OPW2, ORS and Bravery Medal Group 1947

[rocketscientist]

Ciao!

Some of the awards I posted in these last days are coming from this group, consisting of a Bravery Medal and Order of the Red Star, and an Order of Great Patriotic War 2nd Class. From the award certificate, assuming it is original, it seems that the Bravery Medal was given in April 1944. This is consistent with the serial number (first half of 1944. The last of awards, the OGPW2, has a S/N that could indicate summer 1945, or later.

So far, this is the most important group I have in my collection. I am very curious to read your opinions and comments. I thank you in advance for this.

sergio

[Alfred]

Nice group. Research should be interesting, as all awards are combat awards and not for long service.

regards
Andreas

[desantnik]

I've got the BM as most likely being awarded by the 1 Ukrainian Front.

[Nota Bene]

I like the group.

Alexei

[rocketscientist]

I have tried to get the Uchotnaya Kartochka of the awarded veteran, but apparently it does not exist. This might lead to the conclusion that the document is a fake, and the name is just invented.
Pity, I have not much success with these booklets...

[Alfred]

I have tried to get the Uchotnaya Kartochka of the awarded veteran, but apparently it does not exist. This might lead to the conclusion that the document is a fake, and the name is just invented.
Pity, I have not much success with these booklets...

---------------------------------------------------------
Rocketscientist,

there are also many many other reasons why there is no awaad card in the archives.
The book and group looks okay to me.

Here are a few reasons ....

1. It could be a labor award. In rare cases also Red Banners are awarded as labour awards

2. It could be a awarded to Navy personel.

3. It could be a "state security" award GRU, KGB, NKVD ....

4. The documentation could have been lost or destroyed during the War.

5. The citation could be classified and the archivist might not have access to it.

6. If it's a late award, the citation might have stayed with the personnel record of the recipient, and at the end of the UdSSR, never forwarded to Padolsk for their archives

7. The file is stolen from the archives. (Sometime you see original files on ebay).

And I think there are a lot of reasons more that no file exist.

regards
Andreas

[rocketscientist]

Thank you Andreas, your opinion is very interesting, I have in fact no experience on researching the soviet archives. I am glad that this group could still be authentic.

ciao
sergio

[deValcourt]

Point made by Andreas: whole service records stolen and sold on ePay. I saw one last nigth but can't find it now (probably sold). Of course the seller claimed it was for an NKVD female officer. Since the NKVD put their seals on everything from birth to death certificates, some of the sellers counting on buyers not actually reading anything in the file, just show things like travel passes issued by the NKVD/MVD and let you go from there.

I wish there was a way to prosecute these jerks for theft of government property.:mad: I know the Soviets had an entire KGB department (sometimes Directorate) devoted to "protecting socialist property." Ah well, I rant...

Phillip