German Bar With A Balkan Twist

[Naxos]

You make me laugh

Cheers, Hardy

[Carol I]

I will try to see if I can find something on the award criteria for this medal, but I doubt that it will advance very much the search of the name of the original owner of the bar.

An update on the Romanian Loyal Service Medal as promised: the regulations of the medal stated that it was awarded to Romanians and foreigners in recognition of civilian and military services brought to the state. Unfortunately this does not help with narrowing the search.

[Kev in Deva]

An update on the Romanian Loyal Service Medal as promised: the regulations of the medal stated that it was awarded to Romanians and foreigners in recognition of civilian and military services brought to the state. Unfortunately this does not help with narrowing the search.

Hallo Carol I many thanks for the information with regards the

Romanian Loyal Service Medal.

Kevin in Deva.

[Ulsterman]

Good news-bad news.

There is a COMPLETE roll of the Coronation medals extant in the Bulgarian archives. I have been chatting with a Bulgarian collector/ dealer on-line and the folio is all there. Many Germans got these as the newly crowned czar was, after all, a native German and brought a significant enterouge to his his court.

However, Ii have no idea how to get him-or anyone else in Bulgaria for that matter, to xerox it.

Theodor??

[Yankee]

Good news-bad news.

There is a COMPLETE roll of the Coronation medals extant in the Bulgarian archives. I have been chatting with a Bulgarian collector/ dealer on-line and the folio is all there. Many Germans got these as the newly crowned czar was, after all, a native German and brought a significant enterouge to his his court.

However, Ii have no idea how to get him-or anyone else in Bulgaria for that matter, to xerox it.

Theodor??

Hi Ulsterman

Certainly more on the side of good news. Just to know that the rolls are safely stored away is a stroke of good fortune. Any possibility that you can get the address from your source. Any idea who to contact in finding out where the rolls would be for the Serbia Zealous Service 1877-78 War, as I understand 376 were issued, simply cross -reference & have a name. Thanks.

Sincerely

Yankee

[hipnos]

Hello Gentlemen

Picture from old collection, can anybody help identify the recipient of this bar.

Bulgarian Order St. Alexander w/swds on ring knight 1st type German make

1879 Coronation medal ( 51 awarded )

Russia Alexander lll Zeal medal on St. Stanislaus ribbon

1866 Bavaria War Cross

Prussia 1870 War Medal for Combattants

Roumanian Faithful Service Medal ( 1st type )

Serbia Zealous Sevice 1877-78 War

Turkish Order Medjidie 5th Class

Perhaps a soldier of fortune who fought in 4 foreign armies and later became a bodyguard or aide to Alexander l during State Visits to receive other medals. Any info would be fascinating to know.

Sincerely

Yankee

Wow What a Nice Thing...I?ve never see the Serbia Zealous Sevice 1877-78 War medal, I can?t find it in any book/catalogue??

Can you Lecture me on this medal...???

Thanks for show me this Bar, I?m agasped!!

Miguel

[Piramida]

Hello Miguel, I hope this helps

The Zealous Service 1877-78 medal was established on the 15th of February 1878 by Prince Milan Obrenovic.

It was awarded for "exemplary and zealous service during the war with the goal of helping the work of the army or in general with the goal of liberation and independence" (sorry for the rough translation)

It had two classes a gold and silver one. All in all 69 gold and 376 silver were awarded. Two of the gold were further decorated with brilliants. One was given to General Kosta Protic at that time the head of the army. The other was awarded to Jovan Ristic then the minister of foreign affairs.

Ivan

[hipnos]

Hello Miguel, I hope this helps

The Zealous Service 1877-78 medal was established on the 15th of February 1878 by Prince Milan Obrenovic.

It was awarded for "exemplary and zealous service during the war with the goal of helping the work of the army or in general with the goal of liberation and independence" (sorry for the rough translation)

It had two classes a gold and silver one. All in all 69 gold and 376 silver were awarded. Two of the gold were further decorated with brilliants. One was given to General Kosta Protic at that time the head of the army. The other was awarded to Jovan Ristic then the minister of foreign affairs.

Ivan

Thanks a lot, Do you have some pics??

Regards

Miguel

[Piramida]

Unfortunatly Miguel I don't posses any pictures of the medal.

Ivan

[Yankee]

Hello Miguel, I hope this helps

The Zealous Service 1877-78 medal was established on the 15th of February 1878 by Prince Milan Obrenovic.

It was awarded for "exemplary and zealous service during the war with the goal of helping the work of the army or in general with the goal of liberation and independence" (sorry for the rough translation)

It had two classes a gold and silver one. All in all 69 gold and 376 silver were awarded. Two of the gold were further decorated with brilliants. One was given to General Kosta Protic at that time the head of the army. The other was awarded to Jovan Ristic then the minister of foreign affairs.

Ivan

Hi Ivan

Fascinating to learn that two of the Zealous Service were with brilliants. Any idea if they were worn around the neck or on the breast. Perhaps a foto of one of the gentlemen is wearing his decoration. By any chance would you have the rolls for the 1877/78 medal or where it would be located to identify the owner.

Sincerely

Brian

[bovec1313]

Yankee pointed me this topic, even it's almost 4 years old, still I would like to make some comments;

On my opinion the guy was at the end Bulgarian citizen; as first order and medal on the clasp are Bulgarian ones. I’m not surprised that Turkish of Medjidie is on the last place; I’ve seen some old Serbian and as well Austrian clasps where Turkish orders were placed on the last position. Sometimes I’m even wondering how Serbs and Bulgarians put Turkish orders on theirs clasps at all, as Turks were theirs Arch-enemy from middle ages onwards.

However, guy was in interesting type, been present everywhere. I know that many German officers joined Serbian army in 1876 to fight against Turks. (I was told in that time Prussian army lowered number of officers and many lost their jobs). In that time Serbian regular army counted altogether 4.000 soldiers and officers (!!). especially shortage of officers was painful. One of fine example is young Prussian officers, Paul Sturm, who joined Serbian army in 1876 and become one of its greatest generals in WW1. He changed his name in Pavle Jurišič – Šturm (juris is Serbian word for storm, German sturm). Very likely this man can be a German officer (Bavarian cross and Prussian medal 1870) who later had search for his luck around Balkan and become finally a Bulgarian citizen; as ruling family in Bulgaria was German by origin, this was not difficult.

Beside officers many other foreigners had supported Serbian army in wars 1876 – 1878 and had provided services behind the front lines. Such volunteers were usually awarded with medals for Zealous service while fighting officers received medals for bravery. Medal was awarded ‘…for pronounced and zealous service shown during the war in support of the army fighting on the battlefield or for generally contributing to liberation and independence… On 1 March 1878, soon after these medals had been instituted, the war ministry already issued a circular decree, specifying that ‘persons with merits for the war and war supplies can be proposed to be decorated with the Medal for Zealous Service, even if they have not been members of the army’. This enlarged the number of persons decorated and many well-known civilians, e.g. Serbian university professors, eminent doctors and high prelates who had participated in the war, were awarded these medals, and as well many foreign civilians.

And few pics of medals for Miguel; if you haven’t already found some. Medal some in gold and silver class and can be on elongated or triangle red ribbon. Pics of two medals with brilliants are not known.

Bellow obverse of the gold medal.

[bovec1313]

Reverse of the silver medal on triangle ribbon

[bovec1313]

General Milojko Leschjanin, in dress uniform with decorations. Among other decorations, his medal clasp includes the Gold Medal for Zealous Service in the war of 1877/78 on the 2nd place.

[Yankee]

Yankee pointed me this topic, even it's almost 4 years old, still I would like to make some comments;

On my opinion the guy was at the end Bulgarian citizen; as first order and medal on the clasp are Bulgarian ones. I’m not surprised that Turkish of Medjidie is on the last place; I’ve seen some old Serbian and as well Austrian clasps where Turkish orders were placed on the last position. Sometimes I’m even wondering how Serbs and Bulgarians put Turkish orders on theirs clasps at all, as Turks were theirs Arch-enemy from middle ages onwards.

However, guy was in interesting type, been present everywhere. I know that many German officers joined Serbian army in 1876 to fight against Turks. (I was told in that time Prussian army lowered number of officers and many lost their jobs). In that time Serbian regular army counted altogether 4.000 soldiers and officers (!!). especially shortage of officers was painful. One of fine example is young Prussian officers, Paul Sturm, who joined Serbian army in 1876 and become one of its greatest generals in WW1. He changed his name in Pavle Jurišič – Šturm (juris is Serbian word for storm, German sturm). Very likely this man can be a German officer (Bavarian cross and Prussian medal 1870) who later had search for his luck around Balkan and become finally a Bulgarian citizen; as ruling family in Bulgaria was German by origin, this was not difficult.

Beside officers many other foreigners had supported Serbian army in wars 1876 – 1878 and had provided services behind the front lines. Such volunteers were usually awarded with medals for Zealous service while fighting officers received medals for bravery. Medal was awarded ‘…for pronounced and zealous service shown during the war in support of the army fighting on the battlefield or for generally contributing to liberation and independence… On 1 March 1878, soon after these medals had been instituted, the war ministry already issued a circular decree, specifying that ‘persons with merits for the war and war supplies can be proposed to be decorated with the Medal for Zealous Service, even if they have not been members of the army’. This enlarged the number of persons decorated and many well-known civilians, e.g. Serbian university professors, eminent doctors and high prelates who had participated in the war, were awarded these medals, and as well many foreign civilians.

And few pics of medals for Miguel; if you haven’t already found some. Medal some in gold and silver class and can be on elongated or triangle red ribbon. Pics of two medals with brilliants are not known.

Bellow obverse of the gold medal.

Hi Bovec 1313

Many kind thanks for your descriptive insight into the possibility of his occupation & criteria to win the zealous service medal. It never had occured that he'd have Bulgarian citizenship. I suppose back then dual citizenship was a rarity. If he had changed his name as you strongly brought up that possibility, tracing the bar would be next to impossible

since he could have used either name in the medal rolls. As I learned from you earlier the Serbian records were destroyed in WWII. There would be no possibility to cross-reference the Bulgarian medal even if those do exist .

Sincerely

Yankee