bulgarian bravery award 3rd class or what is he wearing?

[kurzer]

HI guys
What award is he wearing on the picture?Is ist a bulgarian bravery award 3rd class ?Can you help me?

[hucks216]

I would say that it is a Bulgarian award but I don't know what class it is I'm afraid.

[Andrew Harris]

Hello.

It is Bulgarian Soldier Cross of Bravery II or IV grade.

Greetings, Rostyslav.

[kurzer]

Thank you Guys
Can you tell me what they had to do to get this cross?

[12thPanzer]

It was much like the requirements for the EK to my knowledge. Awarded for Acts of Bravery/Heroism on the battlefield.
To be honest, I have only just recently looked into these Crosses since I recieved an Award Document for the 1st Class grade Bulgarian Soldiers Cross that came with a 9th Panzer Div Grouping.
As you probly know, there were different levels/grades of the award depending on Rank....this one being for Enlisted men.
These could obviously only be worn until 1944.
(just to note: There were 2 different Award Documents for this Cross given to the Panzerman I am researching. One document was stating the Award and the instructions for finding it in the Wehrpass, and the other was just a regular Award Document for the Cross...stating Class/grade and date awarded )
Here is 1 document for example, that was mailed to his widowed wife - Bulgarische SoldatenKruez des Tapferkeitsordens

[kurzer]

Thank you for showing your document,it´s really interesting
Regards,
kurzer

[kaiserwilhelm2]

Yes indeed a very interesting document. Thanks for showing.

The question however is still somewhat unanswered. I believe the reason why some German soldiers were awarded foreign awards is that they were deployed in combined operations with allied foreign troops (Bulgarian, Rumanian, Italian and so on) and officers of those allied foreign troops recommended some German soldiers taking part in the combined action for their own (Bulgarian, Rumanian etc) medals. Whether or not something specific needed to be done is unclear. I expect nothing special was needed to get the Rumanian Crusade against Communism medal. Higher awards may however have required individual acts of bravery or military success. The Germans seem to have done the same as in some cases you encouter pictures of foreign troops with f.e. the EK1. This seems however to have been done less regularly - but then again I do not collect non-German, allied ribbon or medal bars, so the practice may have been more widespread than I think it was.

[12thPanzer]

Yes indeed a very interesting document. Thanks for showing.

The question however is still somewhat unanswered. I believe the reason why some German soldiers were awarded foreign awards is that they were deployed in combined operations with allied foreign troops (Bulgarian, Rumanian, Italian and so on) and officers of those allied foreign troops recommended some German soldiers taking part in the combined action for their own (Bulgarian, Rumanian etc) medals. Whether or not something specific needed to be done is unclear. I expect nothing special was needed to get the Rumanian Crusade against Communism medal. Higher awards may however have required individual acts of bravery or military success. The Germans seem to have done the same as in some cases you encouter pictures of foreign troops with f.e. the EK1. This seems however to have been done less regularly - but then again I do not collect non-German, allied ribbon or medal bars, so the practice may have been more widespread than I think it was.

Absolutely agree! Couldnt have said it better. I also agree that it seems we see More German troops with foreign awards, rather than the other way around.
I understand that the Bulgarian Soldiers Cross was awarded due to rank, but how was the class/grade of the medal chosen other than rank? Like, why was one awarded the 1st class without being awarded the 2nd/3rd/4th class first? Was this based upon the degree of the "Act of Bravery" or was it strictly based upon Rank alone? just curious

Here is the second Award Doc (if you would call it that) that explains the Posthumous Wehrpass entry:

[kaiserwilhelm2]

Most armies do/did not have such a strict consecutive award system as the Germans had with their EKs or KVKs. A German soldier had to have the EK 2 to receive the EK1 and had to receive the EK1 before he could either receive the DKiG or the KC, you needed the KC to be able to get the oakleaves and so on. This meant that if you had an amazing military success like for example Witzig capturing Eben Emal Fort in 1940 he got the EK2, EK1 and RK simultaneously as one of course had to stick to the rules, so no RK without EK2 and EK1. I think Bulgarians and so on had various grade medals (higher officers, junior officers, and non-officers) and possibly higher grades within the awardee category to merrit greater or lesser actions, but did not have a consecutive award system - so you could get the first grade without having had the lower grades.

[12thPanzer]

Most armies do/did not have such a strict consecutive award system as the Germans had with their EKs or KVKs. A German soldier had to have the EK 2 to receive the EK1 and had to receive the EK1 before he could either receive the DKiG or the KC, you needed the KC to be able to get the oakleaves and so on. This meant that if you had an amazing military success like for example Witzig capturing Eben Emal Fort in 1940 he got the EK2, EK1 and RK simultaneously as one of course had to stick to the rules, so no RK without EK2 and EK1. I think Bulgarians and so on had various grade medals (higher officers, junior officers, and non-officers) and possibly higher grades within the awardee category to merrit greater or lesser actions, but did not have a consecutive award system - so you could get the first grade without having had the lower grades.

Ahh! Okay, this is what I figured about the Bulgarian/Foreign Awards. Thank you for confirming that for me! So basically rank and a persons Actions were the deciding factor for award grade/class. I still like how the Germans constructed there Award system, to be honest!