In pocket-sized folder format measuring 4 1/1" x 6 ¼" when folded, very uncommon for certificates of achievement. Also uncommon is the decorative design: three out of four pages are miniature propaganda posters featuring constructivist artwork. The early-Soviet era propaganda slogans in each of them are interesting, too. The front page: "USSR is the shock brigade of international proletariat". The back page: "MTS (Russian for "Machine Tractor Station") and sovkhoz (state collective farms) are the strongest levers of socialist reconstruction of agriculture and further strengthening of the position of proletarian state in rural areas". Inside, the left page features a portrait of young Stalin and two quotes, by Lenin on top and by Stalin on the bottom. To summarize Lenin's quote, communism begins with hard, self-sacrificing labor of each member of society not for their own benefit or the benefit of their loved ones, but for the benefit of the entire society. Stalin's quote states that the First Five-Year Plan was a great success but it was not enough. Now, "we" must build on the success of our industrialization and strive to raise our productivity and efficiency of our work.

The right page on the inside is the actual certificate of achievement. It was issued by the Leninsk-Kuznetsk Soviet Party School to N. Astafyev, awarding him with the honorary title of shock worker of the second year of the Second Five-Year Plan for high results in mastering Marxism-Leninism. The certificate bears the hand signatures of the school's director, chairman of the trade union organization, and chairman of the award commission. The date below is 1 May 1934. Whoever filled out this certificate was rather illiterate, using the wrong declination in "mastery of Marxism-Leninism".

The page is nicely decorated in the constructivist style and features the early version of the State Emblem of the USSR with six scrolls for the number of Soviet socialist republics then comprising the Soviet Union. This version was used from 1923 to 1936.

In very good to excellent condition. The short separations to the edge of the front and back pages have been repaired with clear tape. The paper is slightly wrinkled, especially the back page, and there is a horizontal fold line running across the center, still visible but long-since flattened out. The artwork, and the handwritten entries are clear and perfectly legible.

Of interest is the circulation of this certificate - 1 million copies. It reflects the importance the communist government attributed to the institution of Soviet Party Schools, the forgery of communist leadership who were being indoctrinated and readied there to defend the Marxist-Leninist ideology and their personal privileges of power that came with the position of a professional communist.

Please note that the penny in our photo is for size reference.