The Honored Pilot Medal is a Bulgarian Honorary Title established on 18 January 1979 and awarded to military and civilian pilots for considerable contributions or long and loyal service.
Author: Yisela
Creator of IdentifyMedals.com
The Hero of Socialist Labor Medal (Bulgaria)
The Hero of Socialist Labour Medal is a Bulgarian Honorary Title awarded for exceptional achievements in the sphere of agriculture, science, education, culture, arts as well as for contributing to technical progress.
People awarded with this also received the Order Of George Dimitrov. The medal was renamed Hero Of Socialist Labor from Hero Of Labor on 13 December 1950.
The Hero of the People’s Republic of Bulgaria Medal
The Hero of the People’s Republic of Bulgaria (or “Герой на Народна република България” in Bulgarian) is an honorary title awarded to Bulgarian and foreign citizens for merits in defending Bulgaria and other countries allied to Bulgaria.
The medal was established on 15 June 1948, and awarded until 1990. It was the highest honor of the People’s Republic of Bulgaria.
The Cross for the Proclamation of Bulgarian Independence in 1908
The Cross for the Proclamation of Bulgarian Independence in 1908 is a Bulgarian award given as a commemoration of the declaration of Bulgarian independence in 1908. The cross was only approved and minted during the second half of 1909 – a year after the events.
The cross was awarded to all generals, officers, and junkers who were serving at the time of the declaration of independence, as well as to various civil servants such as war veterans, clergy, local government officials and others.
The commemorative award was intended to be widely given among the Bulgarian nation. According to the registers, more than 11,000 people received the decoration, although the number of minted medals might have been even larger.
The Cross for the Proclamation of Bulgarian Independence in 1908 Design
The medal is a long crosslet cross measuring 40mm with a circular center and raised edges. It was designed by Paul Telge and produced in Germany. There are known very rare variations of the cross where the crowns are positioned towards the central medallion of the cross (possibly trial issues of the medal).
The obverse bears the royal cipher of King Ferdinand I, circumscribed by the text “ТЪРНОВО 22 СЕПТЕМВРИЙ 1908” (“Tarnovo 22 September 1908“), commemorating the place and the date of the declaration of the Independence. Crows are depicted in the four cross-sections of the cross arms.
The reverse bears a Bulgarian lion with a superimposed Saxon shield, circumscribed by “БЪЛГАРСКО ЦАРСТВО” (“Bulgarian Tsardom (Kingdom)”).
The ribbon is red with two white and one green thin stripes through the middle.
The Medal for the Incentive of Philanthropy
The Medal for the Incentive of Philanthropy is a Bulgarian award established on 15th/ 28th October 1908 and given as an incentive or reward for humanitarian and charitable activity, and one of the first decorations to be established after the declared Bulgarian independence in September 1908 (the other one being the Life-Saving Medal).
The medal was issued in three classes: Gold (made of yellowish metal alloy or gilded silver), Silver (made of solid silver) and Bronze (made of copper). All medals are being awarded with a crown suspension.
Awarded rather rarely, the stock of the medal with his effigy were used for decorations throughout the reign of His son, King Boris III, and even during the regency period, up until 1947.
The Medal for the Incentive of Philanthropy Design
The medal is circular and measures 29 millimeters in diameter. It was designed by Paul Telge and minted in Germany and Austro-Hungary.
The obverse bears the effigy of King Ferdinand I circumscribed by the text: “ФЕРДИНАНДЪ I ЦАРЬ НА БЪЛГАРИТѢ” (“Ferdinand I Tsar (King) of the Bulgarians“).
The reverse bears a circular laurel wreath with the motto of the medal inscribed on four lines: “ЗА НАСЪРДЧЕНИЕ КЪМЪ ЧЕЛОВѢКОЛЮБИЕ” (“For incentive of philanthropy.“)
The ribbon is red, with two green stripes and one white one on the edges.
The Medal for the Wedding of Knyaz Ferdinand and Marie-Louise
The Medal for the Wedding of Knyaz Ferdinand and Marie-Louise is a commemorative Bulgarian medal established on 3rd/15th May 1893 to celebrate the Prince’s wedding ceremony. The medal was instituted by the Monarch in the first days after his arrival back to Bulgaria as a married man.
There were three classes:
- Gold (gilt) was awarded to senior Bulgarian statesmen and to foreign nationals, such as members of other European royal courts.
- Silver with crown suspension was bestowed upon senior governmental officials, archbishops, army generals/senior officers, and foreign nationals.
- Silver without crown suspension was given to members of Parliament, army officers, regional governors and officials.
- Bronze with crown, rather rare, was awarded to a very small number of lower-ranking members of the Prince suite.
- Bronze without crown, the most common variant, was awarded to a wide variety of mid and low-ranking governmental or army officials, ranging from municipality mayors, through army NCOs, down to mayors of small villages, through which the Prince and Princess have passed while traveling the country.
The Medal for the Wedding of Knyaz Ferdinand and Marie-Louise Design
The medal is circular and measures 32 millimeters in diameter. It was engraved by Anton Scharff and its production delegated to the famous Viennese company of Rothe & Neffe. More than 6,000 medals were minted and awarded. Some larger table-top variations of the medal exist.
The obverse bears the effigies of Prince Ferdinand I and Princess Marie-Louise of Bourbon-Parma, his spouse. Around them is inscribed: “ФЕРДИНАНДЪ I. КНЯЗЬ БЪЛГАРСКИЙ. МАРИА ЛУИЗА БУРБОНСКА ПРИНЦЕССА ПАРМСКА” (“Ferdinand I. Knyaz (Prince) of Bulgaria. Maria Louisa of Bourbon Princess of Parma”). A small five-pointed star sits at the bottom.
The reverse bears a decorative element with an imbued torch, two shields bearing the coat of arms of the two newlyweds, jointly crowned with the Bulgarian royal crown with elevated and embowed lappets. A scroll above it reads the motto “ВѢРNОСТЬ И ПОСТОЯNСТВО” (“Fidelity and Continuity“). Circumscribed are the dates of the wedding ceremony (8th April) and the date of the arrival of the royal couple in Bulgaria (30th April), with the year 1893 inscribed at the bottom.
The ribbon is navy blue with red bars on the edges.
The Medal for The 25th Anniversary of the April Insurrection of 1876
The Medal for The 25th Anniversary of the April Insurrection of 1876 is a Bulgarian medal founded by a royal decree and awarded to all the veterans who participated in the events of the spring of 1876.
While the first decorations were given personally by the Prince during the official ceremony held in the town of Panagyurishte, the rest were distributed to the local Veterans’ organizations in order to be awarded to the living participants of the insurgence.
The Medal for The 25th Anniversary of the April Insurrection of 1876 Design
The medal is circular and measures 34 millimeters in diameter. It was designed and manufactured in Bulgaria by the Nikola Sabev’s jewelry factory, and engraved by Boris Schatz.
The obverse bears a crowned lion with the motto of the insurgent and the day of its start inscribed in a semi-circle beneath it: “СВОБОДА ИЛИ СМЪРТЬ + 20 АПРИЛИЙ 1876 Г.” (“Freedom or death + 20 April 1876“). Along the edge there is a decorative ring made up of floral elements and rectangular plates, each bearing a name of a town that took a major part in the revolt: ПЕРУЩИЦА, КЛИСУРА, БАТАКЪ, КОПРИВЩИЦА and ПАНАГЮРИЩЕ.
The reverse bears a verse by the Bulgarian poet Hristo Botyov on six lines with a laurel branch beneath it: “ТОЗЪ КОЙТО ПАДНЕ ВЪ БОЙ ЗА СВОБОДА, ТОЙ НЕ УМИРА” (“They, who have fallen while fighting for their freedom, shall never die“). Along the edge and separated via four-pointed stars is inscribed: “ФЕРДИНАНДЪ Iй КНЯЗЬ БЪЛГАРСКИЙ НА ПОБОРНИЦИТѢ. 20 АПРИЛИИ 1901 Г.” (“Ferdinand Ist Knyaz (Prince) of Bulgaria [Gift] To the insurgents [veterans]. 20 April 1901“).
The ribbon is red, with green and white stripes n both edges.
The Life-Saving Medal
The Life-Saving Medal is a Bulgarian medal awarded to all Bulgarians for the rescue of people from natural (or other) disasters. There are 2 variations of this award: A Ferdinand I version and a version of his son, Boris III, who became king in late 1918.
This was one of the first decorations to be established after the declared Bulgarian independence in September 1908. It has three classes: gold, silver, and bronze.
The Life-Saving Medal Design
The medal is circular and measures 29 millimeters in diameter. It was initially engraved by designed by Paul Telge and produced in Germany. The golden medals were minted either of yellowing metal alloy or of gilt silver. The silver class was made of solid silver, and the bronze medals of bronze or bronze-colored metal alloy.
The obverse bears the effigy of King Ferdinand I or King Boris III circumscribed by the titles “ФЕРДИНАНДЪ I ЦАРЬ НА БЪЛГАРИТѢ” (“Ferdinand I Tsar (King) of the Bulgarians“) or “БОРИСЪ III ЦАРЬ НА БЪЛГАРИТѢ” (“Boris III Tsar (King) of the Bulgarians“).
The reverse bears a circular laurel wreath with the motto “ЗА СПАСЯВАНЕ ПОГИБАЮЩИ” (“For saving dying ones“) inscribed on three lines.
The ribbon is green, with small white stripes and one crimson stripe running through the middle.
The Medal For the Completion of the Yambol-Burgas Railway
The Medal For the Completion of the Yambol-Burgas Railway is a commemorative Bulgarian medal established 14th/26th May and awarded to members of the Pioneer regiment who was responsible for the construction of the Yambol-Burgas railway in memory of the successful completion of the construction of the line.
While officers of the regiment were decorated with the silver medal, officer candidates, NCOs and enlisted men received the bronze medal.
The Medal For the Completion of the Yambol-Burgas Railway Design
The medal is circular and measures 30 millimeters in diameter. It was engraved by Joseph Cristlebauer and produced in Austro-Hungary.
The obverse bears the effigy of Prince Ferdinand I circumscribed with the inscription “ФЕРДИНАНДЪ Iий КНЯЗЬ НА БЪЛГАРИЯ” (“Ferdinand Ist Knyaz (Prince) of Bulgaria“). The sections are separated with two six-pointed stars.
The reverse bears a winged wheel with lightning bolts positioned below a smaller badge of a crossed spade and axe, surmounted by a roulette. The inscription along the edge reads “ЯМБОЛЪ – БУРГАСЪ 14. МАЙ 1890” (“Yambol – Burgas 14. May 1890“).
The ribbon is red and has a thin white border and thin green stripes on both edges.
The Medal For The Accession Of Knjaz Ferdinand I
The Medal For The Accession Of Knjaz Ferdinand I is the first decoration that newly elected Prince Ferdinand I implemented, and he did so in order to commemorate his accession to the Throne. Around 2000 awards of this type were given to low ranking clerks, local mayors, senior officers, archbishops, ministers, generals, and foreign nationals.
The designs on the reverse of the medal indicate the background of the new Monarch: The Saxon shield for his dynastical past, and the Maltese cross with lilies as an allusion to His French royal bloodline. The colors of the ribbon reference the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha duchy.
The Medal For The Accession Of Knjaz Ferdinand I Design
The medal is a maltese cross with beaded points, circular center and fleurs-de-lis in between the arms, and measures 42 millimeters in diameter. It manufactured by C. F. Rothe in Vienna.
The obverse of the first class depicts a circle enameled in red, with the royal cipher of Prince Ferdinand I in white with a gilded crown. Inscribed on the green enameled outer ring is “БОЖИЯ И НАРОДНА ВОЛЯ” (“By the will of God and nation“). The second class doesn’t have any enamel on the central medallion, and the third class is silvered instead of gilded.
The reverse has a circular central medallion, enameled in black and golden horizontal stripes (the Saxon coat of arms) with an inscription on the outer ring enameled in green: “25 ЮЛIЙ 2 АВГУСТЪ 1887” (“25th July 2nd August 1887“). 2nd class is gilded and 3rd is silvered.
The ribbon consists of three light-green and two white alternating stripes, triangular when awarded to men and bow-shaped when presented to ladies.