Sports and Recreational Policies in Post-war Bulgaria

Bulgarian Historical Review, 53 (2025), No. 3, pp. 171-191
DOI: https://doi.org/10.71069/BHR3.25.ND07

Nevena Dimitrova

Nevena Dimitrova, Ph.D. - Institute of Ethnology and Folklore studies with Ethnographic Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Moskovska Str. 6, Sofia 1000, Bulgaria, E-mail: nevenaddimitrova@gmail.com

Abstract: In the years following the Second World War, the Central Council of Bulgarian Trade Unions emerged as a key institution within the framework of socialist governance in Bulgaria. Emphasizing the centralization of production processes, the Council aimed to bridge the working population with the governing authorities, creating a reciprocal relationship between labor and state. As part of this effort, substantial attention was devoted to issues of social welfare and public health. One of the Council’s significant initiatives was the establishment of a specialized department: “Recreational Treatment and Health Resort Services” (Почивно дело и курортно лечение). This department laid the foundation for the promotion of special healthcare, personal hygiene, and individual development through sport and physical activity. The central focus of this research is the role of sport as an integral component of physical education and social enculturation – both as a means of public health promotion and as a vehicle of ideological influence (propaganda). Special attention is given to sport centres located within sanatoriums and recreational facilities, along with the regulatory frameworks and organized activities designed to foster health consciousness and personal development among workers. Primary data for this study is sourced from the State Agency Archives, supplemented by contemporaneous publications and materials, providing a comprehensive understanding of the pivotal role played by health and physical education in Bulgaria’s post-war socialist society.

Keywords: Central Council of Bulgarian Trade Unions [ЦС на БПС – Централен съвет на българските професионални съюзи], recreation, hygiene, physical education, sport propaganda, Recreational Treatment and Health Resort Services [УПДКЛ – Управление почивно дело и курортно лечение]

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