- Order of Skanderbeg
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Not to be confused with the current Skanderbeg's Order.
Star and Knight's cross of the Order
The Order of Skanderbeg (Albanian: Urdhëri i Skënderbeut) was instituted in 1925 as an Order of Merit of the Republic of Albania. It was abolished the Communist government in 1945 and replaced by a newaward of the same name. Skanderbeg is the national hero of the Albanian people.
Contents
Description
The Communist version of the Order was created on 13 October 1945 with three classes. The medal design incuded an image of Skanderbeg on a five pointed star and the ribbons were red with 1 to 3 blue stripes according to class of award.
It was awarded to officers of the Albanian Peoples Army and the Ministry of Internal Affairs as a recognition of services to the country and the people for the organization, modernisation and reinforcement of the armed forces.
History
The president and later king of Albania, Ahmet Zogu founded the order as an order with four grades. After the Italian annexation of Albania his successor, Victor Emanuel III, King of Italy and of Albania, Emperor of Ethiopia, added a fifth grade, Officer, in 1940.
In 1945 the People's Republic of Albania decided to abolish the order. In that same year a new order with the same name was founded, along the lines of the Socialist Orders of Merit, with three grades. It was awarded until the fall of Albanian Communism in 1990. Another honorary award bearing Skanderbeg's name, Skanderbeg's Order, has been instituted by the current Albanian Republic.
Recipients
- Xhemal Aranitasi, former commander in chief of the Royal Albanian Army
- Julian Amery
- Sir Edward Boyles
- 1930 Lt-Col Edward Cuthbert de Renzy-Martin (Commander)
- 1930 Lt-Col Herbert John Mackenzie (Commander)
- 1930 Lt-Col Walter Francis Stirling (Grand Cordon)
- 1934 Edwin Cripwell (Commander), Hon Albanian Consul in London
- 1937 Lt-Cmder Conway Vivian Dodgson (Commander)
- 1937 Captain Walter Edwin Bredin (Commander)
- Sir Jocelyn Percy
See also
Categories:- Orders, decorations, and medals of Albania
- Skanderbeg
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