Odznak výtečného lyžaře

Badge of the "Excellent skier" of the Yugoslav Royal Army.
Abzeichen für den guten Skifahrer
The bagde for skilled skiers


Ing. Alexander V. Petříček



The badge "Dobrom smučaru" (To the excellent skier) was established by the decree of the "Military Service List" of the Ministry of Army and Navy of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia dated 10 January 1936. In Article I it was stated that the badge was established with the aim of developing skiing in the army. It was awarded to members of the army who had achieved outstanding success in skiing competitions at official sporting events at home and abroad.


The greatest credit for its foundation went to General Maric, then Minister of the Army and Navy, who in 1919 was the commander of the so-called Koruška Offensive, a post-war liberation action in the northern regions of Yugoslavia. And later he served in Ljubljana. The first ski units of the Royal Yugoslav Army were mainly made up of Slovenes who were very talented and experienced in this sport.


The badge was awarded by order of the Minister of the Army and Navy after 20 days from the end of international sporting or military conscription competitions, based on a proposal by the commanders of the military areas. All members of the winning teams in relay and patrol disciplines, individuals with the best results in downhill, slalom and cross-country skiing who participated in military competitions or international civilian competitions with the participation of army sports units were entitled to the badge.


The decree of the Military Service List of 19.11.1937 extended the rules for the award of this badge to members of frontier units and their ski conscription competitions.


The first orders with the lists of names of the winners of the "Outstanding Skier" badge were signed by the Minister of the Army and Navy, General Maric, on 4 August 1938. In 1939, the purpose of the badge was changed as a degree of recognition for merit in the development of skiing. Sports officials, coaches, instructors, etc. could still receive the badge.


In 1940, the badge was accompanied by a diploma. From 13.11.1940 the possibility of awarding the badge was extended under the same conditions to the police forces.


The total number of badges awarded is not known,but given its very small contemporary and contemporary occurrence, it can be considered a rare and valued decoration.




BADGE DESCRIPTION :


Height 55 mm, wingspan 42 mm, oval width 33 mm.


Obverse:
The badge is in the form of an oval decorative shield in the top of which a winged eagle of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in matt silver plated metal is embedded. The heads of the eagle are surmounted by a royal crown of bronze. In the centre of the oval, in silver-plated metal, is an embossed mountain range, on which a bronze figure of a skier, moving heraldically to the left, is mounted. At the bottom of the bronze oval of the emblem is attached a stylised half-moon tied with a simple crossed ribbon. In this description of the badge on the heraldic right side is an inscription in Cyrillic, on the left side in Latin
'DOBROM SMUČARU'.


Reverse:
Smooth, slightly concave with two soldered screws placed one above the other for attachment to the garment. Embossed with the manufacturer's mark 'GRIESBACH +KNAUS ZAGREB'. In the obverse area there are 6 small rivets which reveal the method of attachment of the loaded plastic allegories in the reverse.


The badge was worn on the service and ceremonial uniform in the centre above the upper right pocket of the blouse. On uniforms where this place was already occupied by the emblem of mountain units, the badge was worn in the centre of the same pocket.


The badge described here comes from the private collection of a Prague collector and our colleague Mr. Jiri Blazek.


Literature:
Janez J. Švajcber, magazine SND Dinar No. 9.
Ing.Alexander V.Petříček: Badge "To the outstanding skier of the Yugoslav Royal Army. DP magazine No. 3-4. 2007



Ing. He is the author of the book:Faleristics of Monuments of Montenegro.

Badge for members of mountain units
Badge of the Mountain Units
Abzeichen der Gebirgstruppen



This interesting in its essence performance badge was established in 1932. The badge was worn pinned on the pocket of the military uniform. The Yugoslav General Staff was aware that the army needed specialists for fighting in mountain environments. Forward-thinking soldiers were able to build on the experience of the Austro-Hungarian Army units that fought in the high mountain environment of the Alps on Slovenian territory in 1916-18 and defend Slovenia from Italian troops. Among the soldiers (reservists) we can find both excellent athletes (skiers, climbers and others) but also mountaineers from the Slovenian region.



The badge itself, measuring 42 mm x 45 mm, has a somewhat unusual triangular shape ( see picture ).


The badge is related to the issue of the performance badge for outstanding skiers , which is in the introductory part of the article .


LITERATURE :


It is listed in the introductory part of the article.


Note :
I found this rare performance badge from the period of Royal Yugoslavia , in a collection of ski badges . Perhaps for this reason it is good to be an informed collector .