Order of Freedom (Yugoslavia)

Highest military decoration of Yugoslavia

Order of Freedom

Order of Freedom badge and ribbon bar

Type| Military decoration with one degree
Country|  Yugoslavia
Serbia and Montenegro
Ribbon|
Eligibility| Military commanders
Awarded for| Skillful leadership and outstanding courage[1]
Statistics
Last induction| 16 June 1999
Total inductees| 7 (SFRY)
2 (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia)
Precedence
Next (higher)| Order of the People's Hero (1945-1955)
Yugoslav Great Star (after 1955)
Next (lower)| Order of the Partisan Star (1945-1955)
Order of the People's Hero (after 1955)[2]

Order of Freedom (Serbo-Croatian: Orden slobode / Орден слободе; Slovene: Red svobode; Macedonian: Орден на слободата, Orden na slobodata) was the highest military decoration awarded in Yugoslavia,[2][3] and the second highest Yugoslav state decoration after the Yugoslav Great Star. It was awarded to the commanders of large military units for skillful leadership and for the outstanding courage of the troops.[1] It was awarded to both Yugoslavian and foreign military commanders, and was the most rarely awarded of all Yugoslavian orders, decorations, and medals, being awarded only 7 times before the breakup of Yugoslavia.

After the breakup of Yugoslavia, the Order of Freedom was awarded in Serbia and Montenegro.

## History

[edit]

The Order of Freedom was founded on 12 June 1945 and was awarded by the Presidium of the AVNOJ (later Presidium of the People's Assembly of Yugoslavia). The recipient could be nominated by the Federal Executive Council (Government) of Yugoslavia, Executive Council of one of the Republics, Federal Secretary for Foreign Affairs or Federal Secretary for Defense.

After the breakup of Yugoslavia, the union of Serbia and Montenegro (formally Federal Republic of Yugoslavia until 2003) continued to use some of the decorations of former Yugoslavia, among them the Order of Freedom.[3] It was awarded by the President of FR Yugoslavia (later President of Serbia and Montenegro). It was the highest military decoration in FR Yugoslavia, and the third highest state decoration overall, after the Order of Yugoslavia and the Yugoslav Great Star.[4]

## Recipients

[edit]

The Order was awarded a total of 9 times — 7 times in SFR Yugoslavia[1] and 2 times in FR Yugoslavia (after the 1999 Kosovo War). The recipients were:

### FPR and SFR Yugoslavia

[edit]

* Josip Broz Tito — awarded on 29 November 1947[5]
* Ivan Gošnjak — awarded on 22 December 1951[6][7]
* Koča Popović — awarded on 22 December 1951[6]
* Georgy Zhukov — awarded on 20 June 1956[8]
* Peko Dapčević — awarded on 12 July 1973[9]
* Kosta Nađ — awarded on 22 December 1973[10]
* Leonid Brezhnev — awarded on 15 November 1976[11]

### FR Yugoslavia

[edit]

* Dragoljub Ojdanić — awarded on 26 November 1999[12][13]
* Nebojša Pavković — awarded on 26 November 1999[12][13]

## See also

[edit]

* Orders, decorations, and medals of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
* Orders and medals of Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
* Order of Freedom of the Republic of Slovenia
* Order of Freedom (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
* Order of Freedom (Kosovo)

## References

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Order of Freedom.

1. ^ a b c d Sammler.ru: Order of Freedom (in Russian)
2. ^ a b Orders and Decorations of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, 1945-90 by Lukasz Gaszewski 2000, 2003
3. ^ a b Standard magazin: Srbija ponovo dijeli odlikovanja Archived 16 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine, br.133, 05.12.2008. (in Serbo-Croatian)
4. ^ Orders and Decorations of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, 1990- by Lukasz Gaszewski 2000, 2003
5. ^ "На заједничкој седници оба већа Народне скушптине извршена је свечана предаја Ордена слободе маршалу Титу". Borba. XII (285): 2. 30 November 1947.
6. ^ a b "УКАЗИ ПРЕЗИДИЈУМА НАРОДНЕ СКУПШТИНЕ ФНРЈ О ОДЛИКОВАЊИМА И УНАОРЕЂЕЊИМА". Borba. XVI (306): 8. 22 December 1951.
7. ^ "ДР ИВАН РИБАР ПРЕДАО ВИСОКА ОДЛИКОВАЊА БОРЦИМА И РУКОВОДИОЦИМА НАРОДНООСЛОБОДИЛАЧКЕ БОРБЕ". Borba. XVII (121): 1. 15 June 1952.
8. ^ "Одликовани маршал Жуков и генерал армије Гошњак". Borba. XXI (159): 4. 21 June 1956.
9. ^ "Свечаност у Титограду". Borba. LII: 1. 13 July 1973.
10. ^ "ОРДЕН СЛОБОДЕ КОСТИ НАЂУ". Borba. LII (352): 1. 22 December 1973.
11. ^ "Признање за допринос борби против фашизма". Borba. LV (317): 1. 16 November 1976.
12. ^ a b "Орден слободе Ојданићу и Павковићу". Borba. LXXVII (167): 1. 16 June 1999.
13. ^ a b "Снажно јединство војске и народа у најтеже време". Borba. LXVII (331–334): 1, 3. 27–30 November 1999.

* v
* t
* e

Orders, decorations, and medals of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Orders|

* Order of the Yugoslav Star
* Order of Freedom
* Order of the People's Hero
* Order of the Hero of Socialist Labour
* Order of National Liberation
* Order of the War Banner
* Order of the Yugoslav Flag
* Order of the Partisan Star
* Order of the Republic
* Order of Merits for the People
* Order of Brotherhood and Unity
* Order of the People's Army
* Order of Labour
* Order of Military Merits
* Order of Bravery

Medals|

* Medal for Bravery
* Medal of Merits to the People
* Medal of Labour
* Medal for Military Merits
* Medal for Military Virtues
* Medal for Merits

Commemorative
medals|

* Commemorative Medal of the Partisans of 1941
* "Death to fascism, freedom to the people" Medal
* 10 Years of the Yugoslav People's Army Medal
* 20 Years of the Yugoslav People's Army Medal
* 30 Years of the Yugoslav People's Army Medal
* 30 Years of the Victory over Fascism Medal
* 40 Years of the Yugoslav People's Army Medal
* 50 Years of the Yugoslav People's Army Medal
* Distinguished Marksman Medal
* Medal for the Participants of President Tito's Visit to India and Burma
* Medals of the Association of Yugoslav Fighters in the International Brigades in Spain

* v
* t
* e

Highest military awards for gallantry

List of highest military decorations by country

Current|

* Argentine Nation to the Heroic Valour in Combat Cross (Argentina)
* National Hero of Armenia (Armenia)
* National Hero of Azerbaijan title (Azerbaijan)
* Bir Sreshtho (Bangladesh)
* Hero of Belarus title (Belarus)
* Order of Bravery (Bulgaria)
* Order of August First (China)
* Order of Duke Domagoj (Croatia)
* Valour Cross (Denmark)
* Cross of Liberty (Estonia)
* Mannerheim Cross (Finland)
* Légion d'honneur (France)
* Cross of Honour for Valour (Germany)
* Cross of Valour (Greece)
* Param Vir Chakra (wartime) / Ashoka Chakra (peacetime) (India)
* Order of Fat'h (Iran)
* Military Medal for Gallantry (Ireland)
* Medal of Valor (Israel)
* Gold Medal of Military Valor (Italy)
* Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa (Malaysia)
* Military Order of William (Netherlands)
* War Cross (Norway)
* Nishan-e-Haider (Pakistan)
* Medal of Valor (Philippines)
* War Order Virtuti Militari (wartime) / Order Krzyża Wojskowego (peacetime) (Poland)
* Order of the Tower and Sword (Portugal)
* Order of Michael the Brave (Romania)
* Hero of the Russian Federation title (Russian Federation)
* Order of the White Eagle with swords (Serbia)
* Order of the Somali Star (Somalia)
* Nkwe ya Gauta (South Africa)
* Laureate Cross of St. Ferdinand (Spain)
* Parama Weera Vibhushanaya (Sri Lanka)
* Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Sword (Sweden)
* Order of Rama (Thailand)
* Medal of Honor (Turkey)
* Order of Katonga (Uganda)
* Order of the Gold Star (Ukraine)
* Victoria Cross (United Kingdom
* Australia
* Canada
* New Zealand)
* Medal of Honor (United States)

Obsolete|

* Order of Saint Louis (Kingdom of France)
* Military Order of Maria Theresa (Austria-Hungary)
* Medal of Bravery (Kingdom of Hungary)
* Pour le Mérite (Kingdom of Prussia)
* Military Order of Max Joseph (Kingdom of Bavaria)
* Military Order of St. Henry (Kingdom of Saxony)
* Military Merit Order (Kingdom of Württemberg)
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Nazi Germany)
* Order of the Golden Kite (Empire of Japan)
* Order of Lāčplēsis (Latvia)
* Grand Cross of Valour (Rhodesia)
* Laureate Plate of Madrid (Second Spanish Republic)
* Castle of Good Hope Decoration (South Africa)
* Vietnam Military Merit Medal (South Vietnam)
* Hero of the Soviet Union (Soviet Union)
* Order of the Karađorđe's Star with Swords (Kingdom of Yugoslavia)
* Order of Freedom (SFR Yugoslavia)
* Grass Crown (Ancient Rome)
* Hero of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (Afghanistan)

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