Instead of leaving a precious gift to the future generations in his family Engineer Lyuben Bozhkov chose someone else to keep his valuable collection of antique maps. He gave the precious maps made in parlors of top-class European cartographers and etchers to the institution that would protect them best.

In 1953 Engineer Lyuben Bozhkov donated his collection of maps to the People’s Library (today the National Library St. St. Cyril and Methodius), thus leaving priceless knowledge to all bright people. However, he never imagined that his collection gathered with so many efforts, zeal and love would be left for six whole decades in dark storehouses until it is again shown to the public.

These days the exhibition named Europe in the Old Maps consisting of precious exhibits donated by Engineer Bozhkov is on display in the spacious lobby of the National library. It features the economic, historical and political processes in Europe between the 13^th and the 19^th century. A map of Ancient Thrace made in Antwerp back in 1584, a map of the Balkan Peninsula made in Rome in 1689 and a map of Danube with part of the Bulgarian lands made in an atelier in Amsterdam in the 17^th century are some of the most valuable exhibits.

“Lyuben Bozhkov was born in 1880 in Varna. He is a member of a renaissance family from the town of Kotel”, curator of the National Library St. St. Cyril and Methodius Associate Professor Krasimira Alexandrova told Radio Bulgaria. “He studied civil engineering in St Petersburg, Prague and Vienna. Engineer Bozhkov returned to Bulgaria after he graduated from university, just like many other Bulgarians in that period. Then he was employed at the Varna Port where he studied the hydrology and geology of the sea coast and later became in charge of the port. He used to make geographic maps himself. That is why he was elected Chairman of the first Bulgarian Geographical Society. This explains why Lyuben Bozhkov was such a passionate collector of maps. In the 1920’s he moved to Sofia where he was appointed Executive Director of the Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ) and in 1933 he became a member of the Rotary Club. If I have to summarize his activity in one sentence I would say that it was linked with his motto - All in the Name of Bulgaria”

Engineer Lyuben Bozhkov dedicated his entire life to his motherland. This is proved by the numerous photos and items which became part of the exhibition. A letter of thanks from King Boris III on occasion of his book Bulgaria’s Means of Communication and his two reproductions of pieces by Alexander Dobrinov connected with his work as President of Rotary Club - Bulgaria, are among the exhibits.

“Lyuben Bozhkov was an exceptional figure from the Bulgarian national revival period. Few Bulgarians only had so many comprehensive interests at a professional level", Rotary Club’s historian Engineer Tsvyatko Kadiyski told Radio Bulgaria. "Lyuben Bozhkov was also a wonderful musician who played in real orchestras. He was an amazing writer whose scientific writings are as interesting as adventure novels. He was also a football referee, although he was a big man and cartoonists Alexander Bozhinov and Alaxander Dobrinov often made friendly jokes with him. Moreover, Engineer Bozhkov was a devoted husband - his letters to his wife Radka written in the USA were filled with love and tenderness.”

Unfortunately, Engineer Lyuben Bozhkov is in the long list of erudite Bulgarians and patriots who were physically or morally liquidated by the communist regime after September 9, 1944.

“In 1948 the new regime started the policy of making heavy trains”, Engineer Tsvyatko Kadiyski went on to say. “However, Luben Bozhkov, who was a true engineer, proved that this was not worthy in Bulgaria and was equal to a crime. As a result, he was isolated and shortly after that he suffered a stroke from which he did not recover until the end of his life. In the last 3 years of his life he was almost speechless, but managed to learn how to write with his left hand. Lyuben Bozhkov died in 1959.”

English version: Kostadin Atanasov