Հայերի արտագաղթը Բուլղարիայից (1950-1970-ական թթ.)

Abstract

The national policy of the Communist regime established in Bulgaria led to the emigration of the local ethnic minorities, including Armenians. If in the first half of the 1950s Armenians primarily emigrated to South America, gradually the USA became their main destination. Thousands of Bulgarian Armenians left Bulgaria. The transportation of Armenians was basically carried out by ANCHA (American National Committee to Aid Homeless Armenians). A large number of Bulgarian Armenians settled in the USA, particularly in Los Angeles. Here along with the diasporan Armenians arrived from other countries they got involved in managing the regular activity of the local Armenian community. In contrary, the stance of the Armenian community which stayed in Bulgaria deteriorated due to the national and economic policy as well as the subsequent emigration. As a result of the closure of the Armenian organizations and later also the schools the issue of preservation of the Armenian national identity faced a number of obstacles. Considerable steps towards overcoming those problems became possible to carry out only after the collapse of the Communist regime.