(Copyright: Shawn M. Caza, June 1998, updated February 2000)

Distinguished Employee badges represent the highest awards given to the employees of Soviet state security and law enforcement organs. These badges are an exception to the usual rule that badges rank under Orders and Medals. While they are not officially ranked with medals according to Soviet law it is clear that most Distinguished Employee badges are considered as the equivalent of Orders and are in fact rarer and more valuable than most Soviet Orders and practically all Medals.

For example, while the "For Distinguished Service in the Preservation of Public Order" medal was awarded approximately 47,000 times between 1950 and 1991 the equivalent Distinguished Employee badges (MVD, MOOP, 50, & 70) were only awarded about 10,000 times during the same period. Likewise the "Distinction in Guarding the State Frontiers"medal is over 10 times more common than the "Excellent Employee of State Security" badge despite the fact that less than 1/3 of KGB personnel worked in the Border Guard Chief Directorate while all KGB employees were eligible for the badge.

This section is one of the few places on this web site where non-NKVD/KGB badges will be described. This is due to the fact that the MVD and MOOP badges are inexorably related and linked to the NKVD and KGB badges. There are in fact two distinct families of Distinguished Employee badges, and both families are related. The first family, the law enforcement family, includes all of the B.1.1 (NKVD, MVD, & MOOP) badges. The second family, the "pure" state security family, includes B.1.v (GPU), B.1.xv (OGPU), B.1.2 (KGB), and the B.1.3 (USSR KGB) badges.

B.1.1. Distinguished Employee of Law Enforcement Badges

These badges are officially known as "Distinguished Worker of the .... " badges ("Zasluzhennyi rabotnik ...."). The word "zasluzhennyi" could also be translated as "Honoured". Though I have chosed to use "Distinguished" to differentiate it from the Russian word "Pochetnyi".

These badges appear in 7 Types with several Variations. The different Types are almost identical except for the material and the writing on the bottom portion of the ribbon. Therefore, a general description is given for all of the badges. The descriptions given under each Type will only detail features unique to that Type.

General Description

This badge is one of the most intricate of all Soviet badges. Badges are made of three or four pieces. Type 1 badges are four pieces (body, sword, hammer & sickle and back-plate), other Types are three piece (body, sword and hammer & sickle). The multi-piece, screw-back, badge is in the form of an oval with a sword that extends above and below the badge. The badge is 41-44mm x 26-28mm. It is basically convex in form and is about 8-9mm thick from the top to the base of the reverse (i.e. not counting the screw-post). All of the badges were made at the Moscow Mint, "moskovskii monetnyi dvor". However, early (Type 1 at least) badges have no mint mark on the back.

Due to their oval convex shape Russian collectors refer to these badges as "yaisty" or "eggs". Type 1 is the "NKVD Egg", Type 2 the "MVD Egg", Type 4 the "70 Egg", etc.

The main body is a 33-34mm x 26-28mm oval which is a full 2mm thick (it is made of silver, silver-plated brass, or German-silver according to the Type and Variation). The reverse of the body is basically flat. There is a 3mm diameter screw-post soldered to the centre of the reverse (on the raised portion).

The obverse of the main body also has an oval in the middle with a 5-6mm margin around it. The margin is covered with a horizontal pattern of fine lines. The inner and outer rims of the margin are raised slightly. The centre oval has a star burst type of pattern emanating from the bottom (6 o'clock) part of this inner oval (it is slightly reminiscent of a scallop design). This pattern, and thus the whole centre oval, is covered with high quality, translucent red, hot enamel. Almost all Type 1 badges have damaged enamel. The enamel, which is rumoured to have gold dust in it, was a poor formula and flaked away easily. Type 1 badges with perfect enamel have likely been re-enamelled.

The second piece is a 44mm long sword which is affixed, point down, over the centre axis of the badge using two rivets. The sword is made from the same metal as the body. The third piece is roughly 22mm tall x 24mm wide and is comprised of a hammer & sickle and a ribbon. It is attached with two small claws or rivets which fit into two holes on the body. The hammer & sickle is over the centre of the badge while the ribbon extends down the sides and across the bottom (from 3 to 9 o'clock). This piece is made from the same metal as the body. However, it is entirely gold-plated. In addition, the ribbon portions (7 in total) are filled with thick, high quality, dark red hot enamel. Only the lowest, or centre portion of the ribbon has any writing in it and this varies according to the Type of badge.

Due to the multi-piece construction, and the convex shape, the badge is sort of "hollow". There is space between the sword blade and the red enamel of the body and between the hammer & sickle and ribbon piece and the sword and the body. The hammer & sickle, in particular, appears to float above the badge body.

Type 1 - Distinguished NKVD Worker

The Type 1 badge was established on 31 October 1940. It was awarded to NKVD employees for successfully carrying out special work assignments. It was awarded with a small, hard covered award document "gramota" bearing the badge serial number and personally signed by the head of the USSR NKVD.

The Type 1 badge comes in two Variations. Variation 1 is made of sterling silver, while Variation 2 is made of silver-plated bronze. Both Variations have "NKVD" on the lower ribbon portion. Variation 1 badges (silver) have a serial number starting with three zeros followed by the number. While it is assumed that they started with 0001, the lowest known example is 00012. Variation 1 badges extend to over 1000, thus 0001xxx. Variation 2 badges (bronze) have a regular 4 digit serial number from 1xxx to 4xxx.

There are four rivet holes on the reverse at 3, 6, 9, and 12 o'clock. The serial number is engraved on the lower right of the reverse. The badge is fastened with a 18mm diameter, 3 mm thick brass "monetnyi dvor" nut. The entire sword, hammer & sickle, ribbon body and oval are gold plated.

Number 2244 was issued in May 1944, and number 4153 was issued in mid-February 1946 (only one month before the NKVD became the MVD!). The highest known serial number, 4486, was issued in early March 1947, nearly a year after the formation of the MVD. Thus, it must have taken over a year to manufacture the Type 2 badge or to use up some existing stock of Type 1 badges.

Type 1 badges were issued to both NKVD and NKGB personnel by decree of either the NKVD or NKGB. Both NKVD and NKGB personnel received the same type of badge with "NKVD" on the ribbon. There was no badge with NKGB on the ribbon.

Sometimes Type 1 badges were issued long after the March 1946 change from NKVD to MVD. NKVD badges are known to have been issued as late as 1959! These late-issue Type 1 badges are identical to earlier Type 1 badges and likely came from pre-1946 stocks. However, they were issued with MVD award documents instead of NKVD documents. In all of these cases the award was granted by a decree prior to March 1946 but for some reason the award was not actually issued until later. The award document lists both the award decree date and the actual issue date.

In one known example Armenian NKGB Lt. Colonel Karapetyan was awarded the NKVD award by NKGB decree #71 of 17 March 1945 but actually received the award on 23 February 1959. The badges serial number 3696 places it as a 1945 issue!

The exact reason for such delays is unknown but there are two possibilities. One is that the recipient was "purged" in one way or another and not rehabilitated until later (usually post-Stalin). The second possibility is that the award was issued for a highly classified reason and could not be issued until later (as is the case with many CIA medals). The Karapetyan example cited above is likely from the second case as he continued to serve in the security services with distinction after 1945 yet did not receive his award for 14 years.

A Type 1 (NKVD) badge. This example is an early silver version with an 000xxx serial number. (Courtsey Robert Pandis.)

Photo of a Type 1 (NKVD) badge and "gramota" award document. This document was issued with badge #2599 to Ivan Zoitsev on 30 August 1944 in response to NKVD decree #468 of 7 July 1943.

Another Type 1 (NKVD) badge and "gramota" award document. This document was issued with badge #3978 to Mitrofan Pakshin on 20 October 1945 in response to NKVD decree #237 of 3 July 1942.

Another a Type 1 (NKVD) badge and "gramota" award document. This MVD document was issued with badge #4467 to Boris Spivakovskiy in response to MVD decree #23 of 13 January 1947.

Another of a Type 1 (NKVD) badge and "gramota" award document. This MVD document was issued with badge #3696 to Mikhail Karapetyan on 28 February 1959 (!) in response to NKGB (!) decree #71 of 17 March 1945.

An odd variation of the Type 1 (NKVD) badge. This example has green enamel instead of red behind the hammer and sickle. Said to be for the Border Guards, whose traditional branch colour was green, no further proof has been found. It is possible it is a fake with green enamel applied to a regular NKVD badge. (Courtesy Robert Pandis)

Type 2 - Distinguished MVD Worker

The Type 2 badge was introduced shortly after the transformation of the NKVD into the MVD on 15 March 1946. It served the same function as the Type 1 (NKVD) badge and was also awarded with a special certificate. The Type 2 badge remained in service till the end of the USSR in 1991. It was used throughout this period with the exception of several short intervals when the other Types of badges listed below were in use. Thus it was not used between 1962 and 1968, and during 1987.

There are four small holes, located at 3, 6, 9, & 12 "o'clock" around the margin of the reverse. The 6 & 12 o'clock holes are for the rivets of the sword piece, while the 3 & 9 o'clock holes are for the small claws of the ribbon piece. The serial number is engraved on the margin, usually in the 4 to 6 o'clock region. The badge is attached with an 19mm wide "moskovskii monetnyi dvor" brass or german silver screw-nut.

The Type 2 badge is also reported to come in two Variations. Variation 1 is made of silver-plated bronze, while Variation 2 is made of German-silver (a nickel-brass alloy). It is believed that Variation 1 was used until 1962 while Variation 2 was used after 1968. Both Variations have "MVD" on the lower ribbon portion. They have the Moscow Mint hallmark on the back. The sword handle, hammer & sickle and ribbon body are gold plated, the sword blade is silver plated and the oval is nickel colour.

The lowest known serial number is 6136, which was issued in 1959, although it is likely that serial numbers begin in the mid- to upper- 4000s where the Type 1 badges leave off. Serial number 7038 was issued in 1964, two years after the MVD had been transformed into the MOOP, and was actually issued with an award document filled in with the corresponding serial number but showing an image of a Type 3 badge. The next lowest number, dating from after the end of the MOOP in 1968, is 8813. The highest known serial number is 14692, believed to date from the mid-1980s. There may also be some serial numbers above 17000, dating from the 1988 to 1991 period.

Photo of a Type 2 (MVD) badge. This is a Variation 2 badge. (Courtesy of Ed Maier, Red Army Militaria.)

Type 3 - Distinguished MOOP Worker

The MVD was transformed into the 15 different Republic level MOOPs (Ministries for the Maintenance of Public Order) on 22 February 1962. However, the Type 3 badge was apparently not introduced until the All-Union MOOP created on 26 July 1966. The MOOP lasted until it was reformed as the MVD on 25 November 1968. However, a study of serial numbers and award documents calls this into question. A Type 2 badge (number 7038) was awarded in 1964 with a document showing the drawing of a Type 3 badge! In addition, a Type 3 badge is know to exist with serial number 7021 (17 less than the number on that Type 2 badge). So there was obviously some confusion during the 1962-1966 transition period. The highest known serial number for a Type 3 badge is 8029. The Type 3 badge was replaced by the Type 4 badge during 1967.

The Type 3 badge is also reported to come in two Variations. Variation 1 is made of sterling silver, while Variation 2 is made of silver-plated bronze. Both Variations have "MOOP" in the lower portion of the ribbon.

A distinguished MOOP badge. (Courtesy of Robert Pandis, photo lightened by Charles Daum.)

Type 4 - Distinguished MOOP Worker, 50th Anniversary Issue

The Type 4 badge was issued during 1967, the 50th Anniversary of the Soviet law enforcement organs (as traced through the NKVD). It is thus, technically, a MOOP award and replaced the Type 3 during 1967. No serial numbers are known for the Type 4 badge.

The Type 4 badge does not have any Variations. It is made of silver-plated bronze. The numeral "50" appears in the lower portion of the ribbon instead of any letters.

NOTE: In 1968 the MOOP became the MVD and the Type 2 award was again issued.

Type 5 - Distinguished MVD Worker, 70th Anniversary Issue

The Type 5 badge was issued during 1987, the 70th Anniversary of the NKVD. It is technically an MVD award and replaced the Type 2 Variation 2 during 1987. The only known serial number is 16670.

The Type 5 badge does not have any Variations. It is said to be made of sterling silver. The numeral "70" appears in the lower portion of the ribbon.

A Distinguished MVD Employee, 70th Anniversay badge (B.1.1. Type 5), as issued during 1987. With award document to Mikhail Petrovich Mokhov. (Courtesy Vic)

Type 6 - Distinguished Worker of the Russian MVD

A new Type of this award appeared in post-Soviet Russia in 1991. It is issued by the Russian MVD and has replaced the Type 2 Variation 2 badge. The Type 6 badge is basically similar to the other badges except that the hammer & sickle has been replaced by the red-enamel-filled letters "MVD", and the ribbon is in the form of a Russian flag with white, blue, and red enamel. No serial numbers are known. It is believed that awards of this badge continues to this day.

Type 7 - Distinguished MGB Worker

A Type 7 badge is also known to exist. This extremely rare badge was issued by the MGB (post-NKVD, pre-KGB agency) from 1946-1953. The only known example, so far, is in the KGB-FSB Museum in Moscow. It appears to be the same construction as Type 1 Variation 2 but has "MGB" on the ribbon instead of "NKVD" or "MVD". The ribbon also has "zasluzhenniy chekist" or distinguished chekist on the ribbon. This may be a one of a kind prototype badge.

A picture of the Distinguished MGB employee badge from the FSB Museum. Note the writting on the ribbon unique to this badge. It says "Distinuished MGB Chekist". Note the nice patina on the silver body and sword and the gold plated sword handle and hammer and sickle.