Hungary Hungarian People's Republic Awards

[Hauptmann]

And the 'yawner' of the evening. Hungarian Trade Council's Union Medal for service to the Trade Union in Gold. Most of the gold wash to the star has flaked off but it is still present on the miniature. The badge came in two grades Gold and Silver. Gold was for 15 years of serivce in SZOT (HU Trade Councils Union) and the Silver is 10 years. The 15 year award came with 3000 HU forints bonus (1 1/2 months pay) and the silver came with 2000 HU forints.

Hi Charles,

Just fantastic! I can't get enough of your collection and love the fact that it's growing all the time. And even this one that you feel is a yawner... love it! And all the cases to boot! You know how I love cases!

I'm also in love with all the miniature devices they put on their ribbons. Even this last one... I'd be proud to have such in my (so far) tiny Hungarian collection. The miniature really is icing on the cake and adds so much to it. The medal is nice enough but the ribbon with mini and the case just make it shine in my eyes.

And even the smaller (assuming smaller... have mostly seem pics) badges just look terrific in their own cases. Soon as I have more $$'s coming in (hopefully soon... fingers crossed!) I definitely want to try and dive into the deeper end of the pool. I envy you being on the spot and able to find such terrific pieces and get so many great deals. Keep em' coming as I for one will never tire of them.

Dan

Edited November 22, 2006 by Hauptman

[Ulsterman]

Ditto everything Hauptman said above. Hungary seems a fertile and interesting collecting field. That "yawner" is dead brilliant.

[hunyadi]

Yes - the 'yawner' is a nice badge - dont get me wrong, its just one of hundreds of seemingly obscure badges for long service. Aside from that its a well constructed badge.

Edited November 22, 2006 by hunyadi

[Gordon Craig]

Gents,

Time I started to take part in this thread. Been a while since I visited the forum as work and research on my Hungarian camo project took up most of the time. Since Charles posted a picture of the cased badges I have in my collection I thought I should add its background and some more pictures.

I bought the case from a dealer in Germany who said he got from an ex DDR NVA officer who was presented the case by the head of a Hungarian delegation. The NVA officer still has a similar case from another Warsaw Pact countyr (can not remember the country) that he will not part with. Little did I realize at the time I bought the case of badges that I would be living in Hungary and collecting Hungarian things.

Here is a picture of the top of the closed case and the badges with the case open.

[Gordon Craig]

Here is a picture of the case showing the top open. The case measures 32.5cm (12.5") by 26.2 cm (10 3/8") by 4 cm (1.5").

Cheers,

Gordon

Edited November 25, 2006 by Gordon Craig

[Riley1965]

WOW!!! That's just beautiful!!!

Doc

[Gordon Craig]

The Public Security Medal. Introduced by the Minister of Public Security for the Hungarian Peoples Republic on March 17th of 1951. This medal replaced the 1947 Distinction of Public Security medal. On the 30th of June 1951, it was determined that the medal could be exchanged for the previous medal. The ribbons for both medals were identical. The Public Security Medal was awarded in three classes (gold, silver and bronze)Members of the police force were awarded Gold for 30 years service, silver for 15 years service and bronze for 5 years servcie. For outstanding service during an incident the silver medal was awarded. The medal could be won more than once in different classes and would be shown as consecutive ribbons. For multiple awards (silver only) a 3mm silver band would be added to the ribbon and the ribbon bar. During the entire history of the medal this never occured. There was also a provision of attaching a 15mm miniature to the ribbon bar but this was never produced. In 1952 the Public Security Medal was awarded to the Hungarian Military Police and to the Hungarian Border Guards. The different branches of service were awarded the same medal but with respectively different coloured ribbons. The Public Security Medal could only be awarded by the Minister of the Interior. At the 1991 XXXI council the medal was disbanded. Extracted from "The Large Hungarian Medal Book. Translation by C. D.

The following picture shows the gold, silver and bronze class of this award. The bronze class has the ribbon for the Miliatry Police, the silver class has the ribbon for the Border Guards and the gold class has the ribbon for Police. The Border Guard ribbon is of particular interest as the reference books say the ribbon for this branch was to be in light green. This ribbon on the medal shown is of a much darker green that that pictured in the reference book I quoted from. It is however, undoubtable authentic.

I should mention that the metal rays going out to points of the stars are in the same colour as the award. IE gold, silver and bronze.

Regards,

Gordon

Edited November 26, 2006 by Gordon Craig

[Gordon Craig]

Gents,

There have been a couple of requests in this thread for information on books about Hungarian medals. Here are the three books I use. I won't picture him but C. D. is an indispenceable part of my library!!!!

The first book is the one refered to as the Large Hungarian Medal Book. When I bought my copy it sold for 9,000 to 10,000 Forints and is still available. Since it is out of print and demand is now increasing it may cost more now. It is excellent value for the money spent. It is completely in Hungarian but some English translation has been done and more is underway I beleive.

The second book shown roughly translates as "Cross, Medal and Star". The authors are members of the Hungarian National Museum and the Military History Museum, the two largest Hungarian public collections. They have made a selection from the orders and decorations of the two institutes; except for a few pieces borrowed from other public and private collections. In addition to Hungarian awards it includes some of the decorations commonly awarded to Hungarians by other nations. Each picture is accompanied by the name of the order or decoration in Hungarian, German and English. The actual descriptions of the orders and medals is only in Hungarian. I find this an invaluable addition to the large book. I bought my copy for 5,000 Forints, in "as new" condition in a used book store. I know where there is a cupboard full of these books, but do not know what they will cost, should anyone be interested.

The third book is not one I care to try and translate the title of but it deals with Military Medals and Decorations of Hungary. This small paperback book is not of the same quality as those listed above but does have its merits. I shows the ribbons bars for some of the ribbons with their miniatures in place. Other than a very brief comment on the history of Hungarian medals, as displayed in the book, there is no English content. This book is still available from a galleria downtown for 6,000 Forints.

Missing from all of these volumes is information on the many awards made to the average citizen in the Communist period in Hungary. For that we will have to rely on C. D. to either tell us in a post or write a book(CD?).

Regards,

Gordon

Edited November 26, 2006 by Gordon Craig

[DutchBoy]

Hi Gordon,

My Hungarian collection is quite small and all the items I have are already posted. But with regards to that book you mention, I bought one about 6 months ago on eBay (where they go for $35). If you have those other two you are certainly not going to need this one. It is a nice little book, and it has quite a few pictures of Austro-Hungarian, Communist Hungarian, and modern Hungarian ODM, and as a starting reference it is useful to a point. Not reading that language is a problem of course, so it has limited value to me. If you could pick one up for lets say $20 I'd say go for it, otherwise not so much.

Great collection!!

Matt.

The third book is not one I care to try and translate the title of but it deals with Military Medals and Decorations of Hungary. This small paperback book is not of the same quality as those listed above but does have its merits. I shows the ribbons bars for some of the ribbons with their miniatures in place. Other than a very brief comment on the history of Hungarian medals, as displayed in the book, there is no English content.

[Ed_Haynes]

Thanks for the book references, Gordon. They go onto the bibliography list of things to look for. I still follow the advice I started out with of "books and journals first, medals later on". (Even though I cannot read a word of Hungarian-- doesn't matter!)

[Riley1965]

Thanks for the book references, Gordon. They go onto the bibliography list of things to look for. I still follow the advice I started out with of "books and journals first, medals later on". (Even though I cannot read a word of Hungarian-- doesn't matter!)

As a wise man said, "Buy the book then the medal"

Doc

[hunyadi]

Missing from all of these volumes is information on the many awards made to the average citizen in the Communist period in Hungary. For that we will have to rely on C. D. to either tell us in a post or write a book(CD?).

After three books - does there need to be more? Translation for the third book is Soldeirs Medals of Hungarian History this book has some interesting things in it that I wont declare as false but it depicts Order of the Red Star with Combat Decoration. It its similar to the one in post #148, but it has a different ribbon and a flower for the central piece where the Hungarian coat of arms normaly is. In all the other reference material and the "Blue Book" (a rare and hard to get book that contains all of the legal criteria and information of all awards from 1948 to 1977) this award never existed. Perhaps they were unofficial but... The only thing that I can see these being awarded to for 'combat' was the small UN delegation that Hungary sent in 1976 to observe the conditions of the cease fire in Vietnam. Two of the members were killed, but I have not researched into 'how'. I believe it was a mine if I recal the tale correctly. Anyhow - I would love to see the originals of these...

Back to work I must go...

Edited November 27, 2006 by hunyadi

[hunyadi]

Too many folks have asked for pictures of these medal in wear - and frankly propoganda books with such photos are more rare than the actual awards themselves it seems - but this weekend I found one. Its a series from the Workers Militia (a section of the armed forces that I seem to be finding lately - future article I am sure)

[hunyadi]

This one reminds me of th Judds song 'Grandpa'

"Grandpa tell me bout' the good ol' days" (when you were butchering those Horhty Fascists...)

Of interest here is that the Workers Militia uniform seems to have no provision or regulation for wearing decorations. Grandpa has 2(!!!!) HUPR Order of Merit Vth class! Workers & Pesants Return of Power, Unkown, 1959 Commemorative Medal for the Hungarian Soviet (1919 Commut Government) - So he is Truly - Old Guard

Edited November 27, 2006 by hunyadi

[hunyadi]

Here is some photos of coal miners - they each have a grade of the Coal Miners Medal for at least 10 years under the ground. Along with this 2 Kivalo Dolgozol and 2 Sztahanovistas! Yes I found one Ulstermann

[hunyadi]

And another coal miner (3 Kivalo Dolgozol!)

Edited November 27, 2006 by hunyadi

[hunyadi]

The Workers Militia had parades of course

[hunyadi]

They were not all old men in baggy uniforms with medals all messed up....

[hunyadi]

Gordon - cammo?

[hunyadi]

and winter

[hunyadi]

how about a walk in the woods?

[Ulsterman]

GREAT photos!! I love 'em.

Isn't Grandads' medal there the 'Excellent/Distinguished worker" medal from 1975?

[Gordon Craig]

Hunyadi,

Great fotos! Especially the camo ones. I don't have any reference for the overcoat type white camo. The others are familiar and welcome in my research project. I have been after a Militai workers uniform top go with my hat for years. Lots of hats around but uniforms seem scarce. Do you have any rank charts for the Hungarian guys you posted pictures of? They were certainly wearing some interesting collar patches in the pictures you posted.

Regards,

Gordon

[hunyadi]

GREAT photos!! I love 'em.

Isn't Grandads' medal there the 'Excellent/Distinguished worker" medal from 1975?

Cant be as the photo was taken before 1967. The ribbon also looks to be a national tri-color ribbon so it may be a sports medal (?) As for ranks - I have no reference. I could take some wild educated guesses, but I wont. I too am looking for one of these uniforms - the dress uniforms abound, but the battle dress is an anomoly.

[Hauptmann]

Hi Charles,

Terrific photos! Agreed... never seem many photos of any of this being worn so this is very refreshing. Hoping more turns up that can be added to these. Great reference material.

On insignia... I've got some charts of insignia from WWII if that would help. "Might" have some post war but I'll have to go down in the bunker and dig through my library to see what I can come up with.

Dan