Bulgaria - Medal For Participation in the Anti-Fascist Struggle

[Bill Harris]

Hello forum,

I have seen the Medal For Participation in the Anti-Fascist Struggle (За Участие В Антифашистката Борба) also described as the “Partisan Medal”. The description I see online mentions the “struggle against Fascism and Capitalism”, a very broad qualification indeed. Can anyone explain exactly what this medal was awarded for? Was it really for partisans involved in fighting the Germans within Bulgaria, or was there a different/broader criteria?

[Graf]

Hi Bill,

 

The medal was instituted on 15 June 1948

Initially was named Medal for participation in the Partisan Movement

The name was change by Decree on December 1950 to a medal for Participation in the  Anti-Fascist Struggle.

 

The Medal came in one class and to be given only once to participants in the struggle against fascism and capitalism

The medal was worn on the left breast suspended from a triangular ribbon.

 

For the participants in the War against Germany, after Bulgaria switched sides, another Medal was awarded

The Medal for patriotic War 1944-1945 The Medal was instituted By a Directive-Law on 9 of September 1945

This medals was given to all participants from 9 September 1944 till 9September 1945. It was awarded also Allied Armies servicemen The deadline for the awarding was set by 31 December 1950

 

I hope this will help

 

 

Graf

 

Edited February 12 by Graf

[ChrisKelly]

Which ribbon is correct?

 

Sources:

 

https://www.relicmilitaria.com/product/bulgaria-medal-for-participation-in-the-anti-fascist-struggle-partisan-medal/

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/125026447688

 

[Graf]

On the second set of pictures The red ribbon with white stripe is for the Medal of Military Merit and was awarded to military men

7 hours ago, Graf said:

Hi Bill,

 

The medal was instituted on 15 June 1948

Initially was named Medal for participation in the Partisan Movement

The name was change by Decree on December 1950 to a medal for Participation in the  Anti-Fascist Struggle.

 

The Medal came in one class and to be given only once to participants in the struggle against fascism and capitalism

The medal was worn on the left breast suspended from a triangular ribbon.

 

For the participants in the War against Germany, after Bulgaria switched sides, another Medal was awarded

The Medal for patriotic War 1944-1945 The Medal was instituted By a Directive-Law on 9 of September 1945

This medals was given to all participants from 9 September 1944 till 9September 1945. It was awarded also Allied Armies servicemen The deadline for the awarding was set by 31 December 1950

 

I hope this will help

 

 

Graf

 

The Ribbon of the Medal for patriotic War 1944-1945 had a black stripe on the middle when the medal was given post mortem. ( posthumously ).

[steveBobby]

Greeting Bill

Before we can answer this question, we need to go back to the starting point. After September 9, 1944 in Bulgaria, the Fatherland Front coalition government formed by the Bulgarian Communist Party began to provide social benefits and other privileges on a large scale to partisans who participated in the opposition to the government between 1941 and 1944. 

This includes a law called the Law on Assistance to Victims of Fascism, which is intended to help guerrilla members or guerrilla assistants who suffered government persecution, casualties, imprisonment or confiscation of land during the above period to obtain necessary welfare relief.

Against the background of this law, the Union of Bulgarian People's Partisans or the Union of Anti-Fascist Fighters was established. It required that a badge with the title "Fighting for the People's Freedom in 1941-1944" and its certificate be issued in the name of the Bulgarian Ministry of War based on the Union's data. Its function was to provide the recipient with the necessary proof of being a partisan fighter. In July 1945, the first national congress of Bulgarian partisans was organized by the future Bulgarian leader Todor Zhivkov. At the congress, a new organizational charter was adopted, requiring the inclusion of not only partisans from 1941-1944, but also all participants in the anti-fascist struggle on a larger scale.

Therefore, according to the Regulations on the Award of Orders and Medals adopted by the National Assembly Resolution No. 649 in 1950, the Medal for Participants in the Anti-Fascist Struggle has the following provisions: "The Medal for Participants in the Anti-Fascist Struggle is awarded to guerrillas, members of combat groups and their guerrilla helpers who participated in the struggle against the fascist dictatorship."

Later, the scope of the organization continued to expand and evolved into a part of the Bulgarian Anti-Fascist and Capitalist Fighters' Union. In response to this new change, the new provisions for the medal for anti-fascist struggle participants in the Law of the People's Republic of Bulgaria on Spiritual Encouragement passed in 1974 were: "The medal for anti-fascist struggle participants is awarded once and for all to those who participated in the anti-fascist and capitalist struggle."

Therefore, in my opinion, the answer to this question is that the scope of recipients was constantly expanding, and it not only included the partisans from 1941 to 1944, but also included a large number of other potential recipients from 1923 to 1944.

I hope this information is helpful to you.

Yours

Steve

 

 

 

[ChrisKelly]

I found these sources.  I hope I got the correct medal.

 

 

 

https://booksfrombulgaria.com/bg-ordersandmedals/pavlov.htm

 

https://katzauction.com/lot/540341

 

[Graf]

8 hours ago, steveBobby said:

Greeting Bill

Before we can answer this question, we need to go back to the starting point. After September 9, 1944 in Bulgaria, the Fatherland Front coalition government formed by the Bulgarian Communist Party began to provide social benefits and other privileges on a large scale to partisans who participated in the opposition to the government between 1941 and 1944. 

This includes a law called the Law on Assistance to Victims of Fascism, which is intended to help guerrilla members or guerrilla assistants who suffered government persecution, casualties, imprisonment or confiscation of land during the above period to obtain necessary welfare relief.

Against the background of this law, the Union of Bulgarian People's Partisans or the Union of Anti-Fascist Fighters was established. It required that a badge with the title "Fighting for the People's Freedom in 1941-1944" and its certificate be issued in the name of the Bulgarian Ministry of War based on the Union's data. Its function was to provide the recipient with the necessary proof of being a partisan fighter. In July 1945, the first national congress of Bulgarian partisans was organized by the future Bulgarian leader Todor Zhivkov. At the congress, a new organizational charter was adopted, requiring the inclusion of not only partisans from 1941-1944, but also all participants in the anti-fascist struggle on a larger scale.

Therefore, according to the Regulations on the Award of Orders and Medals adopted by the National Assembly Resolution No. 649 in 1950, the Medal for Participants in the Anti-Fascist Struggle has the following provisions: "The Medal for Participants in the Anti-Fascist Struggle is awarded to guerrillas, members of combat groups and their guerrilla helpers who participated in the struggle against the fascist dictatorship."

Later, the scope of the organization continued to expand and evolved into a part of the Bulgarian Anti-Fascist and Capitalist Fighters' Union. In response to this new change, the new provisions for the medal for anti-fascist struggle participants in the Law of the People's Republic of Bulgaria on Spiritual Encouragement passed in 1974 were: "The medal for anti-fascist struggle participants is awarded once and for all to those who participated in the anti-fascist and capitalist struggle."

Therefore, in my opinion, the answer to this question is that the scope of recipients was constantly expanding, and it not only included the partisans from 1941 to 1944, but also included a large number of other potential recipients from 1923 to 1944.

I hope this information is helpful to you.

Yours

Steve

 

 

 

Thank Steve for the additional information