A set of three Communist Youth Organization badges
We present you a set of three badges awarded by the Communist Youth Organizations. The badges are actually the official symbols of the three organizations we will give you information about below.
General information
Official Communist Youth Organization “Chavdarche” It is named after the national hero Chavdar Voivoda, a rebels’ leader who lived before 1878 and fought against the Turks. The members of the organization had to be 7-10 years old. Their identification mark was the blue tie with the presented badge on. The organization’s main goal was to bring up the children, cultivate their talents and teach them how to be model citizens and workers. It is interesting to know that these children, the so called “chavdarcheta” had a moral code of norms which were in the form of rhyming lines and were to be learned by heart. These rhymed norms taught the little followers to study hard, to wear neat and clean clothes, to help the old people or anyone who is in trouble. The children were also expected to prepare for becoming model pioneers. The organizations are formed at the local schools and there was a teacher who was in charge of the kids, supervising their development. As it goes to the structure, the organization was divided into teams and units. This is the first step a youth is to make before joining the other Communist youth structures: the pioneer and the Dimitrov youth organizations.
Official Communist Youth Organization “Pioneer” The Dimitrov pioneer organization “Septemvriyche” used to be the wide- spread organization of the Bulgarian Republic’s young people. Its members had to be between 10-16 years of age. They wore red ties with the presented badge on to indicate their belonging to the organization. The organization’s main goal was to bring up the children, cultivate their talents and teach them how to be model citizens and workers. The reason why the organization’s name is “Septemvriiche” (roughly September child) is because there were a lot of events of historic importance for the Communist party that took place in September: the September antifascist uprising against in 1923, the beginning of the 45-year Communist regime in 9 September 1945, etc. There were organized brigades through which the pioneers gave their contribution to the agriculture sector. The development of the pioneers’ talents was also encouraged: there were competitions first organized on home soil and later internationally. Thus the pioneers proved their talents in art and sciences.
It was actually the step before oneÂ’s joining DKMS (the Dimitrov Communist Youth organization whose members had to be older than 16 years). There were usually held conferences of the Pioneer leaders and common members.
What is written on this pioneer badge is “Always ready to help", emphasizing the pioneers’ leading principle to help in every given situation. The image of Georgi Dimitrov is on the averse of the badge.
The official Dimitrov Communist Youth Organization This organizationÂ’s members were older than 16 and their role model was Georgi Dimitrov. The greatest honor for them was to be admitted to the rows of the Bulgarian Communist Party. The members of this organization were students at their final stage of secondary education as well as university students. Again, the organizationÂ’s main goal was to bring up the youths, cultivate their talents and teach them how to be model citizens and workers. If one proved a devoted member of the organization, the future professional development and the PartyÂ’s membership were the logical consequence of oneÂ’s loyalty.
The Dimitrov organization members had to follow a special code of rules and norms which aimed to prepare the Comsomol youths for their future joining the Communist party. What was focused on was the ideological training. Together with the brigades in help to the agriculture sector there were organized summer camps for the Comsomol members of higher status as well as for the ones of special talents. This was a kind of ideological school as teaching ideology was the activity that was mostly practiced. Developing the leaderÂ’s qualities of the youths was also paid serious attention.
As one can rightly guess the patron of the organization, Georgi Dimitrov, is presented on the averse side of the badge.
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