Romania The Romanian Securitate

[Kev in Deva]

Hallo Greg,

I will try to enlarge the detail and see if its any clearer.

It appears to be the bog-standard brass enlisted mans cap badge with felt backing.

Some of the belt buckles look like they were painted black or a very dark green.

And they are wearing what appears to be square toed brown combat boots

possibly of the model for the mountain troops.

Kevin in Deva. :beer:

Edited July 6, 2009 by Kev in Deva

[Greg Collins]

Found a couple of Security Troop enlisted (other ranks) shoulderboards.The longer of the two is for a Plutonier (Sergeant First Class) from the RSR period (post 1965) while the shorter is from the RPR period and is for a Sergent Major (Staff Sergeant). These may have belonged to the same person.

Edited September 1, 2009 by Greg Collins

[Greg Collins]

A detail of the buttons used on the shoulderboards. First, the button that reads "Romania" on the banner is on the longer board (RSR period)...

Edited August 23, 2009 by Greg Collins

[Greg Collins]

...while the button reading "RPR" on the banner is from the shorter board.

[Greg Collins]

Picked up a new ribbon bar. I have often said that Romanian forces do not seem to have the same preoccupation with placing ribbons in the correct order of precedence as we (the US) do. Well, this bar takes the cake. It is a Securitate bar, and the awards are as follows (top to bottom, left to right):

1. Order for Distinguished Services in Defense of the Social Order and the Country - 3rd Class ('58-'68)

2. Order of Military Merit - 3rd Class ('54)

3. Order of Labour - 3rd Class ('48)

4. Star of Romania - 5th Class ('48)

5. 20th Anniversary of the Liberation of the Country ('64)

6. Soldier's Bravery Medal - 2nd Class ('59)

7. Medal for Distinguished Services in Defense of the Social Order and the Country ('53-'68)

8. Medal of Military Merit - 1st Class ('66)

9. Order of Military Merit - 2nd Class ('54)

10. 25th Anniversary of the Liberation of the Country ('69)

11. Medal of Military Merit - 2nd Class ('66)

12. 20th Anniversary of the Romanian Armed Forces ('64)

The only thing I can figure is that the bottom of the bar (last row) was "doctored" sometime after 1969 and before 1972 (or we'd see the 25th Anniversary of the Proclamation of the Republic). If you take a look at the back, you can see why I believe this... it's basically a "splice" job. A great ribbon bar! Lots to talk about!

Edited September 1, 2009 by Greg Collins

[Greg Collins]

Picked up a couple more items through the kindness and generosity of a friend (whom I will not name pending his permission). The first is a post-'68 red boxed Medal for Distinguished Services in Defense of the Social Order and the Country. While I have seen this medal boxed in both the tan "lizard" and teal boxes, I had not seen the red before. The ribbon bar is included.

[Greg Collins]

Also, and again with the help of the same friend, I was able to come by this Meritorious Service badge. As I have seen this badge on both Security Troop and Militia uniforms, I believe I can safely say it is an Internal Ministry award.

[Greg Collins]

And the reverse... standard pin back.

[Guest Rick Research]

While my main "thing" is German ribbon bars, I love ALL ribbon bars (imagine the "Goldfinger" theme running here ) and the across-the-board utter disregard for precedence regulations in the former Communist Bloc absolutely drives me BATTY.

For a system which would arrest people for the slightest slip up, and insisted on the most absurdly prostrated declarations of loyalty (Soviet military paperwork still robotically insisting personnel born in the 1950s answer "no" to "Served in the White forces?" )...

why couldn't anybody ANYWHERE mount ribbons correctly??????????????

:cheers:

[Greg Collins]

Well Rick, I suppose one of the reasons for it is the method of construction of the bar... certainly no room for changes once the thing is made. Ours (the US) is so simple you would think other countries would have copied it... "slide 'em on; slide 'em off"... the only real concern is that the cloth ribbons do get a bit dirty with time and need to be changed, but they were cheap enough. And, in my opinion, the bare cloth looks more "classy" than plastic- but that's me.

[Greg Collins]

A couple more recent acquisitions... if you go back to post #44, you'll find a 1959 document for the Order for Distinguished Services in Defense of the Social Order and the Country - 3rd Class (Ordinul "Pentru servicii deosebite aduse în apãrarea orânduirii sociale ºi de stat"); well, here's the Order itself, finally. This was given from 1958 through 1965. Finally married the order to the document!!! Hoorah!

[Greg Collins]

Not much happening with the back except for rivets...

[Greg Collins]

A detail of the front... dunno why, but I get an urge for strawberries when I look at this star.

[Greg Collins]

Now, one of the most difficult to obtain Romanian medals, the "Defense of the Country" Medal (Medalia "De strajã Patriei")- an Internal Ministry award given, primarily, for guarding the borders. First given in 1958, this particular example is the post-1965 variant (RSR). It is damaged- the mounting ring broke from the star. I do have a jeweler friend who, I'm sure, can repair it.

[Greg Collins]

A detail of the front... the first variant read "Republica Populara Romina".

[Greg Collins]

And a back detail- photographed in shadow to enhance the type.

[Greg Collins]

OK, these are, at least for now, close to the final entries I'll be making in this thread as my Securitate (Interior Ministry) collection is probably as complete as it is going to get. I don't have everything, but I have been able to amass those items that are within my reach and means, and I am very happy with the collection as it stands. A great friend- an Irishman in Transylvania, Kevin Arthur Ryan (Kev in Deva)- has facilitated so much of this, and I cannot thank him enough.

First up, a 3rd Class Order for Distinguished Services in Defense of the Social Order and the Country. This is the transitional variant that was awarded between 1966 and 1968- note the RSR on the banner.

Edited December 3, 2009 by Greg Collins

[Greg Collins]

Now an image of the full progression of the 3rd Class Order for Distinguished Services in Defense of the Social Order and the Country. The two "hanging medal" types, RPR and RSR, flanking the completely redone final type of the award.

[Greg Collins]

Some new Militia shoulderboards, also with the help of Kevin. Note that these are complete with shields and buttons... after 1989, the Militia that "stayed on watch" until the conversion to Politia kept their boards but removed the items that linked the boards to the former administration, namely the buttons and shields. These items, especially the shields, were very difficult to get.

The single boards (epoleti) all represent pairs and are, from the left, Lt. Colonel, a Plutonier (Sergeant First Class) and a Sergent Major (Staff Sergeant).

[Greg Collins]

And now, my complete collection of Internal Ministry boards. The three collar tabs pictured at the top are, from the left, a Militia enlisted collar tab, a redesigned-but-never-used Militia enlisted collar tab and a Security Troops enlisted collar tab. The boards below are, left side, top to bottom, top four boards: Militia Lt. Colonel, Militia Plutonier, Militia Sergent Major, Militia Plutonier (very late model). The right side, top to bottom, top four boards are: Security Troops Colonel, Security Troops Lieutenant, Security Troops Plutonier and a Security Troops Sergent Major. The two boards at the bottom of the image are very early (late '40's/early '50's) Internal Ministry troops boards for (left) Warrant Officer 1st Class and (right) 1st Lieutenant.

[Greg Collins]

Finally, a pair of Militia Officer's collar insignia; silver coloured on dark red. These are for officers from Lieutenant through Colonel. The Security Troops equivalent would be gold-coloured leaves on blue.

[Greg Collins]

Another Securitate ribbon bar arrived today and, as luck would have it, it continues the trend of having ribbons out of order. This time I honestly believe it was caused by the maker not recognizing the subtle differences between the Order and the Medal for Distinguished Services in Defense of the Social Order and the Country as these are the two awards which, if switched, would have made this ribbon bar in correct order.

Anyway, as it stands, this ribbon bar was assembled after 1969 but before 1972, and the owner is showing 20 years of service, placing his beginning of service at 1949-1952. The awards are:

Order of Military Merit, 2nd Class (20 Years)

Medal for Distinguished Services in Defense of the Social Order and the Country (1968)- *out of order

Order of Military Merit, 3rd Class (15 Years)

40th Anniversary of the Communist Party

Order of Distinguished Services in Defense of the Social Order and the Country (1968)- *out of order

Medal of Military Merit, 1st Class (10 Years)

Medal of Military Merit, 2nd Class (5 Years)

25th Anniversary of the Liberation of the Country Medal (1972)

[Corabia Alex]

IN REPLY TO POSTS # 31 & # 33

A pic of my pins, the one on the right is not yet in my hand, hence the picture paste.

Does anyone know of any other issues besides '63 - '65 ?

Edited January 4, 2010 by Corabia Alex

[Corabia Alex]

.. and the back...

[Greg Collins]

Gorgeous collection of RPR Musical Talent Competition pins- this is one of, in my opinion, the best designed pins of the period. I believe these were given for competition to members of the regular Armed Forces (Armata); the Internal Ministry units (Militia and Security Troops) had the same type of competition but were awarded different pins which bore either MI or MAI on them. I have a couple that I will post when the opportunity arrises.