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Flags in the National Museum of Military History, Bulgaria

Last modified: 2011-09-23 by rob raeside
Keywords: bulgaria | national museum of military history | first bulgarian legion | bulgarian volunteers | preslav infantry | chirpan detachment |
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I visited the National Museum of Military History in Sofia, Bulgaria, on July 16th 2008. It is a great museum having lots of collections on display. I bought the Museum book showing lots of Bulgarian historical flags
Nozomi Kariyasu, 16 February 2009

See also:

Turkish Incursion to Sofia by Ottoman Sultan Murad I in 1388

[flag of the Turkish Incursion to Sofia by Ottoman Sultan Murad I in 1388] image by Eugene Ipavec, 16 February 2009

The picture shows red flag with three stars and crescent.
Nozomi Kariyasu, 16 February 2009

I suspect the hoist star and crescent should be horizontally centered; the odd arrangement may be due to aesthetic considerations, to make room for another flag passing in front of this one in the painting.
Eugene Ipavec, 16 February 2009

First Bulgarian Legion, 1862

[First Bulgarian Legion, 1862] image by Eugene Ipavec, 16 February 2009

Created by Georgi Rakovski, the 1st Bulgarian Legion took part in the siege and fight for taking Belgrade Fortress from the Ottomans. He used a blue, white and red horizontal tricolor flag.
Nozomi Kariyasu, 16 February 2009

3rd Bulgarian Volunteer Battalion

[flag of 6th Infantry Veliko Tarnovo Regiment] image located by Stoyan Antonov, 6 September 2009

3rd Bulgarian Volunteer Battalion in 1877-78 Russo-Turkish War (3rd Infantry Radomir Battalion of the Bulgarian Land Army), so called "Samara flag":
http://www.focus-news.net/?id=n1244707 (see also Battle of Samara flag).
Stoyan Antonov, 6 September 2009

This flag was made in Russia (in Samara) and gifted to Bulgarian volunteers in 1877 (presented near Ploesti, modern Romania).
Victor Lomantsov, 7 September 2009

More information about this flag can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samara_flag. After the 1877-78 War the Russian Provisional Government in Bulgaria formed the Bulgarian Land Army, and the 3rd Bulgarian Volunteer Battalion became the 3rd Infantry Radomir Battalion under the same Samara colours till 1881, when the 'uniform' flag was given. After that, the banner was kept in the Royal Palace in Sofia. In 1946 it was transferred to the National Museum of Military History. So, I may answer, that the flag is Russian by origin and Bulgarian by fate. The same fate has the banner of 5th Bulgarian Volunteer Battalion made in Kiev, that after the war became banner of 23rd Infantry Kazanlak Battalion of Bulgarian Land Army.
Stoyan Antonov, 7 September 2009

[flag of the Bulgarian volunteers, 1877] image redrawn by Eugene Ipavec, 16 February 2009

The Russian Emperor Alexander II declared war on Turkey for the liberation of Bulgaria on 24 April 1877. The Ottoman Army was totally defeated by Russian troops. A red, white and blue horizontal flag with a cross in the center was used as samara flag for the Bulgarian Volunteers.
Nozomi Kariyasu, 16 February 2009

Chirpan detachment used in 1885

[flag of Chirpan detachment used in 1885] image by Eugene Ipavec, 6 March 2009

On Sep 6th 1885 the troops of the garrison of Plivdiv together with the rebels armed detachments overthrew Roumelia's government and pronounced officially the unification of Bulgaria and Eastern Roumelia. The flag of Chirpan detachment used in 1885 is a red flag charged with a lion holding sword, and trampling a crescent, a common motif in East-European anti-Ottoman revolt flags. (rather odd lion; fish-faced, with no mane and wearing a smoking jacket.) Text reads "ПРАВДИНА СЕ ДОБИВА СЪ КРЪВНИНА", or "PRAVDINA SE DOBIVA S' KR'VNINA", which I make out as, roughly, "Justice is gained through bloodshed", plus the date "1885" and the word "Чирпанъ", "Ӕirpan'".
Nozomi Kariyasu and Eugene Ipavec, 6 March 2009

1st Battalion of 265th Volunteers regiment, 1916

[flag of the 1st Battalion of 265th Volunteers regiment, 1916] image by Eugene Ipavec, 24 February 2009

Bulgaria joined World War I and fought against Serbia and Romania. The flag of 1st Battalion of 265th Volunteers regiment is green flag with yellow cross.
Nozomi Kariyasu, 16 February 2009

Text reads:
"ЗA BҌPУ, ЦAPЯ И OTEЧECTBO.", or "ZA VERU, CARI I OTEČESTVO."; "For [the] faith, emperor and fatherland"
Eugene Ipavec, 24 February 2009

At first, one may think that the flag is Bulgarian, but actually this is a Russian colour, captured by a Bulgarian unit during the WWI. The correct label of that flag is: 265th Infantry Orenburg Battalion of the State Volunteer Force (in Russian: 265-я пешая Оренбургская дружина Государственного ополчения). The flag was captured on 23 Oct 1916 in the Battle of Kara Murad - a village to the North of Constanta (Romania) – by the 2nd Cavalry of the Bulgarian Army. The design of the flag is after the 1855 Model for State Volunteer Force (as it is shown here: http://www.vexillographia.ru/russia/rarmy089.htm).
Stoyan Antonov, 20 August 2011

Communist era combat flag

[Communist era combat flag] image by Eugene Ipavec, 1 March 2009

A Communist era Bulgarian combat flag is red with the national emblem.
Nozomi Kariyasu, 14 February 2009

The blue field of the shield only became official in 1967, but was used de facto before that. The lion should always have been golden, though, instead of dark red as here. The top text reads " ЗA NAШATA COЦИAЛИCTИЧECKA POДИHA!", or ZA NAŠATA SOCIALISTIČESKA RODINA!,  meaning if I'm not mistaken
"For our socialist birth (i.e. home) land!"
The bottom text is "HAPOДHA PEПУБЛIKA БЪЛГAPИЯ" or NARODNA REPUBLIKA BULGARIA, "People's Republic of Bulgaria."
Eugene Ipavec, 24 February 2009

7th Preslav infantry regiment

[Communist era combat flag] image by Eugene Ipavec, 1 March 2009

On Sep 7th 1940 in Craiova, Bulgaria and Romania signed an agreement for the return of South Dobruja. The red and green flag of the 7th Preslav infantry regiment welcomed officially South Dobruja.
Nozomi Kariyasu, 14 February 2009

Bulgarian National Volunteer Company

[Bulgarian National Volunteer Company flag] image by Eugene Ipavec, 5 March 2009

The flag of the Bulgarian National Volunteer Company is a white flag charged with red cross a lion and crossed swords.
Nozomi Kariyasu, 14 February 2009

The "Bulgarian Volunteer Company #4093" was founded on 20.10.1951 by 200 emigrants after the order of the General Headquarters of the American military forces in Europe (in Western Germany). The code-name of the company was 'Cteator Hesse' and it was enrolled to 112 Military center, ZIP code 757, USA. De facto it is the first Bulgarian company in the NATO. On 7.04.1953 it was rebased from Zeilsheim to Eschborn. From 20.06.1953 the company was rebased in Misau (?) (ZIP code 180) and 6950 Labor Service Center, ZIP code 227, US Army. From 20.10.1953 till 1964, when the company was disbanded, it was based in Germersheim.
Source: http://iris-bg.org.server10.host.bg/files/chapter5.pdf Appendix 10, pp. 373-378.
Stoyan Antonov, 4 March 2009

6th Infantry Veliko Tarnovo Regiment

[flag of 6th Infantry Veliko Tarnovo Regiment] image located by Ivan Sache, 29 August 2009

Source: http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=f2018

In its series on the colours of the Bulgarian army, the "Focus" news agency presents the flag of the Sixth Infantry Veliko Tarnovo Regiment. The relevant parts of the presentation are the following (slightly edited):

"The Sixth Infantry Tarnovo Regiment was established in the town of Veliko Tarnovo by Decree No. 41, dated October 12, 1884. The infantry received the flag of the Veliko Tarnovo 17th Foot Battalion on August 30, 1881.
[...]
During the Bulgarian-Serbian War (1885) the regiment took part in the fights against the Serbs at Neskov Vrah, Dragoman, Tsaribrod and Pirot.
[...]
During the Balkan War (1912-1913), part of the First Infantry Sofia Division, the regiment took part in the Lozengrad offensive operation, in the fights near Gechkenli and Seliolu, in the Lyuleburgas-Bunarhisar operation, triumphantly entering after a storm in Lyuleburgas. During the Second Balkan War (1913), the regiment fought against the Serbs as part of the Third Army down the valley of the Nishava River.
   During World War I, the regiment, part of the First Infantry Division of the First Army, took part in the Morava offensive operation and the Kosovo operation, in the conquering of Pirot. In September 1916, the regiment took part in the storm of the Tutrakan Stronghold, in the battle with Romanian-Russian troops near Kubadin. Being part of the First Infantry Sofia Division, it made a serious breakthrough at Kubadin Position on October 20 and 21, 1916. In the battles near Cherna Voda, it captured a Romanian flag. In end November 1916, the regiment took part in the Bucharest offensive and pursuit of Romanian and Russian troops to the Seret River. In April 1917, the regiment was commissioned to the South front, where it was left to break through at Dobro Pole. Under the Armistice with Bulgaria (also known as the Armistice of Thessalonica), as of September 29, 1918, all Bulgarian military officers located to the West of the Skopje meridian became hostages. To avoid surrendering the regiment’s colour to the enemy forces, a special command of officers and non-commissioned officers was formed to save the flag and return it to Bulgaria. In 1920, the regiment was reorganized, while in 1928 it was formed again.
   In 1891 the flag was awarded a Commemoration Medal for the Serbian-Bulgarian War (1885) and an Honorary song for the ten years of excellent service, while in 1920 it was honored with the Military Order of Bravery, 1st Degree, for the capturing of the Romanian flag. The colour is among the first regiment colour to be awarded the Commemoration Metallic Bracelet for the rescuing in 1923; those who rescued the flag were honored with a Flag Rescuing Sign. [...]"

The colour, shown on a photo attached to the article, follows the pattern of the colours of the time.
Source: http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=f2018
Ivan Sache, 29 August 2009

Flags featured on the Bulgarian Focus website

Stoyan Antonov, 6 September 2009