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At a flea market in Sofia, Bulgaria, a French-Korean photojournalist named Paul Dza stumbled upon a unique Soviet rangefinder camera with a fascinating historical connection. The camera, a Mir rangefinder from the 1960s, led to the discovery of a Cold War missile project involving the Soviet Union and Bulgaria.

Dza, known for exploring post-communist countries, found himself browsing the flea market in search of analogue treasures. Despite initial doubts about the market’s offerings, he encountered a seller who unveiled the Mir camera along with its intriguing backstory. The camera’s leather case bore an inscription dedicating it to a Bulgarian lieutenant general named Dimitar Zhelev Todorov from a Soviet counterpart, General Georgy Semenovich Nadysev, commemorating their friendship in 1964.

The historical significance of this camera lies in its connection to a clandestine missile project initiated in the early 1960s between the Soviet Union and Bulgaria. Generals Nadysev and Todorov played pivotal roles in this collaboration, which involved a covert missile launch witnessed by Bulgaria’s Communist leader at the time, Todor Zhivkov. The successful partnership symbolized the close ties between the two nations within the Soviet sphere of influence.

The Mir camera itself, produced domestically by the KMZ plant, was a simplified version of the renowned Zorki-4, tailored for Soviet citizens. With technical similarities to its predecessor, the Mir boasted a precise viewfinder and a Jupiter-8 lens, reflecting Soviet camera design of that era. Dza, an avid collector of vintage cameras, was thrilled to add this piece of Cold War history to his collection, highlighting the importance of preserving such artifacts.

The story of the flea market discovery not only sheds light on a lesser-known aspect of Cold War diplomacy but also underscores the value of exploring local markets for hidden gems with rich historical narratives. Through the lens of a camera, a forgotten chapter of military cooperation and technological advancements during a tense period in history comes to life, bridging the past with the present in a tangible and evocative manner.