Rodna Zashtita (), meaning ''Native Defense'', was a nationalist, anti-Semitic, fascist organization that operated in Bulgaria from before 1923 to 1936. At its peak in the late 1920s, it had tens of thousands of members.
Rodna Zashtita had an anti-agrarian, anti-communist, and anti-Semitic ideology. In addition, the organization opposed the Freemasons. The organization advocated corporatism and demanded the abolition of political parties. The organisation's members wore black shirts, saluted with a fascist salute and spread propaganda of love for Bulgaria and preaching sacrifice for the homeland. The organization has been classified as "proto-fascist" by the researcher of fascism in Bulgaria, Nikolai Poppetrov. Rodna Zashtita sporadically committed attacks upon
Bulgarian Turks
Bulgarian Turks (; ) are ethnic Turkish people from Bulgaria. According to the 2021 census, there were 508,375 Bulgarians of Turkish descent, roughly 8.4% of the population, making them the country's largest ethnic minority. Bulgarian Turks ...
. In 1933, the group attacked the Turkish cemetery in
Razgrad
Razgrad ( ) is a city in Northeastern Bulgaria in the valley of the Beli Lom river that falls within the historical and geographical region of Ludogorie (Deliorman). It is an administrative center of Razgrad Province.
Etymology
The suffix "gra ...
. After 1936, its members merged with the
Ratnik organization.
See also
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Fascism in Bulgaria
The extent of fascism in Bulgaria is contentious. Many authors state that it never became a mass movement, remaining marginal there, and proved considerably less successful than in the neighboring Balkan states. Bulgaria's fascists were not onl ...
References
Far-right politics
Nationalist organizations
Political organizations based in Bulgaria
Fascist organizations
Ratniks
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