Greg Collins

Kev, The first image you posted is a GST membership badge... there were two basic versions of this badge and the one you posted looks to be the earlier version. The earlier version would measure around 27mm tall while the later would measure 18mm. The early version has a safety pin-type back, while the later version can be pin backed or stick pin. The "Active Labour" badge that you have appears to be the final version (aluminum). While I do have images of some earlier versions in a Bartel book, I hesitate to post due to copyright restrictions. But, I can tell you that the very first version had a large red star (with a small GST emblem centered) where the GST emblem appears on the one you posted. The large red star ended with the first version. Then there were subsequent versions, between that and yours, issued, all basically looking like yours with the exception of a tri-coloured shield (German) at the intersection of the wreathes at the base. The versions were determined by (a) the material used and (b) the application, or not, of polyester/resin coating.

And the reverse...the Peoples' Militia is the home guard and should not to be confused with the Militsiya (police).

A commemorative badge for 15 years of Pridnestrovie's Peoples' Militia. Screw-backed heavy alloy- possibly tomback- with a mirror image reverse. Central image is Marshal Suvorov; he appears repeatedly on other awards, paper money and state publications.

A couple of new additions to the collection... the first is the Order of Labour Glory (only one class). Nice, heavy construction; ribbon seems to borrow the dark blue/light blue of the Soviet Red Banner of Labour along side the colours of the Pridnestrovie flag (red-green-red). A textured reverse with a maker's mark in the center that I cannot yet identify.

And the back, again with the cyrillic Pridnestrovskaia Moldavskaia Respublica.

A detail of the front...

On to the Medal for Valorous Labour. Soviet-style suspension, gilt over copper medal bearing the symbols of the worker against a rising sun.

And the back... the cyrillic type is Pridnestrovskaia Moldavskaia Respublica.

A detail of the front... note the country's seal within the Ministry of the Interior shield. The initials "PMR" are written in the three languages spoken; Russian, Moldovan and Ukrainian.

Pridnestrovie, or the Pridnestrovie Moldavian Republic, was refered to as Transniester (across the Dniester river) when a part of Moldova. In 1990-92 they fought for independence and established the Pridnestrovskaia Moldavskaia Respublica. Though not yet fully recognized, they seem well on the way in that direction. Check out at: pridnestrovie.net Anyway, they have established a set of awards, two examples of which I'll show now. Note that they have chosen to keep the hammer and sickle motif on their state seal, coins and awards (from when they were a Soviet Socialist Republic) even though they are a multi-party democracy. Their flag is, basically, the Moldavian SSR flag with equal horizontal bands of red, green and red. The hammer and sickle is not on the flag. The first is the Medal for Irreproachable Service, 3rd Class (10 years). Soviet-type suspension, nickle medal with "spot" clear enamel on front.

And the inside of the 35 year document...

The inside of the 30 year document...

Recently acquired a couple of the certificates that accompanied these shield badges; one for 30 years and the other for 35. Both are type 1, according to Ralph Pickard's book, "Stasi Memorabilia". Both contain Mielke's stamped signature.

I've been able to add a few more pieces to the group. I'll just show the display for now; if there are questions, I'll address those as they come in.

Hey Ed, The lady on the left is wearing a diamond shaped (I assume an institute of higher learning) badge above her left pocket... do you have a better image of that badge? I'm seeing what I believe is some "red" at the very top (maybe a small star) and was wondering if this may have been awarded during the Socialist years.

Until the very last of the 40 year badges, the catch had been the same, and is shown here in the foreground. The last of the 40 year badges had a new, opposing tension type catch, seen in the background. This catch was also used on most, if not all, of the last medals and ribbons made in the DDR.

And, finally, the 35 and 40 year shields. Note that the 40 year shield breaks with the roman numerals. Also note the pristine 40 year shield on the right- it remained wrapped up and boxed- unissued- until it was sold to me. It represents the very last of these shields made and has a different catch mechanism which I will show in my final post.

On to the 30 year shields. Note the slightly smaller odd man out on the left- this is a "muster"; a maker's sample for a new design. I've seen 3 proposal variations- this one, another which is identical except silver plated and with no white lacquer behind the type, and a third with "30" instead of XXX. Anyway, the new designs were rejected and the shield on the right is the one that was used.

Next, the 20th and 25th shields. Note I have two 25's- the lower left is pretty standard while the ragged-out, later model on the lower right is actually important to the collection in that it signals the shift from bronze plating to gold plating, which would continue until the end. This particular shield may well have had a polyester coating on the front which, if it did, would have designated it for presentation to V.I.P.'s.

First, the elusive un-numbered shield. The pin-backed version does not have the polyester coating on the front and it's also bronze (looks nearly copper in DDR items) plated- this is actually a flat-backed plaque that was used on gift items. I was originally disappointed that this was the only un-numbered shield I could find until Bartel's book pointed out that this was the rarer of the two.

Here's my MfS Shield collection. It's as close to being complete as it's probably going to get- it lacks black, red and green versions of the 40 year shield. First, the group as a whole; then I'll post close-ups:

No change; still Communist... in fact, the SED (Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands- Socialist Unity Party of Germany) which was the ruling party of the DDR has become the Party of Democratic Socialism or PDS. They run for seats in the Bundestag just like any other party and have won a few. The SED was a merger (forced by the USSR) of two parties; the KPD (Communist Party of Germany) and the SPD (Social Democratic Party of Germany). Both of these parties still exist as well.

While I realize this thread is somewhat old (2007) there is something to say here; the FDJ still exists! Check out www.fdj.de

And nestled in it's blue, locking case with imprinted inner lid:

And the back (bad photography- sorry):