Our Military Order "For Bravery".

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The Order "For Bravery" (Орден „За Храброст“) was the Principality Of Bulgaria's very first Order instituted on the 1st January 1880 and influenced by the Imperial Russian Order "Saint George" (Орден «Святого Георгия»). The Order was originally divided into 4 classes with an additional 4 classes of the Soldier's Cross "For Bravery" intended for enlisted men parallel to the "George Cross" («Георгиевский Крест»).

Due to Bulgaria's participation in the Great War starting on 15th October 1915, a second grade of the lower two classes of the Order were created.

Here is a 1915 type Order "For Bravery" 4th Class 2nd Grade - The lowest level of this Order.

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Here is the Pre-"European War" Soldier's Cross "For Bravery" (Войнишки Кръст „За Храброст“) 1st Class. The 1st Type was awarded for the Serbo-Bulgarian War 1885, the Liberation War 1912-1913 and the Inter-Allied War 1913, primarily for the Liberation War 1912-1913 (now known as the First Balkan War).

Notice the "i" in Bulgaria rather than "и".

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Here is a Type 1 2nd Class.

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Here is the Type 2 2nd Class with the date "1915". This Variation with the "i" was awarded for bravery during the European War (14th October 1915 - 30th September 1918).

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Here is another 2nd Class Type 2 "i".

The quality of these Crosses is considerably poorer than the awards for Officers.

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Here is a 2nd Class Type 2 Variation 2 (1915 and "и" in Bulgaria).

This was mounted the wrong way round and will have no doubt be proudly worn by a brave Great War Soldier.

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Here is a late example 2nd Class Type 2 Variation 2. Awarded for (or at least intended for) bravery during their period in the Axis (1st March 1941 - 8th September 1944). These were awarded to Soldiers of any Axis nation for bravery on behalf of Bulgaria's effort.

Many of these Crosses were never awarded and they were not awarded after 9th September 1944 as the "Class divide" was removed from the Bulgarian award system. Soldiers were awarded with the full Order rather than the Crosses for bravery in action during the Patriotic War which ended on 8th May 1945 (Sofia time).

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A Type 1 3rd Class (1885-1913).

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A Type 2 Variation 1 3rd Class. Well worn by a combatant of the Great War.

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A very tidy Type 2 Variation 1 3rd Class.