PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA
NAVAL ENSIGNS & FLAGS, 1949-91
Bulgaria's transition from kingdom to socialist republic began in 1944-45, when the arrival of the Red Army of the USSR touched off a coup resulting in the swift abandonment of the German alliance. Though the monarchy lingered on for a time, by 1949 a full socialist regime was in place.
Socialist Bulgaria—officially, the People's Republic of Bulgaria—retained the white-green-red national flag, but communist symbols replaced royal ones. The naval ensign adopted in 1949 was a transitional design, with the crown removed from the head of the lion and a large red star on a white panel added beneath it. The naval jack and rank flags adopted at the same time bore a marked resemblance to those of the Soviet Union.
In 1955 a new naval ensign was introduced, very reminiscent of the Soviet naval ensign, and the lion was removed from the jack. The rank flags and pennants were also revised, but they still followed the Soviet pattern. Also introduced in 1955 was a range of ensigns and flags for the Border Guard.
All these flags were abandoned after 1990, when Bulgaria ceased to be a socialist state and revised designs were introduced.
Flag Proportions: Most naval flags of socialist Bulgaria were made in 2:3 proportions. Exceptions were the 1949-55 jack and the 1949-55 flag of the naval chief of staff with its unusual diagonal fly end. Some sources state that the 1955-90 jack's proportions were revised to 1:2 in the 1970's.
Credits: These drawings are based on images and information posted to the FOTW Mailing List by Zeljko Heimer.
Images Added August 2004
Minister of Defense & Minister of the Interior • 1955-91
