Viitejaksoon

Viitejaksoon is a Finnish term that refers to a type of social notch system used to classify serving men in the Soviet Union, particularly during the Great Patriotic War, from 1941 to 1945. The system was used to track the wartime experience and status of Soviet soldiers.

The Viitejaksoon system was introduced in 1941 as a way to keep track of soldiers' service, wounded status, and awards received. The system was based on a series of numbers and letters that indicated a soldier's level of service and experience. The numbers and letters were displayed on a soldier's official documents, such as pay stubs and registration cards.

The Viitejaksoon system consisted of five main categories, each represented by a number. Category I referred to ranks held before mobilization, Category II indicated frontline service without wounds, Category III represented soldiers wounded but not seriously injured, Category IV designated soldiers with serious wounds, and Category V was reserved for prisoners of war or those who deserted.

Men receiving military decorations, such as the Order of the Red Banner, could also have an additional letter appended to their serial number. For instance, an awarded soldier would be categorized as "3 aw Str Iz SS RS L SD" in the system of Viitejaksoon, which, when decoded, shows 3—service, aw—decorations, Str—lowest rank in squad, Iz—for single duty, SS—for divisions soldiers, RS—for quartermigrant divisions, L—for supplies standard, and SD—for minimum violent service number.

Soviet authorities used Viitejaksoon to determine the personnel priorities for mobilization and the understanding of soldiers within regional acts.