Christian Zulus

History of the Soviet Union Dear Simon, many thanks . It has been only a very abridged overview about that highly interesting topic If you are interested in Stalin as a real person - beyond propaganda & official speeches AND doctored "history" of western historians - please have a look at Stalin's letters to Molotow. Some historians (Russian & Western ones) edited them in a perfect way. You can get the book for only USD 5,- (used) via AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/Stalins-Letters-Molo...m/dp/0300068611 Sorry, the only present the English translation, but only a few of the letters as faksimile. A very controversial view against the mainstream-historians presents Prof. Ludo Martens in his book "Another view of Stalin", which is in a perfect und practiable way (complete!) presented in the www: http://www.plp.org/books/Stalin/book.html . Here you will find some of Stalin's main (official) writings: http://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/stalin/index.htm . Sorry, also only in English, but they also published the highly interesting late work of Stalin about economics: http://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/...blems/index.htm , where we can see him also as a "pure pragmatic". Best regards Christian

Present marketsituation for Russian Imperial & Soviet Orders Gentlemen, NYC showed the same situation as Sothebey's in London, some weeks ago - here is a posting, where I showed some results of the auction in London: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?s=&showtop...st&p=127820 . The fact is, that it seems today very fashionable and trendy to collect Imperial Russian Orders - and there is enough money at the market . So the hammer-prices went beyond imagination . Not so with Soviet Orders (the same is true for Royal vs. Communist YU-Orders!). The prices exploded also, but stayed at high, not "unthinkable", niveau. If the "Stalin-Prototype" is actually THE prototype, then the USD 60k are rather moderate. If ...... I assume, that the prices for Soviet Awards will also grew drastically in the future . Best regards Christian

Present marketsituation for Nevsky T 2 Gentlemen, we didn't have to wait for some weeks, Prof. Eugene Rabkin already sold his Nevsky T 2 for USD 2850,-, as he noted at his website: http://www.russianglory.com/soviet_orders.htm . Best regards Christian

Dear Kim, many thanks for the information . I assume, that the booklet of the "Jewish Museum in Vienna" might be based at that book. Best regards Christian

Gentlemen, I think the different shape of the ear is the point . Andrew, many thanks for putting the scans together . Best regards Christian

Dear Andrew, many thanks for the English-version of "Mondvor" and for the fast uploading Best regards Christian

Gentlemen, does anyone have the result of the auction ? Many thanks in advance . Best regards Christian

Dear Jim, but the s/n. is 100 % ident to the style seen at Nakhimov 2cl s/n. 73 at Andrew's "Mondvor"-website. The depth of s/n. 73 is also not sooo extreme! What bothers me most, is the lack of detail in Nakhimov's face . But polishing can do a lot of harm, as you can see at the Glory-set at Dave's website. Best regards Christian Cavalier of Glory group of Senior Sergeant Sergei Nikolaievich Shishov from Dave's website http://www.forvalor.com/ :

Antisemitism in the CCCP till march 1953? Dear Simon, I think, that you are little bit wrong with your opinion regarding Jews & Stalin . Your are right, that there had been traces of antisemitism in the CCCP and Eastern Europe during that period. Stalin himself was a member of a tiny ethnic minority in the CCCP and his Russian was - let us say - not excellent . In Stalin's "Inner Circle" - as you mentioned - there had been been a great number number of Jews or Russians with close ties to the Jewish Nation. Look at the Red Army and look the Political Commissars of the Red Army - you will find a hughe number of Jewish people. The fact is, that the Jewish Nation was somehow "overrepresented" in the CCCP in the Stalin-era, as other national minorities had been "overrepresented" in comparison to the Russian population (that changed quickly after the dead of Stalin!). So, let us compare, how many Jewish people hold top positions in Germany at that time, in the "Third Reich", "SS" or in the "Wehrmacht" - none, 0,0 percent! "Nuernberger Rassegesetze" ... The fact is, that Jewish people hold THE top position in Germany in the "Concentration Camps" - besides people from Russia, Yugoslavia, Poland, etc. About 6 million Jews had been murderd by Germans and Austrians during 1938 and 1945! There is no historic evidence or proof at all, that Stalin himself had been antisemitic in his feelings or that Jews had to suffer till march 1953, due to orders of Stalin himself. How many million of Jews were send under Stalin to "Concentration Camps" or to the "Gas Chambers" - none! They received the highest military orders of the CCCP instead . O.K., the situation for Jews was a little bit "different", after Stalin passed away . But at least comrade Andropov http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuri_Andropov made his way to the top of the CCCP before he passed suddenly away . Coming back to the topic: Stalin was in the late 1940s/early 1950s phyisically a very ill person, as we know from his daughter and from numerous other sources. In the last years of Stalin, a western - GB, but also USA and therefore "liberal" - oriented gang around the "monster" Beria http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lavrenty_Beria (Beria had been fully responsible for Katyn and the "Great Purge" before the GPW among the Red Army) and the "dull" Malenkov http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgy_Malenkov seized somehow the effective power in the CCCP and in Eastern Europe. The effect was murderours . Their first victim had been Zhdanov http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrei_Zhdanov , Stalin's successor and a real genius in any (communist) case. The next victim - executed 1949 - had been Voznesensky http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikolai_Voznesensky THE economic genius of the CCCP. One of the other numerous victims of the Beria/Malenkov-Gang had been the brilliant Jewish Communist Rudolf Sl?nsk? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudolf_Sl%C3%A1nsk%C3%BD , who had been executed in Prague in 1952. The last victim of the Beria/Malenkov-Gang had been Stalin himself. To sum the facts up: Yes, there had been some antisemitism in the CCCP and in Eastern Europe even before the death of Stalin, but the affair got drastic - Sl?nsk? & "Doctor Case" - at a time, when Stalin already had been very, very ill. The source of antisemitism had been the Beria/Malenkov-Gang and not Stalin or the other members of the Politbuero! Molotow & Kaganovich are free of the suspicion, to be antisemits . The fact is, that Stalin wanted to expell Beria from the Politbuero and to put him to trail for his numerous criminal acts. Coming back to your remarks: Yes, comrade Stalin had been a very pragmatic person, as President Roosevelt tells. Roosevelt adressed him also as a "true democract" . You are writing "Exile of Jews would have provoked US to adopt anti-Soviet policy which would give Stalin an excuse to start WW3." That is wrong from the sight of the historians, Stalin was never interested in a WW3 - the country was still too weak. But it is a fact, that parts of the Red Army proposed in the late 1940s to comrade Stalin a plan for the (military) liberation of the Western European "working class". Another Semyon or Simon - not you - Marshall Budyonny http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semyon_Budyonny was very eager about that plan (Communist Parties had been rather strong at that time in Western Europe - and also in the USA & Hollywood) and made some pressure to comrade Stalin. Stalin's answer (as a true pragmatic ) had been: "My dear comrade, that's true, the Red Army might reach the Atlantic Coast within a few days, but how to feed the European people - with our Soviet economy?". Best regards Christian

Dear Simon, wise words . Coming back to the "Normandy-Coin". The flag of the CCCP is located in the east and twice time larger, than the flag of the Anglo-Saxons . The fact is, that the people of Europe, the Jews and the people of the Soviet Union had to wait for years for the opening of the "Second Front" . Another fact is, that the Anglo-Saxons negotiated till the 9th of may 1945 with Nazi-leaders - specially SS-Himmler - for a "favourable" capitulation (partly successful in Italy). The plan (Churchill) had been, to incorporate the Wehrmacht into a "3rd World War" against Communism. After the war, the Nazi-secret-service - "Organisation Gehlen" - with a lot of high ranking SS-officers had been incorporated by the USA (years later the "Organisation Gehlen" was renamed into "Bundesnachrichtendienst" BND). O.K., for years during the GPW our Soviet comrades called the (high quality) corned beef and the (excellent) boots from the USA the "Second Front" . BTW: The core of the NASA had been SS-officers - "Paper-Clip-Affair" . Everybody knows Wernher von Braun http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wernher_von_Braun , but he has been SS-Sturmbannfuehrer and his title as a professor had been personally confered by Adolf Hitler. About 20.000 Jews and other victims died under his obsession for building rockets in Nazi-Germany . What I want to say is, that the game of the Anglo-Saxons (specially Churchill, not so much Roosevelt) had not been a "fair" play towards the Soviet Union. Truman liquidated the rest of humanity in US-policies - Hiroshima & Nagasaki . More about that subject you can read in the publications and books of the renowed ex-Soviet expert Valentin Valin http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentin_Falin and http://russland.ru/kapitulation1/morenews.php?iditem=39 (sorry, only in German, because I don't use a Russian browser ). Falin has written an excellent book about the "Second Front": http://www.amazon.de/Zweite-Front-Die-Inte...TF8&s=books (only in German - I don't know, if there is a Russian edition). Best regards Christian

Dear Christophe, these coins never made their way into circulation, but they are real and authentic currency. You could pay your bill at McDonalds in Moscow . The fact is, that these coins had been produced by the official Russian Mint for collectors - collectors in Russia, but also in the West. What I wanted to point out, is the fact, that these coins are unique for the Yeltsin-Period in Russian history. Best regards Christian

Dear Andrew, o.k., then comrade Kovalev did the job of railroad transportation . Our dear comrade Lazar Kaganovic - as a member of Stalin's "Inner Circle" and the "Politbuero" - had a lot of other duties, i.e.: GuLag . As I pointed it already out, railroad transportation was one of THE key issue in the GPW. That's the reason, why comrade Kovalev received a Suvorov & Kutuzov 1cl . Best regards Christian BTW: I posted to "usairforce" in terms of his Nakhimov 2cl http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=14155 to have a closer look to your website.

Dear Christophe, as you can see at the rv. of the coins, they are official currency made be the Russian Mint. You could go to McDonalds in Moscow and buy some "Big Mac's" with them . That's the point, why the US-influence is so interesting (for a historian) . There are a lot of "collectors" coins, but these are genuine . "Normandy Invasion" is the correct term among historians, because a large number of French people (and business men) where rather happy under the German government . The French wine-business almost "exploded" under the German government ... You know the history of France after autumn 1944, how the "collaborators" were treated . Coming back to the point: The coins I introduced at GMIC are official currency made by the Russian Mint. Best regards Christian

Dear Soviet, I am sure, that the familiy got a (very) small fraction of the USD 175000 - that's capitalism . Best regards Christian BTW: Internet might help, because anyone, how has access to the www, can inform about the actual market prices of vet's medals .

rv. of the inside (2), showing the battle of Stalingrad:

rv. of the inside (1), showing a Cavalier of the Order of Glory:

rv. of the first coins: Cover of the box av.: Cover of the box rv.:

Second 5 coins (notes):

Second 5 coins:

First 5 coins (notes):

Gentlemen, at this thread I want to show some very nice - and very well made - ten Russian GPW-Memento-Coins of the 1990s, where the US-influnce to Russian authorities in terms of "seeing the history of WW II" is more than obvious . These coins are presented in a very nice and informative box, as you can see. You can easily dedect the influence of the US-State Department at the motives shown at the coins and the inscriptions: i.e. "Occupation of Mandchuria" - it has been a real war against Japan in China & Korea . The first coin - as you can see at the rv. - was still issued in 1991 in the former CCCP. The rest was issued in the "Years of Agony", with "Boris-Dancing-Star" as president of Russia. He had been a charming guy, but had (or has) two mature problems: Alcohol & (mental) diseases (depressoins, etc., etc.). O.K., Yeltsin hadn't the stature of a Stalin or a Putin, but he had been worse, than comrade Brezhnev . Some coins are a disgrace to Soviet veterans, who fought against Nazi-Germany: i.e. "Meeting with US-Troops at the river Elbe". Even the capitulation of Germany is noted with the "wrong" date: 8th of may 1945 . Here is the Wikipedia-link to Bors Yeltsin with some really nice photographs, showing Yeltsin's "friendship" to the USA (and to his bankaccount in Switzerland ) : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boris_Yeltsin . Coming back to the topic: It is an astonishing historic fact, how big the influence of the West - even in the field of numusmatics! - had been in Russia in the 1990s. Best regards Christian First 5 coins:

Dear Christophe, the term "propaganda" is of latin origin and rather neutral . I only do "propagare" in classical latin . Best regards Christian

Dear Christophe, many thanks . I always try my best . Propaganda has been a major part of my business for almost 30 years: In the Austrian Army, for Yugoslavia/Serbia, for Classical Music and in my company . Best regards Christian

Andrew's "Mondvor" (GMIC-member) outstanding website Dear "usairforce", two more points: - have a look at Andrew's excellent website (takes quite a time for uploading!) http://mondvor.narod.ru/ONahim.html - the engraving of the s/n. of Nakhimov 2cl s/n. 73 has should have been done by the same person, who has done the engraving of the s/n. at your Nakhimov. O.K., I am not a graphologist, but it the identity of number "7" is obvious . What makes me worry, is the fact, that the details at Admiral Nakhimov's face are not so crisp and clear, as shown at Andrew's website. Maybe our comrade had polished them away . That aspect can be clearly seen at the "hair-section" of Admiral Nakhimov. Coming back to the patina: You might achieve such dark borders of the patina, if you polish a lot (or if you apply fake patina ). Another point: Andrew shows a Nakhimov 2cl s/n. 747 without the 3 rivets . Best regards Christian

Recipient of Nakhimov 2cl? Dear "usairforce", you didn't tell us, who had been the recipient - Captain 2nd or 1st rank - of the order . Here is a link to a rather typical "copy" of a Nakhimov 2cl: http://www.militaryantiqueshop.com/view.php?id=745 . The "new" (criminal & bad made) website of Soviet Awards shows a rather similar Nakhimov 2cl: http://www.soviethonors.com/order-of-Nakhimov.htm (scan is really bad ). At the "other" website for Soviet Awards you can find also a rather similar av. of a Nakhimov 2c. There is a comprehensive book (Russian language) about the order: http://collectrussia.com/DISPITEMWINDOW.HTM?ITEM=12869 . Theory: Maybe your comrade got a orders booklet with a cover in better quality, due to the fact, that he had been a recipient of an Order of Nakhimov ? Best regards Christian