Bulgaria receives personal archive of Prince Alexander I at ceremony in Vienna

Bulgaria has received the personal archive of Prince Alexander I of Battenberg at a ceremony held at the Bulgarian Cultural Institute “Haus Wittgenstein” in Vienna. The archive was donated by Michael Groller, an indirect descendant of the Battenberg family. On the Bulgarian side, the documents were received by Mihail Gruev, Chair of the State Archives Agency.

The archive contains family albums as well as childhood and teenage photographs of the prince. Of particular interest are documents and objects from the period when he was at the head of the newly liberated Bulgarian state, as well as from later years, bearing witness to his continued connection with Bulgaria.

Among the items are his personal seal, a commemorative plaque with metal inlay on agate featuring the signature of Alexander I of Battenberg, and a double-sided monogram with his portrait on one side and, on the reverse, the coat of arms of the Principality of Bulgaria with the inscription:
“Alexander I, the first reigning prince of the Bulgarians, victorious unifier of Northern and Southern Bulgaria,” 1885–1886.

On June 26, 1879, Prince Alexander I Battenberg took over the rule of the Principality of Bulgaria

Unification of Bulgaria – a real historical legend

The transferred documents also include a personal letter to Prince Alexander I from the Chair of the National Assembly, Petar Slavkov, dated 1891; a copy of a report from Prime Minister Stefan Stambolov to the former Bulgarian prince Alexander I from November 1892; a copy of a decree by Tsar Ferdinand granting Alexander I an annual pension of 50,000 leva from December 1891; and a report by Prime Minister Stefan Stambolov on granting a pension to the former Bulgarian prince Alexander I from November 1891.

Among the photographic materials from the prince’s life are eleven photographs from his participation in the Russo-Turkish War, as well as images of the Bulgarian Volunteer Corps.

The ceremony for the handover of the archive, which includes 44 documents and artifacts, was also attended by Bulgaria’s Ambassador to Austria, Desislava Naydenova, BTA reported.

Edited by Diana Tsankova
English: R. Petkova