Aleko Dyankov - the journalist who told Bulgaria’s story in German

Over the years, Radio Bulgaria has been home to many journalists who have made Bulgaria known to the world. Among them is Aleko Dyankov - one of the voices of the German-language section of the foreign-language program of the Bulgarian National Radio. Between 1993 and 2003, he was part of the team that presented the news and developments from Bulgaria to a German-speaking audience.

His path to radio began almost by chance. At the beginning of 1993, Dyankov returned briefly to Sofia from Germany, where he had lived for a long time. It was then that he learned about a competition seeking new members for the German editorial team of Radio Bulgaria.

“In February 1993 I was living in Germany. I came back to Sofia for a short time, and my future wife told me: ‘You know, there’s a vacancy at the radio for the German-language section. Why don’t you try?’ I went, submitted my application, took part in the recruitment procedure along with about 40 other people - and that’s how it all began.”

The application procedure was demanding - dozens of candidates competed for just a few positions. Despite the strong competition, Aleko Dyankov was among those selected and began work on April 1, 1993. Although he already had some experience from an internship at the Bulgarian section of Deutsche Welle, his first days at the Bulgarian National Radio were accompanied by natural nervousness. It quickly disappeared thanks to the atmosphere in the German department The German section was a small but extremely close-knit team, he recalls.

“As cliché as it may sound - it was one big family. There were ten of us in the editorial team, and everyone was friendly - there was no envy, no struggle for power or airtime. Everyone had their own segments, and the work flowed very smoothly.”

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His education in history shaped part of his journalistic interests. He took over the “Historical Calendar” segment, which presented important events from Bulgarian history to German-speaking listeners. He also worked on the program “Mailbox,” where listeners’ questions were answered, as well as on materials related to ecology - a topic that was just beginning to gain attention in Bulgaria in the early 1990s.

Aleko’s interest in languages and literature also has family roots. His father is the well-known journalist,essayist, and translator Krastan Dyankov, who translated into Bulgarian works by John Steinbeck, Erskine Caldwell, and John Cheever. Despite this, Aleko Dyankov chose a different path - working with the German language, which he mastered during his years in Germany.

For him, working at Radio Bulgaria had a deeper meaning - the opportunity to present the country to people who often knew little or nothing about it. “While I was living in Germany, people knew very little about Bulgaria. They often even confused it with other countries. So when I started working at the radio, I saw it as a continuation of a mission - to tell German-speaking listeners about Bulgarian history, culture, and society,” Aleko Dyankov explains.

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His work at the radio also brought many memorable journalistic moments:

“I will never forget the interview with the then German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel. It was at the airport, just before he boarded his plane. With the help of the press office, I managed to get a two-minute exclusive interview, and afterward also a comment from Nadezhda Mihaylova (who today is again serving as foreign minister in the caretaker government - editor’s note).”

After ten years at Radio Bulgaria, Aleko Dyankov left the editorial team - a decision he describes as the most difficult moment in his professional path. Today, he works in a television station specializing in agriculture-related topics, where he is responsible for international news. He is also actively involved in translating books from German into Bulgarian.

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Despite his new professional commitments, radio remains an important part of his life: “I miss radio every day, because it is a very dynamic medium. For me, the Bulgarian National Radio remains a benchmark for quality and listener trust. Personally, I prefer it to all other radio stations,” Dyankov shares.

When asked to summarize his ten years at Radio Bulgaria, Aleko Djankov's words are brief but say it all:

“I love it!”

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