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At a bustling flea market in Sofia, Bulgaria, a French-Korean photojournalist, Paul Dza, stumbled upon a remarkable piece of Cold War history intertwined with a vintage camera. His penchant for exploring post-communist regions led him to peruse through the market stalls in search of analog treasures.

In November 2024, amidst the picturesque Balkan mountains, Paul found himself surrounded by a myriad of camera options. While initially disheartened by the touristy location and persistent vendors, his persistence paid off when he encountered a seller with a unique Soviet rangefinder camera, the Mir, dating back to the early 1960s.

The camera’s significance unraveled as Paul uncovered an intriguing inscription on its leather case, revealing a personal dedication from a Bulgarian lieutenant general, Dimitar Zhelev Todorov, to a Soviet counterpart, General Georgy Semenovich Nadysev. These two military figures played pivotal roles in a clandestine missile project between the Soviet Union and Bulgaria during the Cold War era.

The missile project, shrouded in secrecy, symbolized the strategic partnership between the two nations, culminating in a covert missile launch in Bulgaria in 1963. The Mir camera, a simplified version of the Zorki-4 tailored for the Soviet market, became a part of the ceremonial exchange of gifts during the missile launch event, a gesture of diplomatic protocol between high-ranking military officials.

Lt. General Nadysev’s illustrious military career, marked by significant contributions during World War II and his leadership in artillery forces, intertwined with Lt. General Todorov’s legacy as the pioneer of Bulgaria’s strategic missile forces. Their camaraderie and the historical context surrounding the missile project added layers of intrigue to the flea market discovery.

The Mir camera, a 35mm rangefinder manufactured by KMZ, boasted technical similarities to the renowned Zorki-4, featuring a precise viewfinder and a Jupiter-8 lens. Paul’s acquisition of this historical artifact, still functional and in good condition, exemplified his commitment to using and preserving analog cameras rather than relegating them to mere collectibles.

Paul’s serendipitous find at the flea market not only unveiled a Cold War relic but also highlighted the fusion of personal connections, military history, and technological craftsmanship encapsulated within a vintage camera. This chance encounter underscored the rich narratives embedded in seemingly ordinary objects, bridging the past with the present through the lens of analog photography.