The forgotten pilot from Dobrich Georgi Atanasov was presented by the historian from ROME Tsvetan Sashev

Every era creates its heroes, but there are individuals who go a long way before becoming part of our collective consciousness. Such a person is the pilot Georgi Atanasov.

Georgi Nikolov Atanasov was born on November 7, 1919 in the town of Dobrich in the family of Nikola Atanasov Daskalov and Anka Ilieva Stankova. He became an orphan at an early age – he was raised by his mother. He studied only up to the 5th grade in Dobrich, in the Bulgarian Boys’ High School, between 1930 and 1936, and therefore did not receive a systematic education. He learned the shoemaking trade and worked as a shoemaker. At that time, his friends started calling him the Gotsa.

The 20s and 30s of the 20th century were a special time for Dobruja. The region is part of the Kingdom of Romania. The local people fight against the occupiers according to their capabilities, with the support of the Bulgarian state, through organizations such as the Internal Dobrudja Revolutionary Organization (VDRO). Youth formations are also created. They, as well as VDRO, work illegally. There are two youth organizations in Dobrich: “Stefan Karadzha” and “Vasil Levski”. Georgi Atanasov became a member of “Vasil Levski.” The brotherhood has its own flag, oath ritual, etc. For greater conspiracism, the members are divided into fives. There are different accounts of when this organization was created – whether in 1936-1937 or in the middle of 1938, but it is an indisputable fact when it ceased to exist – on the eve of Christmas 1938, when the Romanian police arrested 63 of its members members. Among them is Georgi Atanasov. After a preliminary arrest, the majority of those detained were released, but subsequently they were taken back and imprisoned in the prison in Kyustenja (now Constanta, Romania). A trial was scheduled for March 25, 1939, but it was postponed. Only the head of “Vasil Levski” remains in prison, the others have been released until the start of the trial. The majority of them flee to Bulgaria.

Georgi Atanasov also chooses the path to freedom. He went to Sofia and applied to His Majesty’s Air Force. At the beginning of 1940, he was appointed to a position, and in April he began practical flight training as a pilot. His colleagues nicknamed him Dobrudja. On July 25, he took his first pilot test. He successfully completed the courses and on March 29, 1941, for good conduct and good performance, he was promoted to the rank of non-commissioned officer candidate. After completing his studies, at the end of March, he was sent to serve in the 2nd Airborne Regiment. But the era was a turning point – the Second World War was in full swing, the Bulgarian army was faced with great trials, which aviation did not pass by. Although seemingly “symbolic,” the war is very real. In 1941, 25 settlements and objects were bombed. In September 1942, several more cities suffered damage, the worst being the situation in Stara Zagora.

1943 was the year in which the bombing of Sofia became more frequent. The first of them is on November 14. The attacks continued on November 24. The third bombing was on December 10. Georgi Atanasov participated in this air battle. Currently serving in 2/6 Orlyak. He flew on a “Devoatin – 520” plane. In the battle of December 10, the Bulgarian aviators fulfilled their duty with dignity – despite the numerical superiority of the enemy, they managed to protect the greater part of the city, bombs fell only in the outer districts. A few days later, on December 20, another attack followed. In his memories, he participated as part of the 2/6 Orlyak o.z. Colonel Asen Kovachev describes the following picture:

“At 11 o’clock, the warning service reported enemy groups of bombers and fighters heading towards Kratovo – Samokov – Ikhtiman. A readiness signal was immediately given, and at 11:15 an order to take off was given. My flock was again tasked with guarding the eagle from the Lightnings. We turned towards Samokov – Yarlova mountain and at 6,000 m altitude the “ball” appeared in front of us. We headed towards it from the sun side, attacked rapidly, and apparently this surprised the enemy, because with the first attack two Lightnings were shot down. My guide was non-commissioned officer Georgi Atanasov-Dobrudjata (my subordinate), a magnificent pilot and marksman. At the same time, the 642nd squadron headed by Lieutenant Viktor Pavlov and Chief Petty Officer Tsonyu Uzunov also attacked. Both squadrons attacked in pairs, causing confusion among the opposing fighters. On the other hand, several “Liberators” were damaged in the battle, which fell on our territory on the way back.”

One of the downed fighters was attributed to Georgi Atanasov. For his participation in the December battles, he was offered an award and received the Order “For Courage” – IV degree.

On June 3, 1944, Georgi Atanasov, together with his colleague Emil Bulgaranov, took off from “Vrazhdebna” airport to Varna with an Italian “Nardi” trophy plane. The pilots take the plane in order to prevent it from falling into the hands of the Germans, who want to appropriate it. The aviators also brought with them a sum of money intended for the parents of pilot Dimitar Popov, who died on April 17, 1944 near Pernik.

Flying over Varna, the “Nardi” plane crashes. Georgi Atanasov was seriously injured and was taken to the local hospital, where he died. He was buried by his mother in his native Dobrich. The grave is still preserved today in the city’s cemetery park. The pilot’s mother, Anka Ilieva, left this world on February 2, 1976.

Georgi Atanasov is part of a generation of Bulgarian aviators who defended the skies of Bulgaria in a turbulent era. With no real combat experience, these brave boys managed to protect their countrymen to the maximum extent and protect them from the horrors of war – a war that claimed millions of human lives.