The exhibition "Technology around us during the People's Rule" takes us back to the times when socialist propaganda entered homes through cable radio sets, music was played on record players, and women's curls stayed in fixed shape after a night spent with tin rolls on the head.

The traveling exhibition, on display in the National Polytechnic Museum in Sofia, is a continuation of a previous one, which presented the technology at home in the first half of the twentieth century. The exhibition is attractive both to adults and children.

"Not everything was as accessible as it is today," Vasil Makarinov, the museum's curator says. “One had to go to a special shop to buy an appliance, or had to buy tape rolls, cassette tapes, or records in order to listen to music. Air conditioning was available almost nowhere. One can see many tools and devices, which may no longer be so well known but used to be part of the lives of our parents or grandparents.”

The personal computer "Pravetz 8D" is among the exhibits that are expected to attract the biggest interest.

"One of the focuses of the exhibition is placed on the work of engineer Ivan Marangozov, born in 1925," Vasil Makarinov says. “At the end of the 70's, together with his team, he developed the first Bulgarian personal computer – the well-known ‘Pravetz’.

Part of the exhibition sheds light on the appliances used in the offices at that time. Perhaps the most emblematic is Bulgarian calculator ‘Elka’, which is one of the earliest in the world offering the square root function. Another interesting device is the typewriter ‘Maritsa.’

We allow free access to it so that every child can try writing on it. Behind the window we show the electric typewriter ‘Hebros’, as well as models of the buses ‘Chavdar’ produced in the town of Botevgrad in the past."

Much of the presented equipment is related to the kitchen. One can see the uniquely Bulgarian kitchen appliance for roasting peppers, called ‘chushkopek’, the electric stove ‘Elprom’ produced in the 60's in Varna, as well as Bulgarian pressure cookers and coffee machines. Attention is also paid to the popular portable washing machine ‘Diana’ from the 70's, consisting of a plastic basin, electric motor and a lid.

A separate showcase is dedicated to the pleasure of consuming Bulgarian chocolates like ‘Katerichka’ (Squirrel), ‘Radost’ (Joy), ‘Rila’and ‘Surprise’, drinks, as well as tobacco from the brands ‘Arda’ and ‘Stewardess’.

"The exhibition also presents cosmetic devices," Vasil Makarinov says. “We have exhibited several electric razors ‘Kharkov’ made in Ukraine, which were popular in Bulgaria. One can see heaters for the very typical for the time tin rolls, hair dryers from the Soviet Union and GDR."

Organizers of the exhibition invite people who had used the shown equipment to share their impressions and thoughts.

"Every visitor can write down their memories from those years in a special book," the curator says. We have also prepared a model of a Trabant – the iconic East German car, which children can take photos with.”

Vasil Makarinov adds that equipment from the times of socialism is presented without the context of the period, so interpretations can be made by the visitors themselves.

English: Alexander Markov

Photos: Diana Tsankova and Facebook /Vasil Makarinov