Kolev, Ivan (general)

He graduated from the Bolgrad gymnasium. Since 1884 he served as assistant secretary, and then secretary of the Sofia District Court. Volunteer entered the Student Legion, which participated in the Serbian-Bulgarian War of 1885 . He graduated from the Military School in Sofia ( 1887 ), the Military Academy in Turin ( Italy ; 1894 ).

In 1887 he entered the service of the 3rd cavalry regiment, in 1894 - 1896 he served as senior adjutant of the 1st Infantry Division. Then he held the positions of special assignment officer at the cavalry division, adjutant of the cavalry division, senior adjutant and chief of staff of the cavalry inspection, assistant commander of the cavalry regiment life guard. In 1907 - 1908 he trained in the army of Austria-Hungary .

Since 1908 - commander of the Life Guards Cavalry Regiment.

In 1912 , at the beginning of the First Balkan War , he was the chief of staff of the fortified point Yambol, since October - an officer for assignments at the headquarters of the army, since November 1912, he served as chief of staff of the 3rd Army. Since May 21, 1913 (including during the Second Balkan War ) he was the chief of staff of the 5th Army. From October 21, 1913 - commander of the 1st Cavalry Brigade, from October 1914 - chief of staff of the 10th Infantry Division.

Participation in World War I

On August 2, 1915, Ivan Kolev was promoted to major general. During the First World War , from May 1916 he was an inspector of the cavalry and commander of the 1st Cavalry Division. Under his command, the division took part in the successful offensive of the 3rd Army in Dobrudja . Participated in the battles of Kurtbunar, Kochmar, Karapelit, Dobrich , Toprahisar, Tekirgöl, Kyustenje, Cherná Voda and Machin , fighting against the Russian, Serbian and Romanian troops. On January 3, 1917, the dismounted cavalry division overcame the defensive barriers and stormed the strongly fortified Machin position. For his military exploits, Kolev was awarded the Iron Cross "For Courage".

General Kolev proved to be a skilled cavalry chief, a good tactician, tried to protect the lives of his subordinates (189 people died and 965 were injured in three months of fighting in the division, which is much less than the losses of other Bulgarian military units). All this time, the general suffered military hardships along with the personnel of the division, participating in the fighting on his black stallion Pirin.

He became seriously ill and in May 1917 he left for treatment in Vienna, where he died. The day before his death, July 28, 1917, was promoted to lieutenant general.

His remains were transferred to Sofia, where they were buried. German Field Marshal August von Mackensen , who commanded the forces of the Central Powers in the Balkans , compared Kolev with Frederick the Great , who was also a well-known cavalryman. Kolev is known as the "father of the Bulgarian cavalry."

In honor of Ivan Kolev, two Bulgarian villages named General Kolevo (in the regions of Varna and Dobrich) were named, a memorial plate was installed in Dobrich. The poem of Ivan Vazov “Dobrudjan cavalry” is dedicated to him. In 2007, a civilian committee was set up for the construction of the monument to General Kolev, which was headed by Director of the Institute of History of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Georgi Markov. In 2006, the book of Dobrudjan local historian Georgi Kazanjiev was published: General Ivan Kolev - the epic of one life "(" Bulgarian. Lieutenant General Ivan Kolev - the epic on one stomach ").

• Since April 27, 1887 - second lieutenant.
• Since May 18, 1890 - lieutenant.
• Since August 2, 1894 - captain.
• ? - major.
• Since February 14, 1904 - lieutenant colonel.
• Since October 15, 1908 - Colonel.
• Since August 2, 1915 - Major General.
• Since July 28, 1917 - lieutenant general.

• Order "For Courage" 2nd and 3rd degrees, 1st and 2nd grade.
• Order "St. Alexander" 3rd degree with swords.
• Order of Military Merit of the 4th degree and 5th grade on a military tape.
• Order of Merit on an ordinary ribbon.
• Iron Cross 2nd class ( Germany ).

• Biography
• Biography
• Glorious commander of the Bulgarian cavalry