Description
Badge to a Constructor of MVS (Moskva – Volga Canal) #262
Awarded by the Dmitrovsky NKVD Forced Labor Camp
Made of silver and gold plated brass and enamels. Measures 44.72 mm in height, 32.32 mm in width and weighs 16.6 gram without its screwplate. Its serial number ‘262’can be found on the bottom of its reverse.
In excellent condition with beautiful and problem free red and blue enamels. Its details are mostly crisp and there are few contact marks and dings only. Most of the gold and silver plating has worn off although some of the gilding is still visible at the edges of the plate which reads ‘Moscow Volga’ and a fair amount of silver plating is still present on its reverse. Its screw has not been shortened and its well fitted screwplate is original to the badge.
Extremely rare badge!
At first glance these badges seem innocuous (badges for construction, development, canals, etc). But, in fact, they were GULAG labor camps which dotted the Soviet landscape.Â
To provide the labor for building the canal, the Dmitrovsky NKVD Forced Labor Camp was mobilzed for this purpose. The Stalin Moscow-Volga Canal was put into operation in September 1937. The badge was an honorary award to prisoners who were leading participants in the construction of the canal. The badge was awarded by the order of the Head of the Moscow-Volga Canal Construction and the Head of the Dmitrov camp.
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