Christophe

And I think he would display the two versions (military + labour) close together... Ch.

The Memorial. Ch. Pic : Ray D'Addario

A question for Berlin lovers... #1 What is this? It is the first Soviet Saluting Base, for military parades. #2 Where was this located? (Please name the city and the exact place) Former West-Berlin. Midway between the Brandenburg Gate and the Grosser Stern, close to where the Siegesallee crossed the road. Today, Strasse des 17 Juni. #3 When was this build and what later replaced this thing? May 1945. Later, in November 1945, it has been replaced by the permanent Soviet War Memorial. #4 What was special with this place throughout the Cold War? It was the only place in West Berlin (British sector), where there was a free access for Soviet troups. Cheers. Ch.

The doc. Cheers. Ch. Pic : Medals of the Ministries and Departments of the Russian Federation - By Ilya Kuzmichev and Alexandr Trifon - Pages 20-21.

The medal - 2nd Type (?). Cheers. Ch. Pic : Medals of the Ministries and Departments of the Russian Federation - By Ilya Kuzmichev and Alexandr Trifon - Pages 20-21.

The medal - 1st Type (?). Cheers. Ch. Pic : Medals of the Ministries and Departments of the Russian Federation - By Ilya Kuzmichev and Alexandr Trifon - Pages 20-21.

Hi Christian, Just have to ask... This medal has been instituted on 11 February 2000, by "Prikaz" #75 of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. There are 2 classes, and apparently 2 types. Here is a small text in Russian. This texte, and the pics attached, are from the book : Medals of the Ministries and Departments of the Russian Federation - By Ilya Kuzmichev and Alexandr Trifon, published in 2006 by Bratishka Editions (Moscow). 240 pages, 150 copies. See my thread about this book, here : http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=13395&hl= Cheers. Ch. Pic : Medals of the Ministries and Departments of the Russian Federation - By Ilya Kuzmichev and Alexandr Trifon - Pages 20-21.

Ed, Our Chairman was in Paris these two last days. Ask him his impressions... Not yet the spirit of the French Revolution... but, step by step... Bahh... I forgot... Cheers. Ch.

Thanks Christian!!! But, in our collectors world, we don't need to be too many collecting french orders and medals... These are in my opinion clearly undervalued. But, anything is relative / comparable... Cheers. Ch.

About these docs, you can find an interesting thread here : http://www.soviet-awards.com/forum/soviet-...e-drowning.html And, don't forget to have a look at Mondvor site (Andrew's one...). Cheers. Ch.

Christian, Don't forget we are 3 Members only against... 5!!! Cheers. Ch.

Bryan, We have a winner!!!!! Congrats!! Your answers are perfect. And, as I already told you... : Erich Honecker's office in the Palast der Republik was located "G3 Domseite". Erich Konecker had several offices... probably one in each of the most important official building. The one I showed was obviously a basic one... and I did not succeed finding a pic showing Erich Honecker in it. Erich Honecker's main office was not far from here, in what is now called the Staatsratsgeb?ude, the building on the Schlossplatz with the arched portal from which Karl Liebknecht proclaimed a german socialist republic in 1918. Bryan, again, bravo!!! And your turn, now... Cheers. Ch. PS 1 : I will be back in Berlin in 10 day time. I'll take pics of what remains of der Palast des Republik. PS 2 : Here is a pic of the carpet of Erich Honecker's office.

Good try Christian!! It is (was) in East-Berlin. This partial answer is correct . And, you are right about the extreme tasteless aspect of the office. But, all the rest is wrong : it is not in the Stasi HQ (look at the shape and size of the windows, and the ones in the courtyard are even smaller than the one visible on your pic...). It is not Mielke or Wolf's office. But, you are in the right direction. Good hunt and good luck. Cheers. Ch.

Thanks Christian. Let's try what I think is an easy one. Should be a really easy one.... Question #113 1. Whose office is this (or was this) ? Hint : the pic has been taken in 1993. 2. Where is (was) this office ? City, exact location, name of the building. and, as a bonus : 3. What is (was) the color of the carpet ? The easiest question in my mind... The winner will be the first one to correctly answer these two questions. Good hunt and good luck. Cheers. Ch.

He is the author / poet Konstantin Simonov (Константин Михайлович Симонов) (28 November 1915 - 28 August 1979). Like Grossman, Simonov has been a war correspondent for the military paper Red Star. Here is his site : http://www.simonov.co.uk/ and his Wikipedia entry : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Konstantin_Simonov Cheers. Ch.

Question #112 Could he be the famous russian composer Nikolai Yakovlevich Myaskovsky (Николай Яковлевич Мясковский) (April 20, 1881 ? August 8, 1950) ? Her is his very well done "official" site : http://www.myaskovsky.ru/ and his Wikipedia entry : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikolai_Myaskovsky Cheers. Ch.

Merci. Thanks, Terry. It's important that, NOW, everything is done to listen their lives, learn and keep their testimonies. I am always impressed by the "youth" of these men who encountered a such terrible life... Cheers. Ch.

This is looking like a nice moment we will share together... Cheers. Ch.

With pleasure, when you want... Cheers. Ch.

Hi Megan, The one you are showing here is not the 1953 version, but the 1981 one. See my thread, here : http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=11023 The 1953 version corresponding to the 1939-1945 period can be seen here, in Hendrik's site : http://users.skynet.be/hendrik/eng/F-Campaign.html Cheers. Ch.

Thanks Gordon. Not a car for me either... But I know someone interested in "historical" cars. I'll forward him the link. The interior is not bad either... Cheers. Ch.

Hi Belaruski, Well done!!! A very subtile question... We all lost, no victory there... But,as Christian was the 1st one to bring the "Kursk" clue, is it his turn now ? Or do you want to ask us another challenge ? Cheers. Ch.

Close-up pic. Ch. Pic : Website "Ders des Ders" - http://dersdesders.free.fr/index.html

Here is how Lazare Ponticelli wears his medals in official ceremonies (11 November 2006). Ch. Pic : Website "Ders des Ders" - http://dersdesders.free.fr/index.html

Hi Gordon, Nice car, and maybe not so expensive... I imagine it has not been used a lot... Where is it for sale ? I know someone who could be interested in... Cheers. Ch.