Swapping medals

jefflgarrison · 12-31-2006, 10:26 AM

Anyone ever heard of Soviet soldiers swapping the medals they were given with soldiers from another country during the war?

I know it is a stupid question but it will lay to rest one of my wonders about a medal I have.

Thanks.

Tretov · 12-31-2006, 11:01 AM

I've understood that the awards were actually property of the Soviet state, and in those times - I am not sure I would dare to swap them for some foreign nicknack?

willie777 · 12-31-2006, 11:41 AM

Your superiors are still gonna notice a missing "Combat Service" medal if you ever march on parade.

kingsnorth · 12-31-2006, 02:49 PM

I'm not sure about swapping medals when Stalin was alive but they certainly swapped/sold them during the latter years of the USSR.A friend of mine built up a good collection of Soviet awards when he was in the army and posted
to Germany.He made regular journeys into East Germany as I did.
Unfortunately I wasn't a collector then damn it.

Cheers
Keith

January · 12-31-2006, 02:55 PM

I know that firefighters have something of a tradition of swapping cap badges. (I got a wonderful pre-1975 Nigerian National Fire Brigade cap badge from a retired firefighter in the UK last year.) It would make more sense with any given piece of uniform accoutrement other than a medal, though, since things like cap badges and collar tabs could easily be purchased.

Perhaps the veteran whose awards you got was a collector himself?

jefflgarrison · 12-31-2006, 07:53 PM

According to the nephew the swap, if it was a swap, was done in spring 1945 on the Drava in Hungary.

Makes me think he was awarded the star and didn't swap it.

***desantnik*** · 01-01-2007, 12:30 AM

Jeff, Russians are extremely generous and crazy things do happen, especially after copious vodka toasts to victory, but I really doubt a swap of a combat decoration would have occurred. A Guards badge or cap star - maybe, but an order or medal - unlikely.

12-31-2006, 10:26 AM	#1
jefflgarrison Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Gdańsk, Poland Age: 59 Posts: 381	Swapping medals Anyone ever heard of Soviet soldiers swapping the medals they were given with soldiers from another country during the war? I know it is a stupid question but it will lay to rest one of my wonders about a medal I have. Thanks. __________________ "Who will come to us with a sword - will be killed by a sword. Who will come to us with a feather - will be tickled by a feather!" - citation of Alexander Nevski

12-31-2006, 07:53 PM	#6
jefflgarrison Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Gdańsk, Poland Age: 59 Posts: 381	According to the nephew the swap, if it was a swap, was done in spring 1945 on the Drava in Hungary. Makes me think he was awarded the star and didn't swap it. __________________ "Who will come to us with a sword - will be killed by a sword. Who will come to us with a feather - will be tickled by a feather!" - citation of Alexander Nevski

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12-31-2006, 11:01 AM	#2
Tretov Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Republic of Finland Posts: 1,129	I've understood that the awards were actually property of the Soviet state, and in those times - I am not sure I would dare to swap them for some foreign nicknack?

12-31-2006, 11:41 AM	#3
willie777 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 392	Your superiors are still gonna notice a missing "Combat Service" medal if you ever march on parade.

12-31-2006, 02:49 PM	#4
kingsnorth Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: England Age: 66 Posts: 35	I'm not sure about swapping medals when Stalin was alive but they certainly swapped/sold them during the latter years of the USSR.A friend of mine built up a good collection of Soviet awards when he was in the army and posted to Germany.He made regular journeys into East Germany as I did. Unfortunately I wasn't a collector then damn it. Cheers Keith

12-31-2006, 02:55 PM	#5
January Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 63	I know that firefighters have something of a tradition of swapping cap badges. (I got a wonderful pre-1975 Nigerian National Fire Brigade cap badge from a retired firefighter in the UK last year.) It would make more sense with any given piece of uniform accoutrement other than a medal, though, since things like cap badges and collar tabs could easily be purchased. Perhaps the veteran whose awards you got was a collector himself?

01-01-2007, 12:30 AM	#7
*desantnik* Forum Moderator Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Eurasia Posts: 2,338	Jeff, Russians are extremely generous and crazy things do happen, especially after copious vodka toasts to victory, but I really doubt a swap of a combat decoration would have occurred. A Guards badge or cap star - maybe, but an order or medal - unlikely.

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