Valya Balkanska was born in 1942 in Lagut neighborhood situated amidst some high peaks of the Rhodope mountains. Her love for the multi-colored rugs was enriched by the songs which her mother and grandmother bequeathed her. She does not remember her father but she knows that when he was singing, the mountains were shaking. At home and at work-bee parties, she unnoticeably learned dozens of folk songs from her native place.
In 1977 Carl Sagan, the American astronomer and physicist, sent the Rhodope singer Valya Balkanska’s performance of the song “Delyu Haitutin” as a message to space. Each of the two space stations - “Voyager I” and “Voyager II”, had a gold-plated gramophone record, containing the voices, whispers, songs an music pieces of our planet. On their way to Ursa Minor, the stations would fly for a period of about sixty thousand years. That in fact is the highest recognition for the vocal talent of Valya Balkanska. The Rhodope woman with the beautiful voice, the descendant of the glorious Orpheus, is a pride to Bulgaria.

In 1965 she became a soloist at the “Rhodope” State Ensemble for Folk Songs and Dances - Smolyan. In the same year she won a gold medal at the First National Festival of Folk Arts in Koprivshtitsa. After she won other medals and visited a great deal of European countries.

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The instrumental technique and talent of improvisation based upon the sound tradition of Bulgarian folklore and invention marks Ivo Papazov’s individual and original style of performance which is the reason for his being one of the most sought-after and listened-to folk musicians in Bulgaria.

After a lengthy absence from the international scene legendary Bulgarian clarinet player Ivo Papasov has returned in 2004. Papasov is of Bulgarian Roma (Gypsy) and Turk origin and comes from Kardzali, a city close to Bulgaria’s Turkish and Greek borders. He grew up in a musical family and followed the Balkan Gypsy tradition of leaving school at a young age to focus on playing music for a living. Initially he played in local bands that worked restaurants, festivities and the lucrative wedding scene yet Papasov was so gifted a musician that soon he was leading his own band. (Read the article)

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The accordionist Petar Ralchev is a remarkable virtuoso not only in the sphere of folk but also of classical music. While still a student he was awarded the first prize at the Young Musicians Competition in Chirpan and later on received the special award at the International Competition in Klingental, Germany. Together with the violinist Georgi Yanev he founded the Orpheus Orchestra. He takes part in various orchestras and projects performing with almost all leading folk and jazz musicians (Ivo Papazov, Delcho Mitov, Stoyan Yankulov, among others). Audiences throughout Europe and North America have admired Mr. Ralchev’s performing and he was included in the History of Accordion, published in France in 1991 by Francois Billard and Didier Roussin.
So far Petar Ralchev has released 9 albums, both solo and in co-work with other prominent musicians.

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Bistritsa is situated in the suburbs of the city of Sofia. It is a unique settlement, which cherishes an old and well-preserved traditional culture. Despite the closeness and influence of Bulgaria’s capital, the two cultures – that of the big modern city and of the small village - coexist without contradicting each other.

Bitritsa’s folk tradition is part of the folklore of Middle Western Bulgaria, characterised by its two-voiced mode with some incident three-voiced combinations. This multi-voiceness is quite different from the European music tradition. It is more primitive and very often neighbouring tones are united simultaneously in an amazing harmony. This incredible sonority gives us an entirely new idea of the classical multi-voiceness and surprises us with the unusual natural and easy flow of sounds that reach the listener. The melodies come out freely without any metrical organization, or in the typical uneven measures (7/8, 5/16, 11/16, etc.). The villagers of Bistritsa have songs for all occasions: weddings, the horo dance, working-bees, harvest time. There are also ritual songs for different festivals. And even though part of these activities is no longer practiced today, the residents of Bistritsa still sing and cherish them. (Read the article)

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Official Communist Youth Organization “Chavdarche”
It is named after the national hero Chavdar Voivoda, a rebels’ leader who lived before 1878 and fought against the Turks. The members of the organization had to be 7-10 years old. Their identification mark was the blue tie with the presented badge on. The organization’s main goal was to bring up the children, cultivate their talents and teach them how to be model citizens and workers. It is interesting to know that these children, the so called “chavdarcheta” had a moral code of norms which were in the form of rhyming lines and were to be learned by heart. These rhymed norms taught the little followers to study hard, to wear neat and clean clothes, to help the old people or anyone who is in trouble. The children were also expected to prepare for becoming model pioneers. The organizations are formed at the local schools and there was a teacher who was in charge of the kids, supervising their development. As it goes to the structure, the organization was divided into teams and units.

(Read the article)

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Military school of higher education graduate badges were made after the Soviet model badges of this type: with a “rhomb” form and screw back reverse. What should be noted is that here in Bulgaria these badges played an important role in the Communist military awarding system; they were valued to all military men. Even if someone was later awarded with orders and titles of a higher rank, he kept on wearing the Graduate badge.
There are about 10 military schools (academies), each having 1, 2 or 3 emission badges.

(Read the article)

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One of the greatest present-day basses, Nicola Ghiuselev, was born in Pavlikeni, Bulgaria, in 1936. In 1960 he had his debut at the Sofia National Opera, and, in the same year, was warded the Gold Medal at the Prague Summer Festival. In the following year he was a laureat at the World Youth Festival in Helsinki, and in 1962 he was the winner at the highly-reputed International Singing Competition in Sofia. His extensive international tours started in 1963.

(Read the article)

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The Frog skin / Rain pattern camouflage from Bulgaria was developed in the 1970s in an attempt to make a uniform that the NATO allies could not recognize. With this new pattern Bulgarian Paratroops would invade an ‘aggressor’ area. This pattern was never official and thus “secret”. It was issued first to Paratroops, then Chemical Warfare troops then a few found their way to the border patrol (not border guard).

It was formally disbanded upon the new democratic government around 1991. The pattern is still used in other equipment however. The original fabric was printed in East Germany and sewn in Bulgaria. The machines were then moved to a small city outside the capitol, Sofia, where more were indigenously made. This Pattern is rare and should any have emblems or Bulgarian markings they are even more rare. ”   text found on Chris Remy web page

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The Bulgarian Splinter or Forest pattern was developed in an attempt to give its Special Forces members a better uniform (than all green) and to make them noticed among Warsaw Pact countries. Initially only Officers and Special Ops units until the 1980’s received this pattern.

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“Brannik” was a military Nazi Hitler youth organization in Bulgaria, established in 1941. This organization was the Bulgarian equivalent of the German HJ and was popular during King Boris III’s rule when the Royal Kingdom of Bulgaria was Nazi Germany pro orientated. Since the mid 30’s Bulgaria was much involved on Germany’s side. Thus, when in 1941 the Germans needed the Bulgarian land to launch an attack in the Balkans, Kingdom Bulgaria officially joined the Dreimacht Pakt, signed it and became an official ally to Germany, Italy and Japan.

(Read the article)

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The police daggers were worn by the Royal Bulgarian high ranking officers. It was fabricated in limited quantity and is almost impossible to find. The dagger started to be employed by the Bulgarian Royal commanders in 1934. The dagger was to be worn by the officers of uniformed police (not by civilians). During WWII in Bulgaria there were 350-400 militarized officers. After the WWII was over and communists took control of the country, those people were exposed to severe repressions. (Read the article)