Christian Zulus

Dear Igor, many thanks for your 1st posting . Due to the extraordinary items, you offer at your website, GMIC-member "collectrussia" or "Igor" had been already rather well known here . So I guessed right: "the inscription might be the Russian name of one of the major towns in Morovia OLOMOUC http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olomouc - that would also somehow match to end of 1945 confering date." In the second volume of Marshal Moskalenko's memoirs (German edition) you will find the capture of Olomouc. Anyone, who visits the Czech Republic shouldn't miss to spend a day at least in that beautiful town . Best regards Christian

Dear Darrell, nice piece - thanks for sharing . Still missing in my collection, but now far too expensive . Seems to be 100 % problem free - well struck and looks unissued . Congratulations . Best regards Christian

Dear Gerd, .... or not very much worne. The ribbon also looks rather new. I have an unissued Stalingrad-Medal in my collection, which looks also very "golden". Are you 100 % sure, that the medal belongs to the document ? Best regards Christian

Dear Christophe, well, that's a place without style, elegance or comfort - I wouldn't like to work in such an office . It seems to be located in a so called "Plattenbau" in a former communist country. The interior is extremly tasteless, so I would guess, that the room is located in former East-Berlin . It's a rather small office and not the office of a state- and partyleader or minister. Maybe it's located in that building: Stasi-Headquarters in Normannenstra?e 22, Haus 1, 10365 Berlin-Lichtenberg. It's now a museum. Might be the office of one of Mielke's generals ? There you can find excellent moving panorama-views of Mielke's office and all the additional rooms: http://www.live-reisen.com/stasi/ (you need "java" to watch!) Maybe Markus Wolf ? - but he had a bit more taste . Best regards Christian

Dear Christophe, congratulations - that's the right answer . I assume, that Simonov had been the highest decorated war correspondent . Since the 1930s he had been at every battle field, where the Red Army fought - starting with Spain ... Best regards Christian BTW: It is an interesting fact, that usually composers scored always the highes number of Stalin-Prizes - due to the fact, that Stalin loved music ?

Dear Christophe, the sphere of intellectuals is correct, but it is not a composer - sorry . Also the decorations & prizes seem to be very typical for one of Stalin's favorite composers, if you might take into account, that the comrade in question - Myaskovsky ? - got the Lenin-Prize before his 6 Stalin-Prizes . Some hints: - As far, as I know composers didn't get uniforms of the Red Army, because they didn't have move at the front line. - To sit before a type-writer wouldn't be a typical picture of a composer - piano would be more matching . - The comrade in question got his Lenin-Prize after the 6 Stalin-Prizes. - An "official" photograph of the artist: Now the answer should be rather easy . Best regards Christian

Some statistics .... Gentlemen, the actual list of meritorious answers to Christophe's "Soviet & Eastern Block Quiz": Nb of good answers : * 19 : Christian (Zulus) * 15 : Christophe * 9 : Bryan (Soviet) * 8 : Simon (Red Threat) * 6 : Jim (JimZ) and Belaruski. * 5 : Carol I and Ed (Haynes). * 4 : Franck (Knarf) and Wild Card. * 3 : Andreas (Alfred), Auke (Ferdinand) and Kim (Kimj). * 2 : Chuck (in Oregon), Gerd (Becker), Ivan (Piramida), Jan (vatjan) and Order of Victory. * 1 : Dan (Hauptman), Darrell, Daredevil, Dave (Navy FCO), Dudeman, Rick (Stogieman) and Steen (Ammentorp). I hope, the list is correct . The "french" cultural circle with Christophe, Bryan & Carol I is rather strong with 29 good answers . Almost as strong as the "germanic" cultural circle with Christian, Franck, Andreas, Auke & Gerd with 31 good answers . Best regards Christian

New question #112 Gentlemen, who am I ? Some of my decorations: - HSL - 6x Stalin-Prize - 1x Lenin-Prize - 3 Orders of Lenin - etc., etc., .... A photograph of me during the GPW: Happy hunting . Best regards Christian

FEDOR TOKAREV Dear Belaruski, many thanks for your hint . Despite the old photograph without rank insignia, only 2 Lenins, old uniform and without beard, we can exclude from the term "weapons designer" navy, but also aircrafts & tanks, because the comrades are well known . So, we have left: Guns . Hmmm...., it's Fedor Vasilievich Tokarev . http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fedor_Tokarev http://www.tokarev.com/eng/ What disturbed me, was the modern type hanger of his HSL, because Tokarev had been one of the very first comrades to receive a HSL - before the GPW! Has anyone an explaination about Tokarev's HSL-hanger ? Best regards Christian TT 33 SVT 40

Gentlemen, that smart looking comrade seems to be a very meritorious constructor of a successful weapon system during the WW II - according to his decorations & the missing uniform (usually the constructors were photographed with general's uniforms). He shows us at the photograph: - HSL (later version, after the GPW!) - Stalin-Prize - Suvorov 1cl - Lenin (3x) - GPW 1cl - Red Star - a medal (?) I know most constructors of aircrafts, some of tanks & guns, but hardly any of ships, boats & submarines. So, I will guess, that our comrade in question is a famous naval constructor . HSL, Stalin-Prize & Suvorov 1cl shows to us, that he has been really a "big fish" . Best regards Christian

Dear Christophe, I think, that it would be more fair, if Belaruski would post another question - as long, as anyone will be able to answer his questions . "Kursk" had been hardly close to right answer of Belaruski's question and "Kursk" standing alone, didn't gave much logic. Best regards Christian

Dear Andy, many thanks for your scans . I have never seen a boxed Soviet made Partisan Star before. The para & pilot badge I have also seen never before - very cute & well manufactured . Best regards Christian

US-aircrafts at the Air Museum Belgrade - part 2 Gentlemen, the parts of a F-16 ... Best regards Christian

US-aircrafts at the Air Museum Belgrade - part 1 Gentlemen, at the museum you will find also US-aircrafts - or parts of them -, who visited Yugoslavia in spring 1999 for "humanitarian help" and didn't find their way back ... Here a F-117 A - more about that plane in the thread http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=13964 . Best regards Christian

Dear Belaruski, o.k., if you take the submarine "Kursk" as "the leader of the men", then question & answer are correct . A comprehensive link about the Kursk-desaster: http://www.users.cloud9.net/~bradmcc/kursk.html Jane's about the "desaster" in the Russian Navy just before the Kursk-desaster: http://www.wonderland.org.nz/Status_russian_navy.htm Best regards Christian

Dear Andy, welcome to old communist Yugoslavia at GMIC . You have a really great collection . Please show us some blow-ups . You have 2 interesting badges in the center of your scan . You are a native Serb living in Scotland ? Best regards Christian

K U R S K Dear Belaruski, but the heros of submarine "Kursk" are all dead . http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_submarine_K-141_Kursk Best regards Christian

Dear Belaruski, the Soviet submariners had been heroic people - no doubt about that fact -, but I can't remember a town, which is named after a sub-commander . Best regards Christian

Gentlemen, the inscription might be the Russian name of one of the major towns in Morovia OLOMOUC http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olomouc - that would also somehow match to end of 1945 confering date. Nice idea of oldest daughter Vera in 1975 - but she took the wrong ribbon . Best regards Christian

Photograph: Berlin, 2nd of may 1945 Gentlemen, I have one of the signed original proofs of that famous photograph in my collection of Soviet decorations & militaria: It shows the Soviet renowed poet Yevgeni Dolmatovski as a genuine Major of the Red Army in front of the Reichstag with the scull of Lance Corporal ("Gefreiter") Adolf Schickelgruber (EK I & wound badge from 1914) under his right arm. More about that photograph and Dolmatovski's deeds in Berlin at the quiz-thread: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?s=&showtop...st&p=172964 (+ following postings!). Best regards Christian

Gentlemen, as we all can see: Igor sells his items . The price of the set seems not sooooo high, if you consider the (very) weak USD in comparison to the EURO. But the quality of the Glory 1cl is rather "middle class" and the booklet is - let us say - a bit spoiled and without photograph. At least a full Cavalier set at the market . My question is: Which price would now command a Category 1 (one) Full Cavalier set with a Glory 1cl in almost 10/10 condition and a well preserved Cavaliers booklet ? Might such a set hit the USD 20.000,- benchmark ? Best regards Christian BTW: With that weakness of the USD the Soviet Awards won't get cheaper for US-collectors . The exchange rate USD : EUR is now almost 1,4 : 1 and had been 0,82 : 1 some years ago .

Homeland-questions Gentlemen, coming back to the Order of Homeland. Homeland 1cl has usually a 3-digit-s/n. So the engraving of the s/n. in the documented case should be "007" and not "7". The red PMD-bible states, that they have seen (almost 10 years ago!) Homeland 1cl with s/n. from 14 to 454 and Homeland 2cl from 1.323 to 2.951. So, both of the documented 1cl & 2cl are below the documented range of s/n. But there has to be evidence, which cavalier received the Homeland 1cl s/n. 7 ? My two Homeland-pairs (2cl & 3cl) have following s/n.: - 2.213 & 128.584 (unissued) - 1.604 & 24.327 (different receipients!) So, the question remains: - why has the Homeland 1cl "7" and not "007" ? - who has got the Homeland 1cl "7" and how well is that case doucmented ? Best regards Christian

Dear Charles, it seems, that someone (mis)used a "Medal for Valour" (without a s/n.) as a commenorative medal for a 30th years anniversary and used also the wrong ribbon (MMM) . That's against all statutes & regulations . Best regards Christian BTW: A rare item - sorry my Russian is too bad to translate the inscription in a correct way .

Dear Belaruski, I couldn't find any town at the northern coast of the RF, which is (or had been named) after a prominent Soviet military or political leader . Best regards Christian

Well, but I can't remember a town in Belarus, which is (or: had been) named after a Soviet military leader ? Best regards Christian