Brezhnev Uniform and awards

[CZ]

Dear Art,

I think for Kiev he got his Bogdan Khmelnitsky 2cl - more than enough. Leonid's 1st HSU was decades later (the HSL was much earlier).

Regards from Vienna

[Mahdi]

I don't know how true that is, but when I met up with Mikhail Muzalevsky in Moscow this summer, he told me that he knows for a fact that Brezhnev's Order of Victory is in a private collection owned by someone in St. Petersburg. The Order was stripped out completely and sold without any of the jewels (these were kept by the government), for some 4-figure number which I do not recall. Once again, I do not know how true that is. For those of you who do not know, Mikhail Muzalevsky is a long-time collector, author, and is also an authority in the field of Soviet orders and medals.

Wow. Tal has got some wonderful pictures. I'm very impressed with this fascinating collection! :)

[Tal Inbar]

Interesting news!

If the information is correct, there are 1.5 orders of victory in private hands...

Can anyone try to verify the information? Mahdi, can you contact Muzalevsky and conect him to the forum? Maybe it will be possible to make a special chat with him?


Tal

[Mahdi]

Dear Tal,

Indeed I can try to get in touch with Mr. Muzalevsky and invite him to join this forum.

As for the Order of Victory, I am trying to verify this information, but it is a very hard thing to do. From what I was told, the buyer is a very rich "new Russian", who prefers to remain anonymous (for obvious reasons).

[Tal Inbar]

When Brezhnev had only one star...:

[Nota Bene]

Brezhnev's Order of Victory is intact with all its jewels. It was taken from the family in 1989, couple of times was on display in the Soviet Army Museum in Moscow, and finally found it's place in the Moscow Armory. Currently not on display.

[Art]

Alexei,

Do you know if the jewels in the award are original, or if there was ever any truth to the story about the jewels being pried out and sold?

Art

[Nota Bene]

Art,

I've heard rumors about those jewels, and last time I was in Moscow I asked the curator of the Kremlin Armory about it. She said it wasn't true, and the order they got was all original. According to her they took the order from the family before Brezhnev's widow got suspicious and could do anything to hide or damage the order.

Alexei

[Tal Inbar]

Mahdi, it is possible, and maybe the one you showd us is Brezhneev's????;)

[Nota Bene]

Hi Mahdi,

According to her it is in the collection of the Kremlin Armoury, and they do not keep fakes. For some reason when she said it was not currently on display I was under the impression that at some time it was.

Alexei