September 1 brings together two very different chapters of Bulgaria’s history: the creation of the country’s military medical service and Bulgaria’s entry into the First World War against Romania.
September 1, 1879 — Bulgaria’s military medical service is established
In the first years after Liberation, the Principality of Bulgaria was building the institutions its new state depended on. On September 1, 1879, Bulgaria established its military medical service. It was a practical necessity for the army, not just another item on an administrative list.
Soldiers and officers needed doctors, an organized medical service, and proper care when they were wounded or fell ill. The service supported the army in both peace and wartime. Military medicine later played a role in disaster response and in the development of public health in Bulgaria.
September 1, 1916 — Bulgaria declares war on Romania
On September 1, 1916, Bulgaria declared war on Romania during the First World War. Romania had already joined the Entente, and its entry opened a new front in the Balkans.
Southern Dobruja was part of the wider dispute behind the conflict. Bulgaria had lost the region after the Second Balkan War, and in 1916 it once again became an important military objective. The campaign that followed brought Bulgarian, German, and Ottoman forces into Dobruja and became a significant episode of the war in the Balkans. The story of this date shows how long the consequences of an unresolved territorial dispute can last.
For the neighboring dates in the series, read August 31 and September 2. If you would like to explore Bulgaria from another angle, visit our Bulgaria From Above series and the guides in the Bulgaria category on Bronicable.
