Soviet 1970 Lenin Jubilee Medals

[Guest Rick Research]

There were two types of 100th anniversary of Lenin's birth jubilee medals for Soviet citizens: civilian and military.

Exactly who qualified, and why, among civilians remains shadowy. Millions received this oddly placed medal (worn above medal bars to the outside of Gold Star Hero awards)... but many millions more did NOT.

It seems that most (if not all?) serving career military personnel received their version (despite the usual overblown verbiage about "heroics" on the reverse, this was, after all, a mere jubilee medal! ). In addition, all retired general level officers received the military version.

From the front, there is nothing to distinguish the two types, with a common ribbon designed based on that of the Order of Lenin.

[Guest Rick Research]

Only the reverse indicates whether the "labor" (civilian on left) or "military" (on right) was awarded.

[Guest Rick Research]

Bizarrely, these were ranked, when worn on a ribbon bar, ahead of campaign medals from the Great Patriotic War.

And here is how this jubilee medal was worn, ABOVE medal bar awards.

[Guest Rick Research]

A civil Lenin Jubilee award card. Comrade Lastovka was an employee of the Union of Professional Organizations (? ) in the formerly Slovak city annexed to the Ukraine as Uzhgorod.

A military Lenin Jubilee award card. Air force Major General of Engineer Technical Branch Petukhov was on active duty. At least from other paperwork in his group, I know that the attesting "Feldpost" number on this stamp, 55127, was for Air Force Commander of the Kiev Military District. Then-District Commander Nikolai Skomorokhov, who signed this, was a double Hero of the Soviet Union, and the 10th ranking fighter ace of WW2.

Another military Lenin Jubilee award card. Navy Engineers-Rear Admiral Kaidanov had held that rank during WW2 and retired in grade in the 1950s. All retired generals and admirals received the military version jubilee. This was issued by the Shevchenkovsky local veterans commissariat of Kiev, where the retired admiral lived.

[Guest Rick Research]

I can't explain the difference in award numbers, Gerd. Why MORE civilians didn't get this "junk" jubilee, I don't know. There had to have been SOME degree of selection involved, but not a clue who "made the cut" and who did not get this medal. It looks like MOST career military personnel did... but most state employees did not.

[Gerd Becker]

Thanks, Rick. McDaniels says, that the Military version was awarded probably less than 1.000.000 times. And of the Labor version "Millions". Do you have more precise numbers, especially for the labor version`?

Gerd

[Gerd Becker]

Rick what is the medal under his Medal bar?

Gerd

[Guest Rick Research]

I have no idea what that little medal is that grumpy old Major General of Signals Yu. G. Degtyarev is wearing below his medal bar rows. (Notice the upper row has been remounted with the ribbons squished and not flat along the bottoms, and the naughty out of regulations General is wearing his lower row: 1968, 20 Years, 15 Years, 1975, 1978!!! )

If it was one of the billions of unit veteran badges, I'd expect it over on the other side. It almost looks like one of those economic exhibits "best in show" medals. Maybe he raised prize carrots in his spare time?

[Gerd Becker]

I have checked all available dealer sites and my archive and i cannot find this medal. But i will keep my eyes open to find it.

Gerd

[Guest Darrell]

Today I received a "Military Variation" of the 100th Anniversary of Lenin's Birth Medal:

[Guest Rick Research]

In reference to threads up in the Soviet Researched Groups sub-Forum, I had always assumed that my Vietnam/Afghanistan "adviser" Colonel Vozhachenko's 1970 military jubilee was simply missing from his group, but then Doug's Afghan war air gunner Tech Sr Lt Tretnyak group also seems not to have ever received one...

So:

Can anybody with modern documented career military groups or post 1970 personnel file type portrait photos show OTHER active duty career officers who did NOT receive the 1970 Lenin Jubilee?

My statistical sample is skewed to generals and retired generals, and I do not have any personal experience with lower grade SERVING officers from 1970 to try and figure out who did NOT get these medals. Even in the "boring groups" ribbon bars thread,

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=1316

there are 1970 Jubilees, to the point where I had always assumed they were automatically given to ALL current officers.

Now, I have doubts.

[Alfred]

Yes,

the military type seems to be rarer as 1.000.000. I looked a long time to find a military document.

regards

Andreas

[NavyFCO]

Can anybody with modern documented career military groups or post 1970 personnel file type portrait photos show OTHER active duty career officers who did NOT receive the 1970 Lenin Jubilee?

I'll look through my files to see what I can find from what I've owned, but unfortunately most of my groups were scaned without the jubilee medals! Ah well....

Dave

[NavyFCO]

Here are a couple that I found in my files.....

[NavyFCO]

And a second....

[Guest Rick Research]

Did the Major General actually date after 1968? I can't see anything after that.

The Mucho Chinese bombardier Colonel certainly is wearing the 1970 MoD Victory Jubilee in his clutter-- on the M1955-58 dress uniform so he's presumably a retiree.

Though there is nothing I've ever seen in the statutes, it seems that ALL General ranks active or retired got the 1970 Lenin-- which makes me think the first photo predates that.

[NavyFCO]

Did the Major General actually date after 1968? I can't see anything after that.

The Mucho Chinese bombardier Colonel certainly is wearing the 1970 MoD Victory Jubilee in his clutter-- on the M1955-58 dress uniform so he's presumably a retiree.

Unfortunately, I don't have a photo of the back of the general's photo, but I do recall that it was from the mid 70s. Note that he does have the 50th Anniversary of the Soviet Armed Forces, so it's at least post-1968. I really do seem to recall a 1972 date on it though (not that I haven't owned like 2500 photos, so I could be confusing it with another...)

I'm surprised you didn't pick out the Chinese medals on the bombardier! I owned his entire group and he was never awarded the 100th Anniversary medal (unless it was completely lost with document). Sadly, all of the documents (and this photo) have strangely dissapeared. I opened up the box I thought I had them in one day and they were gone........ To this day I have no clue what happened to them!

Dave

[Guest Rick Research]

Tadaaaaa!!!! 1970+ personnel file photos!

"6.||.70" for Major of Intendance Branch (wearing artillery tabs!!) Eduard Petrovich Leonchik on staff of the Zhitomir Higher Antiaircraft Rocket Command Red Banner School of Air Defense 'in the name of Leninsky Komsomol.' "

On his right, a M1955 ARTILLERY lieutenants' school badge, the 1970 Ministry of Defense WW2 jubilee badge; on his left, 1970 Lenin Jubilee over medal bar of long service MMM, Victory over Germany, 1965, 1948, 1958, 1968, 20 years service, and 15 years service:

[attachmentid=14664]

15.7.77 (check out the sideburns!) for artillery Lt Col Miron Fedorovich Burgy on staff of the Zhitomir Higher Command Red Banner Radio-Electrical Antiaircraft Defense 'in the name of Lenin' Academy." On his right, a white higher academy graduate's badge with no school name shield, and a Mysterious Dangly Dingus! Mounted individually on his left, Lenin 1970 Jubilee over 1965, 1958,1968, 20, 15, 10:

[attachmentid=14665]

a close up of the blurry Mystery Dingus-- anybody know what this is???

[attachmentid=14666]

[Guest Rick Research]

But best for last:

28.7.80, artillery Captain(I'm assuming Technical or Engineering from his M1955 and low rank for seniority) Valery Alekseevich Fedotenko of "Military Unit 35600." Wearing a M1961 "1st Class" qualification "wing" (so no slacker, he), M1955 lieutenants' school "of combustibles and lubricants" (Likhitskiy #363) badge...

and on his left: 1965, 1968, 1978, 20, 15, 10 --- and NO 1970 Lenin Jubilee Medal!!!!!!

[attachmentid=14667]

Soooo... some serving officers-- even GOOD ones-- did NOT get the 1970 Lenin!!!!

[Guest Rick Research]

A new influx of Haves and Have Nots, which I am scanning slowly (coming down with a cold)

First-- the Have Nots--

Army Guards Major of Administrative Services Nikolai P. Kravchuk of Unit 22205, taken 15 October 1970:

[attachmentid=15151]

He is wearing a Guards Badge, M1955 lieutenants school graduation badge for administrative service, and sloppily and incorrectly 1968, 1965, 15 years service (no 10? where is the 10????), and 1958.

Second, in the uniform of a naval Captain Second Rank but identified by the army rank "Lieutenant Colonel" (naval aviation?...) Vladimir M. Verbovsky of Unit (??)689 in November 1975-- noticethe ARMY qualification "wings" 2nd class and another screwy individual arrangement of 20 years, 10 years (where is 15????), 1958, 1965, 1968

[attachmentid=15152]

These make me wonder if they DID have 1970 Lenin Jubilees and lost them in the laundry or just (hic!

'stroviya, comrade!) forgot to put them on!

[Guest Rick Research]

Some "Haves"--

Naval Captain 1st Rank Vladimir S. Bondar, Unit 10613 taken on 25 March 1986: wearing individually mounted (but correct precedence) 1970 Lenin over 1965, 1968, and 1978 over his 20, 15, and 10

[attachmentid=15164]

Oddly enough, he is wearing what appears to be a civilian university graduate's badge for TEACHERS (sorrry, but this is the focus in the original, not poor scanning):

[attachmentid=15165]

Army motor transport Major Petr V. Guzeev of Unit 28102 had his photo taken 10 October 1971-- wearing 1st Class proficiency "wings," a M1955 lieutenants school grafuation badge for Radio Engineering (!-- #360 Likhitskiy), and yet ANOTHER 10 demerits for improper dress Comrade-- 1970 lenin, 15,10, 1965, 1968, 1958.

[attachmentid=15166]

I should have been a Soiet military police regulations enforcer!

[Guest Rick Research]

Another "Have" no information on back, so a private copy or just one never certified. THIS naval Captain 3rd Rank has got another non-regulation individually worn clump

[attachmentid=15174]

1970 Lenin, "Frack" style and STILL wrong: 15, 10, 1965, 1958, 1968. Oy!

AND the badge for a graduate from a civilian university!

[attachmentid=15175]

[HuliganRS]

Hello,

My name is Rusty. I just found this forum and I see some familiar nicks here!

Here's my contribution to this thread:

There's also a 3rd type of this award awarded to foreigners.

Rusty.

[Gerd Becker]

Hello,

My name is Rusty. I just found this forum and I see some familiar nicks here!

Here's my contribution to this thread:

There's also a 3rd type of this award awarded to foreigners.

Rusty.

Hi Rusty, nice to see you here

Can?t wait, until you post some of your trasures

Gerd

[HuliganRS]

Gerd,

I can't believe no one told me about this forum!

If there's interest, I can post alot of stuff...

Rusty.