Order "People's Liberty 1941-1944".

[CtahhR]

Due to "mitigating circumstances" the previous thread on the Order "People's Liberty 1941-1944" is MIA so here is a new thread dedicated to the 1st Class Order.

Information previously posted on the Order:

Order "People's Liberty 1941-1944".
Instituted by decree on the 9th September 1945.
Awarded to Bulgarian and foreign citizens (only one). It was also awarded posthumously.
The first class has a five-angled star, white enamel with gold on the edge. The diameter of the star is 52 mm which lies on a gold yellow five-angle star with rays and the diameter is 54 mm.
In a gold medallion on the enamelled star is situated the face of Hristo Botev, who was a poet and National Hero (1848-1876). surrounding the face is written: "For People’s Liberty 1941-1944". The difference in the second class is the red enamel on the five-angled star.
Classes: two classes
The first emission had a screwback. The second emission is on a ribbon with the face of Hristo Botev (right sideview).
The third last emission is with a left side-view of his face.
At first the order was a screwback later on a red ribbon with one or two blue lines on the edge, respectively for the first and second classes.
Designed by Boris Angelushev
George Dimitrov was the first who received the order.
Emission Closed: 1989

Order of Peoples Liberty, the Bulgarian Partisan Order
On the first anniversary of communist rule, Sept. 9, 1945, Bulgaria established the Order of Peoples Freedom as a partisan order. The order shows the dates 1941-1944, the period of WWII partisan activity in Bulgaria, which started when Hitler invaded the Soviet Union. The first partisan brigade was founded on July 21, 1941, one month after the attack, in the region of Raslog. It ended when the Soviet Union advanced into Bulgaria and most partisans joined the new Bulgarian army. It is an order honouring antifascist and partisan activity during that period. The scope of this order was later broadened to include partisan helpers and family members of partisans.

The Bulgarian partisans were usually communists or communist sympathizers who sabotaged Germany’s war against the Soviet Union in their own country, the ally of Germany. They also conducted anti-government propaganda campaigns in villages to prepare for a communist postwar regime. They were fighting mainly their own police, not the German army.

The Bulgarian partisans were in a completely different political situation than the Soviet partisans. Partisans in the Soviet Union were fighting in areas occupied by the Germans, and these Soviet citizens were watched with some suspicion by their remote government. The uninspired Soviet partisan medal with the images of Lenin and Stalin seems to reward political allegiance more than courage.

Bulgarian partisans became heroes after the war when they formed the foundation of the new government, and their resistance was seen as great benefit for Bulgaria’s post-war standing. In this nation of about 8 million, the Communist Party claimed to have built a “People's Liberation Army” of 40,000 fighters (however, the majority of them joined quite late when the risks were low) supported by 200,000 partisan helpers. A total of 68,265 Orders "People's Liberty" (both classes and all versions) have been awarded.

Finally here are pictures of the first Type of the 1st Class Order which is of a 5 piece construction (The enamelled star has a backing plate then there is the piece for the rays) and individually made by a jeweller and date from 1946.

[CtahhR]

Here's a Type 2 Order "People's Liberty 1941-1944" 1st Class which is a 4 piece construction screwback.

[CtahhR]

Here's the Order "People's Liberty 1941-1944" 2nd Class Type 1. Constructed from 5 pieces individually by jewellers in 1946.

[CtahhR]

And here's how it was constructed.

[CtahhR]

Type 2 (4 piece) and the smaller case for the screwback Order "People's Liberty 1941-1944" 2nd Class.

[Ruiz]

From my collection. Hope you like.
Best regards.

[stogieman]

While my primary focus is Partisan Awards, here's a People's Liberty Second Class awarded to Iorgan Iliev Penev, as a partisan! Still in my collection thanks to a dear friend who gave it back to me for my birthday!

[CtahhR]

His name is Йордан Илиев Пенев. A very nice early variation with the extra plate behind the star. This Order was established as a Partisan award (as it certainly wasn't honouring people serving in the Bulgarian Army 1941-44) but from 1959 it became more and more a commemorative or long service award.

A partisan is often identified as such on Bulgarian documents. Jordan Penev is here and Nikola Nachev over there.

You may wish to straighten the ring with the text on it as it seems to be floating out of position.

[new world]

Awesome set!

Early award document is very rare.

[CtahhR]

Here is a "fake" Type 2. The base is a late 1970's Type 4 that has had the connecting ring removed. The portrait of Botev facing the other way has been removed and replaced by a modern copy. The screw has been added and the crude modern nut can be seen. It came with a cast copy of an original screwplate (which is now holding another order missing its original plate on a display). Fakes of Bulgarian Communist Orders are exceptionally rare at present.

This came from the dealer in Bulgaria that handled the tail end of the (somewhat put together) Avgust Kabakchiev group. He has a reputation within Bulgaria of extortive prices, made up groups and fakes.