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

Anniversary badges were not only issued by the central (all-union or USSR KGB) but my by various Republican KGBs and KGB Directorates. These badges celebrate the anniversary of the republican KGB or KGB Directorate not the central KGB and thus are from different years. For example the 50th anniversary of the central KGB was in 1967, for republican KGBs the 50th anniversay was anywhere from at least 1968 to 1972.

While there is still a shortage of good documentary or photo evidence it is likely that most republican KGB anniversary badges are genuine issue (though issued by the republican government and not the USSR government). There are several reasons for this conclusion, one is that most are of quite high quality, the second is that these badges are all very rare. The market is flooded with thousands of examples of the fake KGB badges (honoured employee, regular KGB, OOs, anniversary, etc.) while the republican badges are scarce even in the former USSR. There is little point in making a fake badge if you don't sell some!

All B&W drawings come from the Russian language book "Badges of the Law Enforcement Organs of the USSR" by Kutsenko & Rudichenko, known in the west as "The Blue Book".

B.5.1.50. 50th Anniversary of the Ukrainian KGB badge

This badge was issued in 1968 for the 50th Anniversary of the KGB of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. (For details on the Union-Republic structure of the KGB see the KGB Organization page.) This badge is of an inferior quality to most badges. However, it has been seen being worn by KGB officers in a book on the Ukrainian KGB.

This pin-back badge is made of gold-coloured aluminium and is very light. The badge is in the form of a 5-pointed star and is 42mm high x 44mm across the arms. The badge is slightly convex in shape. The reverse of the badge is flat and featureless except for the two raised "lips" which hold the small (13mm long) horizontaly mounted, steel pin. There is no maker's mark on the badge.

At least two version have been seen. Version one is made of thin (1mm) gold-coloured aluminum and has a very light black enamel wash over the front of the badge. Version two is a bit thicker, is darker coloured (more bronze-gold) and has a heavier black wash on it.

The obverse of the badge has a very interesting pattern; the star is formed from five sword & shield shapes! Each arm of the star is actually the lower half of a standard KGB sword & shield design complete with sword blade, riveted shield rim and horizontaly striped shield background. In addition, between each of the star arms is a small round extension which is the tip of the sword handle of the design of the opposite star arm.

The centre of the badge is an upside-down pentagon. There are two heads, in profile, looking to the (badge) left. The top head is wearing a cloth "shelm" cap (often called the "budyenovka") with a large star on the front. The ear flap of the hat is turned down. The lower head is wearing a "furazhka" peaked hat with a regular officer's service oval cockade. Both faces have "heroic" chiseled features typical of the "socialist-realism" school of art. Along the lower edge of the pentagon is inscribed "VU 50 ChK" for 50th anniversary of the all-Ukrainian Cheka. The "50" is filled with high quality cold enamel. The entire obverse of the badge is coated in a black-grey cold enamel wash giving it a glossy appearance.

50th Anniversary of the Ukrainian SSR KGB badge (B.5.1.50.). (Courtesy of Charles Daum.)

Three versions of the 50th anniversary of the Kirgiz KGB badge (B.5.2.50). These badges are made of silvered brass or a nickel alloy and are stamped. They are screw-back. The badges only vary by colour of enamel on the circular rim. The significance of the different colours is not known but is likely related to different directorates of the Kirgiz KGB although it could be for different regional offices or different ranks. In addition to the red (i), green (ii), and blue (iii) versions show there are white (iv) and silver (v) versions. The silver version actually has no enamel on the rim. The badges are coated with a thin black varnish.

An interestingly shaped badge for the 60th anniversary of the Kirgiz KGB (B.5.2.60). "60 let KGB kirgizii". It is aluminium pin-back.

Badge for the 60th anniversary of the Tadzhik KGB (B.5.3.60). This badge is pin-back aluminium. It says "ChK-KGB Tadzhik". Note the Tadzhik SSR flag. On an interesting note there is no hammer and sickle on the badge.

Black & white image of the 50th Anniversary of the Georgian SSR KGB badge (B.5.4.50.). This badge was issued in 1971.

The 60th Anniversary of the Georgian SSR KGB badge (B.5.4.60.). This small badge is made of aluminum and is pin-back. This badge was issued in 1981.

The 50th Anniversary of the Armenian SSR KGB badge (B.5.5.50.). This badge is made of sterling silver and hot-enamel and is screw-back. This badge was issued in 1970.

The 60th Anniversary of the KGB OO (Special Departments) badge (B.5.9.i). This brass and hot-nemal badge is pin-back. The OOs were the special sections of the KGB's 3rd (Military Counter-Intelligence) Directorate that served in regular army units. This badge was issued in 1978.

The 60th Anniversary of the KGB OO (Special Departments) badge, 2nd variation (B.5.9.ii). This brass and hot-enamel badge is screw-back. This badge was issued in 1978.