Ulsterman

Hey Gordon, I am trying. Is the Hungarian Red Cross HQ a local phone call for you? I may break down and make a long distance phone call to Ms. Koltai. Perhaps they even have booklets. See this website-it says your medal is communist era. http://www.medals.lava.pl/hu/hu4.htm

cool-what do the later badges' backs look like?

Well, I for one am interested in this topic. Currently on ebay there is a blood donor's medal for sale with a "100" on it-it appears to be the current issue type as Communist era symbols are not there. the local Hungarian Red Cross has answered my emails a couple of times, but given me a bar bones outline of the awards. However, there are friendly (and English speaking) people there who may be able to answer more questions in a face to face chat. Back in a mo- I got this email last month from a very nice lady named Eva Koltai, Head of Blood Donor Recruitment (medal opportunity here Charles and Gordon) "The meaning of Kivalo Verdano is 'outstanding/distinguished blood donor" " First time blood donors receive a gout pin ( a pin forming a blood drop) on the occasion of his/her first blood donation. Those who are giving full blood for 10,20,30,40,60,70,80,90 times receive a certificate (of merit) when reaching those numbers. Those donors giving full blood for the 25,50,75,100th times receive a certificate and a medal as well. degrees of plasmapheresis donors are 40,70, 100 occasions. From the year 2006 those generous blood donors, who are giving blood for 100 or more occasions, are awarded the "Pro Vita" prize ("for life") founded by the Health Minister (one donor is awarded from each county branch). The certificates , awards and prizes are handed over on Blood Donors' Day celebrations held by county branches locally, while Pro Vita prizes are given to blood donors on the occasion of a central celebration held in the House of the Parliament."

Good stuff Chris- Where do you find all this stuff?

Great book! Any numbers on the award of the Order of the Rose? Numbers on the Paraguayan or Uruguayan campaign medals?

By the way- i got this last month-a small doc. for the Restoration of Workers and Peasants' Rule medal: but any idea s to what the abbreviation title at the right hand side, "fhdgy" means? Thanks! Ulster

Yup-got the email and it's in the file (By the way-VERY excited at the "secret project" research)...I thought I'd add this as the other blood donor medals seem to have cloth ribbons, a lamp and a droplet (that's also what the red cross sent me in their email). I have seen all three ribbon typed medals on ebay (and lost a set last month to a red cross collector)-mostly sold out of the UK for some reason. This one I don't know-bronze class? earlier type as it clearly has the communist symbols within the design of the piece? The Red Cross are going to send me photos of the awards and when, if ever, the medal was redesigned. I really envy you guys-it's a whole new world out there, with records intact-just waiting to be looked through-sigh-

Not me-but I have noticed that Chaplains in the front lines got the black/white ribboned EK2. I had always presumed that this was because they got the award early. On the other hand, I have clearly seen photos of chaplains in the field with what I presume is the white/black ribbon as well as others "at home" in Lazaretts with the white/black ribbon. I always thought it was a chronology thing, or no set rules so the Divisional commanders were making judgments based upon what they thought was right. sorry about the pic-it's from a war time PK. Rev. Wagner, Fielddivisionschaplain of the 14th reserve division

Beautiful medals-does anyone know if there are awards lists in Brazil? Who got what and when?

Blue cases are civilian awards? So red cases denote state awards? Man-you guys are going to be the Kings of Hungarian medal knowledge.

Like I said, he helped me...but the navy web site is a goldmine of useful contacts. They also may know about the Republics' awards-which are rare as rae can be and fascinating.

Really interesting article. I have seen those plaques about and wondered what they were. Any chance a local party secretary is still about? My UPS driver was a Bulgarian Brigade Assistant leader.He waxes nostalgic about the dances they used to have.

Cool-any chance of an interview? I bet his medals array would be spectacular.

Well, heres' hoping.... stuff is showing up..slowly...slowly.... Here's a "Distinguished Blood Donor" medal which I presume is pre-1989 by the Communist symbols and by the painted enamel work-probably from the 1980s. I've been in contact with the Hungarian Red Cross, who seem to be reluctant to talk about the pre 1989 awards, but they still give out medals for blood donors (and donations)...so Gordon, Decker and Hunyadi...an opportunity awaits to flesh out that medal bar.... The scan of this is not so great because the medal is slightly concave, with an impressed enamel surface over a brass backing and a raised, really well done, red cross emblem in the center of the star. I presume this was awarded for a significant number of blood donations. Nowadays-one donation gets you a lapel pin, but give 25 times and you start up the ladder of medal awards. The banner above the star says: " Kivalo Verdano" or "excellent donor".

Great photos! I wonder how much those paintings go for these days?

Very cool Gordon. Is he in Hungary now or in the USA?

?? Stripes on the upper arm are rank stripes. Stripes on the lower right are discharge stripes (people were allowed to wear their uniforms up to 60 days as civilians -although I knew an old doughboy who wore his for a year because he had no money when he got home-he had used his pay to buy a house and had $0 left over and couldn't find a job for a year. His wife and he had dinner at their parents house every other day and that was it for their food. Other stripes-as per the post above, are overseas stripes, worn to show length of time overseas.

Any name on that photo Chris? i note it was taken in "occupied France".

You might try contacting the Shah in exile. I sent him an email 4 years ago about a ribbon bar I had bought and he did answer me. See here: http://www.rezapahlavi.org/index.htm Also: There are a couple of exile military web site (the best is the imperial iranian navy one) and they sometimes answer questions.

greetings Decker! We welcome all Hungarian collectors! Do you know anything about the workers' militia medal by any chance? I understand that it was awarded en masse upon the militias' disbandment in 1989.

It was a higher "grade" of that class- used for second awards and higher ranks. The classes and grades of these awards were given by rank. On rare occasion a deed would merit a higher "grade" of the class- but these are exceptional-and often debatable. For example- a medal bar with an MVK3x and crown next to an EK2 and a long service medal and/or HKx probably went to a private for two acts of bravery. For someone a bit higher up the rank hierarchy-it was a 1st award and so on. Officers got the MVOx-and almost all Bavarian jr. officers got it in WW1.

close up of the EK1

Infantry General Grolman in his later years- Made Oberst, 4th LeibInfrgt., 1891 Schwarzadlerorden, 1892 Later commander of the 3rd LeibInf.Regt and on the imperial Privy Counsel

a close up: Oh for an Epson scanner- Note: another non prussian wearing it backwards-

Here is a ranker who did well-Rick will recognise this CDV.