Soviet Komsomol Badge?

[Riley1965]

This badge Is one that I know nothing about. Any help is appreciated.

Doc

[Alfred]

Doc,

this is a membership badge of the KOMSOMOL. It?s very common available.

It?s one of the last versions of the badge. 1970?s or 80?s.

best regards

Andreas

Edited August 27, 2008 by Alfred

[Riley1965]

Doc,

this is a membership badge of the KOMSOMOL. It?s very common available.

It?s one of the last versions of the badge. 1970?s or 80?s.

best regards

Andreas

Andreas,

Thank You!!! What was the Komsomol?

Doc

[Ed_Haynes]

Kommunisticheskiy Soyuz Molodiozhi (Коммунистический союз молодёжи), or "Communist Union of Youth".

See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komsomol

[Alfred]

From WIKIPEDIA

Komsomol (Russian: Комсомол) is a syllabic abbreviation word, from the Russian Kommunisticheskiy Soyuz Molodiozhi (Коммунистический союз молодёжи), or "Communist Union of Youth". The organization was established on October 29, 1918. Since 1922 the full official name in Russian was Vsesoyuzny Leninskiy Kommunisticheskiy Soyuz Molodyozhi (VLKSM) (Всесоюзный Ленинский Коммунистический Союз Молодёжи (ВЛКСМ)

Overview

Komsomol served as the youth wing of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU), the youngest members being fourteen years old, the upper limit for an age of rank and file being 28, while Komsomol functionaries could be older. Younger children could join the allied Pioneers organisation.

Komsomol had little direct influence on the Communist Party, and on the government of the Soviet Union. But Komsomol played an important role as a mechanism for teaching the values of the CPSU in the young, and as an organ for introducing the young to the political domain. Along with these purposes, the organisation served as a highly mobile pool of labour and political activism, with the ability to move to areas of high-priority at short notice. Active members received privileges and preferences in promotion. For example, Yuri Andropov, CPSU General Secretary for a short time following Leonid Brezhnev, reached political heights by means of the Komsomol organisation of Karelia. At its height, in the 1970s, Komsomol had tens of millions of members; around two-thirds of the present adult population of Russia is believed to have once been a member.

During the revolution, the Bolsheviks showed no interest in establishing or maintaining a youth wing. However, by 1918 the first Congress was held under the patronage of the Bolshevik Party, despite the organisations having not entirely coincident membership or beliefs. By the time of the second Congress, a year later, however, the Bolsheviks had, in effect, taken control of the organisation, and it was soon formally established as the youth wing of the party. In the early years, the organisation was initialized as RKSM and RLKSM.

The reforms of Mikhail Gorbachev, perestroika and glasnost, finally recognized that Komsomol was no longer serving the interests of the youth; the calibre of Komsomol leadership was low, and these, along with other structural problems, could no longer be hidden in the new, more open, atmosphere. Komsomol had long been a haven for conservatism and bureaucracy, and had always been largely politically impotent, properties then at odds with the times. At the radical Twentieth Congress of the Komsomol the rules of the organisation were massively altered to reflect a more market-oriented approach. However, the reforms of the Twentieth Congress eventually destroyed the organisation, with fragmentation, lack of clarity-of-purpose, and waning of interest, membership and calibre of membership?there was simply no longer a need for the organisation.

During the early stages of perestroika, when private enterprise was cautiously introduced, Komsomol was given privileges in opening businesses, with a motivation to give youth a better chance. At the same time, many Komsomol leaders entered and headed the Russian Regional and State Anti-Monopoly Committees. As a result, many Komsomol activists were given an advantageous foot on the business ladder?Mikhail Khodorkovsky being a prominent example. Folklore was quick to put together a motto: "Komsomol is a school of Capitalism", hinting at Lenin's "Trade unions are a school of Communism".

The organ of the Komsomol, the Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper, survived the organization.

[Guest Rick Research]

I've seen the screwback Lenin head version Komsomol pins described as ones worn in uniform by members of the military, as opposed to civilian types with a simple little pin.

I've never understood the Russian fascination with jamming holes through clothing with screwbacks. Secure? Sure. At the cost of ruining clothing.

Here's the Komsomol membership pin 1944-53 with a photo in wear:

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=2212...hl=Tscherbinsky

Despite the fact that Komsomol membership was a necessary prerequisite for Communist Party membership-- and so all but mandatory for most careers-- these badges don't turn up in most of the military portrait photos I've seen.

[Riley1965]

Guys,

Many Thanks for the information and history!!! Now I know

Doc

[Mukerjee]

Regarding this Komsomol pin and other Soviet pins, how were they manufactured? They all seem of ultra-light aluminum and usually have a red, semi-transparent enamel, like around this Lenin. There must have been many Soviet facilities to produce these pins to feed an apparent pin craze in the USSR. Most Soviet pins also have a safety pin type clasp and are not stickpins like the rest of Europe. Any expert thoughts appreciated.

[Hauptmann]

Here's a pic of one of the screwback type.

Dan

[Sergey]

And it is early.До 1945

[RichieC]

And it is early.До 1945

Sergey!

Класс! Do you own such a badge? If so, please show an image of the reverse.

[Sergey]

Sergey!

Класс! Do you own such a badge? If so, please show an image of the reverse.

Greetings. I will show photos later. Today I not houses

[Hauptmann]

Went looking for something last night and discovered that I actually had a screwback Komsomol badge. Only bad part is it is missing it's screwback. What are the chances of being able to get one for it?

Anyhow, here's the pics:

I knew I had several of these in pinback form... most if not all had been throw in's/extras from purchases of Soviet goodies I've made on Ebay over the years. But had not realized I had a screwback. It was a very nice surprise!

If anyone has a spare screwback nut for this or knows where I might be able to get one please let me know.

Dan

[Centaur32]

Went looking for something last night and discovered that I actually had a screwback Komsomol badge. :jumping: Only bad part is it is missing it's screwback. What are the chances of being able to get one for it?

Anyhow, here's the pics:

I knew I had several of these in pinback form... most if not all had been throw in's/extras from purchases of Soviet goodies I've made on Ebay over the years. But had not realized I had a screwback. It was a very nice surprise!

If anyone has a spare screwback nut for this or knows where I might be able to get one please let me know.

Dan

G'day Dan,

I "may" be able to help. Can you send me the diameter of the screw post, in mm? Thanks.

Cheers,

Jim

[Chuck In Oregon]

Your badge (from the original question) is in the center. The others are earlier, heavier versions.

The badge on the top right has a mirror reverse, my only example of that variation. These were pretty common badges.

Chuck

[Chuck In Oregon]

Here's an earlier variant and it's pretty scarce. It's the only one I have ever found.

I have a number of VLKSM badges and pins but that's not the question here.

Chuck

[JapanX]

Here's an earlier variant and it's pretty scarce. It's the only one I have ever found

KIM badges were introduced in october 1922 and were issued until (approximately) january 1945 (yours looks like it came from 30s)

Next variation "VLKSM in the star" was in use between 1945 and 1958 (I bet your badges have marks on their reverses )

"Lenin head" was in use between 1958 and 1991.

Nice collection Chuck :beer:

[Phil2012]

Hello!

Nowdays, the VLKSM badge with Lenin's head still is used! But only on Dembels custom badges! A "dembel" is a young man who is about to end his military service. On this occasion, there is a tradition which consists in customizing the uniform and to wear custom made badges.

Here is an example from my collection of "Typhoon" submarines medals and badges:

As this VLKSM badge still is used on this specific ossasion, it's not possible to tell if such a badge is recent or from soviet era...

[JapanX]

But only on Dembels custom badges! ...

Everything is in use on dembel custom... Including pieces of portière