Bulgaria The must-see site about Bulgaria

[Theodor]

Hi guys, this is a Bulgarian part of the forum, so I thought this link has to be shown here, too. As you have interest about Bulgaria, this really is a must-see site! The country's history is written shorter or longer on Wikipedia and other sites, but this here is a rich online picture archive, showing images of the people and the country the way it was in times gone. Including the socialist period. The author uses several archives and private collections as sources, so there are lots of interesting things to see! And the best part is, it is a work in progress, photos are added daily, so visit again next week and there'll be more!

The link: http://www.lostbulgaria.com/

Edited November 30, 2009 by Theodor

[Stogieman]

Hi Theodor, wow, pretty interesting images. I just went through a number of pages 1940-50 and that was amazing.

Thanks for posting this link. I will pin the topic so it doesn't get buried!

[Theodor]

Probably most viewers will have difficulties with the language, but fortunately the site is well structured into categories. For easier navigation, here they are:

general military category: http://www.lostbulgaria.com/?cat=19

WW1: http://www.lostbulgaria.com/?cat=210

WW2: http://www.lostbulgaria.com/?cat=211

aviation: http://www.lostbulgaria.com/?cat=245

tanks: http://www.lostbulgaria.com/?cat=285

artillery: http://www.lostbulgaria.com/?cat=244

navy: http://www.lostbulgaria.com/?cat=246

commanders: http://www.lostbulgaria.com/?cat=249

events: http://www.lostbulgaria.com/?cat=14

Also on the top right side of the page the photos are sorted by year/period.

[Mark C]

Great site. The best organized web database of photos I've seen - you can bring up photos from a particular war, a specific branch of service, etc. And the scan quality matches the original photos - nothing lost.

Thanks!

[Kev in Deva]

Some serious Bling Bling / Eye Candy to be seen.

Who is this chap?

Theo many thanks for the links.

Kevin in Deva. :cheers:

[Theodor]

That's a Bulgarian soldier, famous for being the least decorated one

I'm very glad you like it, now in the line under the photos is added a tiny "Translation" link, the automatic translation is not the best, but gives a basic idea about the text.

[Theodor]

Just uploaded interesting series of photos, from the Bulgarian medical train at the East Front. That was the country's participation in the East - a very well equipped medical train, which traveled along the whole front line from 1941 to 1944 and delivered numerous wounded to the hospitals in the rear. It was not just a transport, it was a hospital on wheels. Operated under the aegis of the Red Cross, there were doctors and nurses on board and the modern operations room allowed urgent and sophisticated surgeries to be made.

Edited April 30, 2010 by Theodor

[Theodor]

You might want to see an interesting update, lots of photos from the WW1, the Southern Balkan front. Great archive from an officer of the 2nd Army Staff.

[Valter]

Excellent archive and many great photos!!! Theodor and other Bulgarians, do you know any details about Bulgarian soldiers/officers on south-western front (between AH and Italy)? There are series of pics:

http://www.lostbulgaria.com/?cat=210&paged=21

and I wonder if some of these are taken in Slovenia (main part of Austrian front with Italy was in nowdays Slovenia until the breaktrough at Kobarid, when it moved to Piava).

Were there any Bulgarian troops on this front (I've never heard of any), or was that just a visit from a group of officers?

Regards, Valter

[Theodor]

Hello Valter, as far as I know, it was just a group of officers that visited the Alps front between Italy and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, there were no Bulgarian troops fighting there. The photos are explained just as visiting some places in "the Alps" and some places at Trento. The album belongs to a collector friend, I will ask him about details, he may know more details. Maybe this picture can show the region they visited, some Austrian unit "5 O.A.K."

http://www.lostbulgaria.com/?p=964

[Valter]

Theodor,

many thanks for explanations.

I also thought there were no Bulgarian troops on italian front. Trient is definitely Trento, capital of South Tirol, but other pictures could be taken both in Tirol Alps as well as Slovenia. Unfortunately I couldn't find what abbreviation 5.O.A.K. stands for; KuK Kraftfahrstruppe means "Imperial and Royal automobile troops", 5. o.a.k is probably 5th Company (Kompanie), but O.A. is a mistery for me; maybe Ordonanz. or Offiziers- Automobil kompanie? Aufklaerung (scouts) Kompanie?

[Mike Dwyer]

Unfortunately I can't read anything on the site, but I found it fascinating that the very first photo I viewed, in the 1900-1910 section has a US Army officer right in the middle!!

[Theodor]

Unfortunately I can't read anything on the site, but I found it fascinating that the very first photo I viewed, in the 1900-1910 section has a US Army officer right in the middle!!

Yes, that is a problem, I hope it will be translated someday, but so far only Bulgarian. Some solution is the Google translation, but of course it is not even close to a real site in English.

This photo is from 1909, from the Cavalry School at Saumur, France. Cavalry officers from whole Europe trained there. Three Bulgarians, Dutch, Norwegian, Serbian, two Russians and others. And one US Army officer, indeed! Knowing the year and the place, is there any way to find who he is?

[Mike Dwyer]

Yes, that is a problem, I hope it will be translated someday, but so far only Bulgarian. Some solution is the Google translation, but of course it is not even close to a real site in English.

This photo is from 1909, from the Cavalry School at Saumur, France. Cavalry officers from whole Europe trained there. Three Bulgarians, Dutch, Norwegian, Serbian, two Russians and others. And one US Army officer, indeed! Knowing the year and the place, is there any way to find who he is?

There probably is some way to find out who he is, but I wouldn't know where to begin! :speechless1: