Soviet Medal for Reclamation of the Virgin Lands

[Hauptmann]

Hi all,

Here's my one and only medal in the restoration, reclamation and development category of Soviet awards. I hope to add more in time.

Definitely another piece that has that "been there, done that" look to it.

Dan

Edited May 11, 2006 by Paul R

[Paul R]

Very nice example. I will post mine this afternoon. I think that my example is a different variation.

Regards

Paul

[Hauptmann]

Very nice example. I will post mine this afternoon. I think that my example is a different variation.

Regards

Paul

Hi Paul,

Many thanks! I'm looking forward to seeing yours and seeing the differences between them.

Thanks,

Dan

Edited May 11, 2006 by Hauptman

[Paul R]

The ring seems a bit different

[Paul R]

back

[Hauptmann]

The ring seems a bit different

Hi Paul,

I'm awful at seeing minor differences any more so I'll take your word for it. I'd probably have to see them side by side, if then. Never been good at estimating distances either.

But that's a fine looking medal... not extremely salty like mine! Hey, I just love em' all!

Thanks for sharing,

Dan

[Paul R]

I actually like yours! It is a sure thing that someone wore it with pride!

My question is, how would someone earn this medal? By simply farming a certain area or was there a quota that had to be met to qualify for this medal?

Paul

[Hauptmann]

I actually like yours! It is a sure thing that someone wore it with pride!

My question is, how would someone earn this medal? By simply farming a certain area or was there a quota that had to be met to qualify for this medal?

Paul

Hi Paul,

Yeah, the old girl has definitely been there and done that. Got it from Alexei many moons ago. Great piece. He always referred to it and the others in this series as "The Gulag Medals". He told me they actually went more to the guards who watched over the prisoners as they worked on these various projects. I'd always thought they were for the folks who actually did the work.

No idea what the qualifications were but assuming McDaniel's book goes into that. You can't tell I'm like pining away to get that book, can you?

Perhaps one of the other members will kick in and let us know on this one.

Thanks,

Dan

Edited April 22, 2008 by Hauptman

[Guest Darrell]

Here is mine:

[Guest Rick Research]

It apparenbtly required "two years" in the areas, which implies over-wintering and really PIONEERING work. McD&S say over 1,500,000 awarded, and cite the statutes for labor in Kazakstan, Siberia, and the Northern Caucasus. A lot of stuff about collective farms issuing these...

sounds like people were shipped there en masse and just plunked down to their own devices.

I've read about "student volunteers" and so on-- they were apparently sent out as seasonal labor, but would never have qualified for the medal.

The consequences of all this has led to the destruction of their inland seas and generally turned vast areas bigger than European countries into the slag heaps of fictional Mordor, so pretty as these are, they represent politically induced ecological catastrophe.

[Guest Darrell]

The consequences of all this has led to the destruction of their inland seas and generally turned vast areas bigger than European countries into the slag heaps of fictional Mordor, so pretty as these are, they represent politically induced ecological catastrophe.

This has to be the quote of the year. I could rattle that off to the wife and I'd get that "Deer in the Headlights" look

[Guest Rick Research]

I could do that in French, too. Would take even longer but sound pretty.

[Ed_Haynes]

Document exterior.

[Ed_Haynes]

Interior. Translation help please?

[Guest Rick Research]

To Dmitry Tukalo on 20 August 1957. If you zoom in on a close up of just the rubber stamp (right side up) that will reveal who actually issued this.

I've always wondered what the final end date was for this medal-- were they still being handed out in the 1980s?

[Ed_Haynes]

Thanks, Rick.

The stamp: