Stefan Nerezov

Stefan Mikhailov Nerezov (born 12 November 1867 – 16 April 1925) was a Bulgarian General and Chief of the Bulgarian Army Staff.

Biography Stefan Nerezov was born in Sevlievo, at the time part of the Ottoman Empire. After the liberation of Bulgaria he was a volunteer in the Student's Legion during the Serbo-Bulgarian War and took part in the defense of the unification of the Principality of Bulgaria and the province of Eastern Rumelia. After the war he served for a short time as a corporal in the 12th Infantry Regiment and in 1887 he was accepted in Sofia Military School. In 1896, he graduated from the Turin Military Academy in Italy. He was assigned as a junior adjutant in the 4th Artillery Regiment.

With his return to Bulgaria he performed different duties in the General Staff of the Army and in some of the field units. In 1903 Prince Ferdinand took him in his retinue and made him Commandant of the Palace and promoted to major. In 1908 Nerezov was appointed Chief of the Operations Department of the Army Staff and as such took part in the preparations for the war against the Ottoman Empire in 1912. In 1911 he was promoted to colonel. He served as assistant chief of the Army Headquarters. In August he was promoted to Lieutenant General.

In September the Allies began their final offensive to knock out Bulgaria out of the war. The Bulgarian Army which was stretched on a 350 km front with all its forced arrayed in a single line had little reserves to prevent a breakthrough at the Battle of Dobro Pole. General Nerezov's First Army was attacked by the British and Greeks at the Battle of Doiran. The war ended in Bulgarian defeat and the First Army was demobilized in October 1918.

Later life After the war general Nerezov served as Inspector of the Infantry and in 1919 as Chief of the Bulgarian Army Staff. In 1920 he was promoted to General of the Infantry which was the highest rank in the Bulgarian Army and went into the reserve.

General Nerezov died on 16 April 1925 when he was killed in the St Nedelya Church assault in Sofia.

Awards Order of Bravery, II grade and III grade,1 and 2 class Order of St Alexander, IV and V grade without swords Order of Military Merit, I grade with military decorations German Iron Cross