The Collector’s Encyclopaedia · Signatories · Red Army
Andrei Vlasov (1900–1946): Signature, Documents and Historical Profile
| Born | 1900, Vladimir province |
|---|---|
| Died | 1946, Moscow (executed) |
| Key roles | Defence of Kiev and Moscow (1941); captured July 1942; Committee for the Liberation of the Peoples of Russia and Russian Liberation Army (1944) |
| Documents bearing his name | Red Army documents; German-period documents, leaflets and propaganda of the Russian Liberation Army |
| In the collection | No pieces currently available |
Andrei Vlasov was a Soviet general who, after his capture in 1942, agreed to lead a Russian force under German sponsorship. He remains one of the most controversial figures of the war, and documents and propaganda connected with him are a distinctive collecting area.
Who Was Andrei Vlasov?
Vlasov was born in Vladimir province in 1900 and served in the Red Army from 1919. He was a military adviser in China from 1938 and played major roles in the defence of Kiev and Moscow in 1941, before being captured with his army in July 1942. In 1944 the Nazi leadership allowed him to form the Committee for the Liberation of the Peoples of Russia and he headed the Russian Liberation Army, made up of captured Soviet soldiers.
What Documents Bear Vlasov’s Signature?
His signature appears on Red Army documents before 1942 and on documents and propaganda of the German period, including leaflets. Printed propaganda carries his name in print, not in ink. See propaganda and safe conduct passes.
Soviet documents bring their own checks. Signatures are usually in Cyrillic, and official papers combine typed text, printed forms, ink signatures and round seals. A collector should read the Russian text, compare the office named with the date, and remember that Soviet state papers were often reproduced, so many documents carry a printed or stamped signature rather than ink.
What Should Collectors Watch For?
- Read the Cyrillic text and check the office against the date.
- Distinguish ink signatures from printed or stamped ones.
- Soviet-era reproductions and later commemorative items are common.
- Ask for documented provenance on any important piece.
Fate
Handed over to the Soviets in May 1945, Vlasov was tried and hanged in Moscow in 1946. Most of his soldiers were forcibly returned to Soviet control.
Collector’s Note
Vlasov material sits between two regimes. I describe it with care for that complexity and without taking sides in the propaganda it contains.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Andrei Vlasov?
A Soviet general who, after capture, led the German-sponsored Russian Liberation Army.
What happened to Vlasov?
He was handed to the Soviets in 1945 and hanged in Moscow in 1946.
Is Vlasov propaganda signed?
Leaflets carry his name in print, not handwritten signatures.
Historical Responsibility Notice: this entry documents historical figures and artefacts of the Soviet period for collecting, preservation, education and research. It does not endorse or glorify any ideology, and it is written in memory of the victims of political repression and war.
References & Further Reading
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, Andrey Andreyevich Vlasov.