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Medal "For Courage" with red ribbon and rare suspension
Hello, everyone. I got this beautiful medal "For Courage" with a red ribbon bar from my wife as a gift. The suspension was made by the People's Commissariat of Local Industry, plant Molnya - "Народный Комиссариат Местной промышленности," завод "Молния". Old address Moscow, Malaya Tulskaya, 45. It was founded in 1929 - demolished in the 90s, not to be confused with the Molniya Machine-Building Plant, which was as well from 1929. The recipient Hovrich Stepan Markovich was born in 1913 (Chernihiv region, Burinsky district, village Boshevka). Stepan Markovich joined the Red Army in March 1944 and served in the 656th separate regiment of the 116th Infantry Division (2nd Ukrainian Front) as squad leader. Stepan Markovich received as well an Order of Glory 3rd Class in February 1945, and the medal "For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" in May 1945. I am currently still checking for the citation for the medal itself.
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08-27-2022 09:18 AM
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Very nice indeed
What’s the significance of the Red ribbon?
Nick
"In all my years as a soldier, I have never seen men fight so hard." - SS Obergruppenfuhrer Wilhelm Bittrich - Arnhem
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Some veterans did this themselves. Not sure why. Maybe to have the look of the old style medal with square suspension and red ribbon? You also see this with War Merit medals and even Red Stars which were given a suspension by the veteran with such a red ribbon.
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Marcel Banziger
Some veterans did this themselves. Not sure why. Maybe to have the look of the old style medal with square suspension and red ribbon? You also see this with War Merit medals and even Red Stars which were given a suspension by the veteran with such a red ribbon.
I have nothing to substantiate this but I have always believed this combination of older ribbon with newer suspension to be what helmet collectors a "transitional" style. As Marcel says, it seems to have been done inconsistently by individual soldiers so it might be an affectation of fashion or perhaps it was an early misinterpretation of the change in regulations where it was assumed that just the shape of the suspension changed and not the ribbon?
Sadly my Russian is not good enough to fully appreciate the nuances of the regulation but of course the general standard of literacy in the period was nowhere near what it is today.
Either way this is a very nice addition to your collection and I look forward to hearing what more you find out about it
Regards
Mark
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing he cares more about than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature with no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
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I don't believe this to be a transitional style. The regulations were clear and even though not everybody followed these new regulations new awards were handed out according to these regulations, so with correct suspension and ribbon. Look f.e. at the Mint altered awards from old to new (dovetail Red Banner or the Mint altered Nevskys f.e.). Even though there is no solid proof I do believe these red ribbons are personal preferences altered postwar by veterans and not while still being in the army. Wartime and postwar photos back this up imo.
And I agree, it's a nice and interesting medal.
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by
Marcel Banziger
I don't believe this to be a transitional style. The regulations were clear and even though not everybody followed these new regulations new awards were handed out according to these regulations, so with correct suspension and ribbon. Look f.e. at the Mint altered awards from old to new (dovetail Red Banner or the Mint altered Nevskys f.e.). Even though there is no solid proof I do believe these red ribbons are personal preferences altered postwar by veterans and not while still being in the army. Wartime and postwar photos back this up imo.
And I agree, it's a nice and interesting medal.
Sorry Marcel, that was probably a bad choice of words on my part!
I didn't mean to suggest that this was an official "transitional" stage or version rather that it was something done during the early period of the change from one style to the other and as such an affectation of fashion. I do not imagine for a moment that a soldier would get away with it whilst in service
Regards
Mark
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing he cares more about than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature with no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
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Guys, Thank you all for the comments. I am currently checking with two collectors from Russia, who mainly collect medals with the red ribbon. It seems that it was common to use red ribbons. Once I have more input, I will get back and share it with you all.
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