Soviet ORS & MMM Group: Comrade Drutsky, KGB

[Guest Rick Research]

Recent musings on "where did all the stuff like this GO?" have brought out this typical of the mid 1990s partial group to a long serving but low ranking State Security officer. In all my other priorities, this one isn't in the "do research" list because his Order of the Red Star and Military Merit Medal are obviously simply for long service. But his MMM Medals Book is unusual in bearing his photo, so at least I have his sunshiney face!

[Guest Rick Research]

The 1985 Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class is considered a "decoration," but it is merely an extra fancy jubilee award for WW2 survivors then.

Nothing, as usual, on the standard name-only award Booklet to indicate his KGB status or place of residence

and the reverse with serial number. This piece is sooooo minty fresh I assume Comrdae Drutsky must have died soon thereafter and never wore it much

[Guest Rick Research]

His Order of the Red Star # 3,014,817 was issued 23 May 1952,

the Orders Book filled out on 7 June 1952.

Alas, a "valid without photograph" type, BUT this "G Series" (see the Orders Book types thread) book does NOT bear any Gosnak edition year on the inside back cover.

[Guest Rick Research]

Military Merit Medal # 2,589,195 gets a bit more interesting, though still obviously only a 10 years service award from the group.

The covers of his 1945 edition Medals Book

And his cheerful countenance with illegible little red State Security stamp, showing him in the shoulder board-less tunic of a demobilized officer and NOT in SS uniform!

[Guest Rick Research]

Couldn't fit in the actual award entry page from his Medals Book, so here it is, showing the MMM was awarded in November, since privileges were to begin 1 December 1946. Many times when a Medals Book like this was issued first and am Order was bestowed subsequently, the Medal will be carried over into the ORDERS Book-- and the Medals Book was apparently discarded. Not in this case, anyway.

And a closer look at Comrade Afanasy Filipovich Drutsky, discharged military officer not wearing his SS shoulder boards so we'd know his current rank (more on that below).

I won't show the other medals, since they have been or will be covered as the medals themselves in other threads. But here is his Defense of Kiev Medal award booklet. No rank, name only, but issued 28 June 1962 and signed "Tikhonov" with a Ukrainian language seal and stamp of the Kiev Province KGB.

On the reverse, as is often the case, is pencilled "Nikolai Ivanovich" and the telephone number "559-69-88 Cmdr. Div." Whether this was Tojhonov or some other high KGB official of the "Nomenklatura," private numbers from the never publsihed telephone directories were an EXTRA "reward" to the "truly worthy," and an indication of personal favoritism and patronage.

[Guest Rick Research]

Drutsky's Victory Over Germany Medal award booklet was issued 25 March 1946. Typical of Ukrainian State Security issues, it too does not indicate his rank, but bears the red stamp and signature (as do all I have seen and have in my collection) of the Deputy Minister of Ukrainian State Security Colonel (grade inflation would come later... a 1940s State Security Colonel was a GOD) "Stupnitsky."

And FINALLY, at long last, a CLUE as to his position IN the "Organs!" Medal for Twenty Years Service in the KGB as one of the first awarded, per 6 February and on 4 August 1958 with a pre-printed Ukrainian KGB issuing stamp to him as a Technical Senior Lieutenant!

So, what can we tell about Comrade Drutsky from this partial group? Obviously missing are WW2 Victory Jubilee Medals for 1965, 1975, and 1985 (since he was alive circa 1985/6), Armed Forces Jubilees for 1948 and 1958 (on active duty) and 1968 and 1978 (as WW2 veteran alive then). He would also have received the 1970 Ministry of Defense Victory Jubilee Badge.

He was probably born about 1915/16, and began serving about 1935/36 (10 years service 1946, 15 1952, and the 1957 created 20 in 1958). He may still have been on active duty in 1962, as the Kiev implies-- in which case he would have earned the Veteran of the Armed Forces Medal when that was created for retroactive and ongoing 25+ years service awards to retirees in the 1970s.

This partial group was acquired in 1996. Whereabouts of the rest of his paperwork is unknown.

[Gerd Becker]

On the reverse, as is often the case, is pencilled "Nikolai Ivanovich" and the telephone number "559-69-88 Cmdr. Div." Whether this was Tojhonov or some other high KGB official of the "Nomenklatura," private numbers from the never publsihed telephone directories were an EXTRA "reward" to the "truly worthy," and an indication of personal favoritism and patronage.

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I didn?t understand this. The telephone-number was on the back, so that Comrade Drutsky can keep in touch with his KGB-Buddies?

[Guest Rick Research]

"Any... little problems... Afanasy Filipovich-- you just call right through to my private number!"

Bestowal of a secret telephone number for a Very Important Comrade indicated that even Little Comrade had Friends In High Places.

Now we don't KNOW who Comrade Nikolai Ivanovich ("You see Comrade, we are on familiar terms with each other?") was... but Drutsky did.

Here's another example: Senior Sergeant Noga's special Moscow Victory Parade covered Victory Over Germany Medal booklet was signed by Commander of the 77th "SSK" Rifles Division, Hero of the Soviet Union Major General Aleksei P. "Rodionov"(1906-1965) . Not first names and patronymics with the Senior Sergeant (who, 13 years later, was the same rank in the KGB, probably a top security clearance chaffeur) BUT-- as is clear here, Comrade Hero General has personally written in HIS TWO unlisted telephone numbers, "day OR night, anytime you need to get in touch with me, Comrade Senior Sergeant." in the same ink he signed this document.

Some Comrades were more "equal" than others!

[Gerd Becker]

Thanks, Rick

[Biro]

Way to go Rick!

Kinda makes you want to dial 'em up and - in the remote scenario that they still work - see what kind of conversation ensues....?

[Gerd Becker]

ahh, 77th RD, for more info see here:

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=10282

[Chris Boonzaier]

He looks a bit like the wimp you gave a hard time to at school... now he is back in a KBG uniform and a set of tongs to twist your gonads with.

How does KGB stuff price compared to SS or Gestapo?

[NavyFCO]

How does KGB stuff price compared to SS or Gestapo?

It really depends on the collector. There are far fewer "deep pocket" collectors for KGB than there are for SS and/or Gestapo, and from those I've met, they are mostly "into" KGB cloth, rather than medal collecting. I do have a KGB order/medal group up on ePay at the moment... It's a sweet group, we'll see if it sells!

Dave

[Gerd Becker]

Well, you can?t compare SS/Gestapo with the KGB, but better with the NKVD and from what i have seen, NKVD items are quite expensive, maybe not like SS-stuff, but you pay definately more than for a group or Order/Medal to a non-NKVD Soldier.

Gerd

Edited February 9, 2007 by Gerd Becker

[NavyFCO]

Well, you can?t compare SS/Gestapo with the KGB, but better with the NKVD and from what i have seen, NKVD items are quite expensive, maybe not like SS-stuff, but you pay definately more than for a group or Order/Medal to a non-NKVD Soldier.

Gerd

Gerd reminds me... SmerSh stuff brings good prices as well and has a really strong following. I have at least three people who will buy SmerSh awards without hesitation when I get research back on them.

Dave

[Gerd Becker]

Yes, indeed, there are alone here on the forum at least 2 or 3 collectors who collect SmerSh awards. Here is a nice one from Doug:

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=2901&hl=

I?d love to have one too in my collection

Also the older GPU and OGPU stuff is very, very expensive. Badges, Uniforms, everything...

Gerd

[Gerd Becker]

Rick, do you have more of Senior Sergeant Noga's awards or docs?

[Guest Rick Research]

Only paperwork:

1958 as Senior Sergeant, 1965, 1968, Ministry of Defense 1970 as Lieutenant, 1975 as Lieutenant of Reserve, 1978 as Lieutenant Retired. So he must have turned 60 between 1975 and 1978.