Берлинската криза от 1961 г. и България
The Berlin Crisis of 1961 and Bulgaria

Summary/Abstract: As a result of the Berlin crisis from 1961 the world faced an immediate danger of a threatening war and the „atomic diplomacy“ was activated. Fortunately enough the war conflict was avoided, but in August the same year the last open door from Eastern Europe to the West closed. The building of the inaccessible Berlin Wall did not solve the problems but accumulated new tension This topic has not been treated so far in scientific literature. This article is the first attempt to elucidate two main groups of problems: firstly, the Bulgarian reaction towards the actual building of the Berlin Wall; and secondly how this dramatic event had its long-lasting effect on the Bulgarian national security services and border-line control. This article also reproduces the alarming atmosphere in Berlin through the eyes of the Bulgarian diplomats. Looking for a balance in the relations with the two German states Bulgaria stayed reserved and quite cautious during the whole crisis. Despite the severe border-line control and the Bulgarian national security services activation and cooperation with the German Ministerium für Staatssicherheit Bulgaria’s Eastern Bloc borders with Yugoslavia, Greece and Turkey were quite a temptation to many East Germany tourists for making an escape to the other Germany.

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