Hungary Distinction Badges of the HUPR Military

[Gordon Craig]

I promised Dan, in another thread, that I would post pictures of these badges in my collection. After thinking about it for a while, I decided that these badges deserve a thread of their own that can be used for our reference purposes. If we can post pictures of all 51 here tht would great so please post wht you have. I would prefer not to duplicate badges unless the one that you have is different than one already posted in some significant way. All of these badges, when identified in contemporary Hungarian literature or reference books are refered to as "Kivalo" awards. I've titled the thread "Distinction" because that was the translation used in my reference book. I'll start with the Snipers badge.

Regards,

Gordon

[Gordon Craig]

The reverse. I'll only post this once as all the ones in my collection are the same.

[Gordon Craig]

Where these badges were worn.

[Gordon Craig]

A close up of the badge in wear. The MHS shooting badge, shown here beside the Spiners Badge, are often shown in contemporary photos as worn with the Snipers badge. The uniform pictured came with these badges in these positions. The coloured felt behind the badge was normally applied by the soldier who wore it and would be in the arm of service colour. This differs here as the colour behind the badge would be for artillery while the arm of colour diplayed on the tunic is that of the engineers. Since they came this way I have left it along. The owner of the uniform could have been awarded the badge while in the artillery and then transfered to the engineers. We will never know for sure!

Edited March 11, 2008 by Gordon Craig

[Gordon Craig]

The Sharpshooters badge.

[Gordon Craig]

The AA Radio Operators Badge.

[Gordon Craig]

The Heavy Machinegunners Badge

[hunyadi]

Gordon - 'Sniper' is not a good one for this - having a hard time to truly decipher the meaning - this is the 'Excelent Marksman Badge' as this is not the highest award. The higher grade had a gold finish with a green enameled wreath. To the best of my ability I think that grade is called 'Master Marksman Badge'. Here is a variant of the Excelent / Distinguished Marksman Badge.

[hunyadi]

Distinguished Light Machineguner

[Gordon Craig]

Charles,

Ok on the "Marksman" versus sniper name. I was never comfortable with that term for this badge but that sems to be what the local Hungarian collectors call it. Rightly or wrongly. So we are talking about #55 here from our reference book. In Hungarian ?Kiv?l? L?v?sz? and in our English translation ?Distinguished Shooter (rifles)? versus the highest award (#54) which in Hungarian is ?Mesterl?v?sz? and in our English translation ?Master Shooter (enamelled wreath, gilded rifles)?.

Regards,

Gordon

Edited March 11, 2008 by Gordon Craig

[hunyadi]

So we are talking about #55 here from our reference book. In Hungarian ?Kiv?l? L?v?sz? and in our English translation ?Distinguished Shooter (rifles)? versus the highest award (#54) which in Hungarian is ?Mesterl?v?sz? and in our English translation ?Master Shooter (enamelled wreath, gilded rifles)?.

Yes #55 is the lower and #54 is the higher. "Master Marksman" had higher requirements in weapon proficiency, plus one had to have the Haditorna badge and placed in a national sporting event. You had to qualify for that particular badge every year. After three years you could keep the badge. If you did not quialfy the second year you could qualify for the Marksman Badge.

[Gordon Craig]

Charles,

Interesting stuff. Would you qualify with any class of the Haditorna badge or did it have to be of a specific level? Got to love those questions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers,

Gordon

[hunyadi]

translated wording of the regulation: 10/ Min Ir. 1950 as published on Jan 27th, 1950.

Master Marksman: "must complete the practical exam (shooting) with the grade of 'master' and also must finish the theoretical exam with a grade of 'excellent'. In addition, the individula must posess a minimum of the Iron grade of the Haditorna as well as place between 1st and 5th in a national sporting event. Lastly they had to demonstrate a excpetional knowledge of all infantry weapons in both use and care."

Excellent Marksman: "must complete the practical exam with the grade of 'excellent' and the theoretical exam with the grade of 'excellent' as well. They must also demonstrate knowledge of all infantry weapons in both use and care."

Edited March 11, 2008 by hunyadi

[Gordon Craig]

Charles,

Thanks for the translation of the regs. That says it all. Very hard badge to win the "MASTER". Probably why we never see one for sale!

I have just been asked if a specific badge fits in this series. The answer is yes if your badge follows the pattern of the ones shown so far. They all have the wreath around the outside with the red star at the top and some motife in the centre that relates to the skill associated with the individual badge. Here is a picture of a collection of some of the badges that I took off the internet for your reference purposes. Not all of the badges in the picture fit in this thread but I think you can work out which ones do.

Regards,

Gordon

Edited March 12, 2008 by Gordon Craig

[Hauptmann]

Hi all,

Okay... here's mine. I'll have to let Charles and Gordon tell more about it though:

Dan

[Gordon Craig]

Dan,

Thanks for adding to the thread. Your badge is different from those in my reference books. Either it is one that was not included or there is a piece missing. Take a look at the centre badge in the third line of the picture I posted above. The badge with the truck like yours also has an oil drum below it. I don't see any signs on the bottom of your badge of the oil drum ever being attached. There is no badge like yours in my reference books. Perhaps Charles can shed more light on this badge. With the oild drum, the Hungarian name of this badge would be ?Kiv?lo ?zemanyagos? and in the English book ?Distinguished (Excellent) Fuel Stationer (fuel barrel and truck). These badges were worn by members of the Transportation Corps.

Regards,

Gordon

Edited March 12, 2008 by Gordon Craig

[hunyadi]

Its was not included in the book you have - here is the regulation 'rendering' of it from 1953. The one with the oil barrel below it is the 'Excellent Fueler' (gas pump attendant...)

[Gordon Craig]

Charles,

I knew what the one with the oil barrel was thanks. What is the one with only the truck? Excellent Driver, per chance?

Cheers,

Gordon

[Zsolt]

Hi !

Dan, this badge is O.K.! Congratulation, this was very good buy !

Gordon ! From this badge with truck are 4 variations for transportation corps:

- Distinguished transportation corps officer (with great red star under the truck)

- Distinguished driver (Dan's badge)

- Distinguished car mechanic (tools and truck)

- Distinguished fuel stationer (fuel barrel and truck)

Edited March 12, 2008 by Zsolt

[Hauptmann]

Hi !

Dan, this badge is O.K.! Congratulation, this was very good buy !

Gordon ! From this badge with truck are 4 variations for transportation corps:

- Distinguished transportation corps officer (with great red star under the truck)

- Distinguished driver (Dan's badge)

- Distinguished car mechanic (tools and truck)

- Distinguished fuel stationer (fuel barrel and truck)

Hi Zsolt,

Many thanks! Knew it was a good one due to Charles help. He was right there alongside me when i won. It's a pretty little thing for sure.

Dan

[hunyadi]

A new find: Distinguished Artillery Radio Operator

[Ulsterman]

[hunyadi]

This past week I spent looking through nearly every issue of "Nephadsereg" - the offcial newspaper of the Hungarian People's Army. In the regulations concering these badges, it was stipulated that those who were awarded any form of the badge, the name had to be 'published'. In nearly every issue there was a section which contained the names and a short bio of the recipients. Generaly there was only one name, ocasionally two per day. This covered all of the badges, not just specific forms. In tootal I looked through the years 1950-1956. Calculating 365 days per year for six years = 2190. Addsing in a factor that some issues had two - average in about 500 more give you a total of all badges of all forms awarded was less than three thousand (2690). The awards were open to the ministry of the interior and looking through their daily newspaper the statistics are slighly less. Generally there was a name published about every three days or roughly 730 additional awards of badges over a six year period. Additionally, there were also a few individuals who were awarded multiple badges due to their 'hard work'. So factor in at least 200 in all services. 2690+730+200= 3620 awards over a period of six years.

This is a rough estimate at best, but I would say fairly within the ballpark - round it up to 5000 total and its a reasonable assumption.

Conversely, I have been colleciting hundreds of period photographs, and less than 1% contain a photo in which an individual is wearing any one of these badges... just food for thought on the rarity of the badges.

[hunyadi]

Master Marksamn Badge in wear: March of 1952

[KDVR]

Hi collector friends

May you can give me a helping hand with that badge? Is this a qualification badge?

When was this badge used?

Do you have a pic of the backside of a complete one?

Thank you and best wishes

KDVR :jumping: