Gramotas.

[desantnik]

"Bagration" in this case was the name of the region or chapter in which it was awarded. It could have been "Moskovskii" or "Kievskii".

[deValcourt]

"Bagration" in this case was the name of the region or chapter in which it was awarded. It could have been "Moskovskii" or "Kievskii".

Now that makes complete sense from the context. I've just seen it used in other ways and wanted to be sure. Thanks.:thumbsup

Phillip

[deValcourt]

I know some of these are a bit dull to some, but I'll keep posting these just in case there is somebody out there besides me who finds these folks fascinating. What type of person gets picked or wants to join the KGB Border Guard? It must have been both unspeakably dull and occasionally exciting depending on where you were posted.

Since this one has no specific occasion associated with it, I am assuming that it was actually for completing a political-military training course, thus in essense actually being a "Diploma."

Text:
Corporal Mikhail Vladimirovich Levashov
For achievements in combat and political training and impeccable service in the armed forces of the USSR State Security Committee [KGB], you are rewarded with a [this] diploma.
Head of the troops of the Red [Army] Northwest Frontier District
Lieutenant-General (signature) A. Victorov
2 June 1985

(These are bigger than my scanner bed, but all of the text is shown. The cover simply has the same "ГРАМОТА" as the inside.)

Phillip

[deValcourt]

These next two were issued to the same person two years apart (1987 and 1989) and for different reasons, though the gramota design is identical. The fact that they are on the same paper is not a problem, but the same stamp was used on both, which could be correct for this situation or someone made these. I don't really know. But, they both seem to be awarded to Lt. Colonel Yuri Fedorovich Ilushin (like the plane?).

The text is essentially the same as the previous post except that instead of "for political training," it says "for success achieved in work and for impeccable service" even though the second seems to be for completing a course, based on the issuing general's information at the bottom. In the case of the first document, it was the Commander of Military Unit 62433, Major-General N.K. Vakulenko on 17 September 1987.

The 1980s were the "Andropov years" which meant that the KGB was trying to improve its public image while at the same time making itself seem absolutely vital for the survival of the people of the Soviet Union because of the "aggressions of the United States and their plans for a nuclear first strike." As a result, more people were being awarded with paper "diplomas" and "honored chekist" badges than ever before with serial numbers on the badges jumping from the 2xxx range at the end of the 1970s to the 5xxx-6xxx range by the end of the Soviet Union. As a reference point, they began issuing these badges in 1954. Which means the number of awardees more than doubled in the last 10 years of the 35+ years the award was issued. I can't even begin to image how many of these sorts of gramotas were given out during this time period.

Phillip

[deValcourt]

The second one issued to Lt. Colonel Ilushin was from "Head of the Higher Courses of the All-Union KGB, Major-General V.V. Titarenko" on 15 December 1989. Though the text and document are exactly the same, I believe this one to be for completion of a course (for obvious reasons).;)

Both documents have the same profile portrait of Dzerzhinsky on the left side with his famous quote: "A Chekist can only be a man with a cool head, warm heart and clean hands."

Since neither of these directly say "Border Guard" it is difficult to tell if that is indeed what they were for. The seal of a military unit is what convinces me that either Corporal Ilushin was in the BG (which the KGB BGs were not part of directly) or these are fakes.:confused:

Phillip

[andrei]

Hi,

Some publishing houses used a same model, which was lightly modified to accomodate different ministers.

[deValcourt]

Man, I love the artistry in these documents.:)

Phillip

[andrei]

2 more diplomas of the same model :

[CtahhR]

Now I have the A3 scanner out and am training myself to read handwritten Russian......

Here's a nice earlier Gramota.

Awarded to Nikolaj Sanov on 5th November 1933.

"The honorary title of "Shock-Worker" of socialist construction activity was shown in the socialist competition to increase productivity and improve product quality, "and as a citizen, for the productive test work fulfilled on the commitment to collective agreement""

[CtahhR]

Here is a 1986 dated Gramota to Mihail Nikiforovich Urushadze for his services to the trade union.