On the Internet you can find a photo of a reward sign, which combines a red star and a swastika. It is alleged that he was awarded in the Red Army during the civil war. We decided to check if such a reward existed.
The image of this sign can be found in social networks (Facebook, "VKontakte" And X), on entertainment sites and in Media. Internet users argue that this is the award sign of the commanders of the Southeast Front of the Red Army in 1918-1920. In addition, copies of this award regularly appear on sale at online auctions, and in the description it emphasizes that this is a museum copy of this copy.
Even during the Civil War in Russia, the appearance of any awards was documented: from the badge of the Red Commander (Order of the People's Commissar of Narco No. 321 of May 7, 1918) to a rare sign to the honest warrior of the Karelian Front (Order of the RVSR No. 570 of March 5, 1922).
It could be assumed that any mention of the swastika on the sign of the Red Army was later destroyed in order to avoid unwanted associations with the Nazi regime. However, traces of the presence of swastika on the Red Army uniform have survived. In November 1919, the commander of the Southeast Front Vasily Shorin I released the order About sleeve signs for Kalmyk formations. The composition of the sleeve from this document is the same as in the case of a reward, the photograph of which spreads on the network: a wreath, a red star, an abbreviation of the RSFSR. Apparently, the choice of such symbols was due to the fact that most cavalrymen in these national formations professed Buddhism. For Buddhists, the swastika is traditionally symbolizes feet or traces of Buddha.
Thus, the swastika was used in the symbols of the Kalmyk units that fought on the side of the Red Army during the Civil War. However, “verified” could not find any documents confirming that there was a similar reward sign from viral publications.
On the tape of a wreath on the sign, stamps are placed, usually this proves the authenticity of the copy. But at that time, on the front side of the award signs of the Red Army, the stigma usually Not put.
Perhaps the award with the swastika was released in a limited edition and made by artisanal way - this would explain the lack of documents. However, the stigma of VCTM (the highest artistic and technical workshops, Vhutemas) refutes this hypothesis. Vhutemas He put test stigma on a state order.
Finally, the most suspicious is the source of the photograph. The award sign was first put up for sale on the site "Hammer" in 2013. The online auction was closed in 2015, but visitors to the military-historical forums Save the photos and other lots of the seller with the nickname Talnah84.
On all four signs the same red stars; Wreaths in the upper two photographs and on the two lower ones are two pairs of twins. There are no references to the documents about all four signs.
Thus, we can confidently say that the award sign with the swastika is a fake, which was most likely created by the TalnaH84 user no later than 2013. Probably, the author was inspired by the sleeve sign of the Kalmyk units of the Red Army and made a similar metal sign, which he then put up for auction.
Photo on the cover: social networks
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