Soviet Order of Red Star #1865385

[deptfordboy]

Hi Gents,

Here is the latest bit of research which I have committed to the scanner. It's for a Red Star awarded in august 1945. Beyond that it's a bit of a mystery to me - I will definitely pay for translation WITH my research in future until I have got my head around the challenge of Russian script!

He seems to have got one other medal, unnumbered, some commemorative medal? Any help would, as ever, be most gratefully received.

Cheers

Gilbert

Edited October 17, 2006 by deptfordboy

[deptfordboy]

More paperwork...

[deptfordboy]

reverse

[deptfordboy]

Citation front - I don't know what the pencil scribble signifies - any ideas?

Edited October 17, 2006 by deptfordboy

[deptfordboy]

Citation reverse - writing at the bottom in a different hand - is this period?

Edited October 17, 2006 by deptfordboy

[deptfordboy]

Final doc - Thanks!

Edited October 17, 2006 by deptfordboy

[Christian Zulus]

Dear Gilbert,

it might be the "Victory over Germany"-Medal .

Maybe someone of our Russian members could translate the documents .

Best regards

Christian

[NavyFCO]

Gilbert:

THis guy is rather interesting. It appears to me that he was wounded and then was not on the frontlines from about 1942 on. I could be wrong on that, but I'm not good at deciphering handwriting like this! This Red Star was given to him by the 3rd Belorussian Front (that's the recent handwriting on the bottom of the back page) even though he was nominated for the For Valor medal. It appears that this is one of those orders that was for him doing a "good job" through the War... I've seen quite a few instances where officers in front units received Red Stars at the end of the War, even if it was "only" for surviving the War. It appears that this fellow was out of the service (he was "in reserve") shortly after the end of the War.

The other medal that he received is the Victory Over Germany medal. That's all!

Dave

[Christian Zulus]

Gentlemen,

Dave brings in very interesting aspect, which I have also noticed in the memoirs literature:

Soldiers - I think specially officers -, who did not receive any award during the GPW (and survivied), got just after the war an Order of the Red Star.

Might be an explaination for the hughe number of issued Red Stars .

What is your experience with that habit?

Best regards

Christian Zulus

[deptfordboy]

Thanks for the input guys. Yes, that is intersting Christian - so under your theory Red Stars issued in this way are a precedent to the issue of OGPW 1985 versions to survivors 40 years later?

Gilbert

[NavyFCO]

Thanks for the input guys. Yes, that is intersting Christian - so under your theory Red Stars issued in this way are a precedent to the issue of OGPW 1985 versions to survivors 40 years later?

Gilbert

I wouldn't go quite that far with the analogy (e.g. comparing them to 1985 jubilee awards) but there were quite a number given out in mid to late 1945 and early 1946. In my database, we start seeing numbers around 1,3XX,XXX given out in May 1945, going all the way up to 2,6XX,XXX given out by early 1946 (with even some greater outlying numbers on either side!) Were all 1,300,000 Red Stars given out to guys who "did their job" through the War? I really don't think so. Obviously, there were quite a few Red Stars given for Berlin, Koeningsburg, Prague, war against Japan, catch up awards, long service, etc.... I would venture to bet though that a good portion of that 1,300,000 number WERE given to officers who finished the War though. What percentage of the 1.3 million is unknown. Maybe half a million? Maybe less? Maybe more? It's impossible to know that, but I think we can say with certainty that quite a few officers received the Red Star immediately after the War to serve as their single decoration from the War.

Dave

[NavyFCO]

I would also add that saying that these were given out "just for surviving" is an understatement. I believe there were quite a few officers that did an exceptional job in the billet they served in during the War, but were either not close enough to the frontlines, or hadn't had the single opportunity of distinguishing themselves required for a non-combat award in order to have earned a decoration during the War. Thus, in order to reward their excellent service and to show appreciation for their part in the War, they were given the Red Stars.

Dave

Edited October 18, 2006 by NavyFCO

[Ed_Haynes]

It was normal in most countries for their to be an avalanche of marginally deserved awards in 1945 and 1946, what I think of as the "Thank God We Won" (or, in this case, "Thank Lenin We Won"?) honors lists. Giving victory goodies to those who contributed in smaller ways to the victory may be seen as devaluing the wartime awards, but, frankly, I think the victors had just cause to celebrate and play free with the goodies.

[Christian Zulus]

Lieutenant Vladimir Gelfand - an example for our case

Gentlemen,

the case of Lieutenant Vladimir Gelfand is a very ident case: He participated at the "Berlin-Operation", was a clever (jewish) guy, but somehow "mobbed" and never received any (real) battle award.

Comrade Gelfand stayed in Berlin from 1945 to 1946 and received his Red Star 1945 and hat to fight for getting his "Victory over Germany"-Medal.

This photograph shows him in Berlin 1946 with his german girl friend wearing the Red Star + the Victory-Medal.

He wrote a brilliant book with the title "Germany Diary - 1945 to 1946, memoirs of a Red Army soldier", which was published 1995 in Berlin by the renowed "Aufbau-Verlag". Sorry, it was only published in german language, neither in russian, nor in english .

Best regards

Christian Zulus

[attachmentid=57616]

[Christian Zulus]

Lieutenant Vladimir Gelfand - his book

[attachmentid=57622]

Edited October 19, 2006 by Christian Zulus

[Guest Rick Research]

Gilbert--

your man was Feodor Yaklovich Pereletov, Russian, peasant class, born 1907 in the village of Urusovo in Ryanskogo Oblast. He served in the Red Army 1931-32, and 1941-45. Russian, basic education, not a member of the Party. Junior Lieutenant 26 December 1941 as commander of the Mortar Platoon of 435th Gds Rifle Rgt, 3rd Guards Rifles Division.

His Red Star and Victory Over Germany Medals were issued by Temporary Certificates, on his 12 May 1947 Award Record Card-- though that also notes he had Orders Book number A822212.

He probably SHOULD have received a siege of Leningrad Medal, delayed perhaps by his transfer and placement in the "reserve" (i.e. retired) by 1947.

The ARC says he received his Red Star while a platoon commander in the 34th Reserve Rifles Division, 3rd White Russian Front, but the actual citation shows him as detached from being a platoon commander in 435th Rifles Regiment of 3rd Guards Rifles Division as MARCH platoon commander of the 35th Independent (uhhh ohhh) Rifles Battalion, 34th Reserve Rifles Division. ("Reserve" in Soviet units usually meant rear area replacement and training units-- what the Germans called "Ersatz und Ausbildungs" type units)

The basic gist of his citation lists his wartime service on the Leningrad Front, shows him as severely wounded in the left leg on 19 January 1942, and basically says he was of great help to the political officers in delivering replacements to the division. In other words, he lashed along the cannon fodder with a will.

Interesting in light of his 1947 employment, at the city of Bobruisk Ship-Repairs Factory, VOKhR detachment, where he was a "Podsar'nik," an "Under something" which I cannot find in any Russian dictionary.

The VOKhR did LOTS of things, but in this case, what he was was a contract Gulag guard at this industrial enterprise-- probably having a slave labor work force of German POWs or Soviet political prisoners.

I hope this helps. Somebody please continue-- I must "move along" with two weeks backlog to catch up on.

[deptfordboy]

Thanks Rick, it's much appreciated! Good to see you back again BTW - have you been on hols?

Cheers

Gilbert