Photographs Of Recipients Of Soviet Awards/Service Personnel.

[Simon]

The question that comes to my mind is did most of these Commanders have their original awards confiscated, lost or destroyed themselves and then had "new" awards reissued to them for the purpose of propaganda? or did they just hide them really well during the 20's? and if they were hiding them away wouldn't that make them seem rather "uncommitted"? Not only that but if some folks were "upgraded" in number of crosses, where would they be getting them from? Definitely not a dodgy online shop. I think this subject is going to bring up far more questions than answers and as there are no Imperial army servicemen left alive we can't really ask them how it happened.

There was no reissue of SGC. Even the most convinced bolsheviks could have saved their orders earned in Czar's army. People tend to separate themselves from historical events they participate in. Nazi soldiers kept their medals after the war. My relative who doesn't miss an opportunity to pour dirt on the Red Army proudly displayed a photo of his father in a Soviet uniform on a genealogical site. If Budenniy awarded himself, he had means and stature to order "copies" from a skilled jeweler or even at Mondvor.

[Lapa]

Guys,

Original master dies are kept by mints all over the world... No need to call a jeweller.

Marc

[ph3s]

If Budenniy awarded himself, he had means and stature to order "copies" from a skilled jeweler or even at Mondvor.

.. confiscate, museums etc

[Pobeda45]

Great points and discussion. :thumbsup:thumbsup

I agree though, even owning the awards could've been construed as counter-revolutionary in the 1920s and 1930s. I am impressed by any recipients who hid theirs away until they could wear them in the "thaw" of 1945-1948 etc.

George

[Simon]

Modern combination of Soviet orders and St. George

[ph3s]

the first one is Anatoli Lebed (Анатолий Вячеславович Лебедь ) Afghanistan, Chechnya, St. Georges cross for Osetia, dunno about second

[Pobeda45]

What a strange mix of ideologies represented right there on those poor men's chests! From Brezhnev-to-Gorbachev "stagnation" era awards to the faux-post-imperial awards of modern Russia. Maybe I just don't get the "continuity" myself. :) The second man is Sergey Makarov (Макаров, Сергей Афанасьевич) who was the commander of the North Caucusus Military Okrug and received the first modern order of St George. He was forcibly retired early this year.

George

[CtahhR]

The continuity may be a bit strange but at least the suspension size was retained from the post-'43 Soviet period or that would continue to add to "incompatibility". I'm very fond of all Russian awards from all eras so I'm real easy with "pick 'n' mix" selections on soldier's chests.

[Pobeda45]

The continuity may be a bit strange but at least the suspension size was retained from the post-'43 Soviet period or that would continue to add to "incompatibility".

Great point. :thumbsup

[DougD]

Aeroflot pilot ID photo.