06-21-2010, 08:43 PM (This post was last modified: 07-03-2010, 01:14 AM by Greg Collins.)
I started this thread for cap badges, collar insignia, lapel pins... important worn items that were not awards, but still indicative of service.
The first item is a Rakosi period (1949-1956) armed forces service cap badge. The army wore this just above the "sweat band" through 1953, then, in 1954 it was worn on the "sweat band". The Air Force always wore it on the sweat band with the wings and star emblem above. The Navy wore it above the "tally" on the "Donald Duck" hat. Brass and hot enamel. Hard to come by.
"We are Marching for the Victory of Communist Labour" V.I. Ulyanov (Lenin)
06-21-2010, 08:46 PM (This post was last modified: 07-03-2010, 01:16 AM by Greg Collins.)
This next badge is an armed forces cap badge for the pilotka, or overseas cap and the winter cap. You can see the four holes for stitching it to the cap. Also difficult to find.
"We are Marching for the Victory of Communist Labour" V.I. Ulyanov (Lenin)
A couple of stick pins... on the left is the Rakosi coat of arms and on the right is the flag of the MDP- Magyar Dolgozók Pártja (Hungarian Workers Party- 1948-1956). This political party was the result of combining the Communist Party and the Social Democratic Party. This is similar to the political alliance that created the SED in East Germany.
"We are Marching for the Victory of Communist Labour" V.I. Ulyanov (Lenin)
Here's a Rakosi period cap badge for the Karhatalom (armed, uniformed State Security) and Border Guards. Brass with hot enamel, two piece construction. Just for the record, I have never seen one of these where the star is actually "straight" with the base.
"We are Marching for the Victory of Communist Labour" V.I. Ulyanov (Lenin)
A Kadar period (post '57- '89) Police cap badge. The primary difference between the State Security/Border Guard badge and this one is the inclusion of crossed weapons below the star. Also on this Kadar period badge, the star is molded with the rest of the badge, yielding a one-piece brass badge with cold enamel.
"We are Marching for the Victory of Communist Labour" V.I. Ulyanov (Lenin)
I got this Kadar seal stick pin to go with the Rakosi seal stick pin shown earlier in this thread. I guess I now have the Communist seal stick pins covered.
"We are Marching for the Victory of Communist Labour" V.I. Ulyanov (Lenin)
08-21-2010, 08:00 PM (This post was last modified: 08-21-2010, 11:45 PM by Greg Collins.)
Here's another Armed Forces badge from the Rakosi era. This one differs from the badge in post #1 in that it is larger and all elements are stamped in relief. My theory regarding this is that this particular badge was made to be worn on the front of the crown (and, therefore, earlier) while the badge in post #1 was made to be worn on the sweat band (Soviet style).
Here's a photo of this type of badge worn by the Minister of Defense during the Rakosi era, General Mihaly Farkas.
"We are Marching for the Victory of Communist Labour" V.I. Ulyanov (Lenin)
An unusual cap badge... one for a private, armed guard from the '70's. And yes, they had a distinctive uniform as well. I'm depicting the cap badge along with the matching "excellent" badges (full sized and miniature). The cap badge is at the top.
"We are Marching for the Victory of Communist Labour" V.I. Ulyanov (Lenin)
