matteti

Thanks to Dave, I am please to introduce you to: Red army soldier Ivan Timofeyevich Taraskin Shown here proudly wearing his awards: Orders: of Glory 3rd Class (# 586312) of Patriotic War 1st Class 1985 issue (2569937) Medals for: Victory over Germany 20 years of Victory over Germany 30 years of Victory over Germany 40 years of Victory over Germany 50 years of Victory over Germany Valiant Labor during the Great Patriotic War Veteran of Labor 50 years of Soviet Army 60 years of Soviet Army 70 years of Soviet Army and a badge for 25 years of Victory over Germany. I know a bit about him, but would appreciate some translation help on the research documents. Thanks in advance.

reverse...

Finally, a small Belarus partisan badge that was apparently given to those "former-partisans" in the 1980s when issued the previous booklets and when they were recognized officially as partisans and participants of the GPW for privileges purposes... But the badge doesn't belong to any of those booklet (in the sense of a documented badge), it's just that they were usually giving badge as well as a booklet to those people.

FORMER BELARUS PARTISAN ID - Issued 23 June 1970 by the Regional Soviet of the workers' deputies, Berezinsky Region, Minsk Oblast, Belarus to Prakofiy Ivanovich Hubich. Was a private in the Partisan Detachment No. 340 from 15 July 1943 to 6 July 1944, in Mogylev oblast, Belarus. Measures 148 x 100 mm.

Belarus Partisan ID

PARTICIPANT OF THE GPW ID - Issued 12 November 1981 to Prakofiy Ivanovich Hubich. The owner of this certificate is eligible to the privileges provided under Soviet legislation for particpiants of the GPW. No expiry date. Valid on the whole territory of Soviet Union. Measures 196 x 68 mm.

And a nice set of two partisan documents that I found 3-4 years ago to "accompain" that medal...

reverse...

Obverse close-up...

My Partisan 1st Class, unfortunately not documented.

And I guess it's where an unscrupulous dealer took one and put a miner's glory gold-plated star on it to resell it to me as an authentic! Before buying, make sure you carefully examine the photos and check the gold star... if it looks a bit small (usually, a couple of star points will go past the edge of the background), then it's probably not the real thing.

For my benefit and protection, which dealer do we speak about exactly? I only know of one established dealer who already sold me an obvious fake and many people also had bad experiences with him. Other than that, the several other dealers I know are all good. Thanks!

That seems right to me!

Yes, they are made of silver, but there are many good quality fakes around and those aren't made of silver.

Additionally to the Pietr Dmitrievich that is the Hero of Soviet Union born in 1896, I also found 4 more Pietr Dmitrievich Popov that participated in the GPW... so James's group my be from one of them. Russia / Central District / Voronezh Region Popov Petr Dmitrievich b. 22.03.1925 Russia / Siberia District / Altay Territory Popov Petr Dmitrievich b. 27.07.1924 Russia / South District / Rostov Region Popov Petr Dmitrievich b. 05.07.1913 Russia / Urals District / Chelyabinsk Region Popov Petr Dmitrievich b. 05.08.1926

Allo Bryan! That's why I didn't say that's the same guy. We can not be sure 100%, but that's interesting that the Pietr HSU only received OPW 2nd class and ORS (without considering the HSU and Lenin) and that is also matching this guy's booklet... I think only research can give a 100% sure answer. Etienne

Thanks for posting the page. That's the exact same name! I must admit that I am puzzled and everything looks ok from my point of view... only I still wonder why we don't see awards from 1944 in a 1946 order book.

Hello James T. Can you please post the page showing the full name of the awards recipient? There is effectively a Pietr Dmitrievich Popov who earned a Hero Star medal (# 3017) together with an Order of Lenin on Janyary 15, 1944. He was born in 1895 and died in 1956. He was effectively a sergeant in the 62th Guards Cavalry Regiment, 16th Guards Chernihivsky Cavalry division. He would have received an award (bravery medal?l) for actions in September 21, 1943 in Chernihiv region, Ukraine. Other than the Order of Lenin and Gold Star Medal of HSU, he was awarded the OPW 2nd class and order fo the Red Star, plus medals. Here is a photo of him. Now, is that guy the same as your recipient, we cannot know for sure without seeing the order book page with full name or even without researching your awards. But as mentionned Rick Research, I would think that the HSU and Lenin orders (earned in 1944) would certainly show in the award listed in the order book. That is weird... and makes me think this order book is not his.

Even the "Unplasticized PVC" ?? According to wikipedia, there is a big difference between uPVC and PVC. And the price of Lindner sheets is more priced toward archival safe than simple cheap PVC. Anybody knows if they are ok? From Wikipedia: Unplasticized polyvinyl chloride (uPVC) Modern "Tudorbethan" house with uPVC gutters and downpipes, fascia, decorative imitation "half-timbering", windows and doors. uPVC or Rigid PVC is often used in the building industry as a low maintenance material, particularly in the UK, and in the USA where it is known as vinyl, or vinyl siding.[5][6]. The material comes in a range of colours and finishes, including a photo-effect wood finish, and is used as a substitute for painted wood, most obviously for window frames and sills when installing double glazing in new buildings or to replace older single glazed windows. It has many other uses including fascia, and siding or weatherboarding. The same material has almost entirely replaced the use of cast iron for plumbing and drainage, being used for waste pipes, drainpipes, gutters and downpipes.[7] Due to environmental concerns[8] use of PVC is discouraged by some local authorities[9] in countries such as Germany and The Netherlands. This only concerns PVC rather than uPVC as it is the plasticizers in PVC that are the problem. uPVC does not contain these plasticizers.

How safe are the UNIPLATE Stock Sheets from Lindner (http://www.lindner-usa.com/catalog/multi-purpose/40-41.html) They say: "Of course, UNIPLATE stock sheets are made of the highest quality material - Hard-PVC which is 100% free of any chemical softeners." To me, anything with PVC is bad, is it? I am looking for a model which will be safe and allow a lot of flexibilty in layouts. I need to mix pages within the same album to accomodate large, medium and smaller document. This UNIPLATE have a lot of sheet layouts to choose from and if it is safe for paper it would be good for me. Etienne

I am happy I didn't know the price of a real one because I would probably have accepted to pay much more than what I paid. At that price, I am not hurt, because I also bought many soviet badges, a bust, banners, coins which I know are genuine and overall, my shopping while in Ukraine was very good. I've only bought one other German item before those fake discs and it was a winter war (East) medal from a well-known members of the forum here. As you say, my discs are probably casting from two-piece mold. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

Thanks for the info Don. As we can see from your website, you seem to like those discs a lot! It would make sense that they are fake produced in Poland... L'viv is close to Poland and was even part of Poland before 1939 Soviet invasion of what is now Western Ukraine. I had no idea of what the value of real such item could be there so for 8$ each I decided to buy them. By any chance, could you post photo of those original discs you have showing the edge (the side). Because it seems mines are weird... the edge surface is not fully flat and they have a kind of "spine" in the middle of the edge going all around the disc, almost like if the discs were made of two one-sided disc stuck together...

Here is the Secret State Police (Gestapo) reverse

Here is the Secret State Police (Gestapo) obverse Measures around 47mm by 35mm, thickness 2mm

Here is the Secret field police (reverse)