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The Pre-war Years. Defending the Jews


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The Pre-war Years

As the war drew closer, Peter Dunov more and more often spoke optimistically and enthusiastically of the New. He would outline the advance of humankind to a new and more perfect culture. "Good times are coming. They are very close. Just a step away. New minds and new hearts are being created. The new culture that is coming requires people with new beliefs. The New Epoch is coming and you have to accept the great wealth of life, knowledge, light, and freedom. The ideal of brotherhood is coming!" These were the Master's spiritual prophecies. They were about the distant future whose foundations were being built in his time. He often said that only suffering could elevate the human spirit. "We must cherish no illusions. All trials in one's personal life are exercises for the future. All of you who wish to pass into the new epoch will be sifted nine times." To the Master, the trials to which everyone without exception would be subjected would be the beginning of spiritual progress, of a transformation of the minds. "This world is destined to be transformed. The new awareness, the new understanding bring fundamental changes in the entire order of life.

The future ahead is full of light. The new epoch which is coming we can call the Epoch of Resurrection. In the future, all nations will fraternize and form the luminous race of Love. Today's suffering is the throes of the creation of the New Man. The New advances with quiet steps, like the dawn announcing the arrival of the New Day to the world." Thus the Master concluded his lecture "The new day" on the 17th of January 1940.

On the 7th of December 1941, the Master started working with singer Liliana Tabakova on a cycle of seven songs entitled "The New Being". Each of the songs corresponded to a day of the Creation, and they started with consecutive notes of the scale. Their deep symbolic meaning has since been interpreted by generations of musicians. Their text outlined new images, corresponding to the higher awareness that was being created in man. "The New Being" presented the new Adam. "A man is a miniature of humanity." Created in accordance with the perfect laws of Being, the New Man has a mission which is similar to a seed's: to grow, come into leaf, blossom, and bear fruit. This idea is reflected in the music as well. The Master worked on this cycle slowly in the course of two years. He would play and sing, and Liliana would memorize the music and the lyrics. Later, she would put down the notation by memory. "The New Being" was the music of the future.

Defending the Jews

The 1st of September 1939 saw the beginning of the Second World War. At Izgrev, however, the tranquil atmosphere remained undisturbed. The inhabitants of that place were under a special protection. They felt as if they were beyond space and time. This was not the case with the Master, though. He suffered the anguish and anxiety of his time. Seeing the approach of days of sorrow for humanity, he said: "This war will go on for years, for many years..."

Master-109.jpg

Peter Dunov.

As the war raged on, the news of the persecution of the Jews threw Europe into alarm. All states who had joined the Tripartite Pact had to obey Hitler. In Bulgaria, the extradition could no longer be delayed. The trains full of Jews who were to perish in the camps were about to cross the border. Minister Gabrovski called one of his subordinates, handed him an order signed by Tsar Boris III, and told him to accompany the Jews to Poland. The subordinate in question was Metodi Konstantinov, a devoted follower of Dunov's teaching. He rushed to the Izgrev centre. They were desperately short of time. The Master sent for Lyubomir Loulchev, an adviser to the Tsar, who had been living in a cabin at Izgrev for years. "You will find the Tsar and tell him that if he lets Bulgarian Jews be sent to Poland, that will be the end of his dynasty," he ordered. The Tsar, however, was not to be found at the palace; he had wisely withdrawn from public view. Loulchev tried the residences in Vranya and Cham Koria, to no avail. He went back to the Master. They were running out of time and the situation was becoming critical. At that point, the Master retired to his room. A few minutes later he opened the door and said a single word: "Krichim."

Loulchev left for Krichim immediately. The Tsar was very surprised when he was found there: "Who told you I was here," he asked. Loulchev's mission was successful. Having received the same piece of advice from others as well - from important public figures and ecclesiastics - and, most of all, listening to the voice of his own conscience, the Tsar went back to Sofia with Loulchev, demanded the order back from Gabrovski and canceled it. The only Jews in Europe to escape in such a miraculous way went back to their homes.

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