Evening star., 1949-07-03
High Funeral Honors
Accorded Dimitrov
BY Soviet Leaders
BY the Associated Press

BY the Asseeioted Press
MOSCOW, July 2.-Bulgarian
Communist Premier Georgi Dimi-
trov, ST. international Communist
leader, died today at a sanatorium
near Moscow, an official COM
munique announced.
High funeral honors usually re-
served for top Soviet leaders were
accorded Dimitrov tonight. Prime
Minister Stain stood with the
honor guard at the bier.
Dimitrov, who had been UNDER
going treatment at Bordikha San
atorium since April for diabetes
and liver ailments. died at 9:35
am. His death was announced
in joint communique by the
Central Committee Of the Russian
Communist Party and the Council
of Ministers Of the U. S. s. r.
The communique called 'Dimi-
trov 1.-The outstanding figure of the
international workers movement
our comrade and brother"
Close Friend of Stain.
The announcement was made
shortly before 3 pm, Moscow
time. 1t was read solemnly and
slowly on the radio three times
and was followed Immediately by
funeral music and then by a
Tschaikovsky string trio.
Dimitrov was close friend OF
Stain and much of his life had
been spent in exile. When the
Soviet army consolidated its occu-
patton of Bulgaria in March.
1945, he returned after an absence
of % years. He became Premier
November %, 1916. Last April he
was given leave to undergo treat
ment in Russia, and Vassil Kola-
rov, vice premier. foreign minister
and an old Communist ally. be-
came acting premier.
The esteem in which Dimitrov
was held by Soviet leaders was re-
f1ected in the funeral honors. A
long procession moved with the
body through the streets OF Mos
cow to the Hall of Columns in the
House of Trade Unions. where
Stain Joined in the guard OF
honor.
Columns Draped in Black.
Thousands Of Soviet citizens
passed by the bier. The line
started moving through the Hall
of Columns at pm. and was ex-
pected to continue all night and
into tomorrow morning. The COL
umns are draped heavily in black
and red banners. Mourning flags
red flags with large black bor-
ders-are flying throughout Mos
COW.
The state ceremony accorded to
Dimitrov's body is normally re-
served only for the most out
standing Soviet leaders. The last
three such ceremonies were for de-
ceased members of the Politburo.
THE Moscow radio said high
ranking Bulgarian leaders will ac-
company Dimitrov's body back to
Bulgaria. 1t did not say when the
body will be returned.
Dimitrov's death ended the ac-
ton packed career of man who
was reputed to have been the most
influential Communist outside the
borders of the Soviet Union. Like
Stain. he had clung to the Com
munist line since the hectic days
of the Russian revolution.
Since his early youth he had
experienced all the trials Of the
hardened rebels fighting against
capitalist society - underground
activity, exile, a sentence of death,
party intrigues and political lea
dership. He rose from the role OF
a young trade union organizer to
premier of Bulgaria in IS years OF
revolutionary struggle.
Exiled for % Years.
The swarthy Dimitrov. with
bushy eyebrows and a heavy black
mustache, was exiled from Bull
garia for % years because of his
early Communist activities. He
remained an obscure figure until
1888 when the Hitler clique in
Germany accused him Of en-
gineering the Reichtag fire con-
spiracy. From then on he was
known to the world.
Hitler had just come to power
when the Reichstag building was
swept by flames. Nazi offlcialdom
blamed it on the Communists.
Dimitrov, refusing an attorney,
defended himself and so out-foxed
the Nazi judges that he won ac-
quittal. The fire mystery never
was cleared up and anti-Nazis
Naccused Hitler's gang Of setting
the blaze themselves and trump
ing up charges against the Com