The Cross for the Proclamation of Bulgarian Independence in 1908

• Time Period: Pre-WW1
• Year of Institution: 1908
• Country: Bulgaria

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.