On September 24, 1937, Tsar Boris III demonstratively gathered 35,000 bayonets near Popovo for a military exercise, with which he declared to the whole world that the Kingdom of Bulgaria would not comply with the humiliating Neuilly Treaty, which forbade it to have its own army.
This is recalled by "Infospravka".
Due to the personal participation of Boris III, the exercise is known as the great tsarist maneuvers.
The military attaches in Sofia of 14 countries were invited, including Germany, the USA, the USSR, France, Yugoslavia, as well as all former military ministers and old generals generals.
Near Popovo, the army set itself important goals - to check the level of combat training and discipline, but also to raise the spirit of the people and their faith in their own strength, since
at that time the dream of the unification of the Bulgarian lands was still alive.
Many journalists were sent to the maneuvers, an entire department of Radio “Sofia” was set up, which broadcast live from the event the concerts of military music, the film studio at the Army Headquarters was mobilized.
In the Shabanza area, 15 km from Popovo, in the area of the villages of Palamartsa and Kovachevets, an entire military town was built, where the headquarters of the headquarters was located. Electricity and water were installed here.
The Tsar toured the area of the “combat operations” on horseback or by car.
He moved east along the Razgrad - Targovishte line, west - along the Byala - Gorna Oryahovitsa line - 70 km separated them.
The Tsar came to Popovo by car, but all other high-ranking guests traveled from Sofia by special train. It departed at 7.32 am and stopped at the Popovo station at 3.10 pm on the first day of the maneuvers. The entire government was on the train, headed by Prime Minister Kyoseivanov. It was sent to the Sofia train station by the only minister remaining in Sofia at that time - the Minister of Internal Affairs and Public Health Ivan Krasnovski.
FACT SHEET
The military clauses of the Neuilly Peace Treaty, signed on November 27, 1919, imposed severe restrictions on Bulgaria after World War I, in order to deprive it of the ability to conduct independent military operations.
Main military restrictions
Army size: The land forces are limited to a maximum of 20,000 people on permanent voluntary service, including officers.
Abolition of the conscription system:Compulsory military service is abolished; the army is formed solely on a voluntary basis with long-term contracts (12 years for soldiers and 20 years for officers) to prevent the creation of a large trained reserve.
Ban on heavy weapons:Bulgaria is not allowed to possess heavy artillery, machine guns in large quantities, armored vehicles and tanks.
Liquidation of the fleet and aviation: The country is deprived of an air force. The possession of airplanes, seaplanes and balloons is prohibited. Bulgaria is also deprived of a navy, but its warships have been destroyed or handed over to the Allies, and torpedo boats and submarines are banned.
Militia and border guard: The number of gendarmerie, police and border guards is strictly limited so as not to exceed the needs of internal order.
Military industry:The production of weapons, ammunition and military materials is placed under international control, with the country being allowed to maintain only one state arsenal with limited capacity.