Georgi Markov and the Umbrella (Pen?) Killing

Georgi Markov and the Umbrella (Pen?) Killing

From Poisoned History by Suzanne

June 1, 2025 · 38 min · Season 2 · Episode 6

About this episode

This episode discusses the assassination of Bulgarian writer Georgi Markov using a poison-tipped umbrella.

Georgi Markov was a Bulgarian writer (and chemist!) in the 1960s and 70s whose writings against the Soviet Union and Bulgaria got the attention of that government and led to his targeting for assassination. Sources and resources: Umbrella Assassin. PBS, Secrets of the Dead, Season 5, Episode 5, https://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/umbrella-assassin-background/1546/ Georgi Markov refused to be silent about communism and paid with his life. Foundation for Economic Education, https://fee.org/articles/georgi-markov-refused-to-be-silent-about-communism-and-paid-with-his-life/ 35 years since murder of dissident Bulgarian writer Georgi Markov. Noinvite.com, Sofia News Agency, https://www.novinite.com/articles/153445/35+Years+since+Murder+of+Dissident+Bulgarian+Writer+Georgi+Markov The poison-tipped umbrella: the death of Georgi Markov in 1978 – archive, compiled by Richard Nelsson, The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/from-the-archive-blog/2020/sep/09/georgi-markov-killed-poisoned-umbrella-london-1978 Ricin properties: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK441948/#:~:text=Ricin%20is%20a%20naturally%20occurring,per%20kilogram%20can%20be%20lethal. This podcast uses sound from…

People in this episode

Host: Suzanne

Topics covered

  • assassination
  • Cold War
  • Bulgarian writer
  • poison
  • Soviet Union
  • dissidents

Keywords

  • Georgi Markov
  • assassination
  • poison-tipped umbrella
  • Cold War
  • dissident
  • ricin
  • Soviet Union

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: PBS, Foundation for Economic Education, Noinvite.com, The Guardian

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