Military medals for bravery
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The Military Order for Valor ( Bulgarian За храброст ) was founded on January 1st, 1880 by Prince Alexander I of Bulgaria and until the end of the monarchy in 1946 was the highest honor in the country, which was bestowed for bravery before the enemy.
On May 29, 2003, the Bulgarian National Assembly decided to reintroduce the order in a slightly modified form.
Order classes
The order originally consisted of a grand cross , which was reserved exclusively for the ruling monarch, and four classes (the fourth class was divided into two levels from the second model) and a bravery cross for non-commissioned officers and men in three, from 1885 four classes. In the course of time there were other changes:
1st model (1880 to 1886)
Maltese cross with smooth arms, medallion with a radial background; Inscription on the medallion ring in old Cyrillic script.
- Grand Cross, from 1886 also with skulls
- I. class
- II class
- III. Class - I. - III. Class white enamelled cross with a Hessian crown
- IV class - (from 1885) red enamelled cross (not verified) now with Cyrillic inscription.
- Cross of bravery - not enameled, smooth cross arms, medallions in three parts, radial background; striped variants known, but not properly classified.
- 1st class - gold-plated (ribbon with cross loop)
- II class - gold-plated
- III. Class - silver-plated (ribbon with cross loop)
- IV class - (from 1885) silver-plated
- Knight and bravery crosses on a light silver-blue ribbon with silver ribbed edge strips.
Order inscription I.-III. Class in old Bulgarian letters, from 1885 IV. Class and Cross of Valor for soldiers in Cyrillic.
2nd model (1887 to 1914)
Maltese cross with grained arms, medallion backed with vertical stripes.
- 1st class with Kollane
- II class
- III. Class - white enamelled cross with crown
-
IV class
- I. stage - red enamelled cross
- II stage - without swords
- Cross of Valor
Not enameled, grained cross arms.
- 1st class - gold-plated
- II class - silver plated
- III. Class - bronze
- Knight and bravery crosses on a light silver-blue ribbon with silver ribbed edge strips.
3rd model (1915 to 1942)
- 1st class with skulls
- I. class
- II class
- III. class
- 1st stage - white enamelled cross
- 2nd stage - white enamelled pectoral cross with crown
- IV class
- 1st stage - red enamelled cross
- II. Stage - red enameled pectoral cross without swords
- Cross of bravery I. to III. class
The two monarchs Kaiser Wilhelm II (1st class with skulls) and the Turkish Sultan Mehmed V (1st class) each received a special form of award with diamonds .
4th model (1943 to 1946)
Same classification as the 3rd model, but with a different year 1941 in the medallion.
5th model (since 2003)
Today the order consists of three classes and two departments each - with swords for the military and without for civilians. The award is presented as follows:
- I. Class - Golden Cross for officers in the rank group General / Admiral
- II. Class - Silver Cross for all other officers
- III. 1st class - bronze cross for NCOs and men
Order decoration
The medal of the I. to III. Class is a silver- gilt, white-enamelled Maltese cross , with two crossed swords running through the corner of the cross. A standing lion turned to the left can be seen in the red enamelled medallion. The medallion is surrounded by a circlet with the Cyrillic inscription За храброст(For bravery) and the year 1879. In the first model from 1880 this is golden with black enameled inscription, from the 2nd model green enamelled with golden inscription. In the 3rd or 4th model, the year changes to 1915or 1941.
The fourth grade cross has no crown, is enamelled in red and, from the 2nd model onwards, has a white enamelled ring with the inscription already described.
The bravery cross is made of fine zinc and without enamel . In the rest of the appearance it corresponds to the above-described medals, but like the IV class, it has no crown over the cross. The 1st class is gold-plated from 1887, the II. Is silver-plated, and the III. held in bronze. The first model shows За храбростa star with two lilies and two dots on each side in the circlet with the inscription (For Bravery) below the lion. The 3rd model has the year "1915", the 4th the number "1941". The reverse of all models shows the cipher of the founder of the order, Prince Alexander Joseph von Battenberg , in a ring with the inscription "Prince of Bulgaria" and the year "1879". From the 2nd model there are also variants with a point between the star and lilies, from the 4th model a continuous line instead.
Carrying method
The 1st and 2nd class were worn as a neck medal , with the 1st class also wearing a breast star . The III. 1st and 4th class were worn as chest medals on ribbon; from the 2nd model the I. stage of the IV. and III. Class as a plug-in cross , in each case the 2nd level (like both levels of the 4th class and the bravery cross at the beginning) on the ribbon on the left side of the chest.
The band is light blue with a silver ribbed side stripe.
Specialty
From 1937 to 1940 the medal was a distinguishing feature on the aircraft of the Bulgarian Air Force.
literature
- Arnhard Graf Klenau: European order from 1700. Klenau-Verlag, Rosenheim 1978, ISBN 3-921566-05-3 .
- Dimitri Romanoff: The Orders, Medals and History of the Kingdom of Bulgaria. Balkan Heritage, Rungsted Kyst 1982, ISBN 87-981267-0-9 .