^{This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website}

Peoples Republic of Bulgaria: Goevernment and Army Flags, 1955

Introduction
Chairman of the Presidium of the People's Assembly
Chairman of the Ministry Council
Minister of People's Defence
Chief of the General Staff of the Bulgarian People's Army
Commander of the Border Army
Chief of Staff of the Border Army

See also:

Introduction

Ivanov (1998) explains how near the end of 1954 an official initiative was made to change the naval flags, due their incompatibility with the "modern needs and organization of the Navy, Border Army and DOSO". In the proper channels the flags were adopted by political bodies, and then through the military command line, so that finally an order of the Commander of the Fleet of 18 July 1955 established the date for the first use of these flags on 24 July 1955. Decree #371 of 18 December 1954 issued by the Presidium of the People's Assembly may be considered as the day of adoption.

In Ivanov (1998) are given descriptions of flags from this decree as well as six pages of reproductions of flag images that appear to be from that decree. In this presentation I follow the order of the flags from Ivanov (1998).

As I suggested yesterday, the system of flags adopted in Bulgaria in 1954/55 is clearly based on the Soviet model adopted few years before (1950).
Željko Heimer, 15 September 2001

Chairman of the Presidium of the People's Assembly

2:3, by Željko Heimer

The national tricolour flag with a flag in canton similar to the naval ensign in which the star is replaced with the coat of arms. This is the flag of the head of state. With the 1971 constitutional changes, the title of the head of state was changed, but since the coat of arms was changed in the meantime, we'll cover that change eventually. As noted above, this flag particularly well shows that the two bottom stripes are together less wide than 1/3 of the hoist.
Željko Heimer, 15 September 2001

Chairman of the Ministry Council

2:3, by Željko Heimer

As the naval ensign with the coat of arms in place of the red star. In modern terms this would be the flag of prime-minister.
Željko Heimer, 15 September 2001

Minister of People's Defence

2:3, by Željko Heimer

Minister of People's Defence (Flag na minist'ra na narodnata otbrana). A flag in the pattern of the naval ensign, in which the red star is surrounded with a golden-yellow wreath with a ribbon. As the naval ensign, but the red star is surrounded with golden wreath.
Željko Heimer, 15 September 2001

Minister of Interior

2:3, by Željko Heimer

Minister of Interior (Flag na minist'ra ba v'treshnite raboti).
A green rectangular flag with the Minister of Defence flag set in the canton (i.e. the naval ensign with golden wreath around the star).
Željko Heimer, 15 September 2001

Chief of the General Staff of the Bulgarian People's Army

2:3, by Željko Heimer

Chief of the General Staff of the Bulgarian People's Army (Flag na nachalnika na Generalniya shtab na BNA). As the naval ensign with two golden rifles in saltire set behind the red star.
Željko Heimer, 15 September 2001

Commander of the Border Army

2:3, by Željko Heimer

Commander of the Border Army (Flag na komanvishtya granichni voiski). As the Senior Flag Officer, but a green flag. Ivanov (1998) noted that in the process of adoption of these flags the Ministry of Interior proposed that this flag be introduced instead of the flag for the Chief of Staff. The proposal was accepted by the Ministry of Defence, but in the final documents both flags were included.
Željko Heimer, 15 September 2001

Pennant

2:7, by Željko Heimer

Border Army Division Commander Pennant (Breid-vimpel na komandira na divizion korabi ot Granichni voiski). A pennant consisting of the naval ensign at the hoist to which is attached a swallow-tailed green triangular pennant.
Željko Heimer, 20 January 2004

Chief of Staff of the Border Army

2:3, by Željko Heimer

Chief of Staff of the Border Army (Flag na nachalnik shtaba na Granichni voiski). A green flag with the naval ensign in the canton and a white five-pointed star in the fly.
Željko Heimer, 20 January 2004

Border Army Group Commander Pennant

2:7, by Željko Heimer

Border Army Group Commander Pennant (Breid-vimpel na komandir na otryad granichni korabi). A pennant consisting of the naval ensign at the hoist to which is attached a green triangular pennant.
Željko Heimer, 20 January 2004