Bob

Building just went on and on...

Close up... what Soviet award does the guy NOT have?

Translation?

Now that's what I call a documented set...

Put some faces behind history

Looks like a pic from collectrussia:)

Machine gun on sled - nice

I need to get a better camera - but that's another point. What are the non-soviet awards here?

Also something for uniform lovers

Some "random" interesting views coming up to give impression and encourage you to visit!

And almost all to myself!

The entrance hall... you can understand the main theme of the museum:)

Lot's of goodies in this building I can assure you!

The good stuff is coming... Minsk... a rainy afternoon... off to the Museum of the Great Patriotic War. A GREAT museum! Not the concert hall on the left, nor the socialist workers meeting center or something like that on the right... but the inspirational building in the middle.

First, some pics from a small little museum on the war in Afghanistan in the city of Vitsebsk (north of Belarus). So small that they're not really that used to getting visiters but still worth the visit (just wish I could read Russian) and the entrance fee isn't exactly a disincentive

Will be giving some highlights of Belarus as far as related to phaleristics.

First, some pics from a small little museum on the war in Afghanistan in the city of Vitsebsk (north of Belarus)

Second, some pics from the Museum of the Great Patriotic War in Minsk. Highly recommendable.

Third, some pics from the Brest Fortress in Brest of course. Also highly recommendable.

And finally, while travelling in Lithuania, I stopped right across the border with Belarus in a town near Drushkininkai called Grutas. There's a very nice park there jam packed with old Soviet time period statues... Lenin, Stalin, etc. galore. Also has some very nice exhibitions and you can eat traditional Soviet food from the good old days in the cafeteria:) Great park to wander around, enjoy the socialist realist art and take pics:)

Will post pics step by step over coming days. The best at the end:)

Mongolian Organization Decides to Award Order to Kim Jong Il

Pyongyang, February 9 (KCNA) -- The Guidance Council of the Federation of Peace and Friendship Organizations of Mongolia on Jan. 18 decided to award its highest order "Star of Friendship" to Kim Jong Il on the occasion of his birthday

SOAS News

Mongolian Order of the Pole Star Award

15 Jun 2007

Emeritus Professor C R Bawden FBA was recently awarded the Mongolian Order of the Pole Star by the Mongolian President on a recent visit to the UK.

The decree was awarded for Professor Bawden?s efforts in developing relations between Mongolia and the UK, especially in promoting Mongolia, its history and culture to the world and for his contributions to the Mongol state.

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Perhaps GMIC should be getting a Polar Star for contributions to phaleristic research related to Mongolia!

He was part of the reiter SS for a year. Thats all.

NSDAP? SA? SS?

They considered him a traitor. He could have stayed quietly behind in England and ridden out the war but he chose to fight instead (and against the wishes of his mother-in-law Wilhelmina).

Then you are also aware that his pre-Dutch background in Germany is not exactly spotless? I agree, he could have stayed behind but chose to flee the Netherlands instead. A convenience many others did not have.

I collect some (mainly postcards, Feldpost, etc) not out of sympathy with National Socialism but to honour the brave German Fighting Men of the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS who did nothing more than fight for their fatherland just like any patriotic person of any other country would and prevent their memories from fading away.

Curious: so what drove you to collect TR as opposed to, say, militaria of brave fighting men of Poland for instance? You are German?

One thing I have to give to the Nazi's, they were certainly good at building and consitently communicating a strong brand image. I suspect that is some of the appeal for many TR collectors?