Among all military awards in Russian history The St. George cross takes a special place. This badge of military valor is the most famous award of pre-revolutionary Russia. The Soldier's Cross of St. George can be called the most massive award of the Russian Empire, because it was awarded to the lower ranks (soldiers and non-commissioned officers).

Officially, this award was equated to the Order of St. George, established by Catherine the Great in the 18th century. The cross of St. George had four degrees, according to the statute of the award, this badge of military distinction could only be received for courage on the battlefield.

This insignia existed for just over a hundred years: it was established during the Napoleonic Wars, shortly before the French invasion of Russia. The last conflict, in which several million people received St. George's Crosses of various degrees, was the First World War.

The Bolsheviks canceled this award, and the insignia "St. George's Cross" was restored only after the collapse of the USSR. In the Soviet period, the attitude towards the St. George Cross was ambiguous, although a huge number of St. George knights fought on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War - and fought well. Among the holders of the St. George Cross, Marshal of Victory Georgy Zhukov, Konstantin Rokossovsky and Rodion Malinovsky. The Soviet Marshal Budyonny, the military leaders Tyulenev and Eremenko were the full Knights of St. George.

The legendary partisan commander Sidor Kovpak was twice awarded the cross.

Knights of the St. George Cross received cash incentives, they were paid a pension. Naturally, the largest amount was paid for the first (highest) degree of the award.

Description of the St. George cross

The insignia of the order was a cross with blades widening towards the end. In the center of the cross was a medallion round shape, on front side which was depicted Saint George slaying a snake. On the reverse side of the medallion, the letters C and G were applied in the form of a monogram.

The crossbeams of the cross on the obverse remained clean, and the serial number of the award was applied on the reverse. The cross had to be worn on a black and orange St. George ribbon ("the colors of smoke and flame").

The St. George Cross was highly respected in the military environment: the lower ranks, even having received an officer's rank, proudly wore it among the officers' awards.

In 1856, this decoration was divided into four degrees: the first and second were made of gold, the third and fourth were made of silver. The degree of the award was indicated on its reverse. The awarding of the insignia was carried out sequentially: from the fourth to the first degree.

History of the St.George Cross

The Order of St. George has existed in Russia since the 18th century, but this order should not be confused with the soldier's St. George Cross - these are different awards.

In 1807, the Russian Emperor Alexander I was presented with a note with a proposal to establish an award for the lower ranks who distinguished themselves on the battlefield. The Emperor considered the proposal quite reasonable. Literally the day before, the bloody battle of Preussisch-Eylau took place, where Russian soldiers demonstrated remarkable courage.

However, there was one problem: it was impossible to reward the lower ranks with orders. At that time they were given only to representatives of the nobility, the order was not just a "piece of iron" on the chest, but also a symbol of social status, it emphasized the "knightly" position of its owner.

Therefore, Alexander I went for a trick: he ordered to award the lower ranks not with an order, but with the "insignia of the order." This is how the award appeared, which later became the St. George Cross. According to the emperor's manifesto, only the lower ranks could receive the St. George's Cross, who showed "fearless courage" on the battlefield. By status, a reward could be obtained, for example, for capturing an enemy banner, for capturing an enemy officer, or for skillful actions during a battle. Concussion or injury did not give the right to a reward if it was not associated with a feat.

The cross had to be worn on the St. George ribbon, passing it through the buttonhole.

The first cavalier of the soldier George was non-commissioned officer Mitrokhin, who distinguished himself in the battle of Friedland in the same 1807.

Initially, the Cross of St. George did not have degrees and could be issued an unlimited number of times. True, the badge itself was not issued again, but the serviceman's salary increased by a third. Corporal punishment could not be applied to the knights of the St.George Cross.

In 1833, the insignia of the Military Order was included in the statute of the Order of St. George. Some other innovations also appeared: now the commanders of armies and corps could award crosses. This greatly simplified the process and reduced bureaucratic red tape.

In 1844, the St. George Cross for Muslims was developed, in which St. George was replaced by a two-headed eagle.

In 1856, the Cross of St. George was divided into four degrees. The reverse of the badge indicated the degree of the award. Each degree had its own numbering.

Throughout the history of the St.George Cross with four degrees, more than two thousand people have become its full holders.

Another significant change in the statute of the insignia of the military order took place on the eve of the First World War, in 1913. Award received official name"St. George's Cross", the St. George Medal (numbered medal for bravery) was also instituted. The St. George medal also had four degrees and was awarded to lower ranks, servicemen of the irregular troops and border guards. This medal (in contrast to the St. George's Cross) could be awarded to civilians, as well as military personnel in peacetime.

According to the new statute of the insignia, now the St. George Cross could serve as a posthumous award, which was passed on to the hero's relatives. The numbering of the award from 1913 began again anew.
In 1914, the First World War began, millions of Russian citizens were drafted into the army. Over the three years of the war, more than 1.5 million St.George crosses of various degrees were awarded.

The first knight of St. George of this war was the Don Cossack Kozma Kryuchkov, who (according to the official version) destroyed more than ten German cavalrymen in an unequal battle. Kryuchkov was awarded "Georgy" of the fourth degree. During the war, Kryuchkov became a full Knight of St. George.

During the First World War, women were repeatedly awarded the St. George Cross, and foreigners fighting in the Russian army became its cavaliers.

Has changed and appearance awards: in difficult times of war, the highest degrees of the cross (first and second) began to be made of low-standard gold, and the third and fourth degree of awards lost significantly in weight.

The 1913 statute significantly expanded the list of acts for which the St. George Cross was awarded. This largely negated the value of this insignia. During the First World War, more than 1.2 million people became Cavaliers of Egoriy. Judging by the number of awarded, there was simply mass heroism in the Russian army. Then it is not clear why these millions of heroes soon fled shamefully to their homes.

According to the statute, the cross was to be issued only for exploits on the battlefield, but this principle was not always followed. Georgy Zhukov received one of his St. George crosses for a shell shock. Apparently, the future Soviet marshal already in those years knew how to find mutual language with their superiors.

After February revolution the status of the St.George Cross was again changed, now it was possible to reward officers with it after the corresponding decision of the soldiers' meetings. In addition, this military insignia began to be awarded for purely political reasons. For example, Timofey Kirpichnikov was awarded the cross, who killed an officer and led a mutiny in his regiment. Prime Minister Kerensky became a knight of two degrees of the cross at once, for "tore down the tsarist banner" in Russia.

There are cases when entire military units or warships were awarded with the St.George Cross. Among others, this badge was awarded to the crews of the cruiser Varyag and the gunboat Koreets.

During the period Civil war in the units of the White Army, soldiers and non-commissioned officers continued to be awarded with St. George's crosses. True, the attitude towards awards among the White movement was ambiguous: many considered it shameful to receive awards for participating in a fratricidal war.

On the territory of the Donskoy army, George the Victorious on the cross turned into a Cossack: he was wearing a Cossack uniform, a hat with a hood, from under which a forelock protruded.

The Bolsheviks canceled all awards Russian empire, including the St.George cross. However, after the beginning of the Great Patriotic War the attitude towards the award has changed. "George" was not allowed, as many historians say, but the authorities turned a blind eye to wearing this badge.

Among the Soviet awards, the Order of Glory had an ideology similar to the soldier's Georgy.

The St. George crosses were also awarded to collaborators who served in the Russian corps. The last awarding took place in 1941.

The most famous knights of St. George

For the entire existence of this award, about 3.5 million St.George crosses of various degrees have been issued. Among the holders of this insignia there are many famous personalities, which can be safely called historical.

Soon after the appearance of the award, the famous "cavalry girl" Durov received it, the cross was awarded to her for saving the life of an officer.

The former Decembrists Muravyov-Apostol and Yakushkin were awarded with St. George's crosses - they fought at Borodino in the rank of ensign.

General Miloradovich also received this soldier's award for his personal participation in the battle of Leipzig. The cross was presented to him personally by Emperor Alexander, who witnessed this episode.

A very famous character for his era was Kozma Kryuchkov - the first cavalier of "George" of the First World War.

The famous divisional commander of the Civil War, Vasily Chapaev, was awarded three crosses and a St. George medal at once.

The Knight of the St. George Cross was Maria Bochkareva, the commander of the women's "battalion of death", created in 1917.

Despite the huge number of crosses issued over the entire period of the existence of this award, today this insignia is a rarity. It is especially difficult to buy the St. George Cross of the first and second degree. Where did they go?

After the February Revolution, the Provisional Government issued a cry to surrender their awards for the "needs of the revolution." So Georgy Zhukov lost his crosses. Many awards were sold or melted down during periods of famine (there were several of them during the Soviet period). Then a cross made of silver or gold could be exchanged for several kilograms of flour or even a couple of loaves of bread.

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It seems that not so long ago the St. George ribbon became an attribute of Victory Day. In the meantime, twelve years have passed. Recall that the tradition was laid by Moscow journalists and it was picked up almost immediately throughout the country, as well as abroad. We picked it up so quickly because the symbol has a long and glorious history. And the candidate reminded us of it on the eve of the next Victory Day historical sciences Alexander Semenenko.

The St. George Ribbon is a memory of the two-color ribbon to the Order of St. George, the St. George Cross and the St. George Medal. The award appeared in the midst of Russo-Turkish War when Empress Catherine II established an order in honor of George the Victorious. “George the Victorious is considered the patron saint of the Russian army. In addition, he is depicted as the patron saint on the coat of arms of Moscow. And then there was such a long tradition that George the Victorious is first of all a man, and then already a symbol of the inflexibility of the Russian spirit. The introduction of such an order was supposed to help raise the soldiers, ”says our interlocutor.

The order, as he notes, is accompanied by a heraldic component, and it found its origins in existing symbols: “Black is the symbol of the eagle, and the eagle is the coat of arms of the Russian Empire. The orange field was yellow at first. I would like to point out that orange and yellow are considered to be a kind of gold field. This is the field of the Russian state emblem ”.

Here is the true meaning of ribbon colors. But today we often hear that gamma means smoke and flame. Alternatively, gunpowder and flame. Sounds nice, but it's not true. And she, too, has a long history. In the nineteenth century, as some sources note, some noblemen wrote that "the immortal legislator who established this order believed that its ribbon unites the color of gunpowder and the color of fire."

“The conventional wisdom that orange symbolizes fire, and black - ash or smoke, is fundamentally wrong,” says Alexander Mikhailovich. - There is a classic heraldry. Such comparisons are outside of science. The St. George ribbon is a historical image and it is better to work with explanations of classical heraldry, rather than invent something. I propose to agree with the arguments of Catherine II. Black is the eagle's heraldic color. The double-headed eagle is now the Coat of arms Russian Federation, and the Coat of arms of the Russian Empire, which we borrowed in the era of the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan III, thanks, among other things, to his second wife Zoya, or Sophia Palaeologus. Is yellow or Orange color, as we said, is a kind of heraldic understanding of the golden color around the state emblem. George the Victorious himself became a kind of symbol of Russia. Although it is worth noting that George is close to both Muslims and some other religions, therefore representatives of different confessions come to our Victory Square with pleasure to pay tribute to those who fought for the freedom of our Motherland. "

The image of the St. George ribbon was dear to the people in Soviet times. During the Great Patriotic War, it became clear that it was necessary to revive the national heraldic traditions. “And when the guard was born in the battle near Moscow, then there were guards ribbons, they were slightly modified, but the basis was the St. George component. Then the Order of Glory for soldiers and sergeants appears, there, too, on the order block, we see the St. George ribbon. Well and when Soviet Union won the war, a medal "For Victory over Germany" appeared, on the order box there is also a St. George's ribbon. And if we look at the anniversary medals of our veterans, the St. George format is reproduced everywhere, ”the historian explains.

The chain of times, according to the interlocutor, closed when in 2005, at the celebration of the next anniversary of the Great Victory, people wanted to find some symbol that would not have been invented, but took into account both Russian and Soviet traditions and would be understandable to modern youth. “The St. George ribbon has become such a symbol. She gained popularity very quickly. Twelve years have passed, and it became clear that this is a good designation of the holiday and participation in it. And, of course, this is a kind of belonging to the Russian world, a sign that you remember the victories of your ancestors, and these are Nevsky, Kutuzov, Bagration, Zhukov, Vasilevsky, ”says Alexander Semenenko.

As you can see, there was no need to invent anything in order to get a bright and close to millions of the symbol of the great holiday. “You just need to comprehend traditions and carefully try to recreate everything. If it were superficial, artificially imposed, it would probably be rejected. The ribbon continues to live, and it continues to unite us all - both the fallen and the living, and those who will be after us, ”the interlocutor concludes.

The black and yellow colors reproduce the colors of the state emblem under Catherine II: a black double-headed eagle on a gold background. The image of George both on the state emblem and on the cross (award) itself had the same colors: on a white horse, a white George in a yellow cloak, killing a black snake with a spear, respectively, a white cross with a yellow-black ribbon. Here is the true meaning of ribbon colors. But today we often hear that gamma means smoke and flame. Alternatively, gunpowder and flame. Sounds nice, but it's not true.

Hello my dear readers... Victory Day celebrations are not far off. Numerous residents of the country will hang St. George's ribbons not only on their chests, but also on bags, cars, and even woven into their hair instead of ribbons. Do you know what the St. George ribbon means? Where did it come from, the designation of the stripes and colors? This is what I want to tell you today.

How the St. George ribbon appeared

The history of its appearance begins in the 18th century. National colors The Russian Empire was considered white, orange (yellow), black. The coat of arms of the country was decorated with these shades. On November 26, 1769, the Order of St. George the Victorious was established by Catherine II. It included a ribbon that received the name "Georgievskaya" in honor of this order, which was awarded for military services to generals and officers.

In 1807, another medal was approved - a sign of merit of the Military Order. This award was also dedicated to Saint George the Victorious. The unofficial name is St. George's Cross. Since 1913, non-commissioned officers and soldiers have been honored with the St. George medal.

All these awards were received along with the St. George ribbon. If, for some reason, the cavalier was not awarded the order, he received the St. George ribbon.

At the beginning of the 19th century, St. George's standards appeared. After the Marine Guards crew received this award in 1813, the sailors began to wear the St.George ribbon on their headdresses. For the distinction, ribbons were awarded to entire military units by order of Emperor Alexander II.

After October revolution In 1917, all tsarist medals were canceled by the Bolsheviks. But even after that, the ribbon was awarded for merit.

In the post-revolutionary period, the most respected insignia were considered "For the great Siberian campaign" and "For the ice campaign". These awards included St. George ribbons.

What do the colors and stripes mean?

The St. George ribbon, according to the statute, had two stripes yellow color and three black. Although immediately instead of yellow tint orange was used.

Even Catherine the Great, establishing the color of the ribbon, relied on the meaning of yellow as a sign of fire, and black as a symbol of gunpowder. The black color is also interpreted as smoke, but this does not change the essence. Therefore, flames and smoke represent military glory and soldier's prowess.

There is another version. I already said that I chose this particular color range(gold, black), like the coat of arms of Russia.

In heraldry, it is customary to symbolize a black shade with mourning, earth, sadness, peace, death. The golden hue symbolizes strength, justice, respect, power. Therefore, the color scheme of the St. George ribbon combined respect for the heroes and participants of the battle, regret for its victims, glorification of the courage and strength of the fighters, at the cost of whose lives justice was restored.

Another version says that the color symbolism of these shades is associated with the face of St. George the Victorious, where he defeats the snake.

There is also a consideration that the stripes on the St.George ribbon personify the death and return to life of St.George the Victorious. He met death three times, and was resurrected twice.

It should be noted that there is still controversy over the designation of colors.

Symbol

The St. George ribbon became a symbol of Victory on May 9, 1945. By the decree of the Presidium of the USSR Armed Forces, the medal "For Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945" was introduced from this date. It is with this ribbon that the block of the medal is covered.

The medal was awarded not only for special merits, but also to all participants in the hostilities. This honor was awarded even to those who left the service due to injury, and transferred to another job.

The approximate number of awardees is around 15 million.

The Order of Glory was awarded only for personal merits. Commanders, home front workers, developers of military equipment did not receive such an honor. The medal was awarded only to ordinary soldiers on the basis of the statute of the order:

• Personal capture of a German officer.
• Personal destruction of a mortar or machine gun in an enemy position.
• Capture an enemy banner while ignoring your own safety.
• Performing a military mission from a tank weapon while in a burning tank.
• Providing assistance to the wounded in a number of battles under enemy fire at the risk of their lives.
• Destruction of the bunker garrison (trench, bunker, dugout) in spite of the danger.
• Removal or seizure of a sentry patrol (post, secret) of the enemy at night.
• Destruction of an enemy warehouse with military equipment during a night sortie.
• Saving a banner in a moment of danger from being captured by the enemy.
• Creation of a passage in an enemy wire fence during hostilities.
• When the wounded soldier returns to the battlefield again.

As you can see, my dear readers, the order was awarded to those who daily endangered their lives and really tried to do everything in the name of a great victory.

How the tape was worn

The tape was worn in different ways. Everything depended on the class of the gentleman. Three options were possible:

• On the neck.
• In the buttonhole.
• Over shoulder.

Can you imagine how proud the winners of this award felt? Also interesting is the fact that the soldiers who received this award also received a lifetime reward from the treasury. After the death of the awardees, the ribbon passed to their heirs. But the awards could be deprived if any act was committed that tarnished the reputation of the George Knight.

St. George ribbon today

Every year on May 9, we see this ribbon in many people as a sign of respect for the fallen heroes of the war. This promotion originated in 2005. Its creator is Natalya Loseva, who works for RIA Novosti. This agency, in a tender with the ROOSPM "Student Community", are the organizers of the action. It is funded by local and regional authorities, supported by the media and businessmen. Volunteers distribute ribbons to everyone.

The purpose of the holiday is to express respect and gratitude to the veterans who died on the battlefield. When we wear the St. George ribbon, it means that we remember the Second World War and are proud of our valiant ancestors. The ribbon is distributed free of charge. Most often, we see it and wear it precisely during the celebration of Victory Day.

As you can see, dear readers of my blog, the history and significance of the St. George ribbon are important today. Do you wear this Victory Sign during the holiday? Share the article with your friends. And, of course, don't forget to subscribe to blog updates.

Best regards, Ekaterina Bogdanova

Badge of Distinction of the Military Order- an award sign to the Order of St. George for the lower ranks from 1917 for outstanding bravery shown in battle against the enemy. The insignia of the Military Order was the highest award for soldiers and non-commissioned officers.

The first to receive the soldier's Georgy was the non-commissioned officer of the Cavalry Regiment, Yegor Ivanovich Mitrokhin, for his distinction in the battle with the French near Friedland on June 2, 1807. The first cavalier of the soldier George served from 1793 to 1817 and retired with the lowest officer rank of ensign. However, the name of Mitrokhin was first included in the lists only in 1809, when the cavaliers from the guards regiments were the first to be included in the lists being compiled. Ensign of the 5th Jaeger Regiment Vasily Berezkin received a cross for the battle with the French near Morungen on January 6 (), 1807, that is, for a feat accomplished even before the award was established.

When instituted, the soldier's cross did not have degrees, there were also no restrictions on the number of awards for one person. Unlike the officer's order, the soldier's award was not covered with enamel; it was minted from silver of the 95th test (now the 990th test). By a decree dated July 15, 1808, holders of the Military Order insignia were exempted from corporal punishment. The insignia could be withdrawn from the awarded only by court and with the obligatory notification of the emperor.

There was a practice of awarding civilians of the lower classes with the Military Order insignia, but without the right to be called a knight of the insignia. One of the first in this way was awarded the Kola bourgeoisie Matvey Andreevich Gerasimov. In 1810, the ship on which he was carrying a cargo of flour was captured by an English warship. A prize team of eight British soldiers under the command of an officer was landed on a Russian ship, the crew of which was 9 people. 11 days after the capture, taking advantage of the inclement weather on the way to England, Gerasimov and his comrades took the British prisoner, forcing them to officially surrender (give up the sword) and the officer in command, after which he brought the ship to the Norwegian port of Vardo, where the prisoners were interned.

There is a known case of a general being awarded a soldier's award. It was M.A.Miloradovich for a battle with the French in a soldier's formation near Leipzig. The silver cross was presented to him by the Emperor Alexander I, who watched the battle.

• St. George's Crosses 1st Art. - OK. 33 thous.
• St. George's Crosses 2nd Art. - OK. 65 thous.
• St. George's Crosses 3rd Art. - OK. 289 thous.
• St. George's Crosses 4th Art. - OK. 1 million 200 thousand

To designate the serial number (“per million”), “1 / M” was stamped on the upper side of the cross, and the rest of the numbers were placed on the sides of the cross. On September 10, 1916, according to the Highest approval of the opinion of the Council of Ministers, gold and silver were removed from the St.George Cross. They began to be stamped from "yellow" and "white" metal. These crosses have under serial numbers letters "ZhM", "BM". St. George's crosses were numbered: 1st degree "ЖМ" - 10,000 (No. 32481 to 42480), 2nd degree "ЖМ" - 20,000 (No. 65031 to 85030), 3rd degree "BM" - 49,500 (No. 289151 to 338650), 4th degree "BM" - 89,000 (No. 1210151 to 1299150).

The statute

• The insignia of the Military Order consists of a silver cross, in the circle of which, on one side, is the image of St. George on a horse, and on the other, the monograms of St. George and the number under which the one who has this badge is included in the list of those granted by them.
• The insignia of the Military Order is worn in the buttonhole on the St. George ribbon.
• This insignia is acquired only on the battlefield, during the siege and defense of fortresses, and on the waters in sea battles. It is given only to those lower ranks who really serve in the Land and Naval Forces, will distinguish themselves with particular courage against the enemy.
• It goes without saying that in any case, only those lower ranks acquire the right to be awarded the insignia of the Military Order, which, when performing feats, combine exact obedience to their leaders with courage.
• The insignia of the Military Order is never removed, even if the one who received it was produced by an Officer; but if by promotion to Officers, he will be awarded the Knight of the Order of St. George, in which case the insignia should already be removed.

For the cross, a soldier or non-commissioned officer received a salary one third more than usual. For each additional mark, the salary was increased by a third until the salary was doubled. The surplus salary remained for life after dismissal; widows could receive it for another year after the death of the cavalier.

The awarding of the soldier George also gave the following benefits to those who distinguished themselves: prohibition of the use of corporal punishment against persons with the insignia of the order; when transferring cavaliers awarded the St.George cross of non-commissioned officer rank from army regiments to guards, preserving their previous rank, although the guards non-commissioned officer was considered two ranks higher than the army.

If a cavalier received an insignia in the militia, then he could no longer be given to military service("Shave into the soldiers") without his consent. However, the statute did not rule out the forcible surrender of the cavaliers to the soldiers, if they are recognized by the landowners as persons "whose behavior will break the general peace and quiet."

It should be noted that often a certain number of crosses were allocated to a unit that distinguished itself in battle, and then the most distinguished soldiers were awarded with them, taking into account the opinion of their comrades. This order was legalized and was called the "company sentence". Crosses received on the basis of a "company sentence" were valued more in the soldier's environment than those received on the recommendation of the commander.

Extracts from the 1913 Statute of the Order of St. George:

George cross for representatives of the non-Christian faith with the image of an eagle instead of St. George

• First highest degree: Golden Cross, worn on the chest, on the St. George ribbon, with a bow; in the circle of the Cross on the obverse there is an image of St. George, and on the reverse - the monogram of St. George; at the transverse ends back side The number of the cross is carved, under which the one who has the Cross of the first degree is included in the list of those granted this degree, and at the lower end of the Cross there is an inscription: 1st step.

• Second degree: The same gold Cross, on the St. George ribbon, without a bow; on the transverse ends of the reverse side of the Cross, a number is carved, under which the one who has the Cross of the second degree is included in the list of those awarded with this degree, and at the bottom there is an inscription: 2nd step.

• Third degree: The same Silver Cross on the St. George ribbon, with a bow; at the transverse ends reverse side a number is cut out, under which the person who has the Cross of the third degree is included in the list of those awarded with this degree, and at the bottom there is an inscription: 3rd step.

• Fourth degree: The same silver Cross, on the St. George ribbon, without a bow; on the transverse ends of the reverse side of the Cross, a number is carved, under which the awarded Cross of the fourth degree is included in the list of those granted with this degree, and at the bottom there is an inscription: 4th step.

The new statute also introduced lifelong monetary incentives to the knights of the St. George Cross: for the 4th degree - 36 rubles, for the 3rd degree - 60 rubles, for the 2nd degree - 96 rubles and for the 1st degree - 120 rubles per year. For holders of several degrees, an increase or pension was paid only for the highest degree. It was possible to live a normal life on a pension of 120 rubles, the salary of industrial workers in 1913 was about 200 rubles a year.

The Cavalier of the 1st degree also complained about the title of ensign, and the Cavalier of the 2nd degree received such a title only when he was discharged into the reserve.

For the fight against the Bolsheviks

Contrary to popular misconception, the St. George Cross was not "legalized" by the Soviet government or officially allowed to be worn by the Red Army. After the start of the Great Patriotic War, many older people were mobilized, among whom were the participants of the First World War, who were awarded the St. George's Crosses. Such servicemen wore awards in a "clear order", in which no one hindered them, and enjoyed legitimate respect in the army.

After the introduction of the Order of Glory into the system of Soviet awards, which is in many ways similar in ideology to "soldier George", an opinion appeared to legitimize the old award, in particular, a letter is known to the chairman of the Council of People's Commissars and the State Defense Committee I. V. Stalin from the professor of VGIK, a former member of the first Military-Revolutionary Committee on Aviation of the Moscow Military District and Knight of St. George N. D. Anoschenko with a similar proposal:

… I ask you to consider the issue of equating b. Knights of St. George, awarded this order for military exploits committed during the last war with damned Germany in 1914-1919, to the knights of the Soviet Order of Glory, since the statute of the latter is almost completely consistent with the statute b. the Order of George and even the colors of their order ribbons and their design are the same.

By this act, the Soviet government will first of all demonstrate the continuity of the military traditions of the glorious Russian army, a high culture of respect for all heroic defenders of our beloved Motherland, the stability of this respect, which will undoubtedly stimulate both b. Knights of St. George, and their children and comrades to perform new feats of arms, for each combat award pursues not only the goal of just rewarding the hero, but it should also serve as an incentive for other citizens to perform similar feats.

Thus, this event will further strengthen the combat power of our valiant Red Army.

Long live our great Motherland and its invincible, proud and brave people, who have repeatedly beat the German invaders and are successfully crushing them now under your wise and firm leadership!

Long live the great Stalin!

Professor Nick. ANOSHCHENKO 22.IV.1944

A similar movement ultimately resulted in a draft resolution of the Council of People's Commissars:

In order to create continuity in the military traditions of Russian soldiers and pay due respect to the heroes who smashed the German imperialists in the war of 1914-1917, the SNK USSR decides:

1. Equate b. Knights of St. George, who received St. George's Crosses for military exploits performed in battles against the Germans in the war of 1914-17, to the Knights of the Order of Glory with all the benefits arising from this.

2. Allow b. to the Knights of St. George, wearing on the chest pads with an order ribbon of the established colors.

3. Persons subject to this resolution are issued a medal book of the Order of Glory marked “b. Knight of St. George ", which is drawn up by the headquarters of military districts or fronts on the basis of the submission of the relevant documents (original orders or service records of that time)

This project never became a real resolution.

List of persons who were full holders of the St.George Cross and bore the title of Hero of the Soviet Union

Five such people are known:

1. Ageev, Grigory Antonovich (posthumously)
2. Budyonny, Semyon Mikhailovich (one of the three three times Heroes of the Soviet Union)
3. Lazarenko, Ivan Sidorovich (posthumously)

The owner of the "full bow" of the soldiers Georgiev KI Nedorubov wore the Gold Star of the Hero for his exploits on the fronts of the Second World War, together with crosses.

Cavaliers

Knights of the St. George Cross. Photo of 1915

Future marshals had two crosses - non-commissioned officer Georgy Zhukov, lower rank Rodion Malinovsky and junior non-commissioned officer Konstantin Rokossovsky.

The future Major General Sidor Kovpak had two crosses, during the Great Patriotic War - the commander of the Putivl partisan detachment and the formation of partisan detachments of the Sumy region, which later received the status of the First Ukrainian partisan division.

Maria Bochkareva became a famous Knight of St. George during the First World War. In October 1917, she was the commander of the famous women's battalion guarding the Winter Palace in Petrograd. In 1920, the Bolsheviks shot her.

The last Knight of St. George, awarded on Russian soil in 1920, was the 18-year-old sergeant-major P.V. Zhadan, for rescuing the headquarters of the 2nd Cavalry Division of General Morozov. Zhadan, at the head of a squadron of 160 checkers, scattered the cavalry column of the Red Divisional Commander Redneck, which was trying to escape from the "bag", directly to the division headquarters.

Recovery in the Russian Federation

The insignia "St. George's Cross" was restored in the Russian Federation in 1992. Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Russian Federation dated March 2, 1992 No. 2424-I "On state awards of the Russian Federation" established:

Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet No. 2424-I was approved by the Resolution of the Supreme Soviet of the Russian Federation dated March 20, 1992 No. 2557-I "On approval of the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Russian Federation" On state awards of the Russian Federation ".

see also

Notes (edit)

1. Highest Manifesto of February 13, 1807
2. Talanov A.I. Voenno-istoricheskiy zhurnal, 1991, No. 1
3. The 84th fineness corresponds to coin silver. In the pre-revolutionary branding system, it means that there are 84 spools of pure silver in 96 spools (1 lb.) of the item.
4. Nominal decree of July 15, 1808.
5. Kovalevsky N.F. History of the Russian State. Biographies of famous military leaders of the 18th - early 20th centuries. M., 1997

Over the entire period of Russian history, there were many different awards and medals. One of the most honorable are the St. George's Crosses. This award was the most massive at the time Tsarist Russia... The soldier's St. George's Cross was carefully kept in the family of the soldier who received it, and the full knight of the St. George's Cross was revered among the people on a par with the epic heroes of fairy tales. The particular popularity of this award was brought precisely by the fact that it was awarded to the lower ranks. The royal army, that is, ordinary soldiers and non-commissioned officers.

This award was equivalent to the Order of St. George, which was established by Catherine the Great in the 18th century. The cross of St. George was divided into 4 degrees:

• St. George's cross, 4th degree;
• St. George cross, 3rd degree;
• St. George's cross, 2nd degree;
• St. George's cross, 1st degree.

They received this award only for the incredible valor that they showed on the battlefield. First, they gave out the St.George cross of 4 degrees, then 3.2 and 1 degrees. Thus, the one who was awarded the St.George Cross of the first degree became a full Knight of the St.George Cross. Performing 4 feats on the battlefield and staying alive at the same time was a manifestation of incredible military skill and luck, so it is not surprising that such people were treated like heroes.

The St. George's Crosses were awarded to soldiers for over 100 years, they appeared shortly before Napoleon's invasion of Russia, and were abolished after the First World War, during which several million people received this royal award, although few were awarded the St. George Cross of the first degree.

With the coming to power of the Bolsheviks, the St. George's Crosses were abolished, although even before the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, the medal "For Courage" was introduced, which somehow copied the St. George's Cross. Convinced that the medal "For Courage" is highly respected among the military, the Soviet command decided to establish the Order of Glory of three degrees, which almost completely copied the Tsar's St. George Cross.

Although most of the tsarist awards in Soviet Russia were very unpopular, and wearing them was almost equal to treason, the bosses often turned a blind eye to the wearing of the St. George crosses by the old front-line soldiers. The following famous Soviet commanders had the St. George crosses:

• Marshal Georgy Zhukov;
• K. Rokossovsky;
• R. Malinovsky;
• Budyonny, Tyulenev and Eremenko were full Knights of St. George.

One of the most legendary partisan commanders of wartime, Sidor Kovpak, also had a St. George cross of two degrees.

In Tsarist Russia, all those awarded the St. George Cross received a cash bonus, and they were also paid a life pension, the amount of which varied depending on the degree of the cross. Such an award as the St. George Cross gave its owner numerous unspoken privileges in civil life and nationwide respect.

History of the St.George Cross

Many modern sources do not share awards such as the Order of St. George and the Cross of St. George, although these are completely different awards. The Order of St. George was established in the 18th century, and the St. George Cross in the 19th century.

In 1807, Emperor Alexander I received a proposal to establish some kind of award for soldiers and non-commissioned officers who distinguished themselves in the performance of combat missions. Say, this will help strengthen the courage of Russian soldiers, who, in the hope of receiving the coveted reward (which provides monetary reward and a lifetime pension) will fight, not sparing their lives. The emperor considered this proposal quite reasonable, especially since news of the Battle of Preussisch-Eylau reached him, in which Russian soldiers showed miracles of courage and endurance.

In those days, there was one a big problem: a Russian soldier, who was a serf, could not be awarded an order, since the order emphasized the status of its owner, was, in fact, a knightly insignia. Nevertheless, the courage of the Russian soldier had to be somehow encouraged, so the Russian emperor introduced a special "insignia of the order", which in the future became the St. George Soldier's Cross.

"Soldier George", as he was popularly called, could only be received by the lower ranks of the Russian army, who showed selfless bravery on the battlefield. Moreover, this award was not handed out at the request of the command, the soldiers themselves determined which of them was worthy to receive the St. George's Cross. The St. George Cross was awarded for the following merits:

• Heroic and skillful actions on the battlefield, thanks to which the squad managed to win in a seemingly hopeless situation;
• Heroic capture of an enemy banner, preferably straight from under the nose of a stunned enemy;
• Capturing an enemy officer;
• Heroic actions preventing the capture of a group of their soldiers;
• A sudden blow to the rear of the superior forces of the enemy, which entailed his flight and other similar feats on the battlefield.

At the same time, injuries or concussions on the battlefield did not give absolutely any right to a reward, unless they were received in the process of carrying out heroic activities.

According to the then existing rules, it was necessary to wear the St.George cross on a specially St.George ribbon, which was threaded through the buttonhole. The first soldier who became a Knight of the Order of St. George was non-commissioned officer Mitrokhin, who received it at the battle of Friedland in 1807.

Initially, the Cross of St. George did not have any degrees and was issued an unlimited number of times (this is in theory). In practice, the Cross of St. George was issued only once, and the next presentation was purely formal, although the salary of a soldier increased by a third. The undoubted advantage of a soldier awarded this distinction was the complete absence of corporal punishment, which was widely used at that time.

In 1833, the St. George Cross was included in the statute of the Order of St. George, in addition, at the same time, the procedure for awarding soldiers to the commanders of armies and corps was entrusted, which significantly accelerated the awarding process, since it used to happen that the hero did not live to see the solemn awarding.

In 1844, a special St. George Cross was developed for soldiers who profess the Muslim faith. Instead of St. George, who is an Orthodox saint, a double-headed eagle was depicted on the cross.

In 1856, the St. George cross was broken into 4 degrees, while its degree was indicated on the cross. How difficult it was to get the 1st degree cross of St. George is evidenced by impartial statistics. According to her, there were about 2,000 full holders of the Order of St. George in its entire history.

In 1913, the award was officially renamed "St. George's Cross", in addition, the St. George Medal for Bravery, which also has 4 degrees, appeared. Unlike the soldier's award, the St. George medal could be awarded to civilians and military personnel in peacetime. After 1913, the St. George Cross began to be issued posthumously. In this case, the award was passed on to the relatives of the deceased and kept as a family heirloom.

During the First World War, about 1,500,000 people received the St. George's Crosses. Of particular note is the first Knight of St. George of this war, Kozma Kryuchkov, who received his first cross for the destruction of 11 German cavalrymen in battle. By the way, until the end of the war, this Cossack became a full Knight of St. George.

For the first time in the history of the St. George Cross, it began to be presented to women and foreigners. Due to the difficult situation of the Russian economy during the war, awards began to be made of low-quality gold (grades 1 and 2) and they significantly lost weight (grades 3 and 4).

Judging by the fact that more than 1,200,000 St. George crosses were issued during the First World War, the heroism of the Russian army was simply at the highest level.

An interesting case is the receipt of the St. George Cross by the future Soviet Marshal Zhukov. He received it (one of several of his crosses) for a shell shock, although this award was given only for well-defined feats, clearly indicated in the statute. Apparently, acquaintances among the military commanders in those days could easily solve such problems.

After the February Revolution, officers could also receive the St. George's Cross, if it was approved by the soldiers' meetings. During the Civil War, the White Guards were still awarded the St. George's Crosses, although many soldiers considered it a shame to wear the orders received for the murders of their compatriots.

What the St. George cross looked like

St. George's cross is called a "cross" precisely because of its shape. This is a characteristic cross, the blades of which widen at the ends. In the center of the cross there is a medallion, which depicts Saint George, plunging a serpent with a spear. On the reverse side of the medallion there are letters "C" and "G", made in the form of a monogram.

The cross was worn on the St. George ribbon (which has nothing to do with the modern St. George ribbon). The colors of the St.George ribbon are black and orange, symbolizing smoke and fire.

The most famous knights of the St.George Cross

During the existence of the St. George Cross, more than 3,500,000 people were awarded them, although the last 1.5-2 million are quite controversial, since they were issued in the First World war often not deserving of merit. Many holders of the Orders of St. George became famous not only for receiving this award, but also are historical figures:

• The famous Durova, or "the cavalry girl", who served as the prototype for the heroine from the "Hussar Ballad", was awarded the St. George Cross for saving the life of an officer;
• The Decembrists Muravyov-Apostol and Yakushkin also had the St. George crosses, which they received for military services in the battle of Borodino;
• General Miloradovich received this award from the hands of Emperor Alexander, who personally saw Miloradovich's courage in the battle of Leipzig;
• Kozma Kryuchkov, who was a full Knight of the Order of St. George, became Russian hero in life. By the way, a Cossack died in 1919 at the hands of the Red Guards, defending the tsarist regime until the end of his life;
• Vasily Chapaev, who went over to the side of the Reds, had 3 crosses and a St. George medal;
• Maria Bochkareva, who created the women's "death battalion", also had this award.

Despite the massiveness, now it is quite difficult to find the St. George's crosses. This is due to the fact that they were minted from gold (1 and 2 degrees) and silver (3 and 4 degrees). In February, the provisional government was strenuously collecting awards "for the needs of the revolution." During the Soviet period, when there was famine or blockade, many exchanged their awards for flour or bread.

The memory of the St. George Cross was revived in 1943, when the Order of Glory was established. At present, everyone is familiar with the St. George ribbon, which is used to decorate people celebrating Victory Day. However, not everyone knows that although the ribbon symbolizes the Order of Glory, its roots go much deeper.