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    Soviet first sergeant and his Harp Madalyası


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    Posted

    War trophy?

    "Where three stars hang there always a place for one more"? :whistle:

    Cheers,

    Nick

    P.S. By the way, please note that one of his soviet medals is missing :lol:

    Guest Rick Research
    Posted

    Maybe nobody even noticed.

    This poor old thing was found ground into a Bavarian road in May 1945 by a friend's father... who ran to his Lieutenant to get everybody excited about "Russian troops in the area" no one had been warned about.

    Guest Rick Research
    Posted

    Who knew squiggles from Cyrillic?

    Posted

    How would it have been possible for a Soviet NCO to have the Turkish Star? I am very impressed by is 3x

    ORS!

    Posted

    Why shouldn't he have been in the German or Turkish army during WW1. Since Turkey was not a hostile power during WW2, no problem to wear the star. Since he does not seem to have any further turkish decorations, I would guess, that he was with the Germans.

    Posted

    A russian in German or Turkish army during WW1?!

    Seriously? ac28c59b1591fec4c93b5bc8aed39a60.gif

    P.S. I wonder how old he was during 1914-1918 :whistle:

    Posted

    It is estimated that about half of the ethnic german males of the russian baltic provinces in the right age served in the russian army, the other half in the german.

    Posted (edited)

    But what are the chances that

    a) our boy is ethnic german from baltic province (he sure doesn't look like one)

    b) he was in the right age to served in the army during WWI

    c) after the end of war he stayed in soviet Russia (or he stayed in baltic province and was drafted in late 30s by "liberators"?)

    d) he kept his harp through all 20s, 30s and 40s

    Sounds like a screenplay for another hollywood blockbuster ....

    Edited by JapanX
    Posted

    a) Agree.

    But I came up with a better idea ;)
    This guy may just be one of the RSFSR military advisors, sent to Kemal Pasha in early 1921, when the Harp Medalyasi was still issued.

    b) Let's speculate about this also (what else can we do...) If he was send as a technical advisor (let's say for wireless or similar high tech stuff), he might be just have finished a technical college and his birthyear might be 1900-1901.

    c) A lot of people from all over europe stayed in Russia for ideological reasons.

    d) Let's follow the military advisor idea...
    We clearly see a Red Banner and three Red Stars. Red Banner might even be a RSFSR one. Red Stars may be very early ones, backdated for his advisory work and whatever came afterward. The medals on the right could be foreign also and the two decorations left of the Harp are unidentyfied as well. This would set the earliest possible date like 1932 or 33?
    Than this guy would be in his early 30s... Obviously a possible age.



    It might be helpfull if:

    1) The decorations left of the Harp could be identified.
    2) Some experts on soviet uniforms could try to date this one.

    3) An expert on rugs could determine the region of origin of the one in the background.

    Posted (edited)

    Experts?

    Why? :lol:

    "Red banner order" is actually Guards badge that was introduced during war.

    Order on the left of the Harp is Order of Great Patriotic War (most likely 2nd class).

    This photo was made no earlier than in 1943 (shoulder boards were introduced this year).

    Most likely somewhere around 1945 ...

    Now let's wait for this rug expert ;)

    Edited by JapanX
    Posted

    Well than... He was making a joke and might have caused a good laugh later on when the Chekists found the picture on him or in his kommunalka and put him to execution for wearing foreign military decorations :)

    Posted (edited)

    "This guy may just be one of the RSFSR military advisors, sent to Kemal Pasha in early 1921, when the Harp Medalyasi was still issued."

    Sorry no.

    Kemal Pasha met with General Frunze and Diplomats but he had no Russian or any other national military advisors. On the other hand, what might be a Soviet NCO advise Kemal Pasha?

    Turkey received good amount of money and arms from the then Soviets. You may say that, why not one of the NCOs received the TWM for his bravery while transporting armaments or a loot from one of the battles in the Turkish eastern border, you might be correct should the age was right,

    Anyway, JapanX's sixth sense says:

    Most likely he borrowed these three RS too ;)

    Self-made hero :whistle:
    Edited by demir

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