Nice KGB Badges..

[uscob]

...from a very high Ranking East German Military Person.
Note the rebuild attachment for the Uniform.
Also made on a Red Star. 1st time that I saw it with Parts of the Screw.
Normally glued or soldered to the back.

[Albert]

I really like how they converted the Red Star.

The badges on the other hand.... I guess it was a good idea that worked for the recipient, but the execution with the epoxy showing between the badges

[vacollector]

Very Nice !! I only have the All-Union Badge for the 50th Anniversary.

[Tretov]

The Red Star screw to pinback conversion feels very german, as if an engineer came up with the idea. If there is a screwpost, then of course we will use it!

[Mr. Scratch]

I really like how they converted the Red Star.

The badges on the other hand.... I guess it was a good idea that worked for the recipient, but the execution with the epoxy showing between the badges

I dunno, I think the idea is quite good. If it is a little sloppy on the back, so be it. As long as it is a period modification.

Ghod, many years ago there was someone here who had a named WWI field-made EK1 awarded to a Lieutenant. Evidently the unit had run out of proper EK1s, so the men made him up a temporary trench art version to wear, made out of an EK2 with some splappy-looking solder on the back to hold a crude pin in place. Very roughly done, but you can imagine the soldier melting down the solder from some discarded tins over a oil-torch in the dugout, doing the best the could so the LT would have something that he could be presented with. No doubt the man wore it with pride.

Anyway, this guy who bought it didn't like the sloppiness of it, so he had the pin removed, the solder cleaned up, and the pin neatly reapplied. Showed us the pics of the fine work he'd had done.

Totally ruined a beautiful piece.

[101combatvet]

The Red Star screw to pinback conversion feels very german, as if an engineer came up with the idea. If there is a screwpost, then of course we will use it!

Rather than punch a hole in my uniform, I used the same method to attach a clutch back device to my Czech jump wings.

[judorichard]

Those KGB 50 and 60 year anniversary badges are not original KGB issue badges for uniform wear in my opinion.

[uscob]

Do you ever saw original ones?
By this source, from the family, there is absolutely no doubt that they are orginal.

[judorichard]

I have never seen a Soviet era photo (pre 1991) with someone wearing one of these KGB Anniversary badges. Also, I find it hard to believe a "high ranking East German military person" would really wear something with glue oozing through between the badges.

[judorichard]

Here is a famous photo of a veteran KGB Border Guard officer taken in 1987 by Dilip Mehta as part of the "A Day in the Life of the Soviet Union" book published by Collins in 1987. You can clearly see him proudly displaying his numerous medals, orders and badges. Several KGB Border Guards badges can be seen. What is noticeable by its absence is any KGB anniversary shield badge.

[judorichard]

I found a photo of Yuri Drozdov wearing KGB shield badges. So I thought I should post it here. I am willing to admit when I am wrong. I still think the badges in this thread are suspect but apparently these badges were awarded and worn.

[uscob]

Maybe to add to your concerns, the East Germans sometimes did funny things to convert foreign Badges for their own use.
Here he didn't gave it to a Jeweler or the Berlin Mint what often did such things as he was a high ranking State Security guy and maybe didn't wanted to be seen as such, as ordinary People didn't got such KGB Awards.
MAybe it was done by himself or just in a Stasi Workshop somewhere.

[judorichard]

As you say, it's very possible he did it himself.

[Ralph P]

It is very nice to see these original KGB badges that were presented to senior East German person.