Юлина Михайлова / Julina Mihailova
Abstract: The article examines the unsuccessful attempts to establish а Museum of Tolerance in Bulgaria as part of the narrative about the Rescue of Bulgarian Jews during World War II. Attention is focused on the city of Plovdiv, whose image in the recent years has been actively associated with the “unique” Bulgarian ethnic model, in which Jews fit in as part of the city’s cultural memory. Against this background, the text explores how this memory is reflected in various forms of museum presentation after 1989 – from presentations in temporary museum exhibitions and improvised “ethno corners”, through thematic cultural routes to the very idea of building an independent museum with an emphasis on “good neighborliness and tolerance”, launched by various public circles. Considering the initiatives that have accompanied the development of Plovdiv as the European Capital of Culture 2019 over the past decade, such an emphasis takes on a significantt role. In this regard, the topic traces how the local government, cultural and museum institutions in the city, together with the non-governmental sector interact with the Plovdiv Jewish community in the implementation of these ideas and how the community itself understands its role in this process.
Keywords: Jews, memory, tolerance, museums, cultural heritage
