Alfred

and here are some loops of original OGPW 2nd class to compare. What do you think?

a few more pictures

Hello, what do you think about this OGPW 2nd Class typ 1? I can?t see any obviosly problems. But I don?t like the small connection from the star tip to the loop. I looked at the pictures of several OGPW and the connection was always thicker. Any comments? Any other pieces with a small connection? regards Andreas

Hello Gerd, yes the soviet soldier who put the red flag over the Reichstag got Hero of the Soviet Union. But the famous movie clip, how they put the red flag over the Reichstag, was filmed a few days later. The soldier who put the red flag in the film over the Reichstag is not the same, who put the flag in real on the Reichstag. So the "film soldier" got quite known, and the real one forgotten. A short period ago, the Bundestag (parliament) invited the real soldier to Berlin. There was an article about him in the newspaper. But I was so stupid to throw the article in the dust bin. best regards Andreas

Yes, the military type seems to be rarer as 1.000.000. I looked a long time to find a military document. regards Andreas

Jens, looks okay to me. regards from Cologne Andreas

Here is a map with the way of the 14. Guard Cavalry Division from Ukraine to Berlin

Thanks for the help and the comments, Yes there is sadly no photo in the soldier knischka, I don?t know if there is photo in his personal file. This group only came with the award card and the two citations. But as I know, photos in the personal files for lower grade soldiers are not so common. regards Andreas

The soldier knischka part 4

The soldier knischka part 3

The soldier knischka part 2 I think, at the bottom is the "Medal for Victory over Germany" mentioned.

The soldier knischka part 1

The citation for the Valour Medal part 2

The citation for the Valour Medal part 1

The citation for the Red Star part 2

The citation for the Red Star part 1

Award card page 2

Award card page 1

and the backside of the medals

Hello, this nice little group came in today. My first researched group, to a horse-smith. (Where are the real combat heros?) The awards belonged to Guards Private Grigori Alekseevich Kislyakov, who served with the 14th Guards Mozirovskoi Order of Suvorov Cavalry Division! (since 28.12.1943) His Red Star was awarded 27. March 1945 (enroute to Berlin) and his For Valor was awarded 5. May 1945 (outside Berlin). He was born in the year 1905 and soldier in the Red Army since 28.12.1943. His awards: Roter Stern / Red Star 27. March 1945 Kislyakov worked as a cavalry smith. In spite of tiredness during the marches he supported reshoeing of the horses, not withstanding the lack of horseshoes and calks he made them himself, that is why there was no ireegularity in re-shoeing and the horses have not had any damages during all the marches. For his honest and conscientious work he deserves to be awarded the governmental award ? the Order of the Red Star. Tapferkeitsmedaille / Valour Medal 5. May 1945 Comrade Kislyakov repeatedly participated in the battles with German invaders. While working as a cavalry smith he takes good care of the horses, so that there are no unshoed horses as well as he keeps a keen eye on re-shoeing of the horses, during the marches in spite of the tiredness he always checkes on the horses during the breaks and does re-shoeing. Possessed a good and conscientious attitude towards his duties. For his good and honest work he got the Valour Medal. In his "soldier knischka" is a Medal for Victory over Germany mentioned (in the award card not) History of the 14. Cavalry Division - former 21. Mountain Cavalry Division (1941) - since 14. Februar 1943 guard unit - under command 7 Guard Cavalry Corps (1943-1945) Assignment 14. Cavalry Division - Chernigov / Ukraine (September 1943) - Mozyr / Ukraine (Januar 1944) - Lublin,Brest / Polen (July 1944) - Ost Pommern (Februar 1945) - Berlin (April 1945) - Brandenburg (April 1945) As to my very little russian language knowledge, maybe somebody could find out some more interesting things. regards Andreas

Hello Gerd, research is on my list, but it is not the fist point. At first I want to research another group. Wild Card, the gold is so strong, because the center is replated. The veteran replated the gold. You can see that some scratches and holes are replated with gold. But it seems that this was done a longer time ago, because the gold shows again some honest wearing traces. regards Andreas

Hello, this Order of Glory 2nd class arrived yesterday. It is a thin variation with s/n: 11.578. The tips of the star are not thicker than 1,5 mm. By the way, there are also Order of Glory third class with thin tips. But as I heard s/n range is not connected, they are spread over all serial number of the third class. Has somebody more information? regards Andreas

To post 5: I looked through a microscope and compared a second (I think it is okay) and third class Order of Homeland. I saw little differences at the mentioned place. But now I am closely clever as before. The leaf of the second class has sharper/plain borders as the third class. But I think, these little differences could also be normal production differences and corrosion. So, in short: ?????

Unfortunately, the prices for the Order of Alexander Nevski reaches the sky. I remember the times when you got a Nevski T3 for 300 Marks (150 Euro?s)

From the suspension (black and yellow stripes) it looks like a veteran badge.