{"id":132,"date":"2024-05-31T11:38:37","date_gmt":"2024-05-31T11:38:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ghosts-of-war.com\/?p=132"},"modified":"2024-06-02T13:58:28","modified_gmt":"2024-06-02T13:58:28","slug":"the-red-flat-bulgaria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ghosts-of-war.com\/?p=132","title":{"rendered":"The Red Flat, Bulgaria"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A glimpse into Bulgaria’s communist past<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Close to the centre of Sofia, in an ordinary, non-descript housing block, is a unique time capsule. The Red Flat is an apartment that has been set up to replicate a family residence typical of 1980s urban Bulgaria. I went along for a look, and found unique museum providing a fascinating insight into life in communist Bulgaria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After buying my ticket at a shop around the corner, I buzzed the Red Flat from the street side intercom at the entrance to the apartment block. A voice welcomed me and told me to come up. I climbed the steps, a door opened, and a staff member in an anti-Covid-19 face mask asked me in. She supplied me with headphones and an Mp3 player, and explained that I was welcome to pick up, open, and investigate anything I liked within the flat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Mp3 held over 40 short stories about daily life within the family unit, what was happening at a local, regional and national scale, and the geopolitical situation under which all of this unfolded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Young Nikolay dreaded dreary Sunday afternoons at his grandparent\u2019s house<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The museum stories were told through the characters of a fictional family, Mum and Dad and one son, who ‘lived’ in the flat. Although the museum had been put together with articles from a variety of sources, you really did get the feeling that you had entered a family’s private space. Wedding photos on the wall, and albums of family pictures, made the place very personal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although encouraged to pick up and look at items, I initially felt uncomfortable doing so, as if I was a intruder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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When Vasil chose to elope, his picture was removed from the family album<\/p>\n<\/div>

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The story began by explaining that for the typical Bulgarian family, it was within the home that most socialising took place. Visiting friends, and welcoming visitors into your own home, was a very important part of life. Guests would be received in the loungeroom, and this was where you would display your book collection (only titles approved by the Bulgarian Communist Party, of course), art, and any medals or other awards that you may have received from the State.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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No-one expected that Jason\u2019s quest for the golden fleece would take him to Bulgaria
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For most Bulgarians, travel abroad was tightly controlled by the Communist Party, and restricted to other Soviet Bloc countries. However, some professional Bulgarians worked overseas during the communist years, mainly in other Eastern Bloc nations, and countries where the USSR wished to spread influence. Those lucky enough to jag one of these jobs had the rare opportunity to collect a little contraband whilst away, including western alcohol, confectionary and recorded music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Radio Free Europe, a broadcast set up by the United States Government with a brief to provide information about the western world (and ‘unbiased’ reports of what was happening within Soviet Bloc nations) to those behind the ‘Iron Curtain’, was popular in Bulgaria. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Despite government efforts to disrupt the broadcasts, RFE continued to operate, and Bulgarians would tune in on the quiet within their homes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Compact little unit<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Amongst the items displayed within the ‘son’s bedroom’ in The Red Flat was a record player. Apparently during the communist era, local Bulgarian musicians would record cover versions of songs by popular western bands and pass them off as local compositions. Western records were hard to come by, and there was an active black market in popular music. Music fans would gather to ‘talk’ about music, and during these meets outlawed records would be covertly bought, sold and traded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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