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Old 06-18-2004, 03:50 PM   #1
d-riemer
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Our Military Order "For Bravery".

For about 3 years after the overthrow of the old regime in 1944, Bulgaria continued awarding the royal Order for Military Merit just slightly modified. The changes were apparently not tightly controlled and many variations from the main line can be found. All interim orders are identified by the national colors on the reverse. All orders awarded after the establishment of the Republic in 1946 are in addition recognizable by a wreath between ribbon and order. But then the lion state symbol on the order is either with or without a crown, a crown or no crown is suspended above the order and three kinds of ribbon are in use, etc. Supposedly, all these Military Merit Orders were made from parts left by the old regime. The picture shows 4th-class (gold) and 5th-class (silver) interim Orders for Military Merit.

After 1947, an Order for Military Merit did not exist in Bulgaria for 27 years until the new order was initiated.

Here are Breast Stars of the Order of Military and Civil Merit 2nd Class (only 4 points of the exterior rays) for comparison. Both are from the Interim Period after 9 September 1944. The Military Merit Star shows the lion with a crown and a crown is also used as suspension of the neck order (not shown). This order with all the royal symbols was still presented in September 1947 to a lieutenant general, one year into the Peoples Republic Bulgaria. The neck orders of the Military and the Civil award (not shown) have the lion in the front center and the national colors in the center of the reverse. No Cyrillic initial of Ferdinand is anywhere as seen on the face of orders from the time of the monarchy.
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File Type: jpg Bu_MeritBreastStars.jpg (44.8 KB, 0 views)
File Type: jpg Bu_InterimMilMerit.jpg (48.1 KB, 0 views)
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Old 08-09-2005, 11:34 AM   #2
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Our Military Order "For Bravery".

Hi
Here is a documented transitional Order of Bravery pinback order issued in 1946.
Ron
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File Type: jpg BG Bravery Order doc.JPG (17.1 KB, 0 views)
File Type: jpg Bulgarian Order of Bravery.JPG (45.1 KB, 0 views)
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Old 04-05-2011, 08:00 AM   #3
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Re: Post 9/9/44 Imperial Orders and Medals.

Here is the Order "For Bravery" 4th Class 2nd Grade which only differs from the earlier imperial awards in the way that there is a star between two lines underneath the lion of Bulgaria on the front.
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File Type: jpg 1944ForBravery4thClass2ndGradeA.jpg (92.9 KB, 5 views)
File Type: jpg 1944ForBravery4thClass2ndGradeB.jpg (97.4 KB, 2 views)
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Old 04-05-2011, 08:27 AM   #4
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Re: Post 9/9/44 Imperial Orders and Medals.

After 1945 the Imperial Crown was replaced with a Wreath although the Wreath was awarded for the same reason as the crown. The replacement of the crown was part of the de-imperialising of the nation. Here is the Order "For Bravery" 3rd Class With Wreath.
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File Type: jpg 1946ForBravery3rdClassWithReefA.jpg (87.3 KB, 5 views)
File Type: jpg 1946ForBravery3rdClassWithReefB.jpg (98.0 KB, 0 views)
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Old 04-05-2011, 07:16 PM   #5
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Re: Post 9/9/44 Imperial Orders and Medals.

Nicely done, and great collection!
Thanks for adding that info here.
How does the enamel work on these compare to our Soviet awards or the Imperial-era European awards?
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Old 04-05-2011, 07:49 PM   #6
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Re: Post 9/9/44 Imperial Orders and Medals.

The enamel work is top notch. Many Imperial awards of Bulgaria were made in Vienna amongst other German speaking mints prior to the 9/9/44 coup and the high quality in these awards remained. Many early post 9/9/44 awards (especially newly instituted awards) were bespoke and the quality was there. Although some of awards during "difficult" times were of a lower quality, but these were mainly low end awards such as proficiency badges. There are considerably more Orders and Medals from this period that have to be added but this is a start. Award documents were usually A3 in size so I will have to be motivated to exhume my A3 scanner and drivers etc. which will probably take a miracle. The award system of Bulgaria was completely overhauled by 1950 and became a lot less complicated and even less complicated when female ribbons were phased out too. Parallel to the awards of the PRB, Tsar Simeon II continued to issue awards from Spain which were completely unrecognised by the PRB. Almost all of the awards of the People's Republic were minted by the Bulgarian Mint, although since the fall of communism some awards have once again been contracted out. The modern pin-back graduation badges which have now also been phased out were made in Italy.
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Old 12-01-2011, 11:53 AM   #7
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Question about Bravery Order.

Hi, this is the Bulgarian Bravery Order 4th class, 1st grade. This order was delivered during 1945/46, when Bulgaria was an ally of the Soviets. Does anyone know if Soviet soldiers were awarded during this period with this order?
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Old 12-01-2011, 12:22 PM   #8
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Re: Question about Bravery Order.

A fairly small number of Soviets were awarded the Order "For Bravery" in various grades along with a selection of other Bulgarian Orders and Medals. The VAST majority of awards (of any type) in 45-46 were awarded to Bulgarian partisans for efforts 41-44 or Bulgarian forces either supporting the advance "to Berlin" or consolidating the power of the Fatherland Front and renovating the army at home. The awards are far more frequently seen than the documents. "1945-1946 Type" awards were being awarded well into the late 1940's and maybe even into the first years of the 1950's until there was a complete overhaul and new Soviet based award system put into place in December 1950. The Bulgarian communist award system was very closely related to the parent Soviet award system and many awards ran parallel not only in looks or name but also in award criteria.
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Old 12-01-2011, 12:30 PM   #9
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Re: Question about Bravery Order.

Thank you for your answer. Do you know or have seen a photograph of some Soviet soldier with this award?
Best regards.
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Old 12-01-2011, 12:37 PM   #10
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Re: Post 9/9/44 Imperial Orders and Medals.

I have come across photographs in the past but do not have any to hand. As this was an officers award (going by the imperial system). You are looking at a Captain to Colonel (roughly) being awarded this level of award during 45-6. Many Captains or Majors could also have been issued with the very lowest grades of Orders as the Soviet influence took over from the Imperial. A rather conflicted and difficult time for the Bulgarian state let alone their award system.
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