Founded on July 9, 1945, the title was awarded by the Presidium of the People's Assembly acting on a recommendation from the government. The main recipients were soldiers, officers, warrant officers, and generals in both the armed forces and in the Ministry of the Interior. The motives for issuing the award were as follows:
For heroic acts in the accomplishment of duties while defending the territory of Albania;
For personal or collective heroic accomplishments in time of war;
For courage and resolve in directing military units to victory against the enemy under difficult combat situations, thus rendering a great service to the state and to the people.[1]
Recipients received a certificate of the title as well as the badge (medallion). The families of those recipients who died or were declared missing were entitled to a monthly pension of ALL 3,000, independent of any other pension or source of revenue. The recipient or the family of a recipient who was either killed or died had priority rights in the acquisition of travel vouchers. They also had priority entitlement in admission to all schools or courses of special instruction. Upon the death of the recipient, the medal itself would be returned to the Presidium of the People's Assembly, while the certificate could be retained by the family as a memento.
A total of 151 people received the title. Enver Hoxha was given the award twice. In the list below, those marked with an asterisk had their titles revoked when they were later branded as “enemies of socialism” and were eventually executed. Hoxha himself and other leaders of the communist party had their titles revoked by decree No.1018, issued on 13 February 1995, for crimes against the people.
