DOCUMENT ARCHIVE FOR RUSSIAN GUARDS LT. COL. VITALY EFIMOV

DOCUMENT ARCHIVE FOR RUSSIAN GUARDS LT. COL. VITALY EFIMOV
Excellent archive of award certificates, all granted to Guards Lt. Col. Vitaly Efimov of the 61st Army of the Soviet Ground Forces. The group includes ten award documents, of which six measure 8 x 10.75 in. and feature a portrait of Stalin at the top, with an image of a Soviet soldier with a Red Army flag atop a hammer and sickle-emblazoned shield, with a scene of advancing Soviet soldiers and tanks in the background. The remaining four certificates measure 7 x 9.5 in., and also feature a portrait of Stalin at the top, with a graphic depiction of a street battle in a German city at the bottom. Each of these certificates honors Efimov for his actions in a variety of battles in the advance to Berlin, including Dresden, Warsaw, and Riga, and for the defense of the Vistula and Oder rivers. One example reads: 'By Order of the Supreme Commanding Marshall of the Soviet Union Stalin, on 16 January 1945, with a Debt of Gratitude for your Military Acts in the Glorious Escalated Defense of the West Bank of the Vistula River south of Warsaw.' All bear Efimov's hand-written name and rank in ink at the top, and all are printed in red ink, signed by an officer and stamped with the State Seal. Also present is a printed D.S., 1p. 4to., [n.p.], June 9, 1945, again addressed to Efimov, in full: 'In the battles with German Fascist invaders, you went to victory by the heroic and glorious path. Combat banners of our units are covered with glory that will never tarnish. Units of our army have brilliantly accomplished the tasks set by the command and in unrelenting fights from Moscow to the Elba river have added new pages to the book of history of our valorous Red Army. I thank you for your good service in the headquarters of the 61st Army. The Military Council expresses its confidence that you, good son of the Soviet Motherland, will further honorably conduct your duty of strengthening the might and power of our Socialist state in any of the Motherland's assignments being an example of Bolshevik vigilance, self-discipline, and culture, worthy bearer of our army traditions.' This document is signed by Gen. PAVEL BELOV (1897-1963), commander of the 61st Army, Col. Zhelobanov, member of the Military Council for the 61st Army, and Lt. Gen. ALEKSANDR PULKO-DMITRIEV (1893-1962), Headquarters commander for the 61st Army. Lastly, the group includes a formal D.S., 2pp. 4to., [n.p.], Oct. 5, 1984, in both Ukrainian and Russian, an award certificate to Efimov from the Supreme Council of the Ukrainian Socialist Republic: 'For Activity & Participation in the Great Politically Fertile Work with Youth'. The document is placed within a red leather folder with gilt lettering, and is accompanied by a medal. Present with the group are translations of selected documents, Efimov's service record (in Russian), and bios of Belov. Very good.