Securitat/Internal Affairs Insignia

[Greg Collins]

Not medals, but certainly items relating to the Securitate- two pairs of epaulets (RSR), one pair for a Colonel and the other for a Lieutenant flanking a badge of "Friend of Security Troops". The detail shows the common insignia used on both the epaulets and the badge.

[Greg Collins]

More items to show but, before I do let me clear up something. The Securitate (Departamentul Securităţii Statului, State Security Department) was not a particularly large organization in and of itself. The official members of this department had no "Securiatate uniform", but more often wore no uniform at all. In this respect they were quite secret in their day to day operations. When a uniform was called for, they wore the uniform of the branch of service to which they belonged- Army, Navy, Security Troops, Police, what have you. The only way to tell a bona fide Securitate agent, when he was in uniform, was by two awards- the Order for Distinguished Services in Defense of the Social Order and the Country and/or the Medal for Distinguished Services in Defense of the Social Order and the Country. These were the only purely Securitate awards.

Much has been said regarding the immense size of the Securitate with respect to the size of the Romanian population. This is due to the inclusion of:
A. Informers
B. Other support organizations from the Internal Ministry, to include:
1. Security Troops
2. Police (Militia)

Most individuals I have had contact with in Romania tend to group the aforementioned groups into the Securitate, which is what I have done here, but it is important to know there really is a difference.

Now, on to the "stuff". First, a very old pair of Militia shoulderboards for a Warrant Officer. These are early RPR period; I would say late 40's to mid 50's. Note that they depend on a button sewn to the uniform for support.

In an effort to make more understandable, what has helped me in coming closer to the "truth" about this organization is to think of the overall "Securitate community" as 4 separate entities:

1. The bona fide Securitate agents- a small, very secretive group of specially trained individuals, without particular uniform or insignia, whose loyalty to the Party is unquestioned.

2. The Security Troops- an army of specially selected, regimented, uniformed individuals who are afforded the best equipment and a somewhat higher life-style for their loyalty. They provide the "muscle" when a greater force is needed by the Securitate. They were, prior to 1947, the Gendarmerie... and that's what they are now.

3. The Militia- the police of the country at that time (1947-1989). Also provided muscle and internal knowledge of the citizenry that police have.

4. The informers- probably the largest group of individuals here. Their levels of loyalty and their reasons for informing probably defy categorization, but extremely useful in monitoring a country.

So, while the Security Troops and the Militia had both uniforms and insignia particular to who they were, the Securitate, in and of itself only (and excluding the two awards I pointed out in an earlier post today), did not. So like most of the DDR's MfS (Stasi) agents, if that member were in the Army, Navy, Airforce, Border Troops, etc., they would wear that uniform or, quite often in the exercise of their Securitate duties, no uniform at all. The only sure way to tell if someone was a Securitate agent is if they had one or both the awards I have mentioned. Take a look at the next post..

[Greg Collins]

Next, a pair of Lieutenant's boards from the same period. Note the appearance of the deep red colour (flash has brightened this up a bit- the actual colour is somewhere between red and maroon). This branch colour will apply to the Militia all the way until 1989.

[Greg Collins]

Next, a most recent issue pair of shoulderboards for a Militia Plutonier (Sergeant First Class) and matching collar tabs. The collar tabs have been simplified from the elongated and pointed collar tabs of the past. This is the type used on the display mannequin in the Romanian Police Museum. There are missing articles here- the silver buttons and the silver shields have been removed from the boards... maybe for use immediately following the 1989 revolution???

[Greg Collins]

Now a couple of Security Troop enlisted (other ranks) shoulderboards. The longer of the two is for a Plutonier (Sergeant First Class) from the RSR period (post 1965) while the shorter is from the RPR period and is for a Sergent Major (Staff Sergeant). These may have belonged to the same person.

[Greg Collins]

A detail of the button used on the shoulderboards. The button that reads "Romania" on the banner is on the longer board (RSR period), while the button reading "RPR" on the banner is from the shorter board.