Norwich bulletin., 1916-10-27
THE WAR PRIMER By National Geographic Society

Vidin and Ca3afat.-"The strongly fortified town of Vidin (also spelled Widdin and Widin), from which the Bulgarians have made an attack on the Roumanian town of Calafat, is one of the most prosperous grain ports on the right bank of the Danube below Belgrade" says today's war geography bulletin of the National Geographic Society.
 Situated in the northwest corner of the kingdom of Bulgaria, 130 miles in an airline southeast of the Serbian capital of Belgrade, 100 miles north west Of Sofia, and ITO west of Buchar-- est, this city vas, before the outbreak of this war, a center of activity for trade between Austria and the Balkan states.
 "Vidin is natural stronghold be- cause of the extensive surrounding marshes formed by the numerous small streams flowing into the Danube at this point. The Notifications were razed following the Russo Turkish war Of lSI1-7S. but they were reconstructed during the Serbo Bulgarian conflict of 30 years ago. Portions of the old wall and four of the nine towers still en- circle the old town, but the newer section lies along the bank of the river
 An interesting element among the city's 16,000 inhabitants is a settle ment Of Spanish Jews, 1,500 in number, descendants of a small colony which fed from Spain during the Inquisition of the 16th century The Turks re- siding in the town number nearly 5000.
 While the trade is cereals and fruits, the considerable fisheries, and the numerous breweries afford a live lihood for the majority of the Vidinese. the city is chiefly noted for the beau- tiful filigree work in gold and silver which is manufactured here
 Like most of the towns and forts on the Danube in the vicinity Of the Hungarian border, Vidin suffered sore ly from the tides of Turks and Chris t1ans as they swept through and over 1t in the 1Tth century. In the Austro- Turkish struggle Of 1682-99 it was cap tured by Louis, margrave of Baden, one Of the most celebrated generals of his day, but it remained in his hands only one year, for in the succeeding campaign it was recaptured by the Ottoman forcer which also retook Nisch and Belgrade.
 "Vidin was given it's place in the sun, by notoriously ruthless but re- markably efficient chieftian of the Krjalis, Pasvan Oglu, who here estab- The Krjalis were disbanded Turkish soldiers and desperadoes who defied all constituted authority and who during the last half of the 18th century wandered through Bulgaria preying upon peasants, staying, robbing, burn
 
 stand in their path. Pasvan OgIu amalgamated these bandits and high Waymen and as to their leader estab- 1shed himself at Vidin, where he was able to defy and defeat three Turkish armies sent against him. He erected handsome buildings. maintained order within his own capital levied taxes and even issued a special coinage When he finally submitted to a super for force sent against him the Porte f nearS1 governor than to displace him with less forceful subject. With his death in 1907 Vidins importance waned. Of this period and the suffering which the Krjalis inflicted upon the surrounding country a vivid picture has been preserved in the memoirs of bishop of Vratza who wrote, My diocese has been laid desolate; villages have disappeared, burnt by Krjalis and Pasvans brigands.'
 Tn the Russo Turkish war of 1S77- 7S Prince Charles of Reumania, at the his own hand fired the first cannon against Vidin from the Rolmanian town of Calafat. At that time the Bulgarian stronghold was garrisoned by Osman Pasha's army of 30,ooo Turks who had just completed their \ successful campaign against Serbia Eight years later, in the Serbo-Bu1- garian struggle, Vidin was successfully defended by the Bulgars.
 "Calafat, on the Roumanian side of the river, is not more than half as populous as Vidin. It was founded in the 14th century by a colony of Gen. ! oese from whose worknen CCalfats), employed in repairing boats, the town derived it's name. Vidin is of much ! more ancient origin, having been known as Bononia in Roman days In | the Crimean war of 1854 camp of Roumanians at Calafat was surprised ! and defeated by a Turkish force under Ahmed Pasha."