KGB and MVD jackets.

[DougD]

Tretov,

That is a superb example of the MGB/KGB M55 tunic you had at one time! Do not think I have seen one in better shape, no matter what the branch.

DougD

[Will]

For what it is worth....

I recently had an exchange of correspondence with a retired KGB General ( a recipient of three "Honored Chekist" awards). He confirmed that on "special occasions" he wore the Army General service uniform for his rank. He had no parade uniform.

The interesting thing to me is that I have often heard that KGB officers only rarely wore uniforms. Yet every example of an original KGB identification card that I've seen shows the individual in a uniform jacket.

I'm almost convinced that when a KGB officer went to have his photo taken for his identity card, the photographer had a selection of jackets simply hanging off to the side.
"What's your rank? O.K., here, put this one on. We'll pin it in the back to make it fit properly for the photo."

Who knows?
But in my collecting experience, it was much easier to find a KGB officer's parade uniform than a KGB service dress uniform.

[Commissar]

Welcome to the forums Will! :D

And I've often thought about the photo-jacket scenario! I thought it was silly at first but now I am beginning to think it might just make sense! :) haha!

[deValcourt]

If you believe Oleg Kalugin (former KGB general) in his book The First Chief Directorate that is almost exactly what is done. The only photo in the book (and he is not modest, so there are plenty) of him in uniform has a caption that reads something like "Kalugin in uniform posing for ID picture."

As I understand it, if you were a pencil-pusher or other lower level KGB officer (not agent) you wore a uniform to work for people to see, for official training functions and for power and intimidation in public. If you were a higher ranking KGB member, you only wore a uniform for state functions or ceremonies and they were tailored for you. At the same time, if you were a transfer in from the military, you tended to keep your previous military uniform with modifications, when you needed a uniform.

However, my all-time favorite photo of a KGB man in uniform is found in several of the Avers books and is below. This general not only has the KGB 50th and 60th anniversary badges, an "honored employee" badge, and a couple of either MVD/NKVD "egg" badges, but a Bulgarian MVR (local KGB equivalent) honored employee badge - not to mention a chest full of ribbons.:cool: At the same time, I have never seen a KGB uniform like this one. Without color it is difficult to tell much except that the shoulder board appear to me to be parade quality. Maybe the cloth folks will take a stab at this one - Doug? Patrick?

I'm sure somebody knows who this is and will chime in on the particulars of the photo - Alexei?

Phillip

[Jeffrey Meffert]

looks like a gray "walking out" uniform. Impressive load of badges and eggs as you say.

[Esteban_cool]

Is that a vietnamese award next to the MVR badge?

[deValcourt]

Thank you Jeffrey, I didn't mean to leave you out of the list of uniform aficionados that I attempted to summon. You are obviously correct about the uniform being service rather than parade - I should have taken note of my own words about the ribbon bar.:doh

I've seen documented groups of KGB and MVD/NKVD crossings over, and KGB agents being awarded medals from Soviet Bloc countries (usually local variants of ORBs or ORBLs), but I've never seen someone wearing and "honored" badge from a different country's secret service - even though everything I've read suggests the Bulgarian MVR was essentially run by the KGB. I'm sure it was more common than I realize, but I still find it interesting - especially since there were not that many medals/orders that KGB personnel were elligible for after the GPW other than anniversary medals.

And Esteban, I'm still trying to figure out what that award is. It reminds me of either an anniversary badge for a particular unit or one of the many regional border guard awards.

Any way you look at it, he was a busy man.:D

Phillip

[Tretov]

I shall return with some photos of KGB Lieutenant-General Petrov; I got a nice photo of him wearing his gray parade-walkout. The pic is however black and white :( The common sensus has been so far, that KGB Generals wore uniforms with red piping; and the photos I had of Petrov (now sold as most gems) showed him wearing the red piped infantry general uniform.

The small city/regional RSFSR Soviet badge on the collar is also nice!

[Lapa]

Phillip,

On that picture, the general is not wearing a service uniform, but a parade-walkout one. Form the look of it, the piping is read (which shows as light gray on B&W pictures) and not royal blue.

Generals had 4 basic types of uniforms:
. Parade: wave green color with full gold-metal embroideries, worn with full set of awards or with ribbon bar
. Parade-Walkout: gray color with lapel and cuff (after 1969) gold-metal embroideries, worn with ribbon bar
. Service: khaki color with lapel gold-metal embroideries, worn with ribbon bar
. Field: khaki color with lapel green-thread embroideries, worn with ribbon bar

Marc

[Lapa]

Guys,

On the topic of piping, I believe that I posted some pictures earlier of the Secret Police museum in St Petersburg. There, ALL KGB general uniforms have red piping (and have documented origin).

Interestingly, there is a couple of uniforms that belonged to one person. His Colonel uniform is piped in dark blue, his General uniform is piped red.

I think that this topic has been gone over and over so many times, it may be time to put it to rest once and for all unless definite proof to the contrary can be provided. IMHO, KGB generals wore red piped uniforms, never dark blue piped uniforms.

Marc