PR Bulgaria: Order of the Red Banner

[Michaelwave]

Hello everyone.
One of my favorite awards but i can barely find much info on certain things. 
How many times was it awarded approximately? And whats the highest known number for the numbered version?
Does anyone know?
Thank you in advance

[Egorka]

This is from the book "Bulgarian orders and medals" b prof. Pavlov. 

Doesn't answer your question though.

[steveBobby]

On 1/13/2025 at 12:00 AM, Michaelwave said:

Hello everyone.
One of my favorite awards but i can barely find much info on certain things. 
How many times was it awarded approximately? And whats the highest known number for the numbered version?
Does anyone know?
Thank you in advance

Greeting！

Perhaps I can provide some information. In the National Statistical Yearbook compiled annually by the People's Republic of Bulgaria, there is a separate page used to count the specific number of various high-level medals and awards awarded. In the statistical yearbooks of the early 1980s, there were still records of the specific number of Red Banner medals awarded, but since the mid-to-late 1980s, the Red Banner medal has no longer been counted. Therefore, the data we are discussing can only be used for data in 1980 or 1981, which is a prerequisite. 

Combining the data from the Statistical Yearbooks of 1969-1970 and 1979-1980, we can draw the following conclusions: 10,253 Orders of the Red Banner were awarded between 1948 and 1960, 1,258 Orders of the Red Banner were awarded between 1961 and 1978, and there is no record of any Order of the Red Banner being awarded in 1979. Due to missing data, we are unable to obtain more specific data on the number of awards of the Order of the Red Banner as of 1989.

You also mentioned the part about digital numbers. As for the answer to this part, I can only answer you from the perspective of my own collection.

According to my personal observation, the maximum number should be around 13000-14000. I have not yet found a number above 14000. Most of the Order of the Red Banner with numbers were awarded between 1959 and 1960. After that, due to changes in the service rules, the number of the Order of the Red Banner was greatly reduced, and the numbering became meaningless and was abolished.

I hope this information is helpful to you.

Yours

Steve

[Michaelwave]

Wow this information is very helpful. I never heard this before! 
Thank you very much  

1 hour ago, steveBobby said:

After that, due to changes in the service rules, the number of the Order of the Red Banner was greatly reduced, and the numbering became meaningless and was abolished.

Was the Red Banner prior to these changes, like the soviet red banner, awarded for years service in the army?

[Graf]

9 hours ago, steveBobby said:

Greeting！

Perhaps I can provide some information. In the National Statistical Yearbook compiled annually by the People's Republic of Bulgaria, there is a separate page used to count the specific number of various high-level medals and awards awarded. In the statistical yearbooks of the early 1980s, there were still records of the specific number of Red Banner medals awarded, but since the mid-to-late 1980s, the Red Banner medal has no longer been counted. Therefore, the data we are discussing can only be used for data in 1980 or 1981, which is a prerequisite. 

Combining the data from the Statistical Yearbooks of 1969-1970 and 1979-1980, we can draw the following conclusions: 10,253 Orders of the Red Banner were awarded between 1948 and 1960, 1,258 Orders of the Red Banner were awarded between 1961 and 1978, and there is no record of any Order of the Red Banner being awarded in 1979. Due to missing data, we are unable to obtain more specific data on the number of awards of the Order of the Red Banner as of 1989.

You also mentioned the part about digital numbers. As for the answer to this part, I can only answer you from the perspective of my own collection.

According to my personal observation, the maximum number should be around 13000-14000. I have not yet found a number above 14000. Most of the Order of the Red Banner with numbers were awarded between 1959 and 1960. After that, due to changes in the service rules, the number of the Order of the Red Banner was greatly reduced, and the numbering became meaningless and was abolished.

I hope this information is helpful to you.

Yours

Steve

Well done Steve

[steveBobby]

10 hours ago, Michaelwave said:

Wow this information is very helpful. I never heard this before! 
Thank you very much  

Was the Red Banner prior to these changes, like the soviet red banner, awarded for years service in the army?

It does have similar rules to the Soviet Union. According to a report submitted by General Mikhailov, Minister of Defense of the People's Republic of Bulgaria, to the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Bulgarian Communist Party in 1959 on the reform of the awarding of orders and medals for military service: In the years 1950-1958, in accordance with Article 83 of the Law of the People's Republic of Bulgaria on Universal Military Service, officers and soldiers could be awarded orders and medals for impeccable and conscientious service in the army by Decree of the Presidium of the National Assembly No. 649 of December 13, 1950. The specific awarding standards are: the Combat Merit Medal is awarded for 10 years of service; the Third Class September 9 Revolution Order is awarded for 15 years of service; the Order of the Red Banner is awarded for 20 years of service; and the Order of Dimitrov is awarded for 25 years of service. 

This rule was abolished in 1958 and reformed after 1959 to award three levels of the Good Service Medal. Again, a similar process to the Soviet Union.🧐

Glad to see this information was helpful to you! 

Yours

Steve

 

[Michaelwave]

31 minutes ago, steveBobby said:

The specific awarding standards are: the Combat Merit Medal is awarded for 10 years of service; the Third Class September 9 Revolution Order is awarded for 15 years of service; the Order of the Red Banner is awarded for 20 years of service; and the Order of Dimitrov is awarded for 25 years of service. 

Seems like a trend among the eastern block. Doing everything the same way as the big Soviet Union does 😆😆.

Glad changes were made in 1958 … but that’s just my opinion.

 

Thank you very much again 

[Graf]

On 16/01/2025 at 11:24, steveBobby said:

It does have similar rules to the Soviet Union. According to a report submitted by General Mikhailov, Minister of Defense of the People's Republic of Bulgaria, to the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Bulgarian Communist Party in 1959 on the reform of the awarding of orders and medals for military service: In the years 1950-1958, in accordance with Article 83 of the Law of the People's Republic of Bulgaria on Universal Military Service, officers and soldiers could be awarded orders and medals for impeccable and conscientious service in the army by Decree of the Presidium of the National Assembly No. 649 of December 13, 1950. The specific awarding standards are: the Combat Merit Medal is awarded for 10 years of service; the Third Class September 9 Revolution Order is awarded for 15 years of service; the Order of the Red Banner is awarded for 20 years of service; and the Order of Dimitrov is awarded for 25 years of service. 

This rule was abolished in 1958 and reformed after 1959 to award three levels of the Good Service Medal. Again, a similar process to the Soviet Union.🧐

Glad to see this information was helpful to you! 

Yours

Steve

 

Nice

[gjw]

Great info on this subject!

 

Many thanks to all for your most informative posts!

 

Stay well my friends 

 

Greg

[new world]

"awarded orders and medals for impeccable and conscientious service in the army by Decree of the Presidium of the National Assembly No. 649 of December 13, 1950. The specific awarding standards are:

- the Combat Merit Medal is awarded for 10 years of service;

- the Third Class September 9 Revolution Order is awarded for 15 years of service;

- the Order of the Red Banner is awarded for 20 years of service; and

- the Order of Dimitrov is awarded for 25 years of service."

 

In 1950 when this law was passed People's Republic of Bulgaria was only 6 years old (since Sep 1944), so how was it possible for someone to have 10, 15 and especially 25 years of service at that time? Did they count years served in Tsar Boris army?

 

This was not the same situation as in Soviet Union, because when they adopted awards for service their Red Army was already 30+ years old and plenty of officers were in service for 25 years.

 

[steveBobby]

7 hours ago, new world said:

"awarded orders and medals for impeccable and conscientious service in the army by Decree of the Presidium of the National Assembly No. 649 of December 13, 1950. The specific awarding standards are:

- the Combat Merit Medal is awarded for 10 years of service;

- the Third Class September 9 Revolution Order is awarded for 15 years of service;

- the Order of the Red Banner is awarded for 20 years of service; and

- the Order of Dimitrov is awarded for 25 years of service."

 

In 1950 when this law was passed People's Republic of Bulgaria was only 6 years old (since Sep 1944), so how was it possible for someone to have 10, 15 and especially 25 years of service at that time? Did they count years served in Tsar Boris army?

 

This was not the same situation as in Soviet Union, because when they adopted awards for service their Red Army was already 30+ years old and plenty of officers were in service for 25 years.

 

It seems to me that the founders of the order system of the Bulgarian People's Republic at that time were only considering how to quickly establish a order system that was different from the kingdom or republic period, so fully imitating the Soviet system was a very convenient choice. So it was unnecessary to consider the rationality at that time, because no one would have thought that it would be abolished in 1958. Let’s look at another example：

The Bulgarian General and Professional Workers Association proposed to reward workers who have provided many years of service and high-quality work results in the industry, as follows:
A. Those who have worked in the same enterprise for 5 years should be awarded the Bronze People's Order of Labor;
B. Those who have worked in the same enterprise for 10 years should be awarded the Silver People's Order of Labor;
C. Those who have worked in the same enterprise for 15 years should be awarded the Gold People's Order of Labor;
D. Those who have worked in the same enterprise for 20 years should be awarded the Red Banner of Labor Order;

There is no doubt that this is another very Soviet policy，and the workers involved will also include those in the Tsarist period.

Back to the topic of service time：Of course, there is a second possibility. Many of the early officers or senior soldiers in the Bulgarian People's Army were members who were sent to the Soviet Union for military training as political refugees by the Bulgarian Communist Party in the 1920s and 1930s. They joined the Soviet army very early and did not return to Bulgaria until September 9, 1944 or later and served as officers or senior soldiers of the Bulgarian People's Army. For them, the years of service can be re-satisfied, which also meets the needs of the new government to reward their past contributions. 

Another group of people were old partisans who had been engaged in the fascist guerrilla war in Bulgaria since 1941. They were directly admitted to the army with low or high ranks after September 9, 1944. In this way, a considerable number of them could meet the requirements for the minimum service reward after 1950.

I also think that in reality, some officers' service years were counted as part of their service in Tsar Boris' army. Although there are not many such people.

 

[Megan]

Fascinating information - thank you all for this information.