Albert

Indeed, according to Durov, there is no real difference between the "gold head" and the "silver head" Lenin. The silver plating on the "gold head" was thin and wore off. And I totally agree, this award is as beautiful as it is historically significant:

Out of curiosity, and along the question in post 162, now, almost ten years later, how much would a cased badge go for?

Hi Gerd, Looks like Vojshnits, Petr Iosifovich (dt.: Wojschnitz, Petr Iosifowitsch) Best regards, Albert

If I may kindly add: the name is in Russian and reads "Larisa Mikhajlovna", so it's for a woman... The stamp is Ukrainian; doc was issued in the city of Makeevka, Donetsk oblast'.

Thanks, Ed!

Here is a close up of the serial # on the above mentioned OSB that I am selling on WAF. No care is needed with this particular piece as it is 100% original. The reason I am selling my tiny Mongolian collection as well as most of my German collection is health related... The best price is EUR 1630 incl ww registered airmail (this is not an add but rather an attempt to clear up above statements reg. my OSB and to add new pertaining info). Best regards, Albert

Thanks!

Schwerin maker mark:

Reverse:

Gentlemen, May I have your opinion please Thanks in advance and Best regards, Albert

Getting on board for a long range recon misson:

Fighter pilots having some fun...

Stuka pilots on chow break...

Hi Scott, Mine do not have this marking. They are only marked 11; I guess that's the size. BR, Albert

No, mine are Army. My question above was aimed at the pair posted by Scott. Albert

# 3:

# 2:

Here are mine of exactly same type; probably same maker. Sure are originals but LW?

Thanks Scott, They are unmarked:

The LBA markings:

Hi Scott, Here is the original pair that I have. Blue suede (sp?) leather gloves with LBA markings. Best regards, Albert

In the early 90ies, while doing a semester abroad in Russia, I met a St. Petersburg collector/dealer by this name. He had contacts to museums and more so to film studios. He had a great collection/stock and was selling a lot of stuff. Most likely that would be him.

Dave, This is not a translation just a loose summary. The things said about the guy are correct though. The term "encirclement" at this stage of the war is to be seen and understood in the proper historical context. And that brings us to the questions how the Soviets treated service members who got pocketed and made it back to their side, and, more importantly, how the Soviets treated their POWs who made it back from the Germans. Your understanding is/was correct. However, this was not considered "punishment"... and should not be generalized; btw: the roots of this policy can be traced back to the Napolionic war. Anyway, there are also encounters of traitors being simply reinstated, and there even were /are members of the SS living a pieceful life after rehabilitation (reabilitatsija) in post war Soviet Union and now its successor states. Impossible for me to understand the father of your host family, as the ill treatment of own POWs and encirclement escapees is a very painful part of Russias past with which they are dealing today. There are pretty good modern-day Russian movies out there dealing with exactly that theme. But it also is a fact that a great many Russians are living in denial... Best regards, Albert

The more the merrier. How much is research? Maybe I should research some of my stuff ...

Not anymore. On June 10th 1941, at the outbreak of war, he already was a Company Commander. Then he got "encircled" which in this context means lived under German occupation. This makes him automaticaly a traitor even though he was a partizan. So it took him some time to get reinstated but he remained "stigmatized" and ended up at lower rank Platoon Commander and Sr.Lt.) at the end of the war than he was at the beginning (Company Commander; no ranks at that time but equivalent to Captain).