September 9 remains one of the most controversial and tragic dates in Bulgarian history. The 1944 coup d’état, often described as the greatest national catastrophe of the 20th century, marked the violent seizure of power by the Fatherland Front with decisive support from the Soviet Union. Overnight, Bulgaria ’s political and social order was overturned, and the country embarked on nearly half a century of totalitarian rule that would transform every aspect of national life. The Road to the Coup