The Club of Bulgarian Women Writers

The Club of Bulgarian Women Writers was the third section of the Bulgarian Association of University Women (BAUW), founded in 1930. About forty of the most well-known and respected female poets and writers were members. Some of its leaders were Evgenia Mars, a playwright and writer who created a literary salon, Elissaveta Bagryana, a famous modern poet from the inter-war period, and Fani Popova-Mutafova, a writer of popular historical novels and novellas, and a translator with traditional views on gender roles.

Education and Public Involvement

Most of the members of the Club had university education. They were well-known journalists, translators, and were active in the public sphere. Many were also part of charity and cultural societies. These women were united by the goal to gain a more important role in the male-dominated field of literature and to receive equal rights in publishing and payment Travel Bulgaria.

Activities and Achievements

To achieve their goals, the Club organized literary readings, lectures, celebrations, and book launches in the capital and other parts of the country. They published several collections of women’s writings and many articles in feminist newspapers. The Club also established connections with similar women’s societies in Yugoslavia, Romania, Greece, Hungary, and Slovakia. They exchanged translated works in these languages and collaborated with the PEN Club, whose Bulgarian section was led by Dora Gabe, a poetess and Club member.

Public Influence and Independence

The Club gained significant public prestige. Some members gave opinions on cultural legislation and worked with public organizations. It was financially stable and did not rely on the support of the BAUW. In 1934, the Club left the BAUW to continue as an independent organization. Unlike the situation with women artists, the professional activities of women writers were more widely accepted in Bulgarian society, and they did not need support from BAUW.