Soviet The Chief of Beria's Armored Train

[Chuck In Oregon]

Galakian Ivanovich Georgadze was the chief of Lavrenty Beria's armored train during the Great Patriotic War. This is his group of three Badges of Honor.

I don't remember ever seeing a picture of Beria's train. However, you can still walk through Stalin's personal armored coach at the Stalin museum in Gori.

Edited February 5, 2006 by Chuck In Oregon

[Chuck In Oregon]

... And here's his 1967 order book.

[Riley1965]

You have a great group there. Especially with the history behind the man and his medals.

Mike

[NavyFCO]

Now THAT'S pretty cool! You should research it to get the documentation of the awards.

Dave

[Chuck In Oregon]

... And here's the small NKVD certificate attesting his award of BoH No. 19621, along with a close-up of the reverse of that badge.

As best I can translate it, the certificate says the following:

Certificate

Presented to attest that Georgadze, Galaktian Ivanovich, from 20 January 1942 to 3 February 1946, distinguished himself as chief of the train of the head of and under the auspices of NKVD SSSR. For conscientious work, professional mastery and personal courage, upon leaving the front Comrade Georgadze is awarded the order "Badge of Honor" No. 19261.

Chief, Department of Civilian Personnel

GUK NKVD SSSR

Major Popov, V. S.

5/II 1946

A small but historic documented group. As always, I welcome better, clearer translations than my own.

Chuck

Edited February 5, 2006 by Chuck In Oregon

[Ed_Haynes]

Oh . . .

. . . oh!!!

Nice. And this is a "must" for research, though you may come up empty.

[Stogieman]

Shouldn't the orders be listed chronologically in the orders booklet?

[Riley1965]

I agree!! This is just screaming to be researched.

Mike

[Chuck In Oregon]

Shouldn't the orders be listed chronologically in the orders booklet?

* * * * *

Yes, that's the way I understand it, too. But I have given up trying to explain or understand the vagaries of how Soviet order books were written. I'm happy to let others do that. All I do is show what I have and hope that it starts a discussion.

Does anyone have a picture of that train?

Chuck

[Ed_Haynes]

Shouldn't the orders be listed chronologically in the orders booklet?

Good question, but wouldn't it depend on when and under what circumstances the book was issued (as distinct from ditto and ditto on the orders)?

[Chuck In Oregon]

Good question, but wouldn't it depend on when and under what circumstances the book was issued (as distinct from ditto and ditto on the orders)?

* * * * *

Those are my thoughts exactly. However, it is a valid question. After the second one (in the book, third overall), would he have said "Oh, by the way, I have one of these from the NKVD, too." Did they ever do any of this with absolute consistency? I doubt it.

[Riley1965]

My Order of the Badge of Honor came with an award book. It will definately be a future research project.

[Riley1965]

The NKVD award may be a difficult one to research.

[Stogieman]

I am certainly no expert on these, my feet are barely damp. But it's odd that the book would be issued in 1967, with the one award. Then I can accept the later one added in. But to then add the first one after the fact. Just seems contrary to what everyone is telling me as to "the way it should be". May be perfectly fine, but it's definately unusual in the least!

[Guest Rick Research]

Being a close "known associate" of Beria, after his fatal fall from grace in 1953, it may well have been that this fellow was arrested and spent some years in the Gulag atoning. While it seems obvious that his actual OBH was returned to him, the Orders Book which accompanied it may well have been lost in the "process."

Orrrr... he just wrote it in himself to have everything in one place.

The "Certifcate" certainly documents THAT specific numbered OBH to him, and is quite nice-- a version of the military "Temporary Certificates" I have never seen for a civilian award before.

With Georgia, we're out of literal territory I know anything about normal bureaucratic practices for. Everything I've ever had has come from the Leningrad-Moscow-Kiev urban clusters.

[Ed_Haynes]

I'm sure the Master-Researcher would appreciate the challenge. He is getting great fun out of civil awards, I think.

[Ed_Haynes]

Being a close "known associate" of Beria, after his fatal fall from grace in 1953, it may well have been that this fellow was arrested and spent some years in the Gulag atoning. While it seems obvious that his actual OBH was returned to him, the Orders Book which accompanied it may well have been lost in the "process."

Orrrr... he just wrote it in himself to have everything in one place.

The "Certifcate" certainly documents THAT specific numbered OBH to him, and is quite nice-- a version of the military "Temporary Certificates" I have never seen for a civilian award before.

With Georgia, we're out of literal territory I know anything about normal bureaucratic practices for. Everything I've ever had has come from the Leningrad-Moscow-Kiev urban clusters.

Yeah, and this scenario is why I thought that -- if the story could be exchavated -- it could be quite a nice one!

[Ed_Haynes]

This group has now come to live with me, and I shall be posting any new research finds here, as they trickle in.

[Steen Ammentorp]

Ed,

A suggestion would be to check whether he is listed in Michael Parrish's Soviet security and intelligence organizations 1917-1990 : a biographical dictionary and review of literature in English. The book include info on a lot of odd persons within or associated with the security organs. Sadly I don't have access to it at the moment, but I could have it checked rather quickly asking the Royal Library in Copenhagen. Just let me know.

Kind Regards

Steen Ammentorp

The Generals of World War II

[Ed_Haynes]

By request, closeup on the award entries in the booklet. Thoughts and observations welcomed. Odd order, for sure (1967, 1975, 1942), but don't such things happen (ex post facto entry of earlier awards into a later award book)?

[Ed_Haynes]

Ed,

A suggestion would be to check whether he is listed in Michael Parrish's Soviet security and intelligence organizations 1917-1990 : a biographical dictionary and review of literature in English. The book include info on a lot of odd persons within or associated with the security organs. Sadly I don't have access to it at the moment, but I could have it checked rather quickly asking the Royal Library in Copenhagen. Just let me know.

Kind Regards

Steen Ammentorp

The Generals of World War II

Thanks, Steen. Our library doesn't have it, but it is on the way by inter-library loan. Will report back when and if something found.

[Ed_Haynes]

By request, some closeups.

[Ed_Haynes]

reverse

[Ed_Haynes]

second BH

[Ed_Haynes]

reverse