The Medal for The 25th Anniversary of the April Insurrection of 1876 is a Bulgarian medal founded by a royal decree and awarded to all the veterans who participated in the events of the spring of 1876.
While the first decorations were given personally by the Prince during the official ceremony held in the town of Panagyurishte, the rest were distributed to the local Veterans’ organizations in order to be awarded to the living participants of the insurgence.
The Medal for The 25th Anniversary of the April Insurrection of 1876 Design
The medal is circular and measures 34 millimeters in diameter. It was designed and manufactured in Bulgaria by the Nikola Sabev’s jewelry factory, and engraved by Boris Schatz.
The obverse bears a crowned lion with the motto of the insurgent and the day of its start inscribed in a semi-circle beneath it: “СВОБОДА ИЛИ СМЪРТЬ + 20 АПРИЛИЙ 1876 Г.” (“Freedom or death + 20 April 1876“). Along the edge there is a decorative ring made up of floral elements and rectangular plates, each bearing a name of a town that took a major part in the revolt: ПЕРУЩИЦА, КЛИСУРА, БАТАКЪ, КОПРИВЩИЦА and ПАНАГЮРИЩЕ.
The reverse bears a verse by the Bulgarian poet Hristo Botyov on six lines with a laurel branch beneath it: “ТОЗЪ КОЙТО ПАДНЕ ВЪ БОЙ ЗА СВОБОДА, ТОЙ НЕ УМИРА” (“They, who have fallen while fighting for their freedom, shall never die“). Along the edge and separated via four-pointed stars is inscribed: “ФЕРДИНАНДЪ Iй КНЯЗЬ БЪЛГАРСКИЙ НА ПОБОРНИЦИТѢ. 20 АПРИЛИИ 1901 Г.” (“Ferdinand Ist Knyaz (Prince) of Bulgaria [Gift] To the insurgents [veterans]. 20 April 1901“).
The ribbon is red, with green and white stripes n both edges.
