site.btaBurov, The Banker

A prominent Bulgarian banker and politician, one of the emblems of Bulgarian economic and financial development, Atanas Burov was born 150 years ago Thursday.

His biography is indicative of the process of Bulgarian elite-forming after the end of the Ottoman rule in this country - in a rapidly developing society without statehood traditions and in a very complicated international context. 

Atanas Burov was born in Gorna Oryahovitsa on January 30, 1875 in a family that was involved in both the national liberation movement, educational and cultural reforms, and in the establishment of national industry and finances. In 1895 he graduated from the prestigious Aprilov Secondary School in Gabrovo, central Bulgaria, and later studied law and economy in Paris (1895–1900). 

Having returned to Bulgaria, he started working in the family banking and insurance business and soon demonstrated profound understanding of the economic situation and Bulgaria’s developing industries. He took the initiative to establish joint-stock companies, participated in railroad construction, mining and export projects. A successful banker, he joined politics as a member of the People's Party, gradually rising to become one of its leaders.

Between 1911 and 1934 he was a member of the Bulgarian Parliament; he served as minister in four governments (Minister of Commerce, June 1913 – July 1913; Minister of Commerce, Industry and Labour, October 1919 – April 1920; Minister of Foreign Affairs, January 1926 – June 1931; Minister without portfolio, September 1944 – September 1944).

Following the communist coup d’etat in September 1944, Burov was sentenced by the People’s Court to one year of imprisonment. After being released, he joined the opposition in their fight against the establishment of a communist regime. He was exiled to the town of Dryanovo in 1948, then arrested in 1950 and sentenced again, this time to a 20-year term. He died in prison on 15 May 1954.

Burov was such an outstanding and independent personality, that it successfully escaped all official historiography cliches and dominant public perceptions. A paragon of Bulgarian bourgeoisie, he was expelled from the Aprilov Secondary School for participating in a strike organized by Socialists. For that reason he took his matriculation exams as a private student. A successful banker and entrepreneur, a notorious bon vivant, he fought in the Balkan war and received the Order of Bravery. In 1912, he was fast-tracked through the School for Reserve Officers and was the only active MP who volunteered for the front. During the bloody battle at Çatalca, he led an attack on bayonets and received a wound in the chest – enemy bullet smashed his metal lighter in his upper pocket.

Communist-era portrayal of “capitalists” (upper classes) had to accept the fact that Burov never compromised with principles of democracy and always opposed totalitarian and dictator regimes. 

As a foreign minister he contributed much to the improvement of Bulgaria's image and relations with neighbouring countries. He was an elected member of the Political Commission of the League of Nations. 

Later Burov opposed the pro-German course of the Bulgarian state, and his position was widely known. For that both the Bulgarian and German police had him on their radar. 

WWII made him one of the opposition leaders – siding with the Communists. 

An emblematic representative of the political Right, his vigorous parliamentary speeches were sometimes acclaimed by his opponents from the Left.

The combination of business, political, diplomatic and communication skills made him a very good negotiator. An entry in Prime Minister Bogdan Filov’s diary (Feb 13, 1944) informs about a lengthy private conversation: Burov even proposed to go to Moscow as Minister Plenipotentiary if that could help to get Bulgaria out of the war.

Master of several languages, a famous financier and politician, internationally recognized bridge player, a man with refined cultural tastes and peppery language, he became a kind of a legend in the inter-war period. 

Modern Bulgarian historiography is still attempting to produce a more consistent portrait of Atanas Burov. But so many-faceted was his life and so various were his interests, that more efforts will be needed to achieve satisfactory result. Even present-day Bulgarian could learn a lot from such efforts. For Burov’s acts and concepts successfully build bridges between national and global; between patriotism and universalism; between class differences; between rapid development and costs paid for it.