One of the most dramatic events in Europe during the final days of World War II was the Bulgarian coup d' état of 1944. This coup, which was supported by the USSR (which had just invaded the northeast of the country), is not very well-known in the West.
For those who aren't familiar with the events of this coup, here they are in a nutshell: At the end of August, the Axis government of Bulgaria, facing an imminent Soviet invasion, switched its allegiance to the Allies. On the 5th of September, Moscow declared war on Bulgaria and invaded the northeast of the country. Over the course of the next two days, unrest broke out across the country. On the 9th of September, a nationwide uprising largely led by Communist groups, partisans and workers broke out against both the Bulgarian monarchy and the national government. As a result of the coup, the monarchy and government were swept from power and the Red Army halted its advance in northeast Bulgaria since there was no need to topple the government by force.
Twenty years after the coup, Bulgarian Posts issued a 20-year commemorative of this turning point in Bulgarian history, as well as 20 years of the People's Republic of Bulgaria. This stamp features a World War II-era partisan in a Red Army-type uniform brandishing a PPsH submachine gun and standing guard over a scene of modern Bulgaria. On the left of the stamp we see the flag of the Bulgarian Communist Party and the date of the coup - or the Socialist Revolution of 9 September as it was commonly known prior to 1989.
This stamp commemorates an event not widely known outside of Bulgaria itself and is a shining example of the dramatic stamps issued by Bulgaria Posts during the days of Communist rule.
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