Bulgaria Bulgarian Order for Bravery 1941

[Graf]

Dear members,

I would like to start this topic with a nice 1941 3-rd Class Order for Bravery

In fact since no 1-st and 2-nd Classes were given during this period this Class is considered to be the "1st Class"

I have seen pictures of this Order, from this period, mostly with Bulgarian Officers and more often with King Boris III.

I aquired this 3-rd Class recently with a picture of German General.

I do not know whether this is his Order, because there is no provenance to suppoti it.

However, it is a nice Set anyway.

It ia a real photo with a hand written "Stalingrad".

Regards

Graf

[Graf]

This is another rare "bird'" from this period -The 4-th Class of the Soldier's Cross

It comes with a ribbon with swords and a Document.

Again -No provenance, however nice Set

Graf

[Graf]

closer view of the Soldier's Cross

Graf

[new world]

Graf,

Great topic! I'll have to post 1941 awards from my collection.

Is soldier Bravery cross yours? Can you post pics of reverse and of document in entirity?

These soldier crosses with 1941 date are supposed to be very rare, there's a lot of controversy around them, as many spcialists in the field of Bulgarian awards believe these crosses were never officially produced.

[Graf]

Hi,

It is in mine collection

The fact is is that they have never been awarded to Bulgarian soldiers ..only to German Officers and soldiers who were involved in combat in the Balkans.

I think that from the Number and the Name of the Military Unit one can check in the arhives abouth authencity of the Document i.e whether ths data on the Document is made up or it is a real presentation of the Military Unit involved in combat on the Balkans

I will post full picture of the Document tomorrow

Graf

[new world]

Many thanks! Excellent set!

What do you mean when you say "Again -No provenance", isn't the award document the best provenance one can get?

[Graf]

Hi,

Thank you for the comment

I should have said "not very stong provenance".

I did not buy it directly from the family

Back to the topic Picture of King/Tzar Boris III with the 3-rd Class of 1941 It appears he was not a show off guy as his father

Very humble one.

Regards

Graf

[new world]

Bravery orders with "1941" from my collection.

3rd class 1st grade

[new world]

3rd class 2nd grade

[new world]

4th class 1st grade

[new world]

4th class 2nd grade

[new world]

Group shot 1

[new world]

Group shot 1

[new world]

Group shot 2

[Graf]

New World,

Very Nice Congrats!

This is the Document As you see it is in German It is 210 mm x150 mm

I have not seen any Bulgarian Documents for Order of Bravery from this Period.

Regards

Graf

[Graf]

Dear Members,

.

I will post the Doctors Crosses -4th Class 1st and 2nd Grades, although they are from different period.

My aim is to urge any member who owns the 1941 Variant to post them

Regards

Graf

[Graf]

Hi New World,

Your comment -These soldier crosses with 1941 date are supposed to be very rare, there's a lot of controversy around them, as many spcialists in the field of Bulgarian awards believe these crosses were never officially produced- made me to do a little bit of research

I found more evidence that the 1941 Soldiers Crossess have been awarded to German soldiers and officers -mostly NCO

Regards

Graf

[Graf]

More evidence

This is a letter sent to the wife of wounded German soldier in the battle of Stalingrad by his Company Commander. In the lower left corner are listed the soldier's awards including the Bravery Order -Soldier Cross

Supossedly he perished later on.

He was awarded Bulgarian Order Bravery -Soldiers cross for his actions in Greece before bieng sent to Stalingrad. The award Document in the previous posting and this letter are part of a nice Grouping.

Graf

[Graf]

_{More evidence}

_{This is a Death Certificate of another German Soldier who won Iron Cross 1-st and 2-nd Classes and Bulgarian Order for Bravery Sodiers Cross}

_{Interesting fact is that all documents I found are for NCOs - with rank of Gefreiter (Lance Corporal)}

_{The most famous Gefreiter in History was Adolf Hitler- just as information}

_Regards

_Graf

[Graf]

_{More evidence}

_{This is a Death Certificate of another German Soldier who won Iron Cross 1-st and 2-nd Classes and Bulgarian Order for Bravery Sodiers Cross}

_{Interesting fact is that all documents I found are for NCOs - with rank of Gefreiter (Lance Corporal)}

_{The most famous Gefreiter in History was Adolf Hitler- just as information}

_Regards

_Graf

[speedytop]

Hi graf,

the orders in Post 1 and 8 - 15 are decorations for officers.

The cross in Post 4 is the lowest grade of 4 grades, here rank "Gefreiter".

The 4 crosses are for EM and NCO's, based on the rank. The first class is for the highest NCO ranks.

It is known, that in the first time of WWII.the old crosses with 1915 had been awarded, later the crosses with 1941.

I. class 1915:

IV. class 1941:

Uwe

[Graf]

Hi Uwe,

Thank you for the information.

I was wondering why one of the Grouping of Soldier Cross has 1915 Version instead 1941

The dealer claimed it came almoust directly from the family.

Regards

Graf

[new world]

Graf,

Thank you for posting interesting award documents for Soldier Bravery cross!

But your documents do not prove that Soldier class Bravery crosses with 1941 were awarded. The only thing they confirm is the fact that German soldiers were decorated with Bulgarian Soldiers Bravery crosses after 1941, but that is known fact, there were hundreds if not thousands instances of such awardings. All known recepients were gived cross with 1915 date.

The trick is to prove the claim that some of the awards were with badged with 1941 date, and that proof remains to be seen.

Best,

William

[Graf]

Hi William,

Thank you for the comments regarding the Soldiers Cross.

You are right - it is very difficult to prove this fact and I am not trying to prove it. I just share some of the pieces from my collection with the members of the Forum

Also, as you mentined in one of your posting it is quite debetable among the Bulgarian Experts, whether 1941 crosses were awarded at all or they were just good quality samples made who knows when.

Our role as collectors is to try to get as much material as possible and share with others including those who writie the books ..they are humans as well and they can get some knowledge from us

I believe since the interest for Royal Bulgarian Orders has increased in the last few years more and more items will surface on the collectors market either form a very private collections or from the famlies of the awarded persons

Mind you that most of the families in Bulgaria either surendered the awards and /or documents or destryed them from the fear to be prosecuted.

Regards

Graf

[ruiz]

Hello, I have a question about the 1941 Bravery Order, IV class 1st and 2nd grade.

How many were awarded ?

Best regards.