73 YEARS SINCE KING BORIS III DEATH

[Graf]

DEAR MEMEBERS,

RECENTLY THERE WAS A SPECIAL SERVICE FOR 73 YEARS SINCE THE DEATH OF KING BORIS III

IT WAS HELD ON 28TH OF AUGUST IN THE RILA MONASTERY WHERE IS HIS GRAVE

i WAS LUCKY TO BE THERE BY CHANCE AS PART OF MY TOUR IN THE BALKANS KING SIMEON AND HIS WIFE WERE THERE

RILA MONASTERY IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACES I HAVE EVER BEEN.

I WAS ENABLE TO TAKE PICTURES INSIDE THE CHURCH, HOWEVER A FRIEND BULGARIAN SEND ME A COPY OF MAGAZINE PUBLISHED BY THE BULGARIAN COMMUNITY IN CHICAGO i ASSUME SOMEONE HAD A PERMISSION TO TAKE PICTURES FROM THE GRAVE OF KING BORIS III

 

GRAF

[ilieff]

Well done!

Two good quality images from wikipedia:

The silver wreath with the effigy of the King (which by the way looks pretty much like the ones on His medals) has been presented by the people of Macedonia as a gratitude for their liberation in 1941. The inscription says 'Grateful Macedonia to her Liberator Tsar (King)'.

[Alex K]

Very interesting, thanks for posting

 

Alex K

 

These are two images I "Colourised" of King Boris quite a while back.

Edited October 11, 2016 by Alex K

[ilieff]

Nice colourisations, Alex. I also colourise old images but so far, mainly of King Ferdinand I. By the way, King Boris had blue eyes.

A side note here: A close-up image of a King Boris III's bar. This one, though very humble, is one of the largest he has worn. He was not into showing off His medals. During His reign, He only wore consistently 1) The small necklace of SS Cyril and Methodius, 2) His 3rd class 1st grade order "For Bravery" and 3) later the unique breast stars for X and [later] XX years of faithful army service, presented to him by the Army HQ.

[Alex K]

1 hour ago, ilieff said:

"By the way, King Boris had blue eyes.

 the unique breast stars for X and [later] XX years of faithful army service, presented to him by the Army HQ."

Thanks for the information of his eye colour, I will as usual change my colourisation now that I know, unfortunately that sort of information isn't always known at the time.  With regards to his special star for 20 years service, I know it was unique to him and have spent a long time trying to locate a good image of it, it seems to be one of those that just doesn't appear in images

regards

 

Alex

[ilieff]

Unfortunately, nobody has got a decent photograph of this breast star. The Military museum in Sofia have on display the X-years one, so I assume that they do not have the XX-years star (otherwise, they'd show it). I guess that if it still exists, will probably be part of the Royal Collection of HM King Simeon II, OR part of the collection of an advanced private collector.

[Alex K]

7 hours ago, ilieff said:

Unfortunately, nobody has got a decent photograph of this breast star. The Military museum in Sofia have on display the X-years one, so I assume that they do not have the XX-years star (otherwise, they'd show it). I guess that if it still exists, will probably be part of the Royal Collection of HM King Simeon II, OR part of the collection of an advanced private collector.

Pity, and thanks

[paul wood]

Having seen King Simeon's collection I am almost certain the star is not there and it was not with the Coburg-Gotha material auctioned by Mars and Merkur about 30 years ago.

Paul

[922F]

Alex raised the officer long service awards [‘stars’] given to Boris question in a GMIC post titled "unknown Order” on March 31, 2014.   That discussion addresses most points/issues but is not conclusive due to the lack of authoritative references.   Alex’s 2014 post includes a colorized composite image of a XX ‘star’ and an actual image of the X ‘star’. 

I personally know of only 1 example of the X year ‘star’ [displayed in Sofia’s National Museum of Military History, at least in 2008].  While visiting the award collection of Ferdinand and Boris at Simeon’s Madrid residence in 1972-3, I saw one XX year ‘star’.  Colonel Guetichev, one of Simeon’s aides who guided my visits, commented that two or three XX examples existed at one time, likely for use on different uniforms including one for a naval uniform.  He or another staff member said that Ferdinand gave Boris a brilliant set XX ‘star’ probably made by Zimmerman but that’s the only time that I heard that story.  [I failed to inquire about the X ‘star’ as I did not know it existed then!]

As noted above, perhaps in reaction to his father’s predilections, Boris seldom wore many decorations and when he did the most usually seen stars were the Cyril & Methodius and the XX ‘star’. 

[Alex K]

10 hours ago, 922F said:

Alex raised the officer long service awards [‘stars’] given to Boris question in a GMIC post titled "unknown Order” on March 31, 2014.   That discussion addresses most points/issues but is not conclusive due to the lack of authoritative references.   Alex’s 2014 post includes a colorized composite image of a XX ‘star’ and an actual image of the X ‘star’. 

I

 

Hi, Yes I remember the discussion, in the intervening years, I was hoping that someone, somewhere might have located an actual image, unfortunately the mystery remains,

 

Alex

 

This is the best I can muster, looking closely the star is facetted, which may indicate that it's the diamonds version, could be wrong though

Edited October 13, 2016 by Alex K

[Graf]

Hi Alex,

 

It look more like diamond cut Star then one with Dimonds

The similar diamond cut Stars are the grand Crosses Stars of the Boris emission of the Order for Military Merit and the Order for Civil Merit That is more likely because the Maker used the same body of the Star as for this Orders

[922F]

Graf--You may have a point.  However, notice that the individual rays on mid-late Boris emission Merit stars you posted are distinctly spaced [space in between rays], most noticeable at the extremities.  Merit star facets diminish in size/diameter as they approach the star center.  The XX 'star' exhibits neither of these characteristics.   XX star rays abut each other.  Facets appear smaller than those on the others and very uniform in size from center to extremities.  So perhaps Alex's XX 'star' image is the jewel set ‘star’? 

By the way, do you believe that the 1936 date is accurate for introduction of diamond-cut rays for Boris type Merit Order stars?

Edited October 13, 2016 by 922F
spelchek

[Alex K]

1 hour ago, 922F said:

Graf--You may have a point.  However, notice that the individual rays on mid-late Boris emission Merit stars you posted are distinctly spaced [space in between rays], most noticeable at the extremities.  Merit star facets diminish in size/diameter as they approach the star center.  The XX 'star' exhibits neither of these characteristics.   XX star rays abut each other.  Facets appear smaller than those on the others and very uniform in size from center to extremities.  So perhaps Alex's XX 'star' image is the jewel set ‘star’? 

By the way, do you believe that the 1936 date is accurate for introduction of diamond-cut rays for Boris type Merit Order stars?

I noticed the difference in the gaps between diamond cut stars and the one indicated in the image I posted, I'm at it again and after a slightly better image I think it may look like this, the laurel circle around the central medallion appear to be diamonds also, this is my best guess

[922F]

Simply spectacular Alex!!!!  Really first rate image!  Thank you for another outstanding piece of art!

N.B.  The award that I saw  did not have brilliants.

[Graf]

Hi

It is real piece of art I agree.

The reason i suggested the Diamond cut version against the Model with Diamonds is simply that King Boris III was much more modest man then his father and more likely is to have the first one

I might be wrong Perhaps this is the Star which was given to him by King Ferdinand with the Diamonds

Hi 922F if you asked me about the 1936 date of introduction of the Diamond Cut GC  Boris III Model, to be honest I do know.

[Alex K]

Thank you all for appreciating my humble effort, (Who knows someone may spot it and say, actually it looks like this and post the real thing, you never know), the only other image I've found are these, unfortunately not enough details, but interesting

[new world]

another image with XX award

 

Edited October 14, 2016 by new world

[ilieff]

Allow me to present my version (composite image) of this legendary star.

 

PS: Due to the unknown text on the central medallion, I've put some gibberish and the year 1938.

Edited October 15, 2016 by ilieff

[new world]

How his grave looked like in 1943

[ilieff]

It is important to note here, that, at present, only the King's heart is buried in the Rila monastery. The rest of His body was never found, after His re-burial in the Pallace of Vranya (1945), where his second tomb has then been demolished brutally (in 1950).

Edited October 18, 2016 by ilieff

[PillBox20]

Hello, Alex K!

I found these coloured pictures by you and I really liked them!
I am making a mod for Bulgaria for Hearts of Iron IV. I would like to use the second picture that you have coloured as a portrait for Boris III. I will be very happy to credit you if you send me a copy of it without the water mark.

Here is a link to the mod:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2179208500

I am the author of the mod. I am from Bulgaria and I really like Boris III.

Hope that we establish contact soon.

До скоро!