The Medal for Distinguished Labor (Russia)

• Time Period: Interwar Medals
• Year of Institution: 27 December 1938
• Country: Russia & USSR

The Medal “For Distinguished Labor” (or Медаль «За трудовое отличие» in Russian) was a civilian labor award of the Soviet Union established on December 27, 1938 by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and bestowed to especially deserving workers to recognize and honor high performances in labor or contributions in the fields of science, culture or the manufacturing industry.

In just over fifty years of existence, the medal was bestowed to over two million deserving citizens. The first investiture took place on January 15, 1939 where the Medal “For Distinguished Labor” was presented to 19 employees of the Kalinin armaments plant number 8 for exceptional service to the country in the creation and development of new weapons for the Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army.

Its statute was amended three times by further decrees and ceased to be awarded following the December 1991 dissolution of the Soviet Union.

The Medal for Distinguished Labor Medal Design

The Medal for Distinguished Labor measured 32 mm in diameter and is circular and struck from .925 silver with a raised rim on both sides.

In the upper 3/4 of the obverse, a 21 mm high by 20 mm wide ruby-red enameled image of the hammer and sickle over the relief inscription “USSR” («СССР») in 3.5 mm high letters. In the lower quarter of the obverse below the hammer and sickle, the sunken and red enameled inscription on two rows “FOR DISTINGUISHED LABOUR” («ЗА ТРУДОВОЕ ОТЛИЧИЕ») in 2 mm high letters. On the otherwise plain reverse, the relief inscription on two rows of 2.5 mm high letters “LABOUR IN THE USSR – A MATTER OF HONOUR” («ТРУД В СССР — ДЕЛО ЧЕСТИ»). The medal was numbered until 1945.

Early awards hung from a small triangular mount covered with a red ribbon with a threaded stub and screw for attachment to clothing. Following the 1943 decree, it was secured by a ring through the medal suspension loop to a standard Soviet pentagonal mount covered by a 24mm wide lilac colored silk moiré ribbon with 2 mm wide yellow edge stripes.