Hungary Unusual Soviet Budapest Medal

[NavyFCO]

Just picked up a nice little Budapest group and with it came this medal and these documents. Anyone ever seen one of these medals before? It's a pretty neat one, with the text of the document in Cyrillic written on the reverse - though it is obviously Hungarian made.

Dave

[Riley1965]

I've checked a couple of medal databases and can't find it. I have a feeling that it is a commemorative medal.

Doc

[Kev in Deva]

I've checked a couple of medal databases and can't find it. I have a feeling that it is a commemorative medal.

Doc

Hallo Gents I took the liberty of highlighting the medal, any chance to see the ther side ??

Just a thought, Hungary - Bulgaria Bridge over the Danube???

Kevin in Deva

Edited July 3, 2006 by Kev in Deva

[NavyFCO]

Here's the reverse of it, plus the outside of the document. The Document is actually made of a heavy pseudo-vellum, which has unfortunately been stored bent in half for 60 years. Quite impressive for a simple commemorative "znak"... The reverse of the medal isn't quite what it is in the document, but I can read that it's from the City of Budapest, and basically says how great the Red Army is for liberating them (my quick 10-second translation!)

Dave

[Kev in Deva]

Here's the reverse of it, plus the outside of the document. The Document is actually made of a heavy pseudo-vellum, which has unfortunately been stored bent in half for 60 years. Quite impressive for a simple commemorative "znak"... The reverse of the medal isn't quite what it is in the document, but I can read that it's from the City of Budapest, and basically says how great the Red Army is for liberating them (my quick 10-second translation!)

Dave

Looking at the design on the Vellum, the coat of arms has me confused is it the coat of arms of the City of Budapest? and not a hammer and sickle, or red flag in sight

Kevin in Deva

[Guest Rick Research]

The document's dated "in the month of May 1945" which was speedy work for an item of this quality in a city largely rubble.

I've never encountered this one either--

no name at all for the recipient? Rather like Red Chinese Civil War period "bearer" documents, then...

and suggests to me this was simply handed out to whatever Soviets (probably important ones?) Happened to be there when V-E day passed...

and not necessarily the ones who had fought through in January.

[NavyFCO]

Well, at least the Cyrillic side of this one is filled out with the recipient's name. Interestingly, the name of the Mayor (I think that's who it is) seems to be different in each one... Perhaps the Russian shortening of his name?

Now, even more interesting is that he wasn't given "official" credit for fighting in Budapest (or in Vienna for that matter). No medal cards, but the medal did come with the group, and the group appears to be completely original. Here's the listing of what he earned from his ID book...

[NavyFCO]

But, he was given credit for the two campaigns by his unit in 1946. I assume he used these documents to show entitlement to the medals instead of the "official" ones.

[NavyFCO]

And since we all like to see who were are talking about, here's a nice photo of our dashing gentleman...

[NavyFCO]

Here's a photo of the whole group....

[Riley1965]

Dave,

I like this group I have a contact with the Hungarian Military Museum. I'll send him a pic of the medal and the document.

Best,

Doc

[Riley1965]

Dave,

I like this group I have a contact with the Hungarian Military Museum. I'll send him a pic of the medal and the document.

Best,

Doc

Dave,

e-mail sent to Otto. I should here back soon. I may call him. If anybody would know it's Otto.

Doc

[cimbineus]

Hello Gents,

Perhaps, I can help a bit. This is one of the two very first Hungarian medals after World War II. This is not a State award, but as you correctly mentioned, it was instituted by the Mayor of Budapest in 1945. Perhaps, because of those turbulent times, they simply forgot to file the related documents, and those got lost. There is no written documents on this subject, just the financial papers, when they ordered the medals. Just the memories of some people helped to identify and put on paper the history of this and the other medal too. The story even more complicated, since both of them were instituted specially for warding the Russian troops, so, practically none or very little of them remained in Hungary. At least 95% of them were awarded to Russian officers and soldiers. This is the explanation of the bilingual document. And, consequently, all those medals gone to the Soviet Union and disappeared in the course of time. It is quite understandable, since just some hundred medals of foreign (unknown) origin went to the huge Soviet Union, and nobody knew what they were, nothing special, nothing eye-catching, just a bronze medal with funny ribbon.

And now, let see the medal itself. All the bridges across the Danube were blown up by the retreating German troops. Just imagine a 1,7 million city with no communication between the two parts of it, Pest and Buda. So, it was essential to rebuild as quickly as possible at least some of them. The Soviets also needed the bridges because of military purposes. I remind you, this happened in March, April 1945. Everything, literally everything was in Russian hands, so only the Russians could start the job, and they did. In some months they erected a temporary bridge and restored two others at least on temporary basis. But, this was vital for the country and its capital city as well. The leadership of Budapest decided to express their appreciation to those who took part in that heroic work, and in May 1945 they bestowed this modest medal on some 5-600 hundred Russian soldiers. The Mayor of the city was Zoltán Vass. His signature is on the document, funnily also in Russian language.

The explanation of the ribbon colours is simple. Since this was not a state award (which came later, only in 1946), but the capital city's medal, obvious that the ribbon wears the colours of Budapest: red - gold (yellow) – green. I guess that the depicted ribbon later come undone and the owner repaired it mixing up the order of the colours. This gives a special touch to this excellent piece.

Sincere congratulations! You got a triple "R" medal. Yes, it is extremely scarce, practically impossible to obtain: RRR!!! If you ad that you have the related bilingual document too, well, I simply cannot find words…

Kind regards,

cimbineus

P.S.: The inscription says: "The city of Budapest for the heroic achievements of the bridge-laying units of the glorious Red Army"

[Ulsterman]

wow!!!!

Excellent information.

Were there any other unofficial/quasi-official Hungarian medals made in 1945-46 ?

[cimbineus]

wow!!!!

Excellent information.

Were there any other unofficial/quasi-official Hungarian medals made in 1945-46 ?

As I mentioned above, there were two medals of this kind, both issued by Budapest in 1945, this one, the bridge-restoration medal, and another one, the transportation medal. The other one is also for the Soviet troops for transporting some food to starving population of Budapest. This second one is also an RRR!!! rarity grade medal.