10 Dec 2015

The Visual Narrative of Fil Filipov

Free, Story of the Month, Virtual Museum, Visual Memory

Fil Filipov, 10 years old

Fil Filipov was born in Plovdiv in 1946. He hadn’t yet turned 17 when he fled communist Bulgaria. He shares: “There I saw a film about climbing the social ladder, “Room at the Top” … and I started dreaming. I wanted to have such an extravagant life, with fancy cars and pretty women … We fled to Greece. They took us to a refugee camp. From Greece, we left for the USA.” In 1965 Fil arrived in Chicago. He started working as a dishwasher, moved furniture, and did other jobs typical for the early years of immigration. Gradually, and with a lot of effort, hard work, skills, and ingenuity, he developed a career as an expert in construction and agricultural equipment. In 1993 he became president of a manufacturing company for lifting equipment, Terex Cranes, and was very successful as a manager. In 2004 he started his own business. Today, his companies operate in the USA, Germany, France, China, Mexico, and Bulgaria, and he has achieved a lot more in his professional and personal life. Fil is married and has two children. You can read more in part 1 and part 2 of his biographical interview.

At the Refugee Camp in Greece, 1964

Greek refugee camp, 1964. Fil Filipov is to the immediate left of the exiled Bulgarian King Simeon (center, in a suit) and her majesty Margarita.

Fil Filipov at the age of 21
Fil with his father and mother, Stoyan and Paza, during his first visit back to Bulgaria 20 years after escaping
Fil Filipov and his children, Nadia and Steve, Paris, 1980
Fil Filipov and his wife Veronique
Fil and Veronique Filipov, Switzerland, 1992
Father and son in Conway, South Carolina, 1995
Managing the factory floor in Conway, South Carolina, during the restructuring of the PPM/P&H factory
Leon Deutsch, Craig Lichty, and Fil Filipov: the refugee and two farmers from Iowa
Filip Filipov’s request to travel to the border