Bulgarian Order of Bravery.

[David]

Hi, I need help with this Order.
It´s the Bulgarian Order of Bravery 1st class 4º grade WWI. How many were delivered?, is there any official list of German and Bulgarian decorated?. Any information is appreciated.
Best regards from Spain.

[oradour]

David, the only information I have on the WW1 issue decoration is here :-
It is Bulgaria’s oldest order. Instituted on 1 January 1880 to commemorate Prince Alexander of Battenberg’s elevation to Prince of Bulgaria on 14 May 1879. There were four WW1 versions with different dates shown on obverse, 1915, 1915-1916, 1915-1917 and 1915-1918. the obverse on the 4th class, 1st grade, features a golden lion rampant on a red background within a white circlet written within in Cyrillic is, "Za Chrabrost" (For Bravery). All grades have gilt crossed swords placed between the arms of the cross.
The ribbon is the same for all classes/grades: light blue with a silver thread inset from either edge. This was known as the “War Decoration” ribbon and was used for other wartime Bulgarian decorations as well.
As an order, only officers were eligible. The class/grade awarded usually corresponded to the officer’s rank.
The Soldiers Cross for Bravery was associated with the Bravery Order and was for NCOs. It was slightly smaller yet identical to the basic badge of the Bravery Order.

The Bravery Order consisted of seven classes:
Grand Cross: Worn only by the King of Bulgaria as the Grand Master of the Order, it consisted of a 95mm breast star worn with a 100mm sash and a 72mm sash badge.
1st Class: A silver 63mm breast star and a neck cross surmounted with a crown (during World War I, two higher distinctions were created: “with diamonds” and “with skulls”).
2nd Class: A white 57mm cross with a crown worn around the neck.
3rd Class (1st Grade): A white 55mm cross without crown worn as a pin-back decoration on the left breast.
3rd Class (2nd Grade): A white 42mm cross without crown worn from a triangular ribbon on the left breast.
4th Class (1st Grade): A red enamel cross without crown worn as a pin-back decoration on the left breast.
4th Class (2nd Grade): A red enamel cross without crown worn from a triangular ribbon on the left breast.

Rittmeister Manfred Freiherr von Richthofen, the “Red Baron” of World War I fame, held the Bulgarian Bravery Order, 4th Class (1st Grade). In June 1917, on his way back to the front, he lunched with Kaiser Wilhelm I at Bad Kreuznach. In a letter home, he wrote: “I have just shot down number fifty-three. In [Bad] Kreuznach, on the way back, I was invited by His Majesty to meet the King of Bulgaria [Ferdinand I], who presented me with his Bravery Order, First Class [sic]. It is worn like the Iron Cross, First Class, and looks very nice". See this page for further photographs and information Orders, decorations, and medals of Bulgaria - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia As to a list and numbers, I have no idea, perhaps another member can add.....
Hope this helps.
Prost ! Steve.

[Bill T]

Hi David,
I know this is an old thread....but upon looking around I found it. I am currently researching a grouping from Panzer Regiment 33 (9th pz. Div.). I have award documents for this Panzer Feldwebel, and he was awarded the Bulgarian Order of Bravery 1st class. I was hoping someone could provide more info if this was a commonn practice for Germans to be awarded this Order?? My Panzermann isnt that old when he died, so he must have got it in ww2 Im assuming.
David, have you found any extra info on this? thank you!

[David]

Hi panzer1031, I understand that the document you own is the delivery of the Order of Valor during WWII.
The Military Order´s Crosses, IV class, first and second grade ) were awarded in total to 1.928 people during WWII, inluding 77 with the 1st grade ans 1.851 2nd grade, and 12 in both grades.

It was a commonn practice for Germans to be awarded this Order, look this picture:

[stahlhelm]

It is a genuine Order of Bravory ! I am from Bulgaria and i also collect these type of orders !!! My grate greate grandfather was chief of staff in the bulgarian army ! He also was awarded the same order for world war 1 wich Bulgaria entered in 1915. The front letter of the box is an "F" wich stands for Ferdinand ,the second bulgarian monarch since the liberation from turkish slavory in 1878. It is 4th class 1st degree. I still don't have it in my collection because after my great great grandfather died some of his medals were lost during the years ! there's some pics http://edinzavet.wordpress.com/projects/orders/vozahr/ .