Bob

Here's some more badges - 100th Anniversary of Prizren Treaty - Distinguished Officer - Distinguished Village Youth - Distinguished Volunteer

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=13177 To link this all into 1 thread. Our forum's Albanian friend has informed me that there are so few of these because, similar to what one sometimes sees in other countries, it had to be replaced by a new one. Fortunately some people were stubborn and didn't do that

True, but besides being important... I find it all very amusing to read socialist propaganda "lingo"... To give a more modern day example: "Socialism is human. Socialism is love" - Hugo Chavez upon winning elections this week:)

And if you put one of his items in your "reminder" list on eBay, boom... there'd be a bid from Chinggisron on it just to tempt you to get bidding yourself:) Speaking of the items this person is selling, what are all your thoughts on the numbered inventor medal that he is selling?

As per Eric's post elsewhere about further expanding eastern european socialist state research, I figured a good way to start would be to use the existing forum. So let's use this thread for any books that would be useful for studying Albanian awards. First, a very useful book for learning about the history of Albania: - History of the Party of Labor of Albania - Published by the "Institute of Marxist-Leninist Studies at the Central Committee of the Party of Labor of Albania" I bought it on eBay but see now that you can also easily get it on www.abe.com Have just browsed through it sofar but provides a lot of interesting background to an important institution as well as dates / names in Albanian history.

I agree that a "country" focus would probably be best to limit scope and achieve comprehensive coverage in a specific area. I'd like to contribute obviously to the Albania section. I also have a limited interest also in Bulgarian awards - for which quite some good documentation already exists. In addition, I'd be interested in zooming in on Moldovan awards although I have nothing to contribute there yet (apart from my recommendation on Moldovan wine and Moldovan ladies). This of course next to my other interests, mainly being Mongolian awards and - more recently - Order of Tamara (for which I am trying to bit by bit collect available knowledge into one English language document much like Eric's on Albanian awards but obviously limited to only 1 award). Did I mention focus?

And here a nice little (thumbnail sized - makes you wonder who actually used to wear these) Chinese badge: "Long Live the Friendship between China & Albania"

Reverse

Let's by default make this thread into the "badge" thread then. Will inevitably contain mainly undocumented items. 5 badges (right to left): - Distinguished Artist Badge - Distinguished Military Cadet Badge - Distinguished Soldier Badge - unknown - 40th Liberation Anniversary Badge Apart from the first one, generally not "high quality" (i.e. a cheapish flimsy feel / weight) although the design isn't half bad.

What I don't understand though is why specifically "Remembrance 1942-1943". I've been reading up on wartime Albanian history and - if I had to choose a time period where I'd expect a specific medal, would have expected 43-44 to refer to the crucial winter campaign.

I stand corrected, beyond guessing, we can also refer to Eric

Hi there Elvis, Interesting! Are there any markings on the reverse or on the ring (whether text or silvermark)? I'm afraid odds will be that all we can do is guess about this medal... Albanian awards is still a bit "mysterious" but that makes it even more interesting:) I like the socialist depiction on the medal

Wasn't the fact that he was "in power" reason enough for him to be deserving? This apart from the fact that - reading a book with details about Brezhnev - it doesn't seem he was very much "in power". Perhaps awards was one way to keep the doggy happy?

The Polar Star isn't chaotic, it's just "different"

Aha, it wasn't just me then

So, did you end up buying Tito's Order of Victory?

I don't quite like the patina. I say it's a fake. Oops... wrong forum. Sorry

Did all people who were awarded the title also (either to themselves or their family) get an actual award? Was there any similarity with USSR where a hero would get hero title + hero star + order of lenin? What else could you share about the statutes for example... criteria for becoming a hero, priveleges coming with the title, etc? As you can see... being Albanian on this forum makes you the object of many questions

Yes we are interested - please tell! And perhaps also a pic of front and back?

Thanks Dave. I'm not as experienced a Soviet collector as many others here including you but I am still surprised at how few "name / date / place of action" inscribed awards then appear. I'd think it would almost be a "natural" thing to do with some of these awards (humans like to scribble stuff on things:)). Or was there a culture to prefer to stay "anonymous" perhaps? Any pics of such inscribed awards? How rare are these inscribed awards?

Thanks Lukasz! Now, do you also know what the little blue ribboned medal on the right hand side of his jacket is? It corresponds with one of the ribbons or is something seperate? For sure he seems attached to it because he persistently wears it. Note, this is not a quiz - I really have no clue myself!

Triggered by thread on Order of Queen / Saint Tamara (if which some people have purchased more elaborate versions with jewels etc. on them... well beyond the original design) and also occasional jewelled medal I've seen in dealer catalogues (generally middle east), I am curious whether this practice has ever been seen on Soviet awards? Obviously the Order of Victory is lavishly designed to begin with... but has it ever been noted that people had won an "ordinary" order of lenin, order of glory, etc. and then had a jeweller add some extra touches to it in the form of diamonds, etc.? Just curious.

Interesting little article in this weeks edition of The Economist triggered by recent awarding of Medal of Honour to a US Marine serving in Iraq (jumping onto a handgrenade to protect his fellow marines while in hand to hand combat with insurgents). Quote: "Medals that specifically reward heroics are much harder to come by. More than 21.000 veterans won coveted Silver Stars in Vietnam. Only a few hundred servicemen have received the same in Iraq and Afghanistan" Subsequently arguing that if services gave more medals, the bravery of troops might be more widely publicised... vs. only Pat Tillman and Jessica Lynch recently being household names... more for serving with honour rather than real heroics.

Let me highlight some interesting ones: Virgin Lands 1,187 24/10/1979 OWNED BY ME Virgin Lands 1,300 24/10/1979 NUMBER QUOTED BY ED Now... what happened around October '79? Order for Meritorious Service in Battle 6,854 29/08/1995 OWNED BY ME Order for Meritorious Service in Battle 6,885 28/08/1995 OWNED BY VATJAN Order for Meritorious Service in Battle 6,972 29/08/1995 OWNED BY ED Perhaps an interesting case to have a look at - get our awards out and compare numbering etc. as they presumably came from the same batch.

Updated list - not keeping track of types, etc. (lazy me) but still a good quick reference tool for dating an award. No guarantees of course. AWARD NUMBER DATE Distinguished Co-Worker of the State Security Service 163 17/07/1944 Distinguished Co-Worker of the State Security Service 393 10/09/1973 Hero of Labour Gold Soyombo 1 1956 Hero of Labour Gold Soyombo 52 28/11/1962 Hero of Labour Gold Soyombo 250 1981 Honorious Medal of Labour 9,393 13/11/1956 Honorious Medal of Labour 10,328 30/08/1956 Honorious Medal of Labour 10,660 17/10/1951 Honorious Medal of Labour 11,032 06/11/1956 Honorious Medal of Labour 16,235 26/06/1964 Honorious Medal of Labour 16,573 15/07/1965 Honorious Medal of Labour 17,040 07/07/1966 Honorious Medal of Labour 23,159 04/08/1976 Honorious Medal of Labour 24,082 14/07/1960 Medal We Won 9,678 09/07/1946 Medal We Won 26,931 28/12/1990 Medal 25 Years of the MPR 13,958 30/07/1946 Medal 25 Years of the MPR 14,184 17/08/1946 Medal 40 Years of the MPR 15,955 15/09/1961 Medal for Meritorious Service in Battle 854 26/09/1946 Medal for Meritorious Service in Battle 1,288 16/09/1947 Medal for Meritorious Service in Battle 3,813 08/07/1947 Medal for Meritorious Service in Battle 4,312 08/07/1947 Medal for Meritorious Service in Battle 4,521 11/09/1953 Medal for Meritorious Service in Battle 5,228 24/07/1954 Medal for Meritorious Service in Battle 19,346 24/09/1984 Medal for the Victory over Japan 3,443 06/07/1946 Medal for Unselfishness 1,046 29/04/1999 Medal of Friendship 1,761 12/11/1968 Medal of Friendship 4,086 1971 Order for Meritorious Service in Battle 1,049 01/10/1959 Order for Meritorious Service in Battle 1,552 29/09/1964 Order for Meritorious Service in Battle 2,146 00/06/1969 Order for Meritorious Service in Battle 2,695 1972 Order for Meritorious Service in Battle 2,777 1971 Order for Meritorious Service in Battle 4,836 15/07/1985 Order for Meritorious Service in Battle 5,138 03/04/1986 Order for Meritorious Service in Battle 5,685 27/03/1987 Order for Meritorious Service in Battle 6,300 09/07/1988 Order for Meritorious Service in Battle 6,515 04/07/1991 Order for Meritorious Service in Battle 6,854 29/08/1995 Order for Meritorious Service in Battle 6,885 28/08/1995 Order for Meritorious Service in Battle 6,972 29/08/1995 Order for Meritorious Service in Battle 7,388 15/09/1995 Order for Meritorious Service in Battle 8,068 09/08/1999 Order for Meritorious Service in Battle 8,126 09/08/1999 Order of Combat Red Banner 5,348 09/08/1999 Order of Mother Heroine - 1st class 5,396 16/02/1965 Order of Mother Heroine - 1st class 8,128 01/03/1967 Order of Mother Heroine - 1st class 11,608 13/02/1970 Order of Mother Heroine - 1st class 16,062 21/02/1972 Order of Mother Heroine - 1st class 21,460 25/01/1975 Order of Mother Heroine - 1st class 24,179 20/02/1976 Order of Mother Heroine - 1st class 31,252 22/02/1978 Order of Mother Heroine - 1st class 33,062 17/02/1979 Order of Mother Heroine - 1st class 34,361 23/02/1980 Order of Mother Heroine - 1st class 43,883 00/03/1984 Order of Mother Heroine - 1st class 45,130 25/02/1981 Order of Mother Heroine - 2nd class 543 29/05/1958 Order of Mother Heroine - 2nd class 9,195 25/06/1958 Order of Mother Heroine - 2nd class 13,892 10/10/1958 Order of Mother Heroine - 2nd class 15,709 10/11/1958 Order of Mother Heroine - 2nd class 23,451 25/02/1960 Order of Mother Heroine - 2nd class 25,633 02/03/1961 Order of Mother Heroine - 2nd class 29,451 25/02/1962 Order of Mother Heroine - 2nd class 36,905 11/02/1964 Order of Mother Heroine - 2nd class 39,895 04/03/1964 Order of Mother Heroine - 2nd class 61,823 08/02/1969 Order of Mother Heroine - 2nd class 77,748 17/02/1972 Order of Mother Heroine - 2nd class 77,962 17/02/1972 Order of Mother Heroine - 2nd class 84,187 22/02/1973 Order of Mother Heroine - 2nd class 116,403 00/00/1978 Order of Mother Heroine - 2nd class 120,901 27/02/1980 Order of Mother Heroine - 2nd class 130,167 29641 Order of Mother Heroine - 2nd class 145,118 18/08/1985 Order of Mother Heroine - 2nd class 145,718 1985 Order of Mother Heroine - 2nd class 187,862 22/05/1995 Order of Mother Heroine - 2nd class 191,632 00/5/1997 Order of Mother Heroine - 2nd class 191,640 22/05/1997 Order of Polar Star 88 06/07/1946 Order of Polar Star 822 23/09/1946 Order of Polar Star 1,162 17/10/1951 Order of Polar Star 1,217 04/12/1955 Order of Polar Star 1,225 6/09/1944 Order of Polar Star 1,562 08/07/1947 Order of Polar Star 1,956 29/11/1955 Order of Polar Star 2,265 3/11/1945 Order of Polar Star 2,506 30/12/1956 Order of Polar Star 2,705 08/12/1948 Order of Polar Star 2,946 08/07/1950 Order of Polar Star 3,079 16/01/1957 Order of Polar Star 3,301 1956 Order of Polar Star 3,553 08/07/1947 Order of Polar Star 3,917 30/12/1956 Order of Polar Star 4,832 06/11/1956 Order of Polar Star 4,948 08/12/1948 Order of Polar Star 5,901 20/07/1946 Order of Polar Star 6,133 16/02/1956 Order of Polar Star 6,335 24/05/1950 Order of Polar Star 6,453 10/11/1956 Order of Polar Star 8,143 15/11/1958 Order of Polar Star 9,013 14/12/1957 Order of Polar Star 9,138 14/07/1960 Order of Polar Star 10,358 25/08/1961 Order of Polar Star 11,340 18/05/1965 Order of Polar Star 11,611 00/03/1966 Order of Polar Star 13,376 01/12/1969 Order of Polar Star 14,236 03/07/1971 Order of Polar Star 14,292 03/06/1971 Order of Polar Star 14,718 12/03/1973 Order of Polar Star 15,860 03/07/1971 Order of Polar Star 18,389 19/10/1976 Order of Polar Star 19,735 01/12/1979 Order of Polar Star 25,483 03/04/1980 Order of Polar Star 26,734 19/11/1990 Order of Polar Star 27,017 03/07/1991 Order of Polar Star 28,321 18/04/1995 Order of Polar Star 29,034 29/11/1998 Order of Polar Star 29,893 6-xx-2000 Order of Polar Star 31,529 21/11/2001 Order of Polar Star 185/1804 1936 Order of Suche Baatar 1 1941 Order of Suche Baatar 24 1946 Order of Suche Baatar 31 1949 Order of Suche Baatar 158 1957 Order of Suche Baatar 158 24/10/1957 Order of Suche Baatar 166 29/05/1957 Order of Suche Baatar 340 1961 Order of Suche Baatar 341 1961 Order of Suche Baatar 342 1961 Order of Suche Baatar 343 1961 Order of Suche Baatar 344 1961 Order of Suche Baatar 423 1962 Order of Suche Baatar 423 28/11/1962 Order of Suche Baatar 470 13/12/1963 Order of Suche Baatar 541 1966 Order of Suche Baatar 542 1966 Order of Suche Baatar 558 1966 Order of Suche Baatar 586 1968 Order of Suche Baatar 588 1968 Order of Suche Baatar 589 1968 Order of Suche Baatar 591 1968 Order of Suche Baatar 612 10/11/1968 Order of Suche Baatar 642 12/08/1969 Order of Suche Baatar 684 15/10/1969 Order of Suche Baatar 692 1969 Order of Suche Baatar 803 05/07/1971 Order of Suche Baatar 919 1971 Order of Suche Baatar 922 1971 Order of Suche Baatar 923 1971 Order of Suche Baatar 924 1971 Order of Suche Baatar 925 1971 Order of Suche Baatar 927 1971 Order of Suche Baatar 928 1971 Order of Suche Baatar 931 1971 Order of Suche Baatar 932 1971 Order of Suche Baatar 933 1971 Order of Suche Baatar 937 1971 Order of Suche Baatar 989 1973 Order of Suche Baatar 1,123 1975 Order of Suche Baatar 1,255 14/12/1975 Order of Suche Baatar 1,335 1978 Order of Suche Baatar 1,404 22/10/1980 Order of Suche Baatar 1,462 08/06/1981 Order of Suche Baatar 1,463 1981 Order of Suche Baatar 1,465 1981 Order of Suche Baatar 1,491 09/07/1981 Order of Suche Baatar 1,530 1981 Order of Suche Baatar 1,532 1981 Order of Suche Baatar 1,548 1981 Order of Suche Baatar 1,562 1981 Order of Suche Baatar 1,715 1986 Order of the Red Banner of Labour 621 17/11/1951 Order of the Red Banner of Labour 1,039 16/02/1956 Order of the Red Banner of Labour 1,423 24/12/1959 Order of the Red Banner of Labour 2,329 22/10/1960 Order of the Red Banner of Labour 2,845 01/02/1960 Order of the Red Banner of Labour 3,744 24/11/1973 Order of the Red Banner of Labour 3,809 28/04/1980 Order of the Red Banner of Labour 4,835 22/12/1978 Order of the Red Banner of Labour 5,050 09/07/1981 Order of the Red Banner of Labour 5,826 00/00/1987 Order of the Red Banner of Labour 6,238 15/04/1993 Title of Merit 607 26/06/1981 Virgin Lands 1,187 24/10/1979 Virgin Lands 1,300 24/10/1979 Virgin Lands 3,074 16/12/1982