Servantship as an Urban Phenomenon in Bulgaria (1920s–1940s)

Authors

  • NEZABRAVKA HRISTOVA Sofia University “St. Kl. Ohridski”, Faculty of History, program “Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology” https://orcid.org/0009-0007-7302-4707

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.60053/TER.2026.11.105-118

Keywords:

maid duties, domestic helper, cleaning

Abstract

This article examines some aspects of home female servants, but the main focus is on
servantship as an urban phenomenon in the period between the 1920s and 1940s. The emphasis is
on the changes in the age and duties of maids. The acquired experience leads to the
professionalization of labor. The activities performed by maids are examined, as well as the
relationships between owners and domestic helpers. The analysis is based on a review of the
scientific literature, archival documents, as well as information from ethnographic interviews
conducted by the author over the past two years.

References

Georgieva, I. (1993) Balgarska narodna mitologia. izd. Sofia: Nauka i izkustvo. ISBN

9789543225682

Grebenarova, S. (1999) Narodna higiena. V: Balgarska etnologia 1999, 3-4, str. 77 – 100. izd.

Sofia: Izdatelstvo na BAN „Prof. M. Drinov“. Print ISSN: 1310-5213; Online-ISSN: 2367-6892

Gunchev, G. (1933) Sluginstvoto vav Vakarelsko, V: Spisanie na Balgarskoto ikonomichesko

druzhestvo, god. 32, kn. 2 str. 93 -103. izd. Sofia: Pridvorna pechatnitsa.

Kotseva, V. (2012) Chestita banya! Etnolozhki pogled kam higienata na balgarite. izd. Sofia:

RAABE. ISBN: 978-954-9619-60-72.

Nikolaeva, A. (2002) Elisaveta Konsulova-Vazova i prisastvieto y v obshtestvenoto prostranstvo

prez parvata polovina na HH v., V: Problemi na izkustvoto №4, str. 54-59. Izd. Sofia: Institut za

izsledvane na izkustvata. ISSN: 0032-9371

Nikolova, B. Ts. Lavrentov (1956) Elisaveta Konsulova-Vazova., izd. Sofia: Balgarski hudozhnik.

Stoyanova, R. (2021) „Sluginskiyat vapros“ v golemite balgarski gradove (30-te – 40-te godini na

HH vek). V: Migratsii, obshtnosti i kulturno istorichesko nasledstvo, str. 344 – 364. izd. Sofia:

„Prof. Marin Drinov“. ISBN (print) 978-619-245-131-8, ISBN (online) 978-619-245-173-8

Hristov, P., N. Spasova (2020) Prodalzhavashta mobilnost: sluchayat na sluginchetata ot Tuzluka.

V: Balgarska etnologia God. HLVI Kn. 2, str. 210 – 226. izd. Sofia: Izdatelstvo na BAN „Prof. M.

Drinov“. Print ISSN: 1310-5213, Online-ISSN: 2367-6892

Internet resursi

Vazov, I. (1895) Koy shte tsivilizuva shopsko. V: Draski i sharki, str. 201 – 208. Dostapno na:

https://chitanka.info/book/493-draski-i-sharki (pregledan: 4.10.2024)

Nenov, N. (2010) „Byah sluginya, zhivot si zhiveeh“. Vsekidnevie i biografichni razkazi. V:

Arnaudov sbornik, t. 6. Izd. Ruse: Leni-An. Dostapen na:

https://www.academia.edu/45624885/_%D0%91%D1%8F%D1%85_%D1%81%D0%BB%D1%83%D0

%B3%D0%B8%D0%BD%D1%8F_%D0%B6%D0%B8%D0%B2%D0%BE%D1%82_%D1%81%D0%

B8_%D0%B6%D0%B8%D0%B2%D0%B5%D0%B5%D1%85_%D0%92%D1%81%D0%B5%D0%BA

%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%BD%D0%B5%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B5_%D0%B8_%D0%B1%D0%B8%

D0%BE%D0%B3%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%84%D0%B8%D1%87%D0%BD%D0%B8_%D1%80%D0

%B0%D0%B7%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%B7%D0%B8 (pregledan: 15.10.2024)

Arhivni edinitsi:

TsDA: Tsentralen darzhaven arhiv, fond 2087 K, opis 2, arhivna edinitsa 280

Published

2026-03-22

Issue

Section

Articles