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576 Violeta Periklieva, Ivaylo Markov and Serbian, on the other hand, started to develop (Gruev 2011: 51-53). In the 1940s and 1950s, the Yugo-Macedonism also spread in that part of the geographic region of Macedonia that was part of Bulgaria (Pirin Macedonia), including the region of Petrich. During the period 1944-1948, as part ofthe preparations for the formation of the Yugoslavian-Bulgarian federation, the new Bulgarian authorities forced the so-called Macedonisation of the region of Pirin Macedonia. This process continued until 1948 when after the Tito-Stalin split the Yugoslavian Communist Party was expelled from the Cominform Bureau and thus the project for federation was brought to an end. For a short period of time between 1944 and the late 1950s, Bulgaria dropped the cultural policies aimed at strengthening the Bulgarian identity among the population of the region of Pirin Macedonia, including the construction of the cultural memory of King Samuel and the Battle of Kleidion. The recognition of a Macedonian minority in Pirin Macedonia turned King Samuel, whose state had been situated mainly within the region of Vardar Macedonia, and his Bulgarian ethnic afhliation into taboo. The proclaimed socialist internationalism put aside the national identity. It all suited the socialist idea that the ordinary work-worn masses of the people, and not the kings, were the engine of history (Moutafov 2014: 19). At the same time, in Macedonia, the way for “civil Macedonism” had been paved. With regard to this, during the 1960s the idea for the “Macedonian King Samuel” was born (Gruev 2011: 54—55). Policies of Cultural Memory Construction and Their Visualization: 1960-1989 After the Tito-Stalin split, Bulgaria renounced the project of “Macedonisation” of Pirin Macedonia and pursued a policy of gradual “re-Bulgarisation” of the region. In this very period the figure of King Samuel and the Battle of Kleidion appeared once again in the cultural policies of the state. In the 1960s the Institute of Archaeology with Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and the Historical Museum of Blagoevgrad began joint excavation works of Samuel’s fortification system in the Gorge of Kleidion near Petrich.’ At the same time, a purposeful introduction of the population to the historical events began. Teachers gave open lessons in the locality of Kufalnitsa (today Samuilova krepost) and lectures on history were organized for adults. Along with the work of archaeologists and historians, there appeared scientific and local historical literature and publications in the regional 7 Until the 1930s, the locality where the excavations took place bore the name Kufalnitsa (derived from the Bulgarian word ku/ meaning hollow, empty). According to some local historians the name derives from the hollows in the ground formed by the dugouts of King Samuel’s soldiers. After in 1915 and 1916, V. Zlatarski and B. Filov began speaking of the place as the scene of the Battle of Kleidion, gradually, the locality became known as Samuilova krepost (Samuel's fortress). The new name definitely won recognition in the 1970s and 1980s when the excavation works took place and a national park-museum was established. Before these events the locality was never referred to in a legend related to King Samuel or the Battle of Kleidion.
