Eine Reise nach Italien nutzte der bulgarische Schriftsteller Georgi Markow (1929-1978), um sich 1969 aus seinem Heimatland abzusetzen und sich vor dem Regime in Sofia in Sicherheit zu bringen. Markow ließ sich in London nieder, wo er als scharfer Kritiker des kommunistischen Regimes in Bulgarien für Zeitungen und Radiosender arbeitete und über Korruption und Sexskandale in der bulgarischen Führungsriege um Todor Schiwkow berichtete.
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| Georgi Mrkow, um 1975 |
Am 7. September 1978 stand Markow an der Haltestelle auf der Waterloo Bridge und wartete auf den Bus, der ihn zum Sitz der BBC bringen sollte, als er plötzlich einen stechenden Schmerz in der Wade spürte. Ein Mann mit Regenschirm murmelte einige Worte der Entschuldigung und verschwand. Wenige Stunden später fiel Markow ins Koma, vier Tage später starb er. Bei der Obduktion fanden die Mediziner eine winzige Kapsel in Markows Wade und Spuren des Giftes Rizin. Dass die Auftraggeber des Mordes in Sofia saßen, war bald klar, doch der Kalte Krieg verhinderte die Aufklärung. Nach der Wende wurden im Keller des bulgarischen Innenministeriums eine ganze Reihe derart präparierter Regenschirme gefunden.
Todor Schiwkow (1911-1998)
• kommunistischer Politiker und Staatsmann
• 1954-89 Diktator Bulgariens
• ordnete nach Zeugenaussagen den Mord an Markow persönlich an
Harenberg - Abenteuer Geschichte 2015
Secrets of the Dead: Umbrella Assassin [53:08]
Veröffentlicht am 24.09.2014
On Monday, September 11, 1978, Bulgarian émigré, writer, and broadcast journalist Georgi Markov died in London at the age of 49. A political murder, his death remains one of the Cold War's greatest mysteries.
Markov was an acclaimed literary figure in Bulgaria before he defected to the West in 1969. Later, he succeeded in getting official permission to leave Bulgaria. After arriving in England, he joined the British Broadcasting Company (BBC) and became a freelance scriptwriter for Radio Free Europe (RFE) in Munich, Germany.
On June 8, 1975, he contributed his first freelance program to RFE, called "The Debts of Contemporary Bulgarian Literature." For the next three years, he wrote more than 130 Sunday-evening programs for his series called IN ABSENTIA: REPORTS ABOUT BULGARIA. These programs not only covered cultural life in Bulgaria but also revealed the otherwise hidden lifestyles of leading regime figures, especially Communist Party leader Todor Zhivkov, who reportedly appealed to the KGB for help in silencing Markov.
Two failed attempts to poison Markov followed. But on September 7, 1978, while Markov was waiting for a bus, he felt a sudden stinging pain in the back of his thigh. He turned and saw a man bending to pick up a dropped umbrella. The man apologized and departed. By evening, Markov developed a high fever. He was taken to a hospital and treated for blood poisoning. But his condition worsened, and three days later he died.
On June 8, 1975, he contributed his first freelance program to RFE, called "The Debts of Contemporary Bulgarian Literature." For the next three years, he wrote more than 130 Sunday-evening programs for his series called IN ABSENTIA: REPORTS ABOUT BULGARIA. These programs not only covered cultural life in Bulgaria but also revealed the otherwise hidden lifestyles of leading regime figures, especially Communist Party leader Todor Zhivkov, who reportedly appealed to the KGB for help in silencing Markov.
Two failed attempts to poison Markov followed. But on September 7, 1978, while Markov was waiting for a bus, he felt a sudden stinging pain in the back of his thigh. He turned and saw a man bending to pick up a dropped umbrella. The man apologized and departed. By evening, Markov developed a high fever. He was taken to a hospital and treated for blood poisoning. But his condition worsened, and three days later he died.
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