1 st ▁class ▁which ▁he ▁received ▁by ▁right ▁as ▁an ▁he ir ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 4 . ▁ ▁The ▁order ▁was ▁first ▁awarded ▁on ▁ 1 7 ▁April ▁ 1 8 8 0 ▁when ▁ 3 3 ▁participants ▁in ▁the ▁Rus so - T urk ish ▁War ▁( 1 8 7 7 – 1 8 7 8 ) ▁received ▁the ▁order . ▁Several ▁days ▁later ▁on ▁ 2 4 ▁April ▁( 6 ▁May ▁NS , ▁the ▁Day ▁of ▁St ▁George ), ▁the ▁order ▁was ▁awarded ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁to ▁a ▁civil ian ▁person . ▁ ▁Between ▁ 1 9 3 7 ▁and ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁the ▁sign ▁of ▁the ▁Order ▁of ▁Bra very ▁I ▁grade , ▁ 1 st ▁class ▁was ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁symbol ▁of ▁the ▁Bulgar ian ▁Air ▁Force ▁in ▁analog ue ▁with ▁the ▁Iron ▁Cross ▁which ▁was ▁the ▁traditional ▁symbol ▁of ▁the ▁Luft wa ffe . ▁Several ▁German ▁officers ▁received ▁this ▁award ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁mon archy ▁the ▁orders ▁and ▁the ▁med als ▁of ▁the ▁Kingdom ▁of ▁Bulg aria ▁were ▁fully ▁subst it uted ▁with ▁other ▁ones . ▁On ▁ 1 5 ▁September ▁the ▁Order ▁of ▁Bra very ▁ceased ▁to ▁exist . ▁ ▁Description ▁ ▁Order ▁of ▁Bra very ▁Grand ▁Cross ▁of ▁the ▁Order ▁of ▁Bra very ▁ ▁The ▁Grand ▁Cross ▁was ▁awarded ▁only ▁to ▁the ▁r uler ▁who ▁was ▁a ▁Grand ▁Master ▁of ▁the ▁order . ▁It ▁consisted ▁of ▁a ▁neck lace , ▁a ▁star