wlodzimierz

On November 26 and 29, 1971 respectively, the newly elected East German parliament met for its first - constituent - and second sessions. During those sessions Otto Gotsche was replaced in the State Council by the 44 year-old Heinz Eichler who has been on Ulbricht's personal staff since 1949. He then studied in Moscow at the end of the fifties, and returned to become one of Ulbricht's personal secretaries. This is order was awarded to comrade Heinz Eichler, there is no award document or certificate. On box typed on pieces of papers are information concerning ownership. Enjoy

Thank you for comments. Color difference: The torches and red star are made from red enamel and ring is painted with red color. This explains the fact that they have different color. The right question is, as already Anatoly asked: who made it? IKOM or was it home made? waldemar

This order is made from silver, there are 3 marks: ikom, silver mark and 900. Anatoly and me had discussion about this order and I agree with Anatoly's theory: ' I think this order was 2nd class in born but then(when they need 1st cl.and they did not have preparations of medallions of 1st class) they used possibly beaten medallion from 2 class ( but with good enamel in flames), having removed white enamel around stars and having processed then all medallion a gold paint.' I think that the order IS order of the 1st cl. But there is a danger, each of us without specialized tools and deep knowledge can upgrade his 2nd to 1st cl. using only knife and red color. Hopefully we will not see many of such order.

Gentlemen, with the time the quality of communist OMDs continually decreased. I think hier is the good example of this process: we have seen ring painted with gold color, new is that this time enamel was painted with the red color as well. What do you think? 1. Is it 'home made' 2. Or is it last type

This are simply parts of Order of Brotherhood and Unity 2nd cl. which has been found probably in IKOM. Somebody has remake them to new private order. Nice idea, nothing more. waldemar

Anatoly you are right images have not natural color. Your images are better. This is the first time I see such "povelja" and it seems that this plaque was given like an award. Blue color of tube is the color of police, securities, internal affairs I think. Interesting anyway. image from wikipedia: german paratroopers from that raid:

just arrived : Order of Tudor Vladimirescu 2nd cl.

Award document and blue tube:

Gents, text from wikipedia: The Raid on Drvar (Croatian, Serbian: Desant na Drvar), codenamed Operation R?sselsprung (German for "knight's leap"), was an attack by the Waffen-SS and the Luftwaffe that aimed to disrupt the command structure of the Yugoslav Partisans by eliminating their Supreme Headquarters, and capturing their commander, Marshal Josip Broz Tito. The offensive took place in April and May, 1944. The operation is generally known as the Seventh anti-Partisan Offensive, or the Seventh Enemy Offensive (Sedma neprijateljska ofenziva/ofanziva) in Yugoslav sources. Despite the name, "Raid on Drvar", the offensive was much wider than the airborne raid on the HQ, as it also included a combined Axis attack on Partisan positions in Bosnia designed to take advantage of the command disruption. This attack included local collaborationist forces, the Independent State of Croatia and the Chetnik movement. The Partisan General Staff headquarters were in the hills near Drvar, Bosnia at the time (in today's Bosnia and Herzegovina). Representatives of the Allies were also present. Randolph Churchill (son of Winston Churchill) and Evelyn Waugh were at Tito's headquarters at the time of the attack. Otto Skorzeny was involved in planning of the operation and was supposed to command it but gave up on it after his visit to Zagreb where he realized that the operation's secrecy was compromised. In addition to their own intricate network, the Partisans were provided with intelligence by the British, and knew that the Axis will launch an offensive operation around Tito's birthday. However, they did not know that it was going to be an airborne assault. Regardless, orders received by the Partisan units 48 hours before the air raid commenced, were to block all roads leading from towns Bosanski Petrovac, Ključ to Drvar and to stall or slow down any Axis movement coming from those areas. In addition, strong Partisan formations were positioned southeast of Drvar. Whole Partisan brigades and divisions were repositioned from areas of North Western Krajina and moved to Ključ and Bosanski Petrovac. On the other hand, only one Partisan company of Tito's Escort Battalion was actually defending the cave. Operation At 5:00am the parachute and glider German SS and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fallschirmjaeger" title="Fallschirmjaeger">paratroopers fought their way to Tito's cave HQ and exchanged heavy gunfire resulting in numerous casualties on both sides. In addition, Chetnik formations under Dra?a Mihailović flocked to the firefight in support of the Germans, also attempting to capture Marshal Tito. By the time German forces had penetrated to the cave, however, Tito had already fled the scene and escaped: a train was waiting for him that took him to Jajce town. There were less then 100 Partisans in the town when the operation started. Most of the Partisan troops were dislocated in wider area. The students of the Partisan Officer's School, around 60 of them, joined in a fight,sometime taking arms from fallen German troops, prevented a flanking attempt by the German paratroopers. This proved to be crucial for saving the foreign guests (it gave them more time for escape) that were hosted by Tito. When elements of the Partisan 6th Lika Division arrived at the battlefield, the air raid was already a disaster and the brigade was ordered to wipe out the remaining Axis troops in the area and to evacuate the wounded and civilians, since it was already known that the Axis tanks and infantry were approaching Drvar from northwest. It would appear that Tito and his staff were prepared for a quick escape. The commandos were only able to retrieve Tito's Marshal's uniform, which was later displayed in Vienna. After fierce fighting in and around the village cemetery, the Germans were able to link up with mountain troops. By that time, Tito, his British guests and Partisan staff were f?ted aboard the British Royal Navy destroyer HMS Blackmore and her captain Lt. Carson, RN. Aftermath According to German reports German casualties were 213 killed, 881 wounded, and 51 missing. The same reports, claimed that 6,000 Partisans were killed.The Partisans denied suffering such losses and reported they lost around 500 men and had over 1,000 wounded, mainly due to heavy bombing by the Luftwaffe. Moreover, Partisan reports claimed over 2,000 civilians were killed by German troops around Drvar, that were likely counted among the alleged 6,000 dead fighters reported by the SS. Also, it is certain that German losses were higher than the reported 213 since out of more than 800 Waffen SS paratroopers only a dozen survived, hiding in the Drvar cemetery. In fact, it has later been ascertained that the 500th SS Parachute Battalion was practically annihilated during this operation. Plaque Drvar:

Is this image OK?

Luckily I found this order. Thank you for your impressions. The question if we can make recherches knowing s/n is hard to answer at the moment. Generally speaking, this order was awarded probably in July 1945 (at that time 60 order of all classes has been awarded). At that time s/n was written on certificate/award document. On the other side there is 'Odluke Predsednistva AVNOJ-a br. 275 and 276/45' documents which specify this procedure ( I looked at Rudez book). I think that it can be done, becouse the number is very low and therefore easier to find. waldemar

Welcome Gunner 1 in YU section, In 20 years you will look back and say to your children: 'it was best decision in my live, to collect YU awards' Congratulation to your orders, it is hard to find documented orders. Thank you for sharing. As far I know, both types with s/n and without s/n has been made in Zagreb by IKOM. First OMDs (not this order) has been made by Mondvor, of course with s/n. After WWII yugoslavian makers ZIN/ZNB and IKOM started production of YU OMD with s/n. On the beginning you could even find award document with s/n of order written on it. With the time s/n has not been put of award/certificat document and with the time the s/n has not been struck/used on OMDs. In light of this general statement the first order would be the one with s/n. It is hard to get more information since IKOM archives has been completely destroyed . If we have luck, we could find something in other archives. Nice orders and very rare. waldemar

Gents, this is first type and first variant of Order of Labor 3rd class. Look at the number and the way how serial number has been created. The box is in good shape, the corresponding serial number is written on box (can not be seen). Enjoy. :cheers:

Good argument. I understand now why you wanted this case. :cheers:

This order has the same shape as yours. The only difference is used meterial. I've red about this flat star but unfortunately I haven't seen any images of this type. waldemar :cheers:

Anatoly showed us all three classes of this Order. But there was a question if these awards are orders or medals. There are different views on these awards. Rudaz says these are medals for military merit, Velitsko says these are order for militray merit. I agree with Anatoly that these are orders for military merits replaced in 1953. Luckily I found images which can help us. On these images you can see order of military merits 3rd cl. You can see that this order had a shape of medal.

Welcome in this part of forum It is remarkable good decision to join collectors of EX-YU orders. The order you showed us is 3rd cl. with 6 torches. I never heard that there are fakes of this order. I think that it was worn and therefore some details on torches has been lost. It would be nice to see whole box probably it is standard box for this type. Is it your first YU order? waldemar

Images of new type of Order of Yugoslavian People's Army 1st cl. This order is made from tombac in 1981 - 1985, it has no hallmarks.

I got some interesting images of this order with case. Genuine Order of National Liberation converted from screw back to pin back. There is a name of maker on the needle, interesting is that this text is "ZNB KOVNICA". In the middle of reverse you can small round place, I think that it is the place foressen for the screw. This place was filled up with a metal but still there is a small sign. @Anatoly What is the text on your order "ZIN KOVNICA" or "ZNB KOVNICA"?

You can see hier one of the first type, maybe first type of cases for Order of Partisan Star 3rd class: enjoy.

Gentlemen, Offers and realised prices are available under http://www.barac-pervan.com.hr/en/ . The prices for communist OMDs are almost unchanged. waldemar

Gentlemen, I found today these two plaques of SVAZARM. There are informations about SVAZARM in wikipedia: Svazarm or Union for Cooperation with the Army (Czech: Svaz pro spolupr?ci s arm?dou / Svazarm, Slovak: Zv?z pre spolupr?cu s arm?dou / Zv?zarm), was, in Communist Czechoslovakia, the largest "paramilitary" organisation, though in fact many of the activities that Svazarm provided for its members were more reminiscient of a Boy Scout movement than of a regimentend paramilitary group. Established in 1951, the Svazarm was an almost exact copy of the Soviet Union's DOSAAF. Unfortunately I couldn't find any information about these plaques. Have anyone any details about these plaques?

The left medal was delivered with red box (late issue) and certificate issued in 1981 and signed by Stojan Rudez. He was at that time Chief of Order Office. I'm not sure if all parts are genuine or if they were put togther but in reality they are not consistent. I think too that the left medal is earlier type on the other side certificate was issued in 1981. The type of medal would not correspond with certificate from 1981. Or certificate and medal comes really from 1981, it would mean that the right medal is earlier type (not very probably). Thank you for comments

Gentlemen, Medal for Labor has two types. The difference is shown on attached image. waldemar

On this auction there was a small mistake regarding lot no. 453 - Partizanska spomenica, Russian make. The auctioneer had announced prior to the bidding that the screw on backside of that medal was not genuine. So many did not bid for it, but still it was sold. Though for lower price than expected probably.