Vasily Stalin Signed Military Attestation for "Hero of the Soviet Union"

2pp of a bifolium (legal folio), measuring 8.25" x 11.75", No place, dated June 19, 1946. A military attestation signed by Vasily Stalin in black ink (on June 20, 1946) and Marshal of Aviation Yevgeny Savitsky in blue ink (on July 22, 1946). Written in Cyrillic. The document is a tribute to the service of Major Spartak Makovsky, 43rd Squadron Fighter Air Regiment, during the Second World War. With flattened folds and additional creasing at the vertical edge. A few small holes and tears from removed staples. Light toning throughout. Boldly signed by all.

The attestation claims Makovsky to be a "demanding and capable commander. Good command of methodological skills in flight personnel training. Organizational skills are good and he knows how to direct personnel to carry out the order of the command…He carried out 79-group air battles, in which he shot down 26 personally…Total flying time 898 hours 53 minutes…Politically developed, morally stable…Demanding to himself and subordinates. As a shortcoming of Comrade Makovsky, he does not sufficiently control the life of the personnel, he is little interested in the life of his subordinates as a result of which, on one of the working days, Sergeant Gartynov, not having the right to ride a motorcycle, got into a collision with a car and was seriously injured. Personally, Comrade Makovsky is disciplined and polite, in good health, ideologically sustained. He is devoted to the cause of the party LENIN-STALIN and the socialist homeland…"

Spartak Iosifovich Makovsky (1920-2000) was a Russian military pilot and Hero of the Soviet Union. He joined the Red Army in 1937 and graduated from the Kachin Military Aviation School in 1939. The Hero of the Soviet Union is the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded for heroic feats on behalf of the Soviet state. Makovsky was also awarded the Order of Lenin, three Orders of the Red Banner, the Order of Alexander Nevsky, two Orders of the Patriotic War 1st degree, and the Order of the Red Star.

Vasily Stalin (1921-1962), son of Joseph Stalin and Stalin's second wife, Nadezhda Alliluyeva. He started his active military service in the 16th Aviation Division in Moscow, and as Stalin's son, he received rapid promotion. At the time of signing the above document, Vasily had been promoted to Major-General, making him the youngest major-general in the Red Army at the age of 24. He was disliked by most of his colleagues for being unqualified and immature, along with the fact that many believed him to be an informant to his father. After the death of his father died in 1953, Vasily lost his authority in the army and government and developed a severe alcohol problem. He was arrested on April 28, 1953 for revealing top-secret information at a dinner party and was ultimately sent to prison with a sentence of 8 years imprisonment and disciplinary work period. He was released on January 11, 1960 and later granted clemency, but spent the remainder of his life in between hospitals until his death in 1962, due to chronic alcoholism.

Yevgeny Savitsky (1910- 1990) was a Soviet World War II fighter ace who later became a marshal of aviation. He was twice awarded Hero of the Soviet Union and commanded the Aviation of the National Air Defense Forces during the Cold War. His daughter, Svetlana Savitskaya became a Soviet cosmonaut who flew the Soyuz T-7 in 1982, becoming the second woman in space.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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