Christian Zulus

Dear Doc, congratulations to your OMSA-Medal . So Col. Fedorov's coupon booklet - 5 rubles - is for one of his MMMs. Your group is rather similar to my Far East / Baltics group of a Capt. 1st rank and commander of a naval brigade http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?s=&showtop...st&p=115069 . Did Col. Fedorov not get - after MMM and ORS - an ORB for 20 years in service? Best regards Christian

Dear Ilja, are you 100 % sure, that your ORB #3 is authentic and not a fake? Maybe the scans are too bad, but for me the rv. looks somehow "painted", enamel looks poor and the order gives the impression of a casted - and not strucked - copy. The entries in the OK make sense - 3 long service awards: Medal, RS & ORB #3 -, but the first and the last entry like a little bit unusal. Best regards Christian

Lieber Gerd, that's a very interesting topic . The head of the Soviet delegation had been two legal officers from the Red Army, who were always sitting in their uniform at the court: One General and one Lt.-Col., I guess. So if we find out the names of these two, then we could research about any decorations they recieved after Nuernberg Trial. Due to the fact, that diplomats got their orders and medals for their work - RBL, BoH, Meritorious Worker -, I think, that the legal officers from the Red Army received at least RBLs or even Lenins for their work. Best regards Christian

Confused Dear Jim, I am a little bit irritated about your reply , because I just wanted to support your argumentation about the value of the Soviet working force vs. military. I just took Zhukov as a well (?) known example of an general, whose career had been spotted with a lot of shortcomings and wanted to point out, that such a person in the Soviet economy would have caused a much bigger mess, than at the front of the GPW. Sorry, if you felt, that my descreption of Zhukov seemed impolite, but these are prooved historic facts. If you don't believe me, than please read the book of US-Col. (ret.) David Glantz "Zhukov's Greated Defeat" (about the Operation Mars in 1942) http://www.kansaspress.ku.edu/glazhu.html and the brilliant novel of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleksandr_Solzhenitsyn he published in 1995 about Marshal Zhukov in "Nowyi mir" 5/1995 under the title "Na Krajach", which has been published in german language under the title "Ein Heldenleben" ("A Hero's Life") in 1996 http://www.reller-rezensionen.de/belletris...heldenleben.htm . O.K., you might think, that my opinion is wrong, but Col. Glantz is THE expert about Soviet Army & the history of GPW and Mr. Solzhenitsyn is at least a meritorious officer of the GPW (ORB, etc.) AND the winner of the Nobel Prize in literature . I think, that this thread and this section of GMIC is NOT the right place to discuss the military history of famous Soviet generals - we are here in a more or less phaleristic section of GMIC -, but if you are interested in a "Zhukov-Discussion" I could start a new thread at http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showforum=11 - "History of Warfare" - "World War II" . Coming back to the topic of my thread: For my taste the RBL is one of the finest designs of all Soviet Awards - specially the two screwback types. The RBL is a rather "universal" award, almost as "universal" as the Red Star. The RBL has been always - from the beginnings in the 1920s (!) - an rather important decoration. Best regards Christian

Sultan Amet-Khan Gentlemen, some basic informations and links about this outstanding Soviet fighter-ace and test-pilot: Born: October 25th, 1920, Crimea (his nationality: Crimean Tartar) Died: February 1st, 1971, making a test flight on Tu-16 test-bed He shot down 49 enemy airplanes (19 shared victories) and had been one of the leading test-pilots in the "Cold War"-aera. 2x HSU (24.08.1943, 29.06.1945) 3x Lenin 5x ORB 1x Nevsky 1x OPW 1cl 1x RS 1x BoH Stalin-Prize (1953) Meritorious Test-Pilot of the CCCP (23.09.1961) and many medals http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amet_Khan_Sultan http://www.testpilot.ru/memo/70/ametkhan_e.htm http://www.pilotenbunker.de/Jagdflieger/CC...hmet/sultan.htm Best regards Christian Zulus Sultan Ahmet-Khan attacking a ship with his La-7: [attachmentid=60709]

Your turn Dear Daredevil, Congratulations, the black eagle is correct . Now it is your turn to post a tricky question Best regards Christian

Dear Daredvil, CONGRATULATIONS You are correct for the main question. If you can answer the little extra question - animal at the nose of Sultan's fighter-plane -, than it is your turn. Best regards Christian

Dear Rick, very nice badge and well done . I also have never seen your badge before, but it looks authentic and genuine. I have a normal "Long Distance Voyage"-badge for submariners and the material, quality of enamel and the structure of the rv. (also with needle!) is at the same high level. Might be a very late type of the badge . Best regards Christian

Dear Ed, many thanks for sharing these rare awards with us . It had been new to me, that Chechens issue awards . Do other islamistic groups also have their awards - or is that only a habit in the former Soviet Union? Maybe there exists somewhere an "Order of Allah" or an medal for "Merits to the Jihad" . Best regards Christian P.S.: The Catholic Church (Vatican) has its Orders & Medals .

Dear Doc, which orders & medals did Col. Fedorov have? So, how much was his extra monthly income till the end of 1947? Best regards Christian

New question - some hints Gentlemen, to make the question easier two hints: Our Soviet fighter-ace earned HSU twice and flew an aircraft, which was constructed by a Jewish engineer. Best regards Christian Zulus

Dear Andrei, that is a "hen-or-egg"-question . But the basics of human existence is the economy, as Karl Marx & Co. tells us . So I think, that the Soviet Red Army soldiers would have had not the slightest chance against Nazi-Germany without their execellent supply lines, their superiour rifles, guns, tanks, airplanes etc. Never forget: The German technology and economy was - in comparison to the Soviet or US economy - at an very "moderate" level. Their technology was rubbish - and again rubbish, despite the fact, that the Germans had been superior to SU & USA in terms of long-distance rockets, jet-planes and submarines, but the fruits at these fields of productions came too late . Besides of the obvious shortcomings in military technology, the organization of the German economy during WW II was a complete mass. In the late 1940s of the the "Cold War" (1943 - 1991) of USA vs. SU the "new" Germany (with the old Nazis in top positions ) adopted the US economic system and "created" the German "Wirtschaftswunder". With such US-"Wirtschaftswunder" + 30.000 T 34 tanks in 1941 Germany would have won WW II. The Red Army could bear a Zhukov, but such a complete idot and psychopath like this NCO of the Czarist-Army in a key-function of Soviet-GPW-economy would have lost the war for the Soviet Union. My humble opinion. Best regards Christian

Prices for Serbian Monarchy Orders Dear Milan, could you give us an idea about the price ranges old Serbian Monarchy Orders, Medals & Badges are selling today? Most of them had been manufactured in Imperial Vienna? Many thanks Best regards Christian

Gentlemen, many thanks for posting these scans - I have never seen them before . Best regards Christian Zulus

Dear Jim, my remarks about swines & cattle were ment ironically and reflected the situation at the SU-Awards-market . As I pointed out at another thread, the GPW was won by the Soviet economy and not by the Red Army. Not the dull and stupid Zhukov, but the engineers & workers, who produced the T 34, Il-2, Yak-3, La-7, etc. It is only a pity, that labour awards are hardly researchable . I would prefer a well documented HSL to an HSU for the crossing of the river Dnjepr Best regards Christian

Dear Milan, It was ment ironically from me I love the Serbian Monarchy stuff and a have seen very nice pieces at my friends in Beograd and in the diaspora. I think, that Royal Serbian Awards are - besides of old Russian Awards - the most beautiful in history before 1918. But to start collecting now with old Serbian (high-end) Awards is beyond my financial means . From the artistic viewpoint and the quality of manufacturing the old Serbian Awards are defintly above the YU-Awards of the Tito-time. Best regards Christian

Sehr geehrter Herr "slava1stclass", many thanks for the information . I have an offer from an Russian comrade for USD 15,-, but it will take 3 month time . Do you think, that PMD will get the results rather instantly? Should not be ALL records of Gnitienko's Glory 1cl in the archives be checked? Errors happen in the archives, as you can see in this posting about an RS: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?s=&showtop...ost&p=92312 Many thanks for your expertise. Beste Gr??e aus Wien Christian Zulus

Dear Jim, they mentioned dealer are selling their stuff and they have a real turnover of their stocks. Sometime I get the impression, that the proportions in value get out of control. The fact is, that a RBL T 2 sells for the same money as a HSU O.K., the rarity might be the same, but a RBL is an unresearchable labour award and a HSU is an easy researchable valour award. O.K., swines, cattle, chicken, etc. had been important for the SU-economy, but heroic deeds at the battle field in the direct line of fire have another smell So, if the RBL T 2 achieved now the USD 4 k + region, than the HSU for the same amount of bucks seems too cheap. Best regards Christian

Dear Soviet, That is a historical tradition for centuries, that Germans had top positions in Russia - even during the GPW Catharina the Great was German too . What about my new question? No idea who the fighter ace might be ? He is really famous . Best regards Christian

Dear Milan, great und unbelievable collection . You sold the whole collection for some monarchy stuff . Best regards Christian

Dear Milan, sorry ..... , my mistake: I didn't move fully to the heart of our Sveti Sava. Great Collection !!!!!!!!! A Serbian friend of mine, who lives in Munich, collects pre-Tito-awards. A lot of these orders had been manufactured in Vienna. Many thanks to your expertise in my questions in advance. Best regards from Bec Christian

Dear Milan, I can not open your collection . Maybe you could post your collection at GMIC at the "Collectors Showcase" http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showforum=114 . It would be of great interest for all of us, I think. Maybe you could answer my questions I posted at this thread some weeks ago: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?s=&showtop...st&p=110598 Many thanks . Best regards Christian

Gentlemen, the renowed SU-awards expert and dealer, Prof. Eugene Rabkin, offers at his website a RBL T 2 / Var. 1 s/n. 2.146 for USD 4.450,-: http://www.russianglory.com/soviet_orders.htm . Usually the price tags at Prof. Rabkin's website are rather moderate (quality of the items & groups is very good), but due to the fact, that this special RBL T 2 / Var. 1 should be a reiusse of a RBL T 1 / Var. 2 Prof. Rabkin asks that price: "Extremely rare replacement of type 1. Excellent condition. Almost impossible to upgrade!!!" Beside the fact, that USD 4.450,- is the new "top-price" for a RBL T 2 at the market, I am asking, if that piece is for 100 % an replacement or reissue for a RBL T 1? According to the PMD-"Red Bible" and other sources, we know, that the s/n. of the RBL are overlapping to a big extent: - T 1 / Var. 2: s/n. 1.196 to 2.748 - T 2 / Var. 1: s/n. 1.098 to 7.655 (the T 2 / Var. 1 in my modest collection has even the s/n. 8.660!) O.K., the PMD-"Red Bible" notes, that (very) low-numbered T 2 / Var. 1 might be reissue pieces, but how sure is it for Prof. Rabkin's RBL s/n. 2.146 ? I think, that there is a lot of "speculation" in that. BTW: It is hardly possible to research, when the recipient got his RBL. It is easier with RBL T 3 to judge, if the are replacement awards or not. In my modest collection I have a RBL T 3 / Var. 1 with the s/n. 6.825 - that's for sure a reissue . Igor offers at his website a RBL T 3 / Var. 1 with the s/n. 12.472, which is also a genuine replacement award: http://www.collectrussia.com/DISPITEM.HTM?ITEM=13728 . Again with an "extra" price tag of USD 740,-, which is quite a sum for a "Jumbo"-RBL. My question to our experts: Is it possible to judge, if a RBL is an reissue award or not? How justified are the "extra" price tags, besides the fact, that the market will pay the prices? Best regards Christian Zulus P.S.: A RBL T 1 / Var. 2 is offered at Igor's website for USD 27.000,-: http://www.collectrussia.com/DISPITEM.HTM?ITEM=15943 - Beautiful pice, all documents + extra material. 1994 my dealer offered me a RBL T 1 / Var. 2 for less than USD 2.000,- - I didn't buy the order .

Archival Errors Dear Rick, fine & interesting group . That's exactly my theory concerning the wrong s/n. of my Glory 1cl in the archives I think, that archival errors happened in the Soviet Union: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=5536 Best regards Christian

New Question Gentlemen, for the beginning an easy question (+ small extra question) . WHO AM I ? I am an renowed Soviet fighter-ace of the GPW. My first and my family name have an aristocratic meaning - like in english language i.e.: Capt. Earl Duke or Col. Baron King. Which symbol did I paint on the nose of my fighter-plane? Best regards Christian Zulus