Internal Dobrujan Revolutionary Organisation
Encyclopedia
The Internal Dobrujan Revolutionary Organisation or IDRO was a Bulgaria
n nationalist and revolutionary organisation active in Romania
n Dobruja
from 1923 to 1940. It was labeled 'a terrorist organization' by the Romanian government, though in Bulgaria it was regarded as a liberation movement.
The organisation was founded in 1923 under the leadership of Docho Mihaylov and on the basis of the Great Convention of Dobruja (Велик добруджански събор), a Bulgarian political organisation established in 1919 to fight against the transfer of Southern Dobruja
to Romania. The IDRO detachments fought against the widespread brigandage in the region, as well as the Romanian administration in the region. Like the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organisation in Macedonia
and the Internal Thracian Revolutionary Organisation
in Thrace
, IDRO demanded political autonomy of Dobruja under the mandate of the League of Nations
raising the slogan for the establishment of “autonomous Dobruja” under the supervision of the League of Nations and "Dobruja for the Dobrujans".
In 1925, a left wing named the Dobrujan Revolutionary Organisation (Добруджанска революционна организация) seceded from the organisation under the influence of the Bulgarian Communist Party
. This wing militated for a Soviet Republic of Dobruja, which would either be part of a "Balkan Communist Federation
" or to become a Republic of the Soviet Union
. The division of IDRO significantly hampered the work of the organisation, although it continued its activity under different forms until 1940 when Southern Dobruja was restored to Bulgaria under the terms of the Treaty of Craiova
.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n nationalist and revolutionary organisation active in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n Dobruja
Dobruja
Dobruja is a historical region shared by Bulgaria and Romania, located between the lower Danube river and the Black Sea, including the Danube Delta, Romanian coast and the northernmost part of the Bulgarian coast...
from 1923 to 1940. It was labeled 'a terrorist organization' by the Romanian government, though in Bulgaria it was regarded as a liberation movement.
The organisation was founded in 1923 under the leadership of Docho Mihaylov and on the basis of the Great Convention of Dobruja (Велик добруджански събор), a Bulgarian political organisation established in 1919 to fight against the transfer of Southern Dobruja
Southern Dobruja
Southern Dobruja is an area of north-eastern Bulgaria comprising the administrative districts named for its two principal cities of Dobrich and Silistra...
to Romania. The IDRO detachments fought against the widespread brigandage in the region, as well as the Romanian administration in the region. Like the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organisation in Macedonia
Macedonia (region)
Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of the Balkan peninsula in southeastern Europe. Its boundaries have changed considerably over time, but nowadays the region is considered to include parts of five Balkan countries: Greece, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, Albania, Serbia, as...
and the Internal Thracian Revolutionary Organisation
Internal Thracian Revolutionary Organisation
The Internal Thracian Revolutionary Organisation , ITRO, was a Bulgarian revolutionary organisation active in Western Thrace and southern Bulgaria between 1920 and 1934.The reason for the establishment of ITRO was the deplorable situation of the Thracian Bulgarians in...
in Thrace
Thrace
Thrace is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. As a geographical concept, Thrace designates a region bounded by the Balkan Mountains on the north, Rhodope Mountains and the Aegean Sea on the south, and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara on the east...
, IDRO demanded political autonomy of Dobruja under the mandate of the League of Nations
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
raising the slogan for the establishment of “autonomous Dobruja” under the supervision of the League of Nations and "Dobruja for the Dobrujans".
In 1925, a left wing named the Dobrujan Revolutionary Organisation (Добруджанска революционна организация) seceded from the organisation under the influence of the Bulgarian Communist Party
Bulgarian Communist Party
The Bulgarian Communist Party was the communist and Marxist-Leninist ruling party of the People's Republic of Bulgaria from 1946 until 1990 when the country ceased to be a communist state...
. This wing militated for a Soviet Republic of Dobruja, which would either be part of a "Balkan Communist Federation
Balkan Communist Federation
The Balkan Federation was a project about the creation of a Balkan federation or confederation, based mainly on left political ideas.The concept of a Balkan federation emerged at the late 19th century from among left political forces in the region...
" or to become a Republic of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. The division of IDRO significantly hampered the work of the organisation, although it continued its activity under different forms until 1940 when Southern Dobruja was restored to Bulgaria under the terms of the Treaty of Craiova
Treaty of Craiova
The Treaty of Craiova was signed on 7 September 1940 between the Kingdom of Bulgaria and the Kingdom of Romania. Under the terms of this treaty, Romania returned the southern part of Dobruja to Bulgaria and agreed to participate in organizing a population exchange...
.
Sources
- Национално-освободително движение в Добруджа 1878-1940
- Добруджанските младежки организации в България (1919-1934)Кристина Попова
- The Communist Party of Bulgaria; origins and development, 1883–1936, p. 200, Joseph Rothschild, Columbia University Press, 1959
- Communism in Rumania, 1944–1962, Ghița Ionescu, Greenwood Press, 1976, ISBN 0837181682, p. 25.
See also
- Dobrudja
- Internal Revolutionary OrganisationInternal Revolutionary OrganisationThe Internal Revolutionary Organisation or IRO was a Bulgarian revolutionary organisation founded and built up by Bulgarian revolutionary Vasil Levski in the period between 1869 and 1871. The organisation represented a network of regional revolutionary committees which were governed by a Central...
- Internal Thracian Revolutionary OrganisationInternal Thracian Revolutionary OrganisationThe Internal Thracian Revolutionary Organisation , ITRO, was a Bulgarian revolutionary organisation active in Western Thrace and southern Bulgaria between 1920 and 1934.The reason for the establishment of ITRO was the deplorable situation of the Thracian Bulgarians in...
- Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organisation
- Internal Western Outland Revolutionary OrganisationInternal Western Outland Revolutionary OrganisationThe Internal Western Outland Revolutionary Organization , IWORO, was a Bulgarian revolutionary organization active in the Western Outlands between 1921 and 1941 in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes , and then its successor, the Kingdom of...