Gerd Becker

Great job, Dave. I have recommended your website probably a hundred times to Beginners in Imperial German collecting. Do you have a list, what you still need for your website? I have a lot of pictures on file from Hermann Historica, for example. Let me know...

Hi Bryan, you are right, he was recommended for an Order of the Red Star initially by his Battalion Commander, but he was downgraded by the Brigade Commander a few days later. Thanks for the compliments to the pictures. I have a new Sony Camera and i am still trying to find the best adjustments, although some of the results are quite promising already. I didn?t had good light for these shots though... Here is a picture done through a loup, which shows an interesting detail on this order, its a version with 12.10 or 13.59 on the tower clock (Variation 6 according to MONDVOR), but it is totally out of the usual numberrange of about 365-391000. Gerd

Thanks, Doc. Gerd

Ed, i agree with you 100%. They are allways interesting to research and they are allways combat-awards, which were hard earned with blood, sweat and tears...

I have just checked my other Glories and one of them (304.970) also developed this kind of golden traces at the borders, so this dosn?t seem to be unusual...

Ed, i think, your eyes are still fine. There ARE gold colered traces, but its some kind of golden patina, which this one developed on some places, especially at the borders of the arms, but also inside the middle medaillion. I must correct myself, your eyes seem to be still excellent! It took me a while to realize it on the photo above.

Its the photo, Ed. Its clearly a 3rd class, no traces of gilding... The number is too high for a 2nd class though and i have the orders book, which confirms a 3rd class.

and the reverse of the citation... Hope you like it. Thanks for looking. Gerd

citation obverse

oops, forgot orders book page two, here it is:

Award Card Reverse

The research documents... Award Card Obverse

The orders book Page with name

Gentlemen, here is another researched Glory 3rd class of my collection. I got this Glory with an orders book to Viktor Ivanovich Polkarpov, unfortunately there is a Military Merit Medal missing However, here are the details of the research (Thanks a lot for the translation to Andrew (MONDVOR) ) Last name, first name and patronymic: Polikarpov Viktor Ivanovich Military rank: Private Position and unit: Assaulting sapper of 58th Independent Assault Engineering Sapper Battalion, 12th Assault Engineering Sapper Brigade Recommended to: Order of the Red Star Born: 1926 in the village of Danilovka, Zaporozhye Region Nationality: Ukrainian Party membership: non-member Participation in war: since September 1943 on the 4th Ukrainian Front, since August 1944 on the 3rd Ukrainian Front Wounds and contusions: wounded on October 24, 1943 near the city of Melitopol In Red Army: since September 26, 1943 Drafted by: Gulyajpolsk Subregional Military Office, Zaporozhye Region Previous awards: not awarded Permanent address: Zaporozhye Region, Novo-Nikolayevsk Subregion, Lyubetsk Farm District, village Danilovka. Motherr: Polikarpova Agafya Pantelejmonovna Short description of military merits: On August 20, 1944 while fighting in the lines of 55th Rifle Regiment (20th Guards Rifle Division) during the breakthrough of the enemy defense lines near the village Leontina (Benderovsk subregion, Moldavian SSR) at the time of artillery bombardment, despite the direct danger for his life, comrade Polikarpov under the heavy fire crawled to the enemy barbed wire defense lines and cut the holes in it for our infantry units. When our advancing infantry units penetrated through the barbed wire, Polikarpov was the first to jump into the enemy trench where he personally killed (invisible) German soldiers. Comrade Polikarpov deserves a state award Order of the Red Star. Signed: Commander of the 58th Independent Assault Engineering Sapper Battalion Guards Major Merikov Date: August 31, 1944 Deserves a state award Order of Glory 3rd class Signed: Commander of the 12th Assault Engineering Sapper “Melitopol” Red Banner and Suvorov order Brigade Colonel Pavlov Date: September 3, 1944 Deserves a state award Order of Glory 3rd class Signed: Deputy Commander of the 37th Army for Engineering matters Major-General of Engineering troops Goldovich Date: September 12, 1944 By the Decree of the Commander of the 37th Army # 0186/N from September 26, 1944 awarded with the order of Glory 3rd class Verified by: Chief of the 2nd Unit of the Personnel Department of the 37th Army Major of the Administrative Services Cherkesov. Here is the Glory 3rd class, which was awarded to Comrade Polikarpov:

Can?t await to read it... Thats a great cover design, Dave. Love it! Gerd

Here is a short translation for the ones, who are not able to read german. The prices are indeed high and thats an understatement... 3811 Order of Lenin, screwback....3000 DM (1974) (~3600 Euro today) 3812 Order of A. Nevsky, screw shortened and serialnumber erased 900 DM (1974) (~1100 Euro today) 3813 Order of Kutuzov 3rd class (?) on a medalbar together with Victory over Germany Medal 400 Dm (1974) (~500 Euro now) 3814 Nakhimov Medal 125 DM 1974 (~150 Euro) 3815 Order of the GPW (i suppose its a 2nd class) 400 DM (1974)(~500 Euro) 3816 Order of the Red Banner, screwback 500 DM...(~600 Euro) 3817 Order of Labor (? no idea, what they mean) 500 DM ...(~600 Euro) 3818 Order of the Red Banner of Labor 500 DM ...(~600 Euro) 3819 Order of the Red Star 200 DM (~250 Euro) 3820 same as above 3821 same as above 3822 Order of Glory 3rd class, without ribbon 180 DM (~220 Euro) 3823 same as above, but with ribbon 200 DM (~250 Euro) 3824 Two Medals: Medal Victory over Germany and Victory over Japan 100 DM (~120 Euro) 3825 Medal for the Defense of Moscow, Partisan Medal 1st class 100 DM 3826 Medal for the Liberation of Prague and Medal Victory over Germany 100 DM 3827 Medal for the Defense of Caucasus and Medal for the Liberation of Prague 100 DM 3828 Medal for Distinguished Labor 125 DM (~150 Euro) 3829 Collection of Excellent Soldier Badges 18 pieces 350 DM (~420 Euro)

Very nice. What i can read: Order of the Red Star Nr. 311745 awarded 20.9.43 Order of the PW 2nd class Nr. 116666 awarded 24.8.44 Order of Alexander Nevsky Nr. 22.884 awarded 8.2.45 Order of the PW 1st class Nr. 206003 awarded 30.5.45 Medal for the Defense of Moscow Medal for Victory over Germany Medal for the Capture of Berlin Medal for the Liberation of Warsaw Medal for Military Merit w/o s/n awarded 20.6.49 Order of the Red Star Nr. 3154406 awarded 30.4.54 Can?t await to read the citations Gerd

Thank you. It is indeed of a good quality and quite nice with the dark bronze and the red enamel. I like it too. Gerd

Christian, this awesome group was posted a while ago and yes, its in WC?s collection, the lucky devil Here is the link http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?s=&showtop...ost&p=79049 all the best, Gerd

Ron, here is a copy on german ebay, if you are interested. Not as nice as the original, but decent for display, i guess. I don?t know the seller, btw... http://cgi.ebay.de/Luftwaffe-Orden_W0QQite...1QQcmdZViewItem best, Gerd

Roeland, welcome and thanks a lot for sharing your wonderful collection. You have some very scarce bavarian veterans badges there, congrats. I would love to see your Cold War collection, do you have any soviet items? best regards, Gerd

Christian, it only fetched over 6000 Dollar, because it was a 2nd award, serialnumber 2! ORB 2nd awards are at 800-1200 Dollar currently. Agree with Jim, btw. best regards, Gerd

Gentlemen, take a look at the lists of Abbreviations on this website. These are the most useful documents for research, i have found lately on the internet: http://rkkaww2.armchairgeneral.com/maps/ma...8_40.htm#Khasan Click on "Typical Soviet Abbreviations" and "Abbreviations of units" and download the Documents. These are Word-Documents, so you can include further abbreviations Hope, its useful to someone. Btw, check out the rest of the website, if you don?t know it already, especially the maps-section, its excellent! Gerd

Stefan, thats a Prussian Long Service Medal for 12 years service. Nice bar

Absolutely mindblowing pictures, Bryan I?d love to check out the display with the row of Red Stars close up. Thanks for sharing your pics