Christian Zulus

Dear Belaruski, that's right: Stalin had been always the man for (and in) the party. Adressing the "masses" he had never been such a charismatic person like Lenin or Trotsky - and his qualities as a speaker had been rather mediocre, due to his bad Russian -, but within the "Inner Circle" he had been a true leader, wise guy and a person with a very pragmatic (and moderate) approach, who always tried to convince his collegues in the "Politburo" in a rather democratic way. US-President Roosevelt adressed Stalin at the meeting in Theran as a "true democrat and pragmatic person". If you take nowadays a sober look at the (small number) of theoretical writings (about nations, marxism, language or problems of socialist economy) of Stalin, despite the "educational" style of writing, you will see the intellectual and analytical superiority to the writings of a Trotsky, Bukharin, etc. Of extraordinary interest are his private letters to other politburo-members, which show his way of thinking, his education and his analytical power. O.K., maybe too much "propaganda" for my "avatar" . But it is always worth, to take a closer (and un-biased) look to Soviet History . Someone should tell to H.R.H. Carol the First, that he has won . At least Carol answered much more than 50 % of the questions ... Best regards Christian

Dear Andrew, besides proposing the crew of K-19 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_submarine_K-19 for the Nobel Peace Prize, at least another useful deed in the biography of Michail Gorbachev . If the nuclear submarine K-19 would have exploded just in front of the shores of NATO-island Jan Mayen, the US-movie "The Day After" made have become bitter reality . The crew received only RBs and no HSUs with the argument, that it had not been a heroic deed within a war . "National Geographic" made a great movie about that incident: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K-19:_The_Widowmaker . There is now a special edition DVD-set at the market with a extra bonus-DVD, which contains comprehensive documentations and interviews: http://www.amazon.de/K-19-Showdown-Tiefe-S...1938&sr=1-2 Best regards Christian

Dear Bryan, then the "Stalinistische Architektur" for EUR 18,- might be the first choice . I will scan some pages the next days. Best regards Christian

Dear Andrew, many thanks for your expertise . A prominent case fits into that scheme: Young Gorbacev received his first Soviet Award at the age of about 17 years for helping his father with the harvest at a large collective farm in Southern Russia. It had been an excellent harvest. The father - head of the collective farm - got a Lenin and the son - young Gorbacev - received a RBL (!). So, a RBL had been Gorbacev's very first Soviet Award. I assume, that his early RBL helped him a lot in his career at university & communist youth . Best regards Christian BTW: Maybe without that RBL in young years the CCCP would be still alive .

HOW TO REPAIR A TANK-WHEEL ? Gentlemen, I am a collector of Soviet Orders & Medals and Militaria. In my old days I started modelling again . I purchased a Tamiya-Kit - Soviet KV-1 B with Applique Armour - a true beginner's set . After 3 hours the impressive tank was finished (without painting), all weels were moving and also the tracks moved perfect. Only the front wheel at the left side did not move so well, despite the fact, that I assembeld all wheel in the correct way. For that wheel I also used some sewingmachine oil to improve the movement. After some days I reconcnized, that the wheel broke away . I tried to fix it with some super-glu - no result . What to do? A friend of mine is a keen freelance juweller, who already helped me, to restore a broken ring from a medal. Would it make any sense to implant a small titan-bar - or other metal-bar - in the suspension of the wheel (my friend used that technique for fixing the medal's ring)? Many thanks for your expertise in advance . Best regards Christian

Dear Ed, if your group is complete - no medals (!) -, it would point to a more "artistic" branch of occupation. Pianists, actors, painters, scientists usually did not receive labour-medals, but started with the BoH or RBL - my humble theory . Best regards Christian

Dear Ed, many thanks for sharing that great - and very typical - labour group to us . Ignaty & Matsur dosen't sound very Russian . Do you have a glue, from which region of the CCCP your group had come from? Caucasus ? Best regards Christian BTW: If you want to sell Matsur's group, please tell me .

History of the CCCP Gentlemen, according to my knowledge of Soviet History I assume, that you are not 100 % correct: - since 3rd of april 1922 comrade Stalin had been already secretary general of the party - years before Lenin's death! - Mr. Trotsky commited political suicide with his letter to the central commitee of the party from the 8th of october 1923 (Lenin had been still alive ), the so called "Declaration of the 46", which isolated him completley (= 100%) within the leading party institutions and organs. After autumn 1923 that weird Mr. Trotsky had never been a match for comrade Stalin in the race for the leadership within the party. What I want to say is, that everything happened already before Lenin's death and Mr. Trotsky gradually isolated himself from the party in the years 1922 to 1927. Dear Frank, you are writing: - "The third man wanted to take over the political power of the first after his death." Not correct: Comrade Stalin had been elected as secretary general already in april 1922. - "The first prefered the second." That is highly interesting and new to the community of historians. Do you have any unpublished documents in your private archives? It sounds rather obscure, that Lenin should have prefered a non-Bolshevist and declared Bonapartist - Mr. Trotsky - as the leader of his Bolshevist-Party . - "The third got the job." That is correct . And it is my opinion - shared by a range of other, more prominent, historians -, that comrade Stalin didn't do a bad job. At least he built up (with massive US-aid) the Soviet industry, defeated Adolf Hitler (with not so much US-aid ) and liberated Europe of fascism . Sorry for my "educational" remarks, but they had been neccessary . Best regards Christian BTW: During the ill fated Yeltsin-Era (that era, when we got our Soviet Awards for an apple & egg ) there had been rumors, that Russian authorities wanted to sell the 1.666 slices of Lenin's brain to the western collectors community AND also the whole and authentic corpse of Lenin from the Red Square (!!!). Maybe some advisers of "Mr. Dancing" thought, that they could make a fortune for their pockets (and the pockets of Yeltsin's family) by selling Lenin's relics.

Dear Bryan, you are a lucky guy, because nearly all publications about the architecture of the Stalin-Era are in German language and your German is excellent . The best book, which covers that period in general is the rather large formated book with excellent photographs, published 1992 in Germany, "Stalinistische Architektur". You can get it for EUR 18,- (fair condition) via Amazon: http://www.amazon.de/Stalinistische-Archit...w/dp/3781403122 . The publication, which goes historically, scientifically and intellectually most in depth, but more or less focussing at the "Palace of Soviets", is the already mentioned (very) large formated book "Tyrannei des Sch?nen - Architektur der Stalin-Zeit", published 1994 in Germany. You can get one new (!) via Amazon for only EUR 50,- (in the USA used ones are traded in the USD 200,- + region!): http://www.amazon.de/Tyrannei-Sch%C3%B6nen...t/dp/3791313401 . With these two beautyful illustrated books you will get a comprehensive overview about that great period - besides the building up of modern NYC between the wars - in architectural history. Both books are sold out for years. There is another "official" large formated book from the 1940s, published in Moscow, titled "Das neue Moskau", which I have in my library, but I couldn't find it on the market in the www . Another book might be of interest, which had been published in 2002 in Austria: "Das neue Moskau. Die Stadt der Sowjets im Film 1917 - 1941". At Amazon it is offered new for EUR 40,-: http://www.amazon.de/exec/obidos/ASIN/3412...ractive01119-21 . If you are interested in Soviet Films, it's a fine book, but it stops at the beginning of the GPW . I would recommend to get the first two books as fast as possible - also a good investment for your money . Best regards Christian

Dear Christophe, o.k., that is a wise decision, because recent hot or cold wars might be very controversial in the discussion - specially, when GMIC-members participated at different sides of the front . Best regards Christian

Dear Frank, perfect & congratulations - all 3 questions answered correctly . Of course, that question had been a little bit unusual, but at least it had to do with post-"Cold War" history and it is not a Wikipedia-question . Also the topic of "Bombing Serbia 1999" is a very, very controversial one among GMIC-members, as you can see in the (closed) thread concerning a shot down US-bomber F-117 A: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=13964 . The movie "Wag the dog" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wag_the_Dog is one of my favorites . So, it is your turn again, Frank Best regards Christian

Dear Gerd, o.k., regarding the mere dimensions, Stalin's (partly unfinished) Moscow-Project had been as ambitious, as Speer/Hitler's Germania-Project for Berlin . For my taste, I can see a strong US-influence in the way of building during the Stalin-times. Which seems logic, because the economic exchange between the USA and CCCP had been very massive (the US built up the complete heavy industry in the CCCP!) between the end of the 1920s and the mid 1930s. Best regards Christian

Dear Gerd, I think you can not really compare the artistic quality of Russian Neoclassicism to the way of building in Germany from 1933 to 1944 on. But you can compare Russian Neoclassicism to the art of building in NYC between the 2 wars: Chrysler-Building, etc. Russian Neoclassicism is regarded by most of the architectural historians as a genuine and highly interesting style of building in Eastern Europe, as you can see at the large number of publications and beautyful books about this topic. Concerning the "Palace of Soviets" alone, that is the most comprehensive publication: http://www.amazon.de/Tyrannei-Sch%C3%B6nen...t/dp/3791313401 Best regards Christian

NEW QUESTION ? Gentlemen, 1. What do the 3 nations - Iran, Serbia & Venezuela - have in common? 2. Which experience does Serbia already have, the other two countries don't have (till now)? 3. 2 years before (!) that mentioned experience took place, Hollywood released a great and funny movie about such topic. What is the title of this movie? Best regards Christian

Dear Frank, many thanks for your congratulations - had been a hard job . In a few minutes I will post a "Non-Wiki-Question" - not sooooo difficult. Best regards Christian

Bad Salzuflen Gentlemen, I had been reading the mentioned websites carefully again and in the 1st URL http://www.western-allies-berlin.com I found Bad Salzuflen in NRW mentioned: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bad_Salzuflen . Hope that might be the right answer . Best regards Christian

Dear Frank, sorry ..., I didn't find any traces at the 3 URLs . Your question again: You are asking for the location of SOXMIS in the British sector of Germany BEFORE they had been in B?nde? Am I right, that the location of SOXMIS had been always linked to the location of the British HQ in Germany ? Best regards Christian BTW: You are a welcome guest to my residence and my hunting-lodge at the green borders of western Vienna, when you are in Austria. Vienna is not so famous for it's beer, but for it's international 1st rate wine . If you are interested, I can take to a tour (around and in Vienna), how Tolbuchin http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fjodor_Iwanowitsch_Tolbuchin captured Vienna - a strategic masterpiece . This offer is valid to all participants of the GMIC-Soviet & Eastern Block Quiz .

Dear Fieldmarshal von Manstein, great material - you have more? The Molotov-Cocktails seems to be ready for use . Can we have a closer look at the 4 badges from the 1st scan . Best regards Christian

RHEIMS ? Dear Frank, if not Berlin, than the other supreme headquarter: Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF) in Rheims, France: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SHAEF & http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rheims ? Best regards Christian BTW: The "activities" of BRIXMIS, SOXMIS, etc. had been very interesting and "wild" (source of a range of books). Maybe you can post us some sources . There had even been real air-battles with a lot of casualties at the "Iron Curtain" ... Not the story about the "Ace of the (Allied) Aces" 3x HSU Kozhedub, who should have shot down two P-51 Mustangs, who attacked him, during the end phase of the war http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Nikitovich_Kozhedub .

BERLIN ? Best regards Christian

Dear Frank, that is a highly interesting question - no hints at Wiki or Google . But the SOXMIS had been - besides of B?nde (Herford) - GB - also located in Frankfurt (Main) - US - and Baden-Baden - FR. The number of Soviet officers had been the same at all three locations. Your question is about former location of SOXMIS in the British sector. There is a hughe amount of infos about BRIXMIS at the www http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BRIXMIS , but almost nothing about SOXMIS http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_Liaison_Missions . You are saying, that the SOXMIS-location - later on in B?nde - had been a different one in 1946. The HQ of the British Rhine Army had been just after the war in Rheindahlen. Maybe SOXMIS was also located there ? Best regards Christian

Dear Frank, perfect & congratulations - Dr. Siegfried G?nter designed the MiG-15 in the CCCP G?nter brothers at Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%BCnter_brothers And the MiG-15 is a very typical Heinkel-design: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinkel Even the Heinkel He 178 from 1939, the first jet-plane in the world, had more or less the same basic design: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinkel_He_178 But the MiG-21, -25, -27 & -29 had been true Soviet designs, without any traces of Made in Germany . No it is your turn to post a tricky question here at the Quiz-Section . Best regards Christian

MiG = Made in Germany Dear Frank, congratulations - one of the two names is the right one . You have to choose . BTW: Siegfried is the right spelling for Dr. G?nter ... Some hints: Have a look at the Wikipedia-sites of the big TR-aircraft-companies: Heinkel, Messerschmitt, Junkers, etc. Who of these two (outstanding) german engineers had a twin brother? Walter G?nter or Walter Baade? Who returned 1952 to the GDR (DDR) and immedeatly to the FRG (BDR) - Dr. G?nter or Prof. Baade? Here is a german Wiki-Link to Brunolf Baade: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brunolf_Baade O.K., now your choice should be easy . Best regards Christian

FURTHER HINTS Gentlemen, the german enigineer in question worked for one of the really great, hughe and famous german aircraft companies. The company does not exist anymore. He and his twin-brother Walter had been the chief-engineers of that company. Not Walter, only the other of the twins, had been kidnapped by the Soviets and brought to the CCCP, where he had to stay till 1952. Please look at the design of the MiG-15 and compare that design to the jet-fighter designs of that famous german aircraft company - specially to the sketches of the last years of the TR. After the presentation of the MiG-15 german experts said: "That's XXXX's airplane after his sketches and blue-prints he did for his company XXXX in Germany!" But the engineer XXXX always denied after his return to the FRG, that he had something to do with the MiG-15. But for what other reason did the Soviets keep that famous jet-fighter designer till 1952 in the CCCP . Happy hunting at Wikipedia . Best regards Christian