Excellent Worker Badges

[Greg Collins]

There were over 1000 variations of Hungarian Excellent Worker (Kivalo Dolgozo) badges produced, some bearing the general "Excellent Worker" title and some bearing a more job-specific title. Please post yours here!

Thought I'd kick this off by showing two less common ministerial excellent worker badges. On the left, the badge from the Rakosi period (1949-1956) and, on the right, the Kadar period (1957-1989) version.

[deValcourt]

Well, the enamel quality seems to have improved with the newer regime - especially the green in the laurel wreath.

Phillip

[Greg Collins]

The general opinion is that quality diminished as time went on and, I do notice some pure "junk" coming about in the '70's (less money). But this is only a generality... there were many quality items made in all time periods of the Warsaw Pact.

With regard to the badges shown: the earlier badge does not incorporate a "clear coat" over the enamel as the Kadar period badge does, which may account for the vibrancy of the colour. Taking all points of the badge into consideration, and in my opinion, I think the earlier badge is of slightly better quality... but only slightly.

[deValcourt]

I understand completely. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but holding it in your hands is far better.

Phillip

[Greg Collins]

Here's a good example of what most think of when the subject of Excellent Worker badges is brought up... the suspended star-type badge. This particular example dates from 1954 and is a type 2 variant. This is a heavy alloy silver finished star, with Rakozi arms, suspended from a pin-backed plaque reading "Kivalo Dolgozo". In case with miniature. The case lid has a raised Rakosi seal.

[Greg Collins]

Here's another type 2 Kivalo Dolgozo badge, but this one incorporates the clear red plastic star which is glued to a sheet metal backing- this is seen often in Hungarian badges.

[medals73]

A nice topic on badges I like.

As a first contribution, the documented trio to Boszó Ferenc (Kiváló Müszaki Dolgozó / Excellent Engineering Work, Szahmz Kiváló Müszaki Dolgozja - Gépipar / Excellent Engineering Worker of the Trade, and Tanácsköztársasági Emlékérem, 1959 / Commemorative Medal of the Hungarian Soviet Republic, 1959) has already been shown over at http://www.soviet-awards.com/forum/s...al-groups.html

A couple more . . .

-- Excelent Youth Professional [Worker] / Kiváló Ifjú Szakember

-- Excelent [Scrap] Metal Collector / Kiváló Fémgyüjtö

-- Excelent Worker in Agriculture / Kiváló Termelöszövetkezeti Golgozó

Are we including the Sztahanaviszta Badges here too?

[Greg Collins]

Absolutely include Sztahanoviszta badges- I posted my "one" in post #7. Love the Metal Collector's badge, by the way.

[Greg Collins]

Here's another type 2 (1954) badge- an Excellent Technical Worker badge.

[deValcourt]

Since Ed's Excellent Youth Worker also has a link or two missing on the left I know it isn't just Greg who's altering his badges.

That is perhaps the only time I have seen a recognition badge for a junkyard owner - cool - even the conveyor-belted machine is pictured (and I keep thinking of an episode of Sanford and Son where Fred won some civic award).

Phillip