1999.

The city council assigned the construction of the Wall memorial to the “Nasledstwo” foundation. A design by architect, Bojko Kadinow was used, and the concrete segment was erected on an area laid with black flagstones. A tilted wave-like-wall stands behind it. Two texts, in German and Bulgarian, complete the memorial.

Ha 13. aBryCT 1961 г. eдHa CTeHa, paздeли БepлиH ГepMaHия, a c TяX EBpoпa и CBeTa Ha дBe чacTи. Бългapия бeшe зaTBOpeHa OT изTOчHaTa CTpaHa Ha CTeHaTa – дO 9. HOeMBpи 1989 г., KOгaTO Hapoдът я paзpyши.

Toзи OTлOMък OT БapлиHCкaTa CTeHa e дep OT rpaждaHиTe Ha БepлиH Ha rpaждaHиTe Ha Coфия, кaTO зHaK зa BъзCTaHOBeHOTO eдиHCTBO Ha EBpoпa и дOKaзaтeлCTBO, чe бългapитe ca Beчe CBOбOдHи xopa. БepлиH Maй 2006г.

[On 13^th August 1961 a Wall cut Berlin, Germany and with it Europe and the world in two. Bulgaria remained enclosed on the eastern side – until the Wall was torn down by the people on 9^th November 1989. This fragment of the Berlin Wall is a present from the people of Berlin to the people of Sofia – as a symbol of reunified Europe and as proof that the Bulgarian people are now free. Berlin, May 2006]

Information board in Sofia

© Fanny Heidenreich

Work to prepare the site had to be carried out quickly so that the official unveiling of the memorial could coincide with an upcoming visit from Berlin Mayor, Klaus Wowereit, on 16^th May 2006. Workers from the company “Nidel” worked tirelessly to get the memorial site ready whilst the segment was transported from Berlin to Sofia by transportation company “Militzer und Münch”. Wowereit’s visit was eventually rescheduled and the handing over of the Wall to Sofia’s mayor, Bojko Borissow, actually took place on 20^th June 2006.

Revolutionary events and upheaval also took place in Bulgaria in the autumn of 1989. On 10^th November 1989, one day after the Fall of the Wall, the then First Secretary of the Bulgarian Communist Party, Todor Zhivkov, was forced to withdraw from office. Round table discussions were held in the autumn between the Communist Party and the opposition alliance, “The Union of Democratic Forces”. The first free general elections were held in June 1990 and the opposition candidate, Zhelyu Zhelev, was elected president two months later.