| Vulko Velev Chervenkov Вълко Велев Червенков |
|
|---|---|
| Prime Minister of Bulgaria | |
| In office 3 February 1950 – 18 April 1956 |
|
| Preceded by | Vasil Kolarov |
| Succeeded by | Anton Yugov |
| Deputy prime minister | |
| In office 20 July 1949 – 3 February 1950 |
|
| General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Bulgarian Communist Party | |
| In office 2 July 1949 – 4 March 1954 |
|
| Preceded by | Georgi Dimitrov |
| Succeeded by | Todor Zhivkov |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 6 September 1900 Zlatitsa, Bulgaria |
| Died | 21 October 1980 (aged 80) Sofia, Bulgaria |
| Nationality | Bulgarian |
| Political party | Bulgarian Communist Party |
| Spouse(s) | Elena Dimitrova (sister of Georgi Dimitrov) |
| Religion | Atheism |
Vulko Velev Chervenkov[1] (Bulgarian: Вълко Велев Червенков) was a Bulgarian communist politician.
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Chervenkov was born in Zlatitsa, Bulgaria. He became a member of the Communist Party in 1919 and participated in communist youth group activities and newspaper editing. He took part in the failed 1923 September Uprising and was sentenced to death, but was allowed to emigrate to the Soviet Union.[2]
In 1925 Chervenkov fled to the Soviet Union. He attended the Marx-Lenin school in Moscow and eventually became its director. He became a supporter of the governing style of Joseph Stalin and was known for his high wit and knowledge of the communist doctrine.[2] In 1941 Chervenkov became the director of a radio station which sent anti-German and pro-Communist messages to the Bulgarian people.
In 1944 Chervenkov returned to Bulgaria on a mission for his brother-in-law, Georgi Dimitrov. Chervenkov became a member of the government which took office soon after the end of World War II in 1945 which quickly came to be controlled by Communists. He became minister of culture in 1947, and became deputy prime minister in 1949. Shortly after becoming deputy prime minister, Bulgarian leader Georgi Dimitrov died and Bulgaria temporarily adopted a model of collective leadership, with Chervenkov becoming general secretary of the party and Vasil Kolarov becoming prime minister. Kolarov died in 1950, and Chervenkov was able to fuse the two most powerful offices in Bulgaria once again, with full Soviet approval.
Chervenkov's policies closely resembled those of the Soviet Union at the time, which earned him the nickname "Little Stalin".[1] During his rule political opponents were sent into labour camps and attempts on imposing a personality cult were made. Persecutions against the Church were severe. On the other hand, massive industrialisation occurred, and a massive wave of collectivisation drastically increased agricultural production. The coupon system, inherrited from the wartime period, was abolished. Public healthcare and education were made free. The death of Stalin proved a severe blow for his rule. Chervenkov lost many of his posts, resigning from the position of general secretary on 4 March 1954 and resigning from the position of prime minister on 17 April 1956.
| Preceded by Vasil Kolarov |
Prime Minister of Bulgaria 1950-1956 |
Succeeded by Anton Yugov |
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