“Peoples’ Government Needs no Educated Enemies”

Authors:

Pages: 451-469

Abstract:

Discrimination through access to education forms a thick trau matic memory for most of the so called “former people”. Already in 1946, ap proaches to higher education were placed under strict ideological control. An Orwellian system by design has been built, which harnessed both institu tional and individualized mechanisms for the negative selection of “enemy elements”. The explanation that Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Georgi Kumbiliev will frankly give to a child of “former people” was: “He will not be allowed to study at a university, since the people’s government did not need educated enemies.” With the help of ore than 300 memories, interviews, di aries and a wide documentary array, this article will try to trace precisely this most painful form of discrimination which deprived many children of “class enemies” of the opportunity for social realization.

Keywords:

discrimination, education, „former people”, communist regime, Bulgaria.

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