How a rejected law career launched Bulgaria's most celebrated historical novelist

Ideas & Philosophy · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Anton Donchev was destined for the courtroom until a denied judicial appointment pushed him toward literature. He eventually became a literary titan, best known for a novel written in just 41 days. His work captured the national imagination, turning historical trauma into a cinematic legacy that remains beloved by Bulgarian audiences today.

Born in 1930, Anton Donchev initially followed a conventional path, graduating with a law degree from Sofia University in 1953. However, his professional trajectory shifted abruptly when he was refused a position as a judge in Veliko Tarnovo. This rejection served as the catalyst for his transition into full-time writing, a career that would span decades and earn him a seat at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences in 2003.

Donchev’s literary breakthrough arrived with his second novel, Time of Parting, published in 1964. The book, which explores the complex history of Islamization in the Rhodopes region during the 17th century, was written in a remarkably short burst of 41 days. Its impact was immediate and enduring; by 2008, the novel had been translated into 33 foreign languages. The story gained further cultural prominence through its 1987 film adaptation, Time of Violence, directed by Lyudmil Staykov.

The adaptation proved so resonant that in June 2015, it was voted the most beloved film in a major consultation conducted by Bulgarian National Television. Beyond his most famous work, Donchev produced a significant body of historical fiction, including Samuel's Testimony in 1961 and the multi-volume A Testimony for Khan Asparuh, Knyaz Slav and Teres, written between 1968 and 1992. His life, which ended in 2022 at the age of 92, was marked by both literary acclaim and active participation in the social and political spheres of his country.

Donchev’s influence extended beyond the page, as he was a co-founder of the Consolidation Committee, which included figures such as former Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov. His personal life was equally notable, involving a marriage to chessmaster Evelina Troyanska and a later union with journalist Rayna Vasileva. Today, he remains a central figure in Bulgarian letters, remembered for his ability to weave historical drama into the fabric of national identity.

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