User:Ty.class/Dimo Kazasov

Dimo Kazasov was born on September 17, 1886 in Tryavna, Bulgaria and died on July 28th, 1980, Sofia, Bulgaria. He was a friendly man, a journalist and a Bulgarian writer who also controlled many positions in the field of politics, in fact he served as a minister in Bulgaria for 28 years. Dimo kaזasov is a Righteous Among the Nations who saved many Jews in Bulgaria during World War II.

Early life
Dimo Kazasov was born in 1886 in Bulgaria.

Kazasov graduated high school in 1904, in a city named Ruschuk.

By the year of 1906 he worked as a teacher in Borgus, Tutraken where he also studied.

He worked as a teacher until 1910, that is because he started working as the secretary of the Bulgarian teachers organization for 7 years.

In 1915 he published his first book, about his work and the way the teachers’ organization was administrated.

In 1918 he was allowed to practice law, after he studied in a university in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Kasasove was chosen to represent Bulgaria’s National Assembly in the Bulgarian parliament between the years 1919 and 1935.

During that  time he also wrote and published short stories.

On May 21st Kasasove lost his place at the Bulgarian parliament and started working as a writer in a daily Bulgarian newspaper over the next 3 years.

On June 9th 1923 Kasasove took an active part in a military coup.

The coup led to the change of the prime minister of Bulgaria, and the new prime minister appointed Kasasove as the train, mail and telegraph minister of Bulgaria.

Kasasove decided to leave his job on February 20th 1924.

From the moment Kasasove resigned until 1928, he was the journalists association minister.

On May 19th 1934 Kasasove joined another military coup in Bulgaria, but not too long after he joined he was banished for 2 years to Belgrade, due to disagreements with the leader of the coup.

Activity during WWII / Rescuing
At the outbreak of World War II Bulgaria adopted an anti-Jewish policy and on January 23rd, 1941 the “Protection of the nation” law was published, which .was very similar to the Nuremberg Laws. , Dimo Kazasov  was one of the main opponents to this law and took part in the resistance  to the law. Following this, the Prime Minister of Bulgaria distributed false signs on the opponents all over Bulgaria, in response to the continuing discussion about the “Protection of the Nation” law and the false signs ,Kasasove sent a criticising letter to the prime minister.

Kasasove was not afraid to go out publicly against the goverment and their actions, for just one purpose - to protect the Jews.

On May 21, 1943, the Bulgarian government decided to expel the Jews of Sofia,  and on May 22, several public figures, including Kasasove, issued a letter saying it was a terrible act and the consequences would be severe.

Protests ensued after this which led to the arrests of many Jews and deportations to concentration camps., Two of the leaders of the Jewish community in Sofia, named Yosef Giron and Dr. Yitzhak Kalmi, managed to escape and hid in Kazasov's house.

On September 9, 1944, there was a coup in Bulgaria and the prime minister was ousted and replaced by a new prime minister who appointed Kazasov as the propaganda minister. Kazasov continued his actions, he helped the Red Army expel the Germans and their supporters from Bulgaria,  he restored the rights of minorities in the country, repealed the Law for the Protection of the Nation and thereby brought about a significant change that resulted in the salvation of many Jews.

Honors/Awards
On May 31, 1966, Yad Vashem recognized Dimo Kazasov as a Righteous Among the Nations.

On May 19th 1966, a tree was planted in honor of Dimo Kaזasov, by “Yad Vashem”.