Christian Zulus

I have come a bit late to this thread, but I offer my congradulations on your being awarded the SIGNUM MEMORIAE. As we say in my navy 'Bravo Zulu' which means well done!:-)

Dear Ian,

many thanks for your BZ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bravo_Zulu

SKKH Otto von Habsburg confers even more interesting decorations :

- THE (AUSTRIAN) ORDER OF THE GOLDEN FLEECE http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_Golden_Fleece , which is out of reach for non-aristocrats .

- THE KNIGHTLY ORDER OF SAINT SEBASTIAN IN EUROPE http://www.egs-schuetzen.com/Flash/Spracha...rder/order.html , which comes from the "European Society of Historic Marksmen".

Best regards

Christian

Thanks, Christian.

In researching current Austrian awards for my website I found quite a few - but is there a definative list of what may be worn?

Would you be willing to permit me to use the image of your medal (with due acknowledgement of course)? Given its rarity I'm unlikely to see another!

Dear Megan,

no problem, you are free to use the scans of my medal and my document .

The most senior expert for current Austrian awards is Kabinettsvizedirektor Dr. Heinz Anton HAFNER heinz.hafner@hofburg.at http://www.hofburg.at/organigramm/organigramm.htm , deputy head of staff in the office of The Federal President of the Republic of Austria http://www.hofburg.at/index.php?sid=48&amp...amp;language=en . All Austrian awards go over his desk .

Best regards

Christian

Well done indeed!

How 'official' is it? You imply that it can be worn in uniform, is that correct?

Dear Megan,

many thanks .

That's correct: The SIGNUM MEMORIAE can be worn on the uniform of the Austrian Armed Forces .

There is a wide range of non-state-decorations, which can be worn in uniform (NGOs, church and others). Usually the organisation or person, who confers the decoration, has to apply at the "Chancellary for Decorations" at the Austrian Government for getting the permission, that the special decoration can be worn officially in uniform.

Best regards

Christian

Gentlemen,

many, many thanks for your kind congratulations .

I received the award for following reasons: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?s=&showtop...st&p=289415 .

Well, http://emperorcharles.org/English/ is a great organisation .

Best regards

Christian

SIGNUM MEMORIAE, document

SIGNUM MEMORIAE, rv.

Gentlemen,

that's my SIGNUM MEMORIAE

Ribbon for uniform:

Only 500 medals had been issued.

The reason, why I received that rare medal: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?s=&showtop...st&p=289415

Best regards

Christian

When M.S. Gorbachev last visited France as Soviet President, he brought with him a unique and unusual gift.

1) What was that gift?

2) To whom was it presented?

Dear Marc,

that visit took place in Latch?, the country-residence of President Mitterand, end of October 1991 - AFTER the "Patriotic Action" of August 1991.

TV-interview with Gorbachev made at that time in Latch?:

http://video.aol.com/video-detail/latche-m...cid=VIDURVGOV04

Well, I couldn't find any informations about that gift .....

Best regards

Christian

A few days ago I sold a Lenin (last version) for 1.900 Euro.

Dear Andreas,

that corresponds with the quoted prices in USD ...

Best regards

Christian

When is the last time that you saw a real HSL available for sale? As far as I know, they go today for significantly more than $3,000.

Dear Marc,

you are right ... Igor had one some month ago.

So, what do you expect the market price of an ordinary HSL (without docs) in good condition now in Moscow ?

Best regards

Christian

Market price: Lenin vs. HSL

Gentlemen,

what's an even more interesting aspect at the present market is, is the fact that there is almost no price difference between a much rarer HSL and a Lenin . The gold content is about the same, I guess.

O.K., maybe the Lenin is the most famous - and most well known - order of the Soviet Union, but also the HSL (Stalin & Co.) had been well known .

Just compare:

There had been around 22.000 HSL issued, but more than 600.000 Lenins .

Best regards

Christian

Dream on Igor!

Gentlemen,

Igor asks - and gets - these prices for such rare items for quite a long time. Well, that's the economy of the markete: supply & demand .

The hughe increase in the asked price for an (unissued) Motherland 2cl is interesting: http://www.collectrussia.com/DISPITEM.HTM?ITEM=19426 . 6.5 k USD are no peanuts, but it's a rare (less than 3.000 produced) order and it is even much more rare, to get an authentic & original one. I am happy, to have 2 items of Motherland 2cl: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=25540 (please scroll down to the better scans).

Best regards

Christian

Hi Christian, Nice to see you back and active, here!!!

Many thanks for your welcome

Best regards

Christian

P.S.: You were coming to close to #40, so I had to move .

Dear Marco,

Messing http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf_Messing was evacuated from Moscow and imprisoned in Tashkent in fall 1941 .

Best regards

Christian

I want to give it a try!

Could it be the famous psychic Wolf Messing? He was Jewish and flew from germany to the USSR (where he impressed Stalin). Why? He firstly was a Polish Jewish, and secondly he predicted the downfall of Hitler if he would have attacked the East so that Hitler put a 200,000 mark reward on his head.

Cheers!

LENIN ????????

Dear Marc,

many thanks for your greetings

Well, it might have been Lenin himself, but his corps was moved in fall 1941 to Tyumen http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyumen and not to Sverdlovsk .

Sverdlovsk had been the place, where the Soviets moved large branches of industry during the GPW ...

Best regards

Christian

Christian,

Long time no see

That was an interesting suggesting, and the line of thinking is definitely the right one, but unfortunately for you, that is not the person we are looking for.

So, here is one more hint:

During their offensive on Moscow, the German mounted a specific aerial operation in an attempt to get rid of our character. They scored a direct hit on the place where he was, and reported to Berlin that the "problem" had been dealt with; however, within 15 minutes, they found out that they had not gotten rid of him.

This attempt led the Soviet authorities to relocate him in Sverdlovsk in the fall of 1941.

Marc

Dear Ed,

great pics - thanks for sharing

Not only comrade Lenin loved cats ....

Best regards

Christian

Christian!

Your medal is nice too!

Many thanks - but not so nice and historic important as the others shown in this thread .

Best regards

Christian

3 different versions

Gentlemen,

it seems, that we have 3 different versions of the "Honored Coal Miner":

- Andreas has the oldest

- Dan the second oldest (both items are with s/n.)

- I myself have the youngest (without s/n.)

Mine looks really rather unawarded and fresh from the mint.

Anyone has further informations about that badge ?

Best regards

Christian

Very interesting piece!! Would the award of this badge come with an Order such as the Red Banner of Labor?

Dear Paul,

no, I guess such badges as "Honored Coal Miner" and many others can be compared with the "Excellence" Badges of the Red Army.

But you can be almost sure for 100 %, that if a coal miner gets a RBL, he already has his "Honored Coal Miner" on the jacket .

Best regards

Christian

Dear slava1stclass,

what might be the market price for a Full Cavalier/Knight set of your very 1st category (+ fully researched) in August 2008 ?

Might it be in the range of about USD 50k ?

Another statistic fact is, that the price increase for the "Slavas" - in comparison to other Soviet top items - was still rather moderate, despite it's historic importance and rarity & full documentation.

Many thanks for your expertise .

Best regards

Christian

To all:

As a basis for comparison:

- Price for a Full Cavalier/Knight set in January 1998 - $3,500.00

- Price for a Full Cavalier/Knight set in October 2007 - $21,000.00

- Price for a single Order of Glory 1st Class in June 2000 - $1,570.00

- Price for a single Order of Glory 1st Class in July 2008 - $17,500.00

Regards,

slava1stclass

Ilya Ehrenburg

Although never holding any position of authority or command, I was instantly recognized all; it was said that Hitler feared me so much and considered me his personal enemy, that he placed a substantial reward on my head.

Who am I? Why did Hitler fear me?

Dear Marc,

if you consider "never holding any position of authority or command" not only in military terms, but also for the the field of government, diplomacy etc., then Ilya Ehrenburg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilya_Ehrenburg might be a candidate. Herr Hitler feared him, because he might have been the most brillant anti-Nazism writer and progandist in Soviet history.

Best regards

Christian

TITO - Table Medal & matching lapel pins from Slovenia

Gentlemen,

an item from Solvenia I already posted before:

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=18495

The table medal is in a very nice red plastic box with inside red velvet .

Best regards

Christian

Dear "usairforce",

seems o.k. to me - I have a rather similar one out of this s/n.-range.

Best regards

Christian

Dear Christophe,

very, very fast answer ... and it seems to be the correct one - congratulations .

Best regards

Christian

Hi Marc,

Here are my proposals :

1. What type of plane was it?

A specially modified Tu-95N "Bear A" strategic bomber.

The Tu-95 was accompanied by a Tu-16 "Badger" airborne laboratory to observe and record the test.

2. What was the purpose for the daily maintenance?

The Tu-95 was painted with a special white reflective paint to protect it from the thermal radiation of the fireball on the occasion of the explosion.

3. On what date did its specific flight took place?

30 October 1961

4. What was its itinerary?

The drop area was over land at the Mityushikha Bay test site, on the west coast of Novaya Zemlya Island, above test field D-2, near Cape Sukhoy Nos. The test location was about 55 km north of the Severny settlement and 250 km north of the headquarters at Belushya.

Mityushikha Bay test range, test field D-2, Novaya Zemlya Island (located above the arctic circle in the Arctic Sea). Approximate coordinates were 73.85N, 54.50E

5. Who was its commander?

Mission commander was Major Andrei E. Durnovtsev

6. What was the nickname of its main "passenger"?

The device offically designated RDS-220, known to its designers as Big Ivan, and nicknamed in the west Tsar Bomba (or referred to as the Big Bomb by Sakharov in his Memoirs) was the largest nuclear weapon ever constructed or detonated.

More to read there :

http://nuclearweaponarchive.org/Russia/TsarBomba.html

Cheers.

Ch.

Dear Marc,

congratulations to your victory .

I have some Soviet aircraft-designer-books in my shelf, but not a book about Antonov .

Best regards

Christian

Christophe,

I believe it might go as follows:

1. Oleg Konstantinovich Antonov [25/01(7/02) 1906 - 4/04/1984]

2. Building planes, among them the AN-225 (nicknamed "Мрия"), the world's heaviest and largest aircraft, which was used to transport, among other things, the Buran shuttle

3. Stalin (later exchanged for State) prize: 1952

Lenin Prize: 1962

HSL: 1966

4. Member of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR for the 5th to 10th convocations (1958-1983)

Marc