Blaga Dimitrova facts for kids

Blaga Nikolova Dimitrova (Bulgarian: Блага Димитрова) was a famous Bulgarian poet. She also served as the 2nd Vice President of Bulgaria from 1992 to 1993. She was born on January 2, 1922, and passed away on May 2, 2003.

Early Life and Education

Blaga Dimitrova was born in Byala Slatina, Bulgaria. She finished high school in Sofia in 1941. That same year, she started studying Slavic languages at Sofia University. She graduated in 1945.

She continued her studies in Moscow at the Maxim Gorky Literature Institute. In 1951, she completed her advanced degree. Her work focused on the poet Mayakovsky and his influence on Bulgarian poetry.

Starting Her Career

After returning to Bulgaria, Blaga Dimitrova began working. She joined the team at a monthly magazine for the Bulgarian Writers’ Association. Later, she moved to the Association’s publishing house. There, she tried to help young writers publish their works. These authors often faced difficulties because of government rules about what could be printed.

Intellectual and Political Journey

In 1963, the leader of the Bulgarian Communist Party, Todor Zhivkov, criticized many intellectuals. Blaga Dimitrova left her job in protest. She then moved to another publishing company. In 1965, she published her first book, Journey to Oneself.

Travels and Activism

During the Vietnam War, Blaga Dimitrova visited Vietnam several times. She even adopted a young Vietnamese orphan. Her experiences there inspired several of her writings. For many years, she worked as an editor for various newspapers, magazines, and publishing houses. She also translated books and was involved in social work.

In February 1989, Blaga Dimitrova was one of 102 Bulgarian thinkers. They signed a letter supporting Václav Havel, a famous writer and leader.

Standing Up for Freedom

On May 5, 1989, her husband was arrested. He was the chief editor of a journal called “Democracy.” This journal was linked to a group called the “Association of Democratic Forces.”

Blaga Dimitrova was invited to a special breakfast with French President François Mitterrand in January 1989. This event became important for the Union of Democratic Forces (SDS). Blaga Dimitrova believed she could help bring positive changes to Bulgaria. She actively joined public gatherings and protests. She hoped her involvement would lead to a better future for her country.

Vice President of Bulgaria

On January 19, 1992, Blaga Dimitrova was elected Vice President of Bulgaria. Zhelyu Zhelev became President. She served in this role for about a year and a half.

Leaving Office

Blaga Dimitrova became disappointed with how the presidency and government were working. On July 6, 1993, she decided to leave her position. She announced her decision in an open letter.

In an interview, she shared her thoughts. She said that being Vice President showed her how people change when they have power. She even noticed changes in herself. After leaving office, she mostly stayed quiet about political topics.

Poetry and Literary Works

Blaga Dimitrova started publishing her poems very early. Her first poems appeared in the magazine "Bulgarian Speech" in 1938. She was only 16 years old then. Her parents, a lawyer and a teacher, moved to the capital. They wanted their only child to develop her intellectual talents.

Early Publications

As a high school student, her teacher, Manya Miletich, encouraged her. Blaga Dimitrova began publishing in various newspapers and magazines. Her first book, Journey to Oneself, was published in 1961.

Peak of Poetic Work

The 1970s were a very productive time for her poetry. She published many books that made Bulgarians think deeply. In 1975, she and her husband, Jordan Vasiliev, published Bagrian’s youth and Black days and white days. These books were about the life of another great Bulgarian poet, Elisavieta Bagrian.

However, these books mentioned authors who were not approved by the government. Because of this, the books were taken away. Blaga Dimitrova and her husband were accused of "falsifying history." Even though some parts were removed by government censors, the books were still criticized. People said she was working for a foreign power. The few copies that remained were typed out and secretly shared across the country.

Impact and Recognition

In November 1989, during the first free protest in Sofia, people held up two books. One was Fascism by Zhelyu Zhelev, and the other was Blaga Dimitrova's book Face. In her 1992 book, "From here and beyond. Silhouettes of Friends," she wrote about her beloved teacher. A literary critic named Vladimir Vasilev also noticed her talent. He strongly encouraged her to send her poems to the Zlatorog magazine.

She worked as an editor for the "Septemvri" magazine for eight years. Then, she spent two years in the Rhodopes mountains. Later, she worked at "Narodna Kultura" as an editor and translator.

Famous Works

Some of her most well-known works include:

• Her first novel, Journey to Self (1965).
• Her novel Deviation (1967), which was made into a film.
• The travel novel The Last Judgment (1969), written after she adopted a girl from Vietnam.
• In the same year, she translated the ancient Greek epic Iliad with Alexander Milev.
• The novel Lavina (1971), which was also filmed.
• Biographical books about Elisaveta Bagryana, co-authored with Yordan Vasilev (1975).

She also published many famous poetry collections:

• Until Tomorrow (1959)
• The World in a Hand (1962)
• Back in Time (1965)
• Doomed to Love (1967)
• Gong (1976)
• Night Diary (1976)
• Spaces (1980)
• Voice (1985)

She translated "The Ring of Eternity" (1984) by three poets: Ana Akhmatova, Gabriela Mistral, and Edith Södergran. She also translated "Contemplating the World" (1998) by Polish Nobel Prize winner Wisława Szymborska.

Blaga Dimitrova wrote the script for the film "Deviation." Her plays, "An Unexpected Meeting" and "Dr. Faustina," were performed for many years in theaters. Her works have been translated into 23 different languages. Blaga Dimitrova left behind over 80 books, screenplays, essays, and interviews. She was a very important female author in Bulgarian literature.

However, some of her work faced problems with government censorship. Her novel Lice (1981) was taken from bookstores. It was even sent to a prison in Sliven, along with other books like Fascism by Zh. Zhelev.

Works

• "Cassandra with a Tail" (poem)

See also

In Spanish: Blaga Dimitrova para niños