September 3, 1923 — Preparations for the September Uprising
On September 3, 1923, the Central Committee of the Bulgarian Communist Party met in Sofia to finalize preparations for an armed uprising against the government of Aleksandar Tsankov.
The plan was to establish a worker-peasant government. Preparations took place against the background of the military coup of June 9, 1923, which had overthrown the democratic government of Aleksandar Stamboliyski. The meeting was therefore part of the political crisis that shook Bulgaria during that year.
September 3 marks a stage in the preparations, not the beginning of the uprising itself. It shows how the political confrontation that followed the coup gradually developed into a plan for an armed change of power.
September 3, 1877 — Russian Forces Capture Lovech
During the Russo-Turkish War, Russian forces under General Mikhail Skobelev captured Lovech. The town was strategically important because of its connections with the area around Pleven and the Ottoman garrison there.
The capture of Lovech cut the supply lines leading to Pleven. This helped the Russian forces encircle the fortress and contributed significantly to the subsequent liberation of northern Bulgaria. The episode shows how important individual towns and roads were to the course of the Russo-Turkish War.
The two events recorded for September 3 belong to different periods and describe different kinds of historical change. One concerns an internal political struggle; the other concerns military operations that altered the course of the war.
To follow the events around this date, continue with September 2 or September 4. For more stories and places in Bulgaria, explore the Bulgaria From Above category.
