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Bulgaria, Peoples Republic, 1947-1990

by zeljko heimer 07-JUN-1997

Bulgarian flags of 1971
Bulgarian flags before 1971

See also:

Bulgaria

Bulgarian flag of 1971

The white over green over red Bulgarian flag with the states coat of arms in white stripe towards hoist.

The arms are: golden lion rampant tounged red in blue oval shield bordered golden, surrounded with wheat. Beneath the lion is white cog wheel, a red band with yellow dates 681 - 1944 and a tricolour band on both sides. Yellow bordered red star over it.

The dates represent important years in Bulgarian history. In 681 Bulgarians seteled the region, and 1944 is the year of the liberation of Bulgaria from Nazism.

According to W. Smith this flag was officially hoisted on 21-MAY-1971. The proportions are 3:5, and was used by goverment on land and sea and by army on land.

The flag was abandoned with the end of socialism (1990), when the socialist arms were removed.

On civil vessels the flag without arms was (and still is) used.

The Navy of Peoples Republic of Bulgaria used a flag based on Soviet Navy design, white over green over red in proportions 4:1:1 with big fivepointed red star in white towards the hoist.

I belive that this flag was used also before 1971 (probably since 1945), and I presume that it was abandoned now.

W. Smith showes two other flags in his book:

The flag of the President of the State Council - white green red flag with 4:1:1 flag in canton with arms in the place of the star.

The flag of the President of the Council of Ministers - same as naval flag but with arms in place of star.

zeljko heimer 07-JUN-1997

Bulgarian flags before 1971

by zeljko heimer 12-JUN-1997

The socialist arms used by Bulgaria prior to 1971 were similar to 1971 version, except that the ribbon at the base of the arms bore a single date: 9 IX 44 referring only to the date of liberation. I understand that there was a minor change in these 1947-1971 arms during the 1960's but I have never found any description of the change, nor have I found authentic drawings of the either design that I could compare (all the drawings I see seem to suffer somewhat from "artistic license" and it may indeed only be a different artistic rendition that was adopted in the '60's.)
nick artimovich 10-JUN-1997