RUSSIAN SOVIET ARMBAND for POLICE HELPER with LABEL 1978
This type of armband was very popular during the USSR in the 1970s and was used by police helpers. Druzhinniks were distinguished by red armbands with text. This item was purchased at a family estate sale.
CONDITION: Very good condition for its age. For further information, please refer to the pictures.
PROVENANCE: 1. By descent through a Russian emigree family, Seattle, Washington, USA, 14 May, 1993; 2. Our sale of this item adds another layer of provenance. History of sale is very IMPORTANT for serious collection.
ESTIMATED PRICE: $50 - $200 (significantly lower than today's market price).
HISTORY of SALES: A few years ago, Russian-Soviet armbands were sold on Live Auctioneers for $110 (2 years ago), $350 (2 years ago), $420 (11 years ago), and $1,595 (10 years ago) - please refer to the screenshots for details. Today, prices have significantly increased compared to those of 5-10 years ago.
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HISTORY: Voluntary People's Druzhina (Russian: Dobrovolnaya Narodnaya Druzhina, DND) variously translated as Voluntary People's Guard, People's Volunteer Squads, People's Volunteer Militia, etc. were voluntary detachments for maintaining public order in the Soviet Union similar to the Neighborhood Watch. The system of VPDs was introduced according to the joint resolution of the CPSU Central Committee and USSR Council of Ministers of March 2, 1959 On the Participation of the workers in the Maintenance of Public Order, which formalized and widely propagated the 1958 Leningrad invention of the Voluntary People's Druzhina formally independent of militsiya. The druzhinas were not subordinated to militsiya and the management staff was established from various Soviet organizations: Soviets, trade unions, Komsomol, etc. The patrolling druzhinas themselves were often accompanied by police officers (militsioners), for general guidance and official support. Although druzhinas were informal, they could perform citizen arrests of various petty offenders: drunkards, hooligans, etc. They were also used to support militsiya in performing non-dangerous arrests and other law enforcement duties. The 1974 USSR Supreme Soviet Presidium Ukase 'About the Main Duties and Rights of Voluntary People's Drushina in Guarding the Public OrdeR' governed the druzhinas until the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Druzhinas mostly operated in urban neighborhoods. Druzhinniks were distinguished by red armbands with the text on them.

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