Munkasor, the Hungarian Workers' Militia

[Greg Collins]

The Munkasor, or Workers' Volunteer Militia, was founded in the late '50's (after the '56 revolution) primarily to guard the country's means of production. Not simply security guards (which operated as individuals), the Munkasor were militarily trained, regimented and armed, they were Hungary's "national" guard... very much like the DDR's Kampfgruppen and Romania's Patriotic Guard. In fact, the existence of the Munkasor, along with a heavy Soviet presence, that could very well have allowed for the disbanding of the Karhatalom. The Munkasor was controlled by the Communist Party and was, in 1989, voted out of existence by the new government.

This first badge is a general award badge... could be given for a number of accomplishments. In it's earliest form it was given for 5 years of service- that particular badge was "vaulted" (rounded). This is the flat, later model.