"Gratitude" Certificates.

[Nota Bene]

Dolf,

This is one of the WWII certificates of commendation. When units got commended for taking part in an operation, rank and file received those. They are fairly common. Tons of variations exist.

Alexei

[Dolf]

Originally Posted by Nota Bene

Dolf,

This is one of the WWII certificates of commendation. When units got commended for taking part in an operation, rank and file received those. They are fairly common. Tons of variations exist.

Alexei

Alexei,

Thanks a lot for the clarification.
Can we consider this one in "good" condition, or is it an easy to find item in better condition, for the fair price mentioned by Eugene?
This one is 24 X 18 cm. Is it the average size?

Best,

Dolf

[Nota Bene]

Dolf,

I would say it is in average condition. They are usually quite worn, and some speciments with very minor tear and wear can command better prices.

Alexei

[EricFG]

Is that what this is?
Sorry for the poor quality scan, it's all I have to go on.
I'm told it has a 1945 date on it although it's impossible to tell from the scan.

[Nota Bene]

Eric,

No, it's not. I don't think there was ever an official document for the Guards badge.

This one says was issued to Private Kovtun, Piotr Stepanovitch, and says that Commander-in-Chief Stalin had issued a commendation to the 5th Ukranian Front, which includes the recipient, who took part in action to capture Vienna. The Guards badge on the certificate indicates that it was a Guards unit.

Alexei

[EricFG]

I got this Saturday. I think it's a certificate for participating in a battle in 1944. But I'm not sure which one.
Hopefully I'll have better luck then my last stab at translating paper. :p

The document:

СПРАВКА

выдана гвардии

в том что ему Верховный Главнокомандующий Маршал Советского Союза товарищ Сталин приказом от 10 марта 1944 года об-явил благодарность за участие в осуществлении прорыва вражеской обороны и разгроме Уманьско-Христиновской группировки немцев


The translation:

The INQUIRY - - is given out guards - - in that that to it the Supreme commander in chief the Marshal of Soviet Union companion Stalin by the order from March, 10th, 1944 about-show gratitude for participation in realisation of break of enemy defence and defeat of Umansko-Hristinovsky grouping of Germans
Yoi!

[UQWozza]

Nice item Eric -one of the massive variety of these documents.

I came across this operation in:

The Kremlin's Scholar By Dmitrii Shepilov, Stephen V. Bittner, Anthony Austin

"In bloody battles in Ukraine, on the left bank of the Dnieper river, the enemy was crushed. We succeeded in crossing the Dnieper. In Operation Korsun-Shevchenko, we trapped the Germans in another “Stalingrad boiler room”; we did a superb job with Operation Uman-Khristinov, forced our way across the Southern Bug and Dniester Rivers, and reached the borders of the USSR. Then came the brilliant Operation Jassy-Kishinev. After that our glorious 4th Guards Army, in which I was a top member of the Military Council, fought successfully for the liberation of Romania, Yugoslavia, Hungary, and Austria. We crowned this with the capture of Vienna."

I believe the Uman referred to is a city located in the Cherkasy Oblast in central Ukraine.

Simon

[EricFG]

Many thanks Simon!

I came across quite a few "Umansko-Hristinovsky" when doing a translated websearch but could not make heads nor tails of that.
edit: Uman (Ukrainian: Умань) is a city located in the Cherkasy Oblast (province) in central Ukraine, to the east of Vinnytsia. The city rests on the banks of the Umanka River and serves as the self-governing administrative center of the Umanskyi Raion (district).



Some other info on this man indicates he was in the 794th Rifle Regiment, 232 Rifle Division*, 2nd Ukrainian Front.
That Front included the 4th Guards Army.

edit: 232nd Rifle Division—6000 чел. (начало сборов 1.06.41, Kharkov MD). Established at Chernigov prior to 6.41 and wiped out at Kiev 9.41. Recreated at Biysk 1.42, fought at Voronezh, Kiev, and Iasi. With 40th Army of the 2nd Ukrainian Front 5.45.


* perhaps less well known as the "232nd Rifle Sumsko-Kievskaya Order of Lenin Order of the Red Banner Order of Suvorov Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky Division":cool:. Try saying that in one breath! :rolleyes:

[kiwiussr]

Hi
just trying to find out some information on some documents I have.
I am looking to see what type and for what the documents are awarded and to whom

cheers for all and any help
wayne

[jefflgarrison]

Individual citations given for the taking of a city or cities. Last one seems to be for Warsaw.

Can you reshoot the photos to show the middle section between Stalins profile and the drawing? Then we can tell which cities these were for.