Soviet WW.2 Photographs

[Peter Orincsay]

I recently helped a collector-friend of mine, to scan some original Soviet WW2 Photographs from his collection.

Many of them have written text on the back and contain very interesting details.

Any help or comments is most welcomed.

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Two Artillery WW2 veterans.

[Peter Orincsay]

The back side of the photograph.

[Peter Orincsay]

A detail of one of the medal-bars.

[Peter Orincsay]

The shoulder boards.

[Peter Orincsay]

Interesting how the badges are mounted..

[Ferdinand]

Very nice picture, although it is postwar (15 September 1947). It shows two Guards Sergeants of artillery. Both are veterans of both fronts (against Germany and against Japan) and both have the Excellent Artilleryman Badge. This is the first time I have seen text on Soviet shoulder boards! The guy on the left seems to have a piece of cloth under his excellence badge and Guards Badge. The text on the back reads something like "In remembrance. To Lyoshka from Sasha. Let the dead remind the living. 15 September 1947."

[Chip]

The stenciling on the shoulder board is very reminiscent of that on the boards of the imperial mountain artillery, though I doubt that the Tsarist army had mountain artillery divisions with this high of a unit number.

Chip

[Paul R]

The large medal bar seems to have a Koeingsberg Medal as well.

[Peter Orincsay]

Put together a small Photoshop montage of the medals.

[Peter Orincsay]

Here's another old WW2 Soviet soldier photograph.

It seems like the photo-studio, as well as the pose set-up is a bit improvised?

It looks like the private just came in from the battle, put down his PPSh-41 submachine gun and posed for this photo.

Interesting contrast to the living room clock and the tea pot and cup.

Edited August 9, 2010 by Peter Orincsay

[Peter Orincsay]

The back side of the photograph.

[Peter Orincsay]

With the Mahorka cigarette in the mouth and the dust goggles on his M40 ushanka..

[Peter Orincsay]

Details..

[Peter Orincsay]

The heavily used foot-wear.

[Paul R]

Very nice. Thank you assembling the medals!! It looks really nice in living color!

[Freiwillige]

 

The text on the back reads something like "In remembrance. To Lyoshka from Sasha. Let the dead remind the living. 15 September 1947."

Slight correction if you don't mind. The exact translation is: "Let this still image remind you about me". That was common expression in 30-40s and widely written on the reverse of military and civilian photos. 

[Freiwillige]

 

The back side of the photograph.

"For everlasting memories, to Lyosha from Misha" Then comes the name of the city I assume. 

Lyosha is a short name for Alexey while Misha - for Mikhail.

[Peter Orincsay]

Yet another original photo of a group of sailors.

All informations and comments are most welcomed!

[Peter Orincsay]

The back side of the Photo.

[Freiwillige]

Dedication on the back reads: "Group of Red Navy sailors from the U-Boat "Sch-311" with its commander Vershinin, Hero of the Soviet Union. 1940"

Vershinin Fedor Grigoryevich (23.04.1905 - 29.02.1976), captain (naval), "captain 1st rank" in Russian. He was a commander of the "Sch-311" U-Boat from February 1938 (commander-in-chief from April 1937). Lieutenant commander Vershinin was awarded "The Hero of the Soviet Union" on February 07, 1940 for his bravery during the Soviet-Finnish war. Retired in December 1964, last position - senior staff scientist at the Military Naval Academy (June 1960-December 1964).

[Paul R]

I love that photograph! A crew of heavily decorated men!