MGB Unit flags 1946-1953

[DougD]

The MGB was the main state agency in the postwar years (1946-1953) that led the final elimination of the nationalist Ukrainian Partisans by the early/mid 1950's.

For fighting the partisans in (mostly) western Ukraine a few MGB units were awarded unit flags by local organizations. It is not clear if these flags then took the place of the standard M1942/3 'large star' unit flags or were used along side them. Because these flags were awards they did not have to comply with strict unit flag design. In the past fifteen years I have seen only the two that are part of this thread.

This first is for the 62nd MGB Internal Troops Rifle Division. Note the Stalin and Lenin portraits on the reverse of the flag and that it was awarded by an Obkom in Ukraine. Rumor is that this unit was the spearhead in killing Roman Shushkevich.

The material of the flag is the traditional unit flag material; the person who photographed this one (it is in a private collection) used a bright flash and thus it looks a bit lighter than it is in reality.

[DougD]

Another example of an MGB unit flag is this one, for the 88th MGB Rifle Regiment. The material is a blood red silk with the Lenin / Stalin motif on the front rather than on the reverse. The construction is like that of other unit flags, other than the material.

This unit has a well documented combat history in western Ukraine.

The reverse is a simple USSR state seal with CCCP done in a 1950's fashion. This example is also in a private collection and was photographed in natural light.

[deValcourt]

Considering how much attention I pay to security service awards, I was surprised to read about the MGB being yet another extension of Stalin's iron fist. I guess I just hoped that when the NKVD was no more (at least in name) the paranoid persecutions were over.

From what I've gathered recently through not very extensive reading, the NKGB/MGB was pretty much the founder of all the Soviet "satellite" countries in Eastern Europe in terms of new "people's democracies" that were strictly enforced through Soviet advisers and their newly-created offspring in the Warsaw Pact countries.

I also did not know that the resistance to Soviet Union membership was so strong for so long after the end of WWII with L'vov as essentially the center or "capital" of the partisans in Ukraine, which then makes it rather ironic that the KGB would eventually have such an overwhelming presence there.

Phillip

[slava1stclass]

Gents,

A great action image of the 53rd Border Khinganskiy Red Banner Detachment of the MGB Forces.

Regards,

slava1stclass

[deValcourt]

Very cool photo.:thumbsup

Phillip

[DougD]

Great photo! MGB unit flags are amongst the rarest to see.