# Georgi Markov and the Umbrella (Pen?) Killing

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/poisoned-history-6689215/georgi-markov-and-the-umbrella-pen-killing
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/poisoned-history-6689215/georgi-markov-and-the-umbrella-pen-killing.md
Podcast: [Poisoned History](https://stenobird.com/podcast/poisoned-history-6689215)
Published: 2025-06-01T04:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/suzanne-ph/episodes/Georgi-Markov-and-the-Umbrella-Pen--Killing-e33g8di
Audio file: https://anchor.fm/s/eb288214/podcast/play/103341938/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2025-4-28%2F401174461-44100-2-831e4fd687c8e.m4a
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/poisoned-history-6689215/episodes/georgi-markov-and-the-umbrella-pen-killing
Duration seconds: 2283

## Resource

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 Freesound.org: minor-key-music-box by user darkwaryurmc (http://freesound.org/s/318908/) licensed under CCBYNC 4.0 All statements in this podcast represent the opinions of the host and her guests. Cover art photos: photo, public domain.

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