IrishGunner

I like it (although I would've used a dark color for the felt). :blush:

Lots of interesting pieces there... Welcome! :beer:

Brian, this has more of a look of pre-WWI to me, especially the design of the obverse; and the words "Einigkeit macht stark" = "Unity makes strength" is very Bismarckian sounding, adding to the 1870 feeling of the piece...something to commemorate the veterans of 1870-71.

A Google search in German showed that the Bavarian village of Vohenstrauss erected a memorial in 1896 to honor the fallen soldiers of the village at the Battle of Sedan. Very possible that this medal had something to do with the same commemoration.

Here's a picture of the memorial:

general Lebed's plane crashed for no apparent reason.

Lebed's helicopter crashing for "no apparent reason" - OH now that's exactly what I mean by folklore. "No apparent reason" - yea, right. :whistle:

One thing I've learned about Russian folklore after living in this part of the world for some time - and after drinking a lot of vodka with Russians. Much of folklore isn't "lore"

Oh and BTW, the medal is hung backwards on the picture. St George slaying the dragon is the obverse.

You know, I wondered about that...I would have thought old St George would have merited the obverse.

You are right, just something about this simple bar that is really striking to the eye. Well done.

One can just imagine this Wuerrtemburger (assumption because of the Stuttgart label) fighting on the Isonzo Front with the Austria-Hungarian forces.

Ow ok , It was to good to be true

Hey, thanks for the heads-up though. One day, just maybe one day we'll re-unite the group. :catjava:

Frank, another reason I'm content to stay away from the high-end Soviet orders.

About the only thing above the common jubilee medals et al that I'm interested in now is a WW2-era OGPW. Everything else I will leave for you more knowledgeable and wealthy Soviet experts. :whistle:

Kevin, the cognac is a birthday present for my son and I'm going home for a short visit in two weeks. So, no; it's days are numbered.

I received a great bottle of Port from the commander of a Portuguese airborne battalion in Bosnia in 2003; it didn't survive either. But I still have the wooden box with the battalion's regimental insignia carved into the side! :catjava:

Henk, the Bravery Medal shows up there because I just put him in there as "a medal I am looking for" - ;)

I've posted most all of this in the "Today's Finds" sub-forum, but thought I'd do this just for fun. Along with the Cognac, I've also found an old Soviet manufactured porcelain figure of a Cossack.

The Berlin document

The name page:

The Awards Booklet - if anyone can tell me his name - it would be appreciated.

The Capture of Berlin Medal

I picked up this ORS today at the Yerevan flea market - while it's a higher number than the one I already own, I consider this one an upgrade because it comes with the recipient's awards booklet and his Capture of Berlin Medal and document. The Berlin connection fits right into my interests; one for later research. Also, the awards booklet shows he received the Bravery Medal - unfortunately, that wasn't along with the group.

First the Order of Red Star:

If the asked price is more than $25 to $50, pass!

That's what I was thinking too Frank; and I'd only pay that now if I was certain it was a genuine numbered silvered issue.

Thanks for all your insights to this piece - great learning experience.

Hmm. Given the outrageous price on eBay and the speculation of "real" or "fake" or "stolen" - I'd steer clear even though I think it's an interesting piece. Too many warning flags at this point.

Very cool document! :catjava:

Very interesting piece; I suppose for the August 1991 coup attempt which finally brought the collapse of the USSR. Even if it isn't genuine and if it wasn't too much $, I'd snag it simply as a curiosity piece. And if you find reference to it as an official medal, all the better then...

I will keep my eyes open for such a piece, but haven't see anything like it; the St. George reverse is certainly eye-catching.

I did a search of GMIC on "Belarus" and found several topics on badges from post-Soviet Union period, but not this Medal for the 60th Anniv of the Liberation from Fascism. I've seen this medal on the ribbon bars of active-duty Belarus officers.

This is another Soviet ribbon bar that makes me wonder if it's "made up". One ribbon is reversed (30th GPW); and there is a ribbon for later award (60th Armed Forces) that if are accurate would make one wonder where are the previous jubilee medals.

Caucasus and Konigsburg are unusual combo; along with both Victory over Germany and Japan.

Bravery Medal

Military Merit Medal

Medal for Defense of Caucasus

Medal for Victory over Germany

Medal 30 Years Victory GPW (reversed)

Medal for Victory over Japan

Medal Capture of Konigsburg

Medal Veteran of Labor

Medal 60 Years Armed Forces

But then again, why would anyone make up such a bar? The back looks good. Then again, the dealer just gave it to me as a "gift" because I've made several purchases (albeit small ones) from him. Oh, well, it was free and it's interesting. Good combo.

This veteran's badge was interesting to me because of it's construction from all brass instead of the usual "cheap" aluminum. Also, the Stalingrad connection and the unusual range of dates "1925-1946-1975"

On the reverse shows that it's a veteran's badge of the 31^st Stalingrad Rifle Division, which made the XXX - 30 - number odd to me on the suspension. I then figured out that this was produced at the 30th anniversary of the GPW Victory - thus the colors of the suspension - rather than the number of the Division. But the significance of 1925 and 1946 still eluded me until I found info in the book "Armies of the Bear"

The Division was formed in its II. Formation in Oct-Nov 1925 from 93^rd Rifle Regiment, then assigned to the 32^nd Division near Stalingrad in the North Caucasus Military District. In 1926, the Division received the honorific title “Stalingrad.” In 1939, the Division formed two new divisions, the 118^th and 160^th; the remaining units became the III. Formation of the 31^st Division. In January 1940, the 31^st Division to the Transcaucasus Military District in Azerbaijan. In October 1941, the Division was assigned to the 56^th Army, participating in the battles around Rostov-na-Don. It then was transferred to the 46^th Army within the Transcaucasian Front and participated in the Defense of the Causcasus campaigns. In 1943, the Division went to the Southwestern Front, fighting in the drive to the Dnepr. In 1944, the Division was with the 2^nd Ukrainian Front in the Romania campaign. It then moved to the 1^st Ukrainian Front taking part in the Vistula-Oder campaign through Poland and then the Berlin offensive operation. The Division ended the war in Czechoslovakia and aided in the liberation of Prague. Immediately after the war, the Division was assigned to the Northern Group of Forces in Poland; being disbanded in 1946. (“Armies of the Bear”)

Great campaign credits and history. I found another reference that said the 31st Div was formed in 1925 in Yerevan; so, another unique connection from my view point.

Picked these up this weekend at the Yerevan flea market. 10 Year Impeccable Service fills that hole. The Belarus 60Yr Anniv. was a nice addition for a country that wasn't yet represented in my vault. The veteran's badge will have further comments in the Soviet forum - unique in that it is all brass and not the aluminum norm. The ribbon bar was a "gift" from a guy I've been buying from regularly - more on that in the Soviet forum too.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/10/AR2010091002712.html