Bulgarian Ribbon Bars.

[Tretov]

I may have a few bulgarian suspension devices for single awards. I can check this later today. How many do you need?

[Esteban_cool]

What I´m actually looking for is a ribbon of the Order of People´s Freedom 1st class. I found the order itself but with no suspension. I already have a suspension but I need the ribbon to complete it.

[RedMaestro2]

Does anyone know where I can find the order of precedence for Bulgarian awards? Thanks in advance!

Alex

[CtahhR]

Good luck! I've not found one yet. Many ribbons bars conflict with others so the people with the awards were very frequently confused themselves but at the high end you have.
Orders:
Georgi Dimitrov
9 IX 1944 (1st 2nd 3rd)
People's Liberty 1941-1944 (1st 2nd)
Red Banner
Red Banner Of Labour

When it comes to Medals it's rather more confusing, but the commemorative medals were basically ranked from earliest established to latest established. I've been looking for an official reference for a few years with no luck but there will be a set of rules and regulations out there I'm sure. I may be able to supply more information on precedence of Bulgarian awards but I will have to dig around my cupboard a bit!

[Esteban_cool]

Orders and Medals of the People's Rpublic of Bulgaria

Hope this helps.

[CtahhR]

The .pl site is a pretty good start off point but it is missing some ribbon information and it shows the order "People's Republic Of Bulgaria" above the Orders "People's Liberty" and "9 IX 1944" which I believe is incorrect. ru.wikipedia states that "Red Banner" is a higher order than "People's Liberty" and "9 IX 1944" which is also incorrect. The situation is also confused by Imperial orders being used and modified by the early Fatherland Front and People's Republic. The Imperial order "Saint Aleksandr" was second only to the order "Saints Kiril and Methodij" but when modified to the "communist" order "Aleksandr Nevski" may well have been a lesser order than either "People's Liberty" or "9 IX 1944". As the communist order "For Bravery" (Which is not the imperial order of the same name) was only awarded 50 times and only in it's 3rd class it is also difficult to gauge it's precedence from actual ribbon bars. When created the National Order Of Labour was Bulgaria's lowest "imperial" order but lower Orders were created after the People's Republic was declared such as "Kiril And Methodij" (Which has no relation with the imperial order of similar name). Over the passed 4 or so years I have asked various dealers of Bulgarian awards about precedence and the situation is at best "cloudy" as now the post-communist Bulgaria has reinstated some Imperial orders and also allows the wear of all awards, Imperial, Communist or Modern. If you're not confused by the Bulgarian order of precedence you're doing a lot better than me! Here is a final thought though. When the People's Republic was declared in Sofia in September 1948 and "Liberators" of Bulgaria were still alive (All be it in their late 80's or older) and "Imperial" affectations were outlawed yet Botev and Levski being made into cults, would a veteran still be allowed to wear his Medal "For The Liberation Of Bulgaria"?? The history of Bulgaria is FAR from black and white.

[Lapa]

Guys,

How about looking into a regulations book? It is all there.

Marc

[CtahhR]

I'd love to find one! Specially one from around 1949. Post 1991 regulation books will show a different order of precedence than pre-1991 when there was a reform of their award system and a post-2003 order of precedence will be different once again as the imperial award system was resurrected and 1991-2003 awards discontinued. If anyone has good pictures of Bulgarian Victory parades I'm sure it will shed some light on the situation. Bulgarian alike the Russian Federation also has "public committees" awarding medals now such as the Medal "60th Anniversary Of Victory In The Second World War". I would not like to be the Bulgarian Sgt. Major overseeing the Bulgarian version of Chelsea pensioners as they dress for parade... Oh! the ribbons!

[CtahhR]

Here is a Bulgarian General's Ribbon Bar. I think it is a great example of their "Order Of Precedence" as it is completely hit and miss.

Top Line

Order "9 IX 1944" 3rd Class
Order "Red Banner"
Medal "For Military Merit"
Medal "For Honorary And Long Service" 1st Class

Second Line

Medal "For Honorary And Long Service" 2nd Class
Medal "For Honorary And Long Service" 3rd Class

(These next two could be interchangeable as they have the same ribbon)
Medal "30th Anniversary Of The Socialist Revolution In Bulgaria"
Medal "90th Anniversary Of The Birth Of Georgi Dimitrov"

Third Line
Medal "20th Anniversary Of The Bulgarian People's Army"
Medal "25th Anniversary Of The Bulgarian People's Army"
Medal "30th Anniversary Of The Bulgarian People's Army"
Medal "For Military Merit"

Fourth Line

Order "9. IX. 1944" 2nd Class
Medal "25th Anniversary Of Civil Defence Of The People's Republic Of Bulgaria"
Medal "30th Anniversary Of Victory Over Fascist Germany"
Medal "100th Anniversary Of The April Uprising 1876"

Fifth Line
Order "Red Banner"
Medal "100th Anniversary Of Liberation From Ottoman Rule 3-3-1878 - 3-3-1978"
Medal "100th Anniversary Of The Birth Of Georgi Dimitrov"
Medal "For Strengthening Combat Co-Operation" (Soviet Union)

Sixth Line

Order "For Civil Valour And Merit"
Medal "For Strengthening Combat Co-Operation" 2nd Class (Czechoslovakia)
Medal "Forty Years Of Victory In The Great Patriotic War 1941-1945" (Soviet Union
Medal "For Strengthening Combat Co-Operation" (Hungary)

Quite obviously if this general were following the book all the Bulgarian orders would be at the top and all the non-Bulgarian medals would be at the bottom and also repeat awards would be side by side.

[CtahhR]

Here is another large ribbon bar. It looks like the recipient just added all new awards onto the end after the first 7 awards which will have been awarded by about 1957.

Order "9 September 1944" 2nd Class
Order "Red Banner"
Order "For Bravery" 3rd Class
Medal "For Participation In The Anti-Fascist Struggle"
Medal "For Military Merit"
Medal "Patriotic War 1944-45"
Medal "For Victory Over Germany In The Great Patriotic War 1941-45" (Soviet)
Medal "For Long Service" 2nd Class
Order "People's Republic Of Bulgaria"
Order "People's Republic Of Bulgaria"
Order "9 September 1944" 1st Class
Order "9 September 1944" 2nd Class
Order "People's Freedom 1941-45" 2nd Class
Medal "For Military Merit" 1st Class
Medal "25th Anniversary Of People's Rule"
Medal "90th Anniversary Of The Birth Of Georgi Dimitrov"
Medal "25th Anniversary Of The Bulgarian People's Army"
Medal "30th Anniversary Of The Bulgarian People's Army"
Medal "30th Anniversary Of Victory Over Fascist Germany"
Medal "100th Anniversary Of Liberation From Ottoman Rule 3-3-1878 - 3-3-1978"
(Not Bulgarian)
(Not Bulgarian)
(Not Bulgarian)
Medal "For Merit To The Bulgarian People's Army" (Second Type Ribbon)
Medal "100th Anniversary Of Bulgarian Geology"
Medal "100th Anniversary Of Liberation From Ottoman Rule 3-3-1878 - 3-3-1978"
Medal "100th Anniversary Of The Bulgarian State Health Care Service"
Order "Georgi Dimitrov"
Medal "100th Anniversary Of The Birth Of Georgi Dimitrov"
Medal "1300th Anniversary Of Bulgaria"
Medal "40th Anniversary Of Socialist Bulgaria"