Youth labour actions badges (Yugoslavia)

[BalkanCollector]

One of the rarest of labour action badges, Youth Factory "Unity" 1948 (Omladinska tvornica Jedinstvo). The factory was founded in 1946 in Zagreb as a factory for process equipment for food and chemical industry. It was nicknamed "the factory for factories". First it existed in a nationalized workshop but the main factory hall was built in 1948 after 6 months of work. Around 1,300 of youth participated in its construction which makes this badge quite rare.

 

Today, there's a "New Unity" (Jedinstvo novo), a small business with about 20 employees which is nothing compared to the factory back in the day. Most of the factory's land was sold but some parts still remain in ruins which are surrounded by new buildings. There's even a part of factory which is now a "Chinese Wall", a wholesale center with 72 Chinese shops.

 

Yet another tale of Croatian 1990s destroying of domestic industry...

 

 

[BalkanCollector]

Youth forest structures/facilities 1947 (Omladinski šumski objekti 1947). I don't know what kind of structures or facilities they were building but judging by the badge's design it should be something related to railway. The only additional info I was able to find is that they built 36 of forest structures.

 

 

[BalkanCollector]

A rare shock worker (udarnik) badge from the labour action Highway Brotherhood and Unity Zagreb-Belgrade in 1949. This one is special because it's an army type for the soldiers of the Yugoslav Army (JA) who participated in the action. See the rifle in the star and the letters JA.

 

 

[BalkanCollector]

Another early shock worker (udarnik) badge. Novi Beograd, New Belgrade 1948.

 

 

[BalkanCollector]

I got very lucky this year with udarnik (shock woker) badges.

 

Here's another one for the labour action Omladinska pruga 1947. / Youth Railway 1947. Railway Šamac-Sarajevo (242km) was built from April 1st 1947 until November 15th 1947.

 

 

[BalkanCollector]

Omladinska pruga i put Jablanica (Youth Railway and Road Jablanica) 1952 badge.

 

 

A bit darker photo.

 

 

[BalkanCollector]

On 05/03/2023 at 20:50, BalkanCollector said:

I got very lucky this year with udarnik (shock woker) badges.

 

Here's another one for the labour action Omladinska pruga 1947. / Youth Railway 1947. Railway Šamac-Sarajevo (242km) was built from April 1st 1947 until November 15th 1947.

 

 

 

Last weekend's flea market find. Rare certificate for the Shock Worker badge from the Youth Railway 1947. This one was issued to a female worker from the Labour Brigade "Brotherhood and Unity".

[BalkanCollector]

Poljoprivreda (Agriculture) 1960 badge.

 

 

[BalkanCollector]

Highway Brotherhood and Unity 1963 badge.

 

 

[BalkanCollector]

A small group of badges for the Youth Railway 1947 Šamac - Sarajevo. These belonged to the same person. The larger tin badge was worn on the upper left sleeve of the shirt. The badges like this one looked the same and they were for brigades from Zagreb. The additional tin attached at the bottom indicated a specific labour brigade. My example is 17th Zagreb Labour Brigade "Milka Kufrin" named after the female People's Hero of Yugoslavia.

 

 

 

General common badge:

 

 

 

The group:

 

[BalkanCollector]

I haven't been much active in posting new stuff but I'm collecting labour action items more than ever.

 

Here's something that isn't a badge but it's related to labour actions. A plaque of the Festival of the Highway Builders 1959 (Festival graditelja autoputa 1959). The festival was held in Niš, Serbia. My grandpa was one of the delegates from his labour brigade at the festival and he recited some poems. The last photo shows him at the age of 20 (standing 5th from left) among other delegates, their brigade commander Krsto Popivoda (standing 2nd from left), who was a People's Hero and a Hero of the Socialist Labour of Yugoslavia, and famous Yugoslav actor Ljuba Tadić (standing 3rd from left).

 

[BalkanCollector]

Here's a recent addition. Labour Action Belgrade 86 (ORA Beograd 86). This one is almost twice as large as other badges which are mostly a few centimeters wide.

 

[BalkanCollector]

Badge for Highway Brotherhood and Unity Zagreb - Belgrade 1949 (Autoput bratstvo i jedinstvo Zagreb - Beograd 1949).

 

This badge is very interesting since it has characteristics of early Yugoslav orders. For example, it's as large as Order for Merits for The People, it has a screw instead of a pin like other labour badges at the time. I think this one was awarded as a decoration for special merits rather than a participant's badge.

 

[BalkanCollector]

Labour Action B. Potok 67 (Bubanj Potok, Serbia)

 

[BalkanCollector]

Spomen-značka za učešće na dobrovoljnim omladinskim radnim akcijama 1946-1952 (Remembrance Badge for Participation in the Voluntary Labour Actions 1946-1952)

 

One could earn this one for participation in multiple labour actions. I've seen a few documented examples for participation in 4 and 5 labour actions.