Christian Zulus

GAZ - Gorkovsky Avtomobilny Zavod (imeni V.M.Molotova (before 1956)), Gorky Dear Bryan, seems to be at GAZ in Gorky , where they still produce the new (& good looking) "Volga" and a great SUV: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GAZ The first pic seems to be a "Chaika" ("Sea Gull") prototype, the most luxurious car-series in the CCCP. During the GPW they produced mainly trucks for the front and after the war also some good cars. They started the full production in 1932 based on US-technology from the Ford Motor Comp. GAZ received following orders: - 2x Lenin (1941 & 1971) - RB (1944) - OPW 1cl (1945) The emblem of the first car is a sea gull, because it's the name of the car . The photographs are in the typical style of an Alexeander Rodchenko http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Rodchenko . Best regards Christian

Dear Bryan, many thanks for the great pictures of the URALs in action . That's the Wiki-link to IMZ-URAL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IMZ-Ural Best regards Christian

Dear Vic, great and fantastic - the first look inside the mint - many thanks . Possible to download & store the clip ? Best regards Christian

MOZART Dear Alex, here are some free downloads of Mozart-recordings I produced some time ago for my own record company and for the YU-label PGP-RTS: http://www.veljkovic.net/html_en/cd3_cd_mozart.html http://www.veljkovic.net/html/cd4_cd_mozart-live.html Best regards Christian

Dear Alex, many thanks for your expertise . Yes, I remember, I heard from them in the 1970s http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZZ_Top . But frankly, that's not exactly the kind of music I appreciate - I going more for Mozart, Beethoven or Schubert . Best regards Christian

Gentlemen, that badge should be earlier, than from the 1920s . I asked my grandmother (98 years old) from where she has got that membership-badge. He told me, that it is from her father (my grand-grandfather), Leopold Fritsch, who had been all his life a member of the Christian Social Party and a keen supporter of their ideology and of Karl Lueger http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Lueger , the popular major of Vienna during the late years of the k.u.k. Empire. Leopold Fritsch died in 1923. So, it is more likely, that the badge is from around 1900 or from the 1910s. My grandmother (borne in 1909) told me, that her father always wore at official meetings a white Carnation flower at his jacket and not the original Alba-Rose, which had been to rare and too expensive. Best regards Christian

Dear Chris, who are that long bearded guys ? The "Marx & Engels singers" ? Best regards Christian

Large (older) photograph with decorations One high ranking Russian Order, Russian State-Prize-Medal & 2nd star of a Lt.-General are missing.

Marx & Engels monument in Berlin - modified Gentlemen, the renowed German cuddly toy company NICI http://www.nici.de/index.php?lang=en put some new cloth to the hughe Marx & Engels monument in Berlin . Have a look at that great video: http://www.nici.de/index.php?option=com_co...&Itemid=337 Best regards Christian

Two more Links & two nice pics http://kalashnikov.guns.ru/ (English) http://www.kalashnikov-museum.udmnet.ru/kalash-e.htm (English)

Dear Christophe, many thanks for the Kalashnikov-infos - despite the fact, that the great picture of Mikhail Timofeyevich with the "Victory Banner" in the background is a bit misleading: "Avtomat Kalashnikova obrazets 1947 goda" started - as the name tells - it's career 2 years after the GPW. That's the Wiki-entry of Mikhail Timofeyevich Kalashnikov: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikhail_Kalashnikov I have his memoirs (German editon) in my library - that's the English edtion: http://www.amazon.com/Gun-that-Changed-World/dp/0745636926 . That book had been originally published in French language: "Ma vie en rafales" http://www.amazon.fr/Ma-vie-rafales-Mikha%...v/dp/2020565331 . That's an really excellent & comprehensive book about the AK-47 family from the German MOTORBUCH VERLAG: http://www.amazon.de/Kalaschnikow-Das-Stur...r/dp/3613021021 . That's his vodka - top-premium quality (I emptied a bottle with friends ): http://www.vodkakalashnikov.com/home.htm . Well, "Kalashnikov" is one of the best known brands in the world - like Coca Cola, Mc Donalds, Volkswagen, etc. . Best regards Christian

Dear Hardy, nothing soooo special . Here you can see some of them: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=16223 . A Glory-Trio of the 1st category http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=5536 , one Kutuzov 2cl, RBs #2 & #3, one screwback RB, two Motherlands 2cl, two Nevskys T2, Uzhakov & Nachimov medals and also a nice navy-group http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=11948 + the all the more familiar stuff. Best regards Christian

Dear Paul, you might get even two extraordinary nice cars (second hand) for that price . If I would have 200k bucks free for investment, that HSU-group would be on my shopping list . At least I am happy, to have purchased the "crown juwels" of my small & humble Soviet collection in the early 1990s . Best regards Christian

Dear Charles, that's an interesting topic . As far, as I know the history of communist Yugoslavia, I guess, that everything, what was linked to the CCCP, had been more or less "erased"in 1948. My humble theory: In 1948 YU put the Soviet-made orders & medals into the stock and confered them again beginning in the 1960s ???? We have to hear the opinion of our native experts . Best regards Christian

"Victory Parade" Dear Ed, that statement from me is not so 100 % correct, because for the "Victory Parade" the old heros of the Civil War, like Stalin, Budyonny, Voroshilov, Timoshenko, etc., got r.i. CCCP RBs on the five-sided suspension, as we can see on photographs Best regards Christian BTW: I assume, that CCCP RB didn't start with s/n. 1, but with the s/n. following the last issued RSFSR RB ?

Timoshenko - again Dear Ed, Marshal Timoshenko got an 4th RB during the GPW . Here is a photograph of 1945 showing all his RBs with consecutive numbers: Best regards Christian BTW: Does anyone have late photographs of Voroshilov & Budyonny with close-ups of their RBs ?

Timoshenko Dear Ed, Timoshenko had been the wrong example , because he got his 3 RBs on the photograph of 1937 for heroic deeds in the Civil War, so they are all RSFSR RBs: We have to find another comrade . Best regards Christian

Dear Ed, yes, in any case with an RSFSR RB. With an RB from other Soviet Republics EXCEPT the Russian one, the bearer could apply for getting an additional CCCP RB. In such an case he would have got another RB as the 2nd RB a #2. I will show a scan of Timoshenko in the next post. Best regards Christian

Dear Rich, get a "subscribing membership" at GMIC for a (very) few pounds - that helps . Best regards Christian

Rich's scans in a somehow improved quality