I don't know how much truth there is to this, but I heard there was some controversy about Brezhnev's Order of Victory award, in that I heard he (or someone close to him, maybe a relative who he installed in the bureaucracy) tried to sell the gems (for those who may not know, the Order of Victory has 5 rubies, and 110 diamonds) out of the award. Don't ask me for any proof to back this story up. I heard it a long time ago and it may just be some sort of crazy rumor. BTW, Brezhnev was awarded Gold Star of Hero of the Soviet Union 4 times, if I'm not mistaken he awarded one of these to himself for his 60th birthday, and an Order of Lenin and another Gold Star for Hero of USSR for his 75th birthday (he held a total of 6 Orders of Lenin!)
Art,
Look at dates when Brezhnev got his HSU awards:
12/18/1966, 12/18/1976, 12/19/1978, 12/18/1981.
12/19 was his birthday. All four of his Hero of Soviet Uniion awards he received as birthday present. If he lived another four years, he would become only five time HSU for his 80th birthday.
Also his second Lenin came on 12/18/1956 and second October revolution on 12/18/1980.
Great image post of that Pravda article...You get the "Gold Star Medal for Hero of Arcane and Unusual Information". Wear it proudly!
Eugene, good find on Brezhnevs birthday presents to himself. He was a war hero or something though wasn't he? I thought he earned at least one of those Gold Stars..the issue dates clearly blow that theory out of the water I guess..
