Theodor

Found another badge to show you. I think it is for a wireless operator. And a good one - 1st degree. If not wrong, LZ is the international callsign of the country. Not sure if it is military - most likely not, or could be related to the DOSO /voluntary defense assistance organization/. Enough guessing, here's the badge:

I have no further information about those badges, but I think they are different. I mean, GTO is Ready for.... and is an award badge, the people earn it somehow. And I think the BGTO is a propagand badge, that could be worn by anyone, not earned - Budi gotov za trud i otbrana - BE ready for..........

Hi Ed, this is exactly what I wanted to underline. I said too many things, but missed to underline the main point, which determines my views: Unlike in Greece or Poland, they did not fight for the liberation of the country. Bulgaria was not occupied, there was noone to liberate it from! Indeed they did a few sabotages against German trains and convoys, but it was in favour of the Soviet Union. Until the start of Barbarossa, the Bulgarian communists welcomed warmly the German victories and enjoyed the friendship of Father Stalin with the wonderful uncle Adolf. And suddenly things changed with the German attack of the USSR! The Bulgarian communists started illegal struggle against the Germans, but most of all the Bulgarian state. Soon partisan groups appeared in the forests and mountains. And as said above, too many of those were simply criminals - the surviving ones used the events to proclaim themselves fighters and the propaganda machine made martyrs out of the killed ones. They killed many innocent Bulgarians. And later, when they took the rule of the country, killed far too many more people, innocent Bulgarians. This is my point. If they were fighting for the liberty of Bulgaria, I would not say anything. But they were fighting against the country and killed many people in that. There was NO such thing like liberty fighters in Bulgaria. There were Soviet puppets, criminals and nothing more. In the near days I will try to go and take photo of the black marble walls with names of innocent people killed by the communists. Endless, terrible list!! Also will do my best to locate an old paper with interesting jail statistics - when the communists came to power, all inmates suddenly were "political prisoners" and far too many /prisoners/ got immediately not only freedom, but also Fighter status and etc........ Sadly, in my country the left ideas got a most ugly face! P.S. Examining my reply for writing errors, I noticed that I have automaticaly typed the short word for communists Completely unwillingly and using it only as a short and no further meaning. I edited and replaced with the full word. All my writing aims no abuse, but trying to show a picture that was hidded for too many years - and unfortunately nowadays, when all is free to be said, noone seems to care...

I did not know it is inflammatory, it sounds to me rather as a diminutive name. Like Gorbachov - Gorbi. But I am not trying to say that I care for their feelings. I wrote the word without any intentions, but if it is abusive to those criminals and murderers - let it be! These people with their hands killed innocent people and were never brought to justice. Not one of them!!!! One still lives nearby and almost daily I salute him - I know him whole life and just do not want to sit and think about what he has done in his youth!!!! As said, noone bothered his silent old years. I hope you understand, that calling one of those "fighters" an abusive name is as bad as calling a nazi criminal with some name. Do not mix freedom fighters from other countries with our local criminals-murderers! There is a HUGE difference between the resistence movements in most countries - and in Bulgaria. Kiril Yanev - this was called the street next to my school. As a schoolboy, I stood once in Pioneer outfit at his small house up the street, at the day of his murder. It was exactly now, the end of May. He had been a young man, communist, illegal partisan, killed by the bad, bad fascist forces. I am telling his story only because now, in year 2008 I stumbled upon his true story and it is very representative for the whole "antifascist movement" in the country. Kiril, a young man with leftist ideas and very little respect to law, together with some other thieves robbed a grocery. Spotted by two patroling policemen, they ran. The police tried to chase what looked like young thieves, but those turned suddenly and shot the policemen! Of course, after that had to hide in the forests, together with other "partisans". Soon the gang was surprised by gendarmery and Kiril got shot in the fight. And then for 40 years he was a hero, martyr, has a street and who knows what more on his name! Most stories are like this. Behind the martyr hides a murderer, criminal, outlaw. And the true story of the partisan groups involves so much traitors, murders, killing and betraying each other, that it shocked me when reading such accounts!

Unfortunately it was a separate find - no paper and no nothing together with it to give a clue, only this single piece. I'll try to ask one old socialist times pilot, will report if find the answer.

Because in my opinion the owner was a commie. Could be nothing else. He had the badge, because he was member of the Union. And he was a member because he had "fought against the fashism". Only commies "fought against the fashism" in Bulgaria. Actually it was not fighting and not against the fashism, but terroristic actions against the Bulgarian State and people, dictated form Moscow. But that's a different subject to talk

Union of the Fighters Against the Fashism. The commie has added a drop of solder, because the head of the beloved leader was rotating

A pre-DOSO, late 1940s badge - People's Union for Air Sport. This was for glider flying and later went into the DOSO.

Another DOSO badge: Ready for PVHO /Air and Gas Defense/. The pin is broken, I have it also screwback somewhere.

I'd like to start a thread about the DOSO badges /DOSO - Voluntary organization for cooperation of the defense/. It was a huge organization, uniting lots of different kinds of activities and thus had many types of badges. Here are a few. I hope you can add more.

back

closer

Here is my wing, no idea though why it is on darker base cloth.

For Labour Excellence. GUSV means it is from the Construction troops /Glavno Upravlenie na Stroitelni Voiski/

For long years conscientious labour

This one is narrowed to building, obviously. Excellent. MSSG... probably some abbreviation of the Ministry of building /or whatever it is called/

I do not know if the one above is related to the Construction troops /which were involved in a very large deal of building plants, factories, housing and public buildings, roads, etc. etc./, but I think this one is for sure related, as the person pictured is in uniform IMO. The text is the same.

Pictures do not not give the idea, but this is a large and massive badge. You can see how bnig it is, compared to the nut /which is the same for all badges/. But here is a side shot, showing how high, how thick it is, too! /or, at least trying to show /

This is a cool badge! I think mine is older example, because is not gilded and is a bit more detailed. The Star on the bottom is a little different.

This is a little related: Leader - 5th 5 year period /lets calculate... this must have been awarded in 1969 or 1970 for the past period/

Me too, not that I have searched much for these, but have seen only the 1949 badge.

And the usual drop of quality - modern times!

Warrior - Sportsman III grade

This one is not so large and I am not even sure if it is military - People's Shooter

Then Excellent in the combat and political training. Quite large, too.