Rajon Soviet Deputy

[SGM (ret.)]

Someone gave me this pin and in broken English (and my pidgin Russian) told me it was some type of "deputies" pin.

I have no real idea, though, just what it is.

It's fairly small, only about 1cm wide and just a bit higher than that. Maybe a manufacturer's hallmark on the reverse just above the pin mount (or maybe just a bump?).

Thanks,
Mike

[Lapa]

Mike,

It is a Rayon Deputy's badge, but the language is not Russian. I'm sure that someone else will tell you what language it is written in.

Marc

[desantnik]

Originally Posted by SGM (ret.)

Someone gave me this pin and in broken English (and my pidgin Russian) told me it was some type of "deputies" pin.

I have no real idea, though, just what it is.

It's fairly small, only about 1cm wide and just a bit higher than that. Maybe a manufacturer's hallmark on the reverse just above the pin mount (or maybe just a bump?).

Thanks,
Mike

The 'bump' is a factory's trademark.

I know it's not Russian, Ukrainian, or a Central Asian language - maybe Belarussian? It's not too frequent that a "J" shows up in a northern Slavic language alphabet. "Jugoslavia" is southern Slavic.

[Tretov]

A bet is Azerbaijan SSR Regional Deputy, the flag depicted on the pin is the flag of ASSR... Could otherwise be Latvia, perhaps?

[UQWozza]

If what Wikipedia says is correct in its section on RAION, the country that uses RAJON is Latvia.

Simon

[desantnik]

The "bl" or final "y" is what throws me. I don't expect to see that in a Baltic language.

[SGM (ret.)]

Sorry, guys, I ommited to say that I got the pin in Baku, Azerbaijan. (The devil is in the details, as always.)

A "RAYON" ("RAION," "RAJON") is an administrative district? So this pin is for an "(Azerbaijani) District Soviet Deputy"?

For curiosity sake, could someone offer a simple explanation of what such a person might do? Is this a "political" position or, perhaps, a beurocratic position?

Mike