Which buildings in the arches have the St. George Cross. St. George's Cross

Original taken from hanzzz_muller to the GEORGIAN CROSS

[From the history of awards - part I]
This cross is the most famous award. The badge, known in the military history of Russia as the "St. George's Cross" - the most legendary, revered and massive award of the Russian Empire.

1. Institution.
The original title of the award is "The Insignia of the Military Order of the Holy Great Martyr and Victorious George." It was established by the Supreme Command of Emperor Alexander I of February 13 (23), 1807. The task is to encourage the courage of the lower ranks and to note thereof. The name of the first recipient is known - Egor Ivanovich Mitrokhin, non-commissioned officer of the Cavalier Guard regiment - for the battle at Friedland, in Prussia on December 14, 1809, "for the skillful and brave fulfillment of instructions." Friedland is the current city of Pravdinsk.

These are different awards with different statuses. And they look different.

2. Rewarding rules.
Unlike all other soldier’s medals, the cross was awarded exclusively for a specific feat, because "this insignia is acquired only on the battlefield, during the siege and defense of fortresses, and on the waters in naval battles." The list was clearly and in detail regulated by its Status.
It is characteristic that not only a soldier could receive an award for the feat indicated there. Future Decembrists Muravyov-Apostol and Yakushkin, who fought at Borodin with the rank of ensign who did not give the right to an officer’s award, received St. George’s Crosses No. 16697 and No. 16698. There is a known case when a soldier’s award was awarded to the General — Count Mikhail Miloradovich in a battle with the French in a battle in the ranks of soldiers near Leipzig received the St. George Cross 4th degree. The vicissitudes of fate - in 1825 he was shot dead on the Senate Square by the Decembrist Kakhovsky.

3. Privileges.
The lower rank - the knight of the St. George Cross in the army was spared corporal punishment. A soldier or non-commissioned officer awarded him a salary one third more than usual, for each new cross the salary was added one third more, until the salary was doubled. The surplus salary was maintained for life after dismissal, and widows could receive it during the year after the death of the gentleman.

The award block of the times of the Crimean War: The insignia of the military order of the Holy Great Martyr and Victorious George, medals - "For the defense of Sevastopol" and "In memory of the Crimean War of 1853 - 1854 - 1855 - 1856" . The shoe was tied to a uniform on a rope.

4. Degrees.
Since March 19, 1856, four degrees of the award were introduced, the awarding was carried out sequentially. Signs were worn on a ribbon on the chest and were made of gold (1st and 2nd) and silver (3rd and 4th). The numbering of signs did not become common, but began anew for each degree. “Either the chest in the crosses, or the head in the bushes” is all about him.

5. St. George Knight.

Full St. George Knight - all four degrees of the cross, 1st and 3rd degree - a block with a bow. Two medals on the right are “For Courage”.

The only one who received crosses 5 times is Semyon Mikhailovich Budyonny, and because of his love for scuffle. His first award, the St. George Cross of the 4th degree, he was deprived of in court for assaulting a senior in rank. I had to receive the award again, already on the Turkish front, at the end of the 14th year. The St. George Cross of the 3rd degree was received by him in January 1916 for participating in the battles near Mendelage. In March 1916 - awarded with a cross of the 2nd degree. In July 1916, Budyonny received the 1st degree St. George’s Cross, for five of them brought 7 Turkish soldiers out of a sortie.

6. Women.
Several cases of women being awarded the cross are known: this is the “cavalry girl” Nadezhda Durova, who received the award in 1807, she is listed under the name of the cornet Alexander Alexandrov in the lists of cavaliers. Another woman, Sophia Dorothea Frederic Krueger, non-commissioned officer from the Prussian brigade Borstell, received the St. George Cross for the battle of Dennevice in 1813. Antonina Palshin, who fought in World War I under the name of Anton Palshin, had St. George crosses of three degrees. Maria Bochkareva, the first female officer in the Russian army, commander of the "female death battalion" had two Georges.

7. For foreigners.

8. For the Gentiles.
From the end of August 1844, a special cross was erected to reward servicemen of a different faith, it differed from the usual one in that the coat of arms of Russia, a two-headed eagle, was depicted in the center of the medallion. The first full knight of the cross for the Gentiles was the police junker of the 2nd Dagestan equestrian irregular regiment Labazan Ibrahim Khalil-oglu.

9. The feat of the "Varangian".

Award block of the lower rank of the cruiser crew. On the right is the specially established medal "For the battle of the Varangian and Korean on January 27, 1904 - Chemulpo"

Gift address for crew members from the Noble Assembly of St. Petersburg.

10. St. George's Cross.
The award began to be officially called the St. George Cross since 1913, when the new statute of the "insignia of the Military Order" was approved, the numbering of the crosses from that time on began anew. The new statute also introduced lifelong monetary support: 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, increase for several degree holders or the pension was paid only for the highest degree. A pension of 120 rubles in those days was a decent amount, the salary of a skilled worker in 1913 was about 200 rubles a year.

11. About numbering.
The first crosses of 1807 were not numbered. This was corrected in 1809, when it was ordered to draw up accurate lists of gentlemen, and temporarily remove and number the crosses. Their exact number is known - 9 937.

Numbering will allow to establish to whom the award belonged. This cross of the 4th degree - junior non-commissioned officer of the Grenadier Corps of the engineer battalion Mikhail Bubnov, order No. 180 dated July 17, 1915, was distributed by the Grand Duke Georgy Mikhailovich on August 27 of the same year (archive of the RGVIA, fund 2179, inventory 1, file 517 )

The numbering of the crosses was resumed several times - from a different design of the font of the numbering, you can determine to which of the periods the award belongs. When during the First World War the number of awards exceeded one million, on the reverse, the designation 1 / M appeared on the upper beam of the cross.

12. St. George ribbon.

It is traditionally believed that the colors of the tape - black and yellow mean “smoke and flame” and are a sign of the soldier’s personal valor on the battlefield. Another version - these colors are based on the life of St. George the Victorious and symbolize his death and resurrection: St. George went through death three times and was twice resurrected.
There is a simpler version. The colors of the ribbon at the establishment of the Order of the Holy Great Martyr and Victorious George in 1769 were established by Catherine II and took the colors of the imperial standard: black and yellow-gold, excluding white, for coloring the ribbon.

13. After February 17th.

Left: St. George cross with a laurel branch. This was awarded to officers who distinguished themselves in battle after February 1917. To receive the award, a decision of the assembly of lower ranks was required. Right: Posters 1914-17.

14. Against the Bolsheviks.
During the Civil War in the White Army, military awards were rare, especially in the initial period - it was considered immoral for the White Guards to award Russian military awards for their exploits in the war against the Russians. General Wrangel, in order not to reward the St. George Cross, established a special order of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, which was equated with St. George.

15. The cross in World War II.
Legend claims that during World War II, the possibility of restoring the award and resuming rewarding with the St. George Cross was considered, but was rejected because of its religious background. The Order of Glory, a soldier's award - a star on the block of the St. George Ribbon, has a very similar award status with the St. George Cross.

1945 year. Demobilized soldiers who arrived in Leningrad. On the right is a participant in three wars of the Guard, Private F. G. Vadyukhin. A famous photograph testifying to an unusual rule for the Red Army that appeared during the war - gentlemen of the George Cross were unofficially allowed to wear these awards.
Photos from the link: http://waralbum.ru/38820/

Philip Grigoryevich Vadyukhin Born in 1897 in the village of Perkino, Spassky district, Ryazan province. Drafted into the Red Army on October 16, 1941 by the Vyborg RVC of the city of Leningrad. He was a shooter, then a medical instructor in the 65th Guards Rifle Regiment of the 22nd Guards Rifle Division of Riga. In addition to the St. George Cross and the Guards badge, four stripes for injuries, the Order of the Red Star, the Order of Glory of the third degree (awarded to him for helping 40 wounded and evacuating 25 wounded under enemy fire on December 26-31, 1944 in the vicinity of the village of Muzikas in Latvia, are visible on the photo) ) and two medals “For Courage”.

16. Archive.

Data on the recipients are currently stored in the Russian State Military Historical Archive (RGVIA) in Moscow. The data is incomplete - some of the documents from military units did not manage to get into the archive due to the events of the 17th. After the First World War, it was planned to build a temple and a memorial dedicated to all St. George Cavaliers, however, for well-known reasons, the good initiative was never realized.

17. Nowadays.
The Russian military order of St. George and the sign “George Cross” were restored in the Russian Federation in 1992 by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Russian Federation of March 2, 1992 No. 2424-I “On State Awards of the Russian Federation”. Awarded 11 people.
No comments.

18. P. S. - private opinion about the St. George ribbon.
On Victory Day I don’t wear the St. George ribbon. I don’t even cling to the car. A ribbon is always a sign of a holder of an award. I didn’t “take away the enemy’s banner or standard”, I didn’t even “take away our banner or the standard captured by the enemy”.
And if he didn’t deserve it, then he was not worthy to wear it.

Application (for an amateur).
19. Manufacturing technology.
"GEORGIAN CROSS" - ON THE COIN.
Magazine "Spark" No. 5 of February 1 (14), 1915, p. 5-6

The dream of every warrior, from the simple private and up to the commanders of entire armies, from the smallest cog in a complex machine that protects the homeland from the attack of the enemy, up to its most gigantic levers and hammers, is to bring home, as a result of swearing suffering, proof of personal courage and military prowess silver or gold cross of St. George on a two-tone, black and yellow ribbon.
Titanic wars, like the current one, entail many victims on the altar of popular love and devotion to the homeland. But the same war will give birth to many exploits, many deeds of truly heroic deeds will be crowned with the highest award to the brave, the St. George Cross.
“We are literally trying to do the impossible,” said Baron P.V. Klebek, head of the Petrograd Mint, to our employee, “in order to satisfy the orders given to us by the Chapter of Orders for the production of St. George crosses and medals. The Mint’s room is so small it does not correspond to the actual needs of the present, that the only palliative was the introduction of almost continuous work for whole days, with the exception of those intervals that are necessary for lubricating machines and Mint devices.
Thanks to such intensive work, we were able to achieve the fact that there were no delays in meeting the data of reinforced orders for coins, St. George's crosses and medals. During the last four months of the past year, one silver bargaining chip was minted by the Mint for 8,700,000 rubles or 54,000,000 more than enough circles; copper coins were minted for a million rubles over the same period, for this it took to knock out about 60,000,000 copper circles.
For 1915, we have already received an order for the manufacture of silver coins for 25,000,000 rubles and copper coins for 1,600,000 rubles, which will total over 406,000,000 circles. St. George's crosses and medals are made in a special "medal" department of the Mint. Upon receipt of an order from the Chapter of Orders for the production of the required number of crosses and medals, from the metal treasury of the Mint the necessary number of gold and silver bars is released to the medal department. Upon receipt of the ingots in the medal compartment, the metals enter the smelter, where noble metals are melted in the graphite crucibles with the right amount of pure copper.
Silver and gold, from which St. George's crosses and medals are made, are made of a very high standard, higher than gold and silver, which is used to make coins. For the latter, nine hundred parts of the noble metal and one hundred parts of copper are taken per thousand parts. For the manufacture of St. George's crosses and medals, only ten parts of copper and nine hundred ninety parts of pure electrolytic gold or silver are taken per thousand parts.
The ligation process in the crucible occurs within three to three and a half hours. After that, a sufficiently molten and mixed mass of metal is poured into special molds, “molds” (image No. 1), in which the metal cools down in the form of strips with a length of about eight points, a thickness of one square inch and a weight: silver strips of 20 pounds, gold - 35 pounds.

These strips are rolled through special rollers into ribbons a little wider than the width of the cross and the medal. The next stage in the manufacture of crosses and medals is the cutting of the tape (picture No. 2), i.e. cutting metal pieces from tapes with the machine equal to the contours of the cross and circles equal to the contours of the medal. The resulting crosses and circles are cleaned with files of burrs or burrs and enter a special department, where they are cleaned and polished with sand (picture No. 3).
The crosses cleaned in this way go under the so-called pedal press, where the chasing of St. George's crosses (picture No. 4) takes place, that is, the image of St. George the Victorious (picture No. 12) is pressed on both sides of the cross (picture No. 12), on the other side is the cipher and the degree symbol picture No. 13). On the medal, a portrait of the Sovereign Emperor is minted on one side (picture No. 14), on the other, “for courage” and a degree designation (picture No. 15). Both crosses and medals are known to have four degrees. The first and second degrees of both medals are gold, the third and fourth silver.

When chasing along the edges, the metal is flattened and therefore the crosses from under the medal press are sent for trimming to a special machine (picture No. 5, on the left is the assistant manager, mining engineer AF Hartman), which gives the cross its final look. From under this machine, a cross falls for final finishing and grinding the edges with files (picture No. 6. On the right: in front of the Mint head, Baron P.V. Klebek, behind the medal part is mining engineer N.N. Perebaskin), after which there is a special machine pierces the ear, which ends the machine processing of crosses. It remains to make a knockout on each cross and medal. Pictures No. 10, 11, 12 and 13 depict the gradual stages of the development of St. George's Crosses, after which a special machine pierces the eye, which ends the machine processing of the crosses. It remains to make a knockout on each cross and medal.

After strips of metal come out of the melting compartment, small pieces of metal are taken from the first, last and middle strips of this batch and sent to a special “assay” department of the Mint, in which compartment and using extremely accurate tools, the metal sample is determined (snapshot No. 9). We also mention the stamping automatic machines that make stamps for medals and crosses (photo No. 8).

Head of the medal department, mining engineer N.N. Perebaskin shared with our employee information on the progress of work: “For the entire Japanese campaign, over the course of a year and a half, we only had to make up to one hundred and thirty thousand crosses. Now, for the period of time from July 24 (the day we received the first order from the Chapter Orders), on January 1, 266,000 pieces of George Crosses were ordered and 350,000 pieces of George medals. Having vigorously completed this order, we managed to hand over 191,000 pieces of George Crosses and 238,000 pieces of George Crosses on January 1 of this year. On the day we make crosses we melt 12 pounds of silver and up to 8 pounds of gold. A thousand gold crosses weigh 1 pound 11 pounds of metal, 1,000 silver crosses 30 pounds, 1,000 gold medals 1 pound 22 pounds, silver one pound. "

20. Authentication.
1. The original, silver or gold, high quality metal - due to the practical absence of alloys (only 1% copper). The silver of the cross (until 1915) practically does not darken.
2. The original cross has clearer details. The cross and numbering were made by the method of the strain at high pressure, while copies are made by casting. In addition, casting leaves micro-sinks.
Size 3. Of course, the technology of dental prosthetics has stepped far forward, but the size of the copy, due to its cooling after casting, will be slightly slightly smaller than the original.
4. Grooves from a stamp of a form. On the side surfaces of the original cross, even after processing, they are clearly visible. When casting, reproducing them is problematic.
5. The hole of the eye was pierced by a special machine, which slightly deformed the cross. The edge of the hole is not rounded.

During the First World War, several St. George cavaliers appeared, each having five (!) Crosses. Today I will mention only a few of them, although at least three more are not in this list!

This is soldier George of all 4 degrees (on the left the first - on the right the fourth, with bows 3 and the first)

the so-called St. George bow (a full bow included 4 more St. George medals for courage)

Officer George Crosses (everything is clear - where is which)

Scheme of the correct wearing of officer crosses of St. George

Ilya Vasilievich Volkov, repeatedly distinguished himself in battles during the war with Japan, and then in World War I. His five St. George's crosses are still kept in the family.

Crosses of St. George:

4th degree (No. 42701)

3rd degree (No. 86324) - received it not immediately ... but after being wounded

already in the new part another cross of the 3rd degree (No. 117607)

2nd degree (No. 18654)

1st degree (No. 14357)

Another hero is the namesake of Ilya Vasilyevich, Avenir Nikolaevich Volkov, also received five St. George's crosses.

Back in the Japanese war, he already had four degrees of reward, and in the very first battles of the First World War he distinguished himself again and received the second time the highest degree of the Cross of St. George.

Third hero Peter Leonov, all five crosses deserved in the German war.

Fourth hero: Zhidik Alexey Vasilievich, lieutenant of the 9th hussar Kiev regiment.

The ensign of the 9th hussar Kiev regiment, in this regiment another was an ensign with 5 crosses.

There was another hero - who received two first-degree Georgians at once in one day (two exploits!) From the hands of Tsar Nicholas.

There was another one, I don’t remember the name ... I have to dig and search :(

There were heroes full cavaliers who received their 5th crosses with wreaths (for the struggle against the Soviet regime) - in particular, two of them were in the famous Kappelevsky (Baikal) crossing in the winter of 1919.

There were such cavalier heroes who, having received all 4 degrees of George, became officers and managed to get Officer George!

Here is one of them in the photo! full St. George Knight, 4 crosses and 4 medals for courage + officer cross of the 3rd (?) degree

In the Foto Dmitry Ivanovich Mitaki (1892 - 1953) - The complete St. George Cavalier (awarded by Emperor Nicholas II in the Peter and Paul Church in Bendery (Moldova), military intelligence officer, 19 wounds. Not all are preserved in the Museum of the History of Moldova (now the Republic of Moldova), duplicates of his awards and several old photographs, numbers of medals "For Courage": No. 166722, No. 707194.

to his left: with 4 crosses and 2 medals P.I. Krizhenovsky

* Sorry, Ramadan, that I was ahead.

i give you everything that is - your post will turn out better and better!

** information about the gentlemen of 6 crosses I check.

Infrequently, it was practiced awarding the same degree of the Cross of St. George several times. So, the Lieutenant of the Life Guards of the 3rd Rifle Regiment, G. I. Solomatin, was awarded two St. George crosses of the 4th degree, two 3rd degrees, one 2nd degree and two 1st degree.

The most complete hero in soldier’s crosses and St. George medals Salomatin lieutenant of the Life Guards Rifle Regiment (born in 1893 (?), 13 crosses and St. George medals in total

SEVEN George Crosses (4X2 + 3x2 + 2nd + 1x2 \u003d 7!)

St. George medals 6? (2 to Japanese and 4 to World War I)

*** next time I’ll tell you about 83 heroes represented (or even received) 4 (FOUR) Orders of Glory!

and about three who deserve this glorious order 5 (FIVE) times !!!

One of them is still my great countryman from the suburbs of Krasnoyarsk! (True, he wears only those 4 Orders of Glory that were handed to him - someone in Moscow considered that he would already have a lot ...)

But Nikolai Evgenyevich Litvinenko is not sad about this ... As well as about the senior soldier’s rank of Starshina that he still has not received until now during the Second World War!

We plan to organize a petition to the award department - so that the veteran is given his well-deserved third medal of the Order of Glory of the 2nd degree.

- the most legendary, revered and massive award of the Russian Empire and the most famous in the military history of Russia. Initially, this award was called the “Insignia of the Military Order of the Holy Great Martyr and Victorious George” and was established by the Supreme Command of Emperor Alexander I of February 13 (23), 1807 as an award of lower military ranks for “undaunted courage”.

The name of the first recipient of this award was Yegor Ivanovich Mitrokhin, non-commissioned officer of the Cavalier Guard regiment — for the battle at Friedland, in Prussia on December 14, 1809, “for the skillful and brave fulfillment of instructions.

Award Rules. Unlike all other soldiers’s medals, they awarded the St. George Cross exclusively for a specific feat, because "this insignia is acquired only on the battlefield, during the siege and defense of fortresses, and on the waters in naval battles." The list was clearly and in detail regulated by its Statute.

It is characteristic that not only a soldier could receive an award for the feat indicated there. Future Decembrists Muravyov-Apostol and Yakushkin, who fought at Borodin with the rank of ensign who did not give the right to an officer’s award, received St. George’s Crosses No. 16697 and No. 16698. There is a known case when a soldier’s award was awarded to the General — Count Mikhail Miloradovich in a battle with the French in a battle in the ranks of soldiers near Leipzig received the St. George Cross 4th degree.

Privilege. The lower rank - the knight of the St. George Cross in the army was spared corporal punishment. The soldier or non-commissioned officer awarded him received a salary one third more than usual, for each new cross the salary was added one third more, until the salary was doubled. The surplus salary was maintained for life after dismissal, and widows could receive it during the year after the death of the gentleman.

Degrees. Since March 19, 1856, four degrees of the award were introduced, the awarding was carried out sequentially. Signs were worn on a ribbon on the chest and were made of gold (1st and 2nd) and silver (3rd and 4th). The numbering of signs did not become common, but began anew for each degree. “Either the chest in the crosses, or the head in the bushes” is all about him.

Full St. George Knight - all four degrees of the cross. It is known that Semyon Budyonny, being the Full St George Knight, received crosses 5 times, moreover, because of his love for scuffle. His first award, the St. George Cross of the 4th degree, he was deprived of in court for assaulting a senior in rank. I had to receive the award again, already on the Turkish front, at the end of the 14th year. The St. George Cross of the 3rd degree was received by him in January 1916 for participating in the battles near Mendelage. In March 1916 - awarded with a cross of the 2nd degree. In July 1916, Budyonny received the 1st degree St. George’s Cross, for the five of whom brought 7 Turkish soldiers from the sortie.

Women George Knights. There are several cases of women being awarded the cross. "Cavalry Maiden" Nadezhda Durova, who received the award in 1807, she is listed under the name of the cornet Alexander Alexandrov in the lists of cavaliers. Another woman, Sophia Dorothea Frederic Krueger, non-commissioned officer from the Prussian brigade Borstell, received the St. George Cross for the battle of Dennevice in 1813. Antonina Palshin, who fought in World War I under the name of Anton Palshin, had St. George crosses of three degrees. Maria Bochkareva, the first female officer in the Russian army, commander of the "female death battalion" had two Georges.

From the end of August 1844, a special cross was erected to reward servicemen of a different faith, it differed from the usual one in that the coat of arms of Russia was depicted in the center of the medallion - a two-headed eagle. The first full knight of the cross for the Gentiles was the police junker of the 2nd Dagestan equestrian irregular regiment Labazan Ibrahim Khalil-oglu.

The award began to be officially called the "St. George's Cross" from 1913, when the new statute of the "insignia of the Military Order" was approved, the numbering of the crosses from this time began anew. The new statute also introduced lifelong monetary support: 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, increase for several degree holders or the pension was paid only for the highest degree. A pension of 120 rubles in those days was a decent amount, the salary of a skilled worker in 1913 was about 200 rubles a year.

About numbering. The first crosses of 1807 were not numbered. This was corrected in 1809, when it was ordered to draw up accurate lists of gentlemen, and temporarily remove and number the crosses. Their exact number is known - 9 937.

It is traditionally believed that the colors of the tape - black and yellow mean “smoke and flame” and are a sign of the soldier’s personal valor on the battlefield. Another version - these colors are based on the life of St. George the Victorious and symbolize his death and resurrection: St. George went through death three times and was twice resurrected. There is also a simpler version. The colors of the ribbon at the establishment of the Order of the Holy Great Martyr and Victorious George in 1769 were established by Catherine II and took the colors of the imperial standard: black and yellow-gold, excluding white, for coloring the ribbon.

09/10/1916 according to the Highest approval of the opinion of the Council of Ministers, gold and silver were removed from the George Cross. They began to stamp from White and Yellow metal. These crosses have the letters "BM", "ZhM" under serial numbers.

After February 1917.On July 24, 1917, the Provisional Government adopted a decree according to which officers who distinguished themselves in battle were awarded the George Cross. To receive the award, a decision of the assembly of lower ranks was required. Also, the award of the Laurel branch was established to the cross. It was made according to the color of the metal of the cross.

During the Civil War of 1917-1922 in the White Army, rewarding with crosses was a rarity, especially in the initial period - it was considered immoral for the White Guard to award Russians with military decorations for their exploits in the war against the Russians. General Wrangel, in order not to reward the St. George Cross, established a special order of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, which was equated with St. George.

The last St. George cavalier awarded on Russian soil in 1920 was the 18-year-old vakhmister P.V. Zhadan, for saving the headquarters of the 2nd cavalry division of General Morozov. Zhadan, at the head of a squadron of 160 drafts, scattered the horse column of the red commander Zhloba.

Recent awards took place in 1941 in the ranks of the Russian Corps - a collaborationist formation that fought on the side of Nazi Germany in Yugoslavia with the partisan units of the People's Liberation Army of Yugoslavia Josip Broz Tito.

Cross in the Great Patriotic War. The soldier’s order of Glory of three degrees, established at the height of World War II, became an analogue of the St. George’s soldier’s cross in the Soviet Army. The statute of the order recalls the provision of the St. George’s Cross. The order has the same ribbon of black and orange colors as soldier George.

In the same colors are painted ribbons capless guards of the naval warships. On the ribbon of St. George's coloring, the medal "For the victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945" was approved.

Contrary to a widespread misconception, the St. George Cross was not “legalized” by the Soviet government or officially authorized to be worn by the Red Army. After the start of World War II, many older people were mobilized, among whom were participants of the First World War, awarded with St. George's Crosses. Such servicemen wore awards “in good order”, which no one interfered with, and enjoyed legitimate respect in the army.

After introducing into the system of Soviet awards the Order of Glory, which in many respects was ideologically similar to “soldier George,” an opinion arose to legitimize the old award. In particular, it is known a letter addressed to the chairman of the Council of People’s Commissars and the State Defense Committee I.V. Stalin from Professor VGIK, a former member of the first Military Revolutionary Committee on Aviation of the Moscow Military District and St. George Knight, N. D. Anoshchenko.

This movement, ultimately, resulted in a draft resolution of the Council of People's Commissars:

DRAFT DECISION OF SNK OF THE USSR

April 24, 1944 In order to create continuity of the fighting traditions of Russian soldiers and to give due respect to the heroes who smashed the German imperialists in the war of 1914-1917, the USSR Council of People's Commissars decides: 1. To equate b. St. George Knights, who received St. George Crosses for military exploits committed 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. St. George cavaliers wearing chest pads with a sash of established colors. 3. Persons subject to this decision shall be issued the order book of the Order of Glory marked "b. to the George Cavalier, ”which is formalized by the headquarters of military districts or fronts on the basis of the submission to them of relevant documents (genuine orders or track records of that time).

But, the project never became a real resolution, unfortunately ...

1945 year. Member of three wars, the Guard Private F. G. Vadyukhin. A famous photograph testifying to an unusual rule for the Red Army that appeared during the war - gentlemen of the George Cross were unofficially allowed to wear these awards. In addition to the George Cross and the Guards badge, the photo shows the orders and medals of the Soviet Union: the Order of the Red Star, the Order of Glory of the third degree (awarded to him for helping 40 wounded and evacuating 25 wounded under enemy fire on December 26-31, 1944 in the vicinity of the village of Muzikas in Latvia) and two medals “For Courage”.

Archive. Data on those awarded the St. George Cross is currently stored in the Russian State Military Historical Archive (RGVIA) in Moscow. The data are incomplete - some of the documents from military units did not manage to get into the archive due to the events of 1917. After the First World War, it was planned to build a temple and a memorial dedicated to all St. George Cavaliers, however, for well-known reasons, the good initiative was never realized.

In 1992 by the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Russian Federation dated March 2, No. 2424-I “On state awards of the Russian Federation”, the military order of St. George and the sign “George Cross” were restored. Now they are awarded 11 people.

Site materials used: http://foto-history.livejournal.com/3509535.html and http://clubs.ya.ru

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“Chest in crosses or head in bushes” - the applicants for this award lived by this principle, and were sure that honoring the difference was worth the risk. In the tsarist army, the St. George Cross was one of the most respected differences, despite its "soldier" status. The soldiers who received it often became celebrities. The officers who deserved the soldier's distinction were respected by their comrades and subordinates more than the owners of elite badges on the neck. The word "George" was symbolic, and the details of the sign were disassembled into symbols already individually.

Today, the award has been restored, and its symbolic significance is still great.

Reward for Kindred

The main feature of the St. George Cross - it was intended exclusively for the lower ranks (soldiers and non-commissioned officers). Their earlier orders were not supposed to be awarded at all. Orders were considered solely a privilege of the nobility (compare: “Knightly Order”). Therefore, the cross was not called an order, but a "sign of the order."

But in 1807, impressed by the war with Napoleon, Tsar Alexander heeded the advice of an unknown person who recommended the establishment of an award for ordinary soldiers. The first awarded was the soldier Yegor Mitrokhin, who distinguished himself in the battle with the French.

Cavaliers relied on increased salaries and exemption from corporal punishment (including the usual scuffle at the time by officers, although not officially).

The award should not be confused with the Order of St. George - “Officer George”. It was intended exclusively for officers.

At the same time, the conscious part of the command staff of the Russian army valued precisely the soldier's version. The "soldiers" on the officer tunic were admirable. Often they were officers who served the title of valor, or previously demoted for a duel, freethinking and other matters that were not considered dishonest.

To create such an occasion for demotion, courage was required. She helped to earn the soldier George and quickly return the lost title. The soldiers also respected officers with such distinctions. It was especially chic to have both soldier and officer George.

Special award conditions

The conditions for awarding the St. George Cross were severe and significantly different from the conditions provided for officer awards.

You could get it only for participating in the hostilities.
She was given out only as a personal feat (capturing a useful captive, enemy banner, saving the life of a commander or other similar act). Injury or participation in a major campaign did not give such a right.
It was handed over only to the lower ranks. Exceptions are units.

One soldier could be awarded repeatedly. Accordingly, he received more privileges - his salary increased, after his retirement “increased pension” was appointed.

The award conditions have changed several times.

Initially, there were no degrees, and the cross itself was issued to the soldier only once. If he had the right to claim him again, he was only noted and accrued appropriate remuneration. In 1833, the form of wearing a sign (with the well-known to everyone) was introduced.

In 1844, a variety appeared "for the Gentiles." It was almost secular in nature - the image of a saint on it was replaced by a two-headed eagle. Anecdotal cases of resentment of Muslim highlanders in the Russian service are known who received these awards and who were offended because a “bird” was standing on the crosses, not a “dzhigit”.

In 1856, 4 degrees of reward appeared. Now it should be given from the lowest (4 degrees) to the highest. The cross of St. George 4 and 3 degrees was made of silver, the highest degrees - of gold.

In 1913, the unofficial name of the award became official. Under the new statute, those awarded with the St. George Cross 4 degrees received (in addition to other privileges) the right to a lifelong pension of 36 rubles per year (this is small), for the following degrees the amount of remuneration increased.

Initially, the award marks did not have numbers.

But in 1809 the numbers were entered, and even the already issued awards were renumbered (having temporarily withdrawn them). At the same time, the compilation of personal lists of people awarded the St. George Cross began. Some of them were preserved in the archives, and even now it is easy to determine the owner of the award by number.

In 1856 and 1913, numbering began anew. But the opportunity to determine the owner by number remained. In recent years, it has helped to establish the identities of some of those who died in World War II. Not so long ago, the remains of a soldier who died near Stalingrad were identified. There were no personal items or a medallion with him, but the soldier wore "George" on his chest.

Difference for all time

Before the revolution, respect for the gentlemen of St. George was not in doubt. They had the right and even the obligation to wear awards constantly. For daily use provided thumbnail "St. George's Cross." They were told about the winners in the newspapers; they were “heroes of the nation”.

But even during World War I, the status of the award was omitted. For the sake of raising morale (the war was not popular), the command did not distribute crosses according to the charter. So many award marks were issued and handed out in advance as if the entire Russian army consisted of miraculous heroes (this was clearly not the case). After the February Revolution of 1917, the award completely lost its value (Kerensky received 2 pieces - he is still a soldier!).

In the White Army during the Civil War, there was an attempt to restore the practice of awarding distinguished students. But the ideological representatives of the white movement doubted the morality of such a step - to celebrate "heroism" in a fratricidal war, "not authorized" by the monarch. However, there were awards, and the appearance of the sign underwent some changes.

The Don army, for example, turned the saint into a Cossack. In the 30 ... 40s, white emigration occasionally issued awards to white figures and anti-Soviet agents. But this did not cause former respect.

The mass of gentlemen of the cross of St. George went to serve in the Red Army. There they did not have any privileges (officially abolished in 1918).

A part of the award marks disappeared in the framework of the operation “diamonds for the dictatorship of the proletariat” - the golden St. George crosses were handed over to the state to buy food for the starving.

But they were awarded, who kept them, and did not subject to any repression for this. Marshal Budyonny (who had the iconostasis of Soviet awards) constantly wore only a complete set of St. George.

Such actions were not encouraged, but the authorities did not pay attention when experienced older soldiers (who had already left for the second world war in their lives) allowed themselves to do this. The experience and skills of such fighters cost more than ideological trifles.

During the Great Patriotic War, the Order of Glory appeared - the Soviet analogue of the tsarist soldier's order. After that, older soldiers were allowed to wear crosses semi-officially and equalized the full set of orders of Glory and the full St. George set.

Revival of the old reward

After the collapse of the USSR, George officially returned to the list of Russian awards in 1992. But the creation of a new statute took time, and then immediately - changes. It was assumed that the awards as before would be for participating in the battles for the defense of the Fatherland. But the Ossetian events of 2008 changed the situation. Now St. George's Crosses of the Russian Federation are also awarded for distinction during fights outside the country.

There is also a jubilee medal "200 years to the cross of St. George."

Post-Soviet times are a black period in the history of the award. The poverty of the first years after the collapse of the USSR led to the “bidding” of what cannot be traded. Including orders and medals, Soviet and Tsarist, turned into goods. To openly call their “market price” is simply immoral - this is the same as trading in the homeland.

But on the market now there are a lot of “St. George's crosses” of private production (making awards is a priority of the Mint). They are difficult to distinguish from the originals - museum workers conduct thorough checks of the signs that come to them. But it’s better to let it be so - copies of the St. George’s Crosses are not rewards; to trade them is not a crime. You can at least hang a pectoral cross on a St. George ribbon - for history it will not become valuable from this.

The historical value of the award depends on the time of its release and affiliation, which can be determined from the lists of the awarded. The price of metal is not important.

High status confirmation

Many famous people and entire military units had St. George crosses. In some cases, it is difficult for our contemporaries to even assume that they could be with a particular person.

Rewarding Shurochka Azarova in the "Hussar Ballad" is not invented. This is an episode of the biography of Nadezhda Durova, the prototype of the heroine.
The soldier distinction was General Miloradovich, who was killed during the Decembrists' speech.
Marshal Budyonny didn’t even have 4, but 5 Georgievs. The first 4 degrees were taken from him as punishment for a fight. But Budyonny immediately earned a new one, and then went up.
The famous "Vasily Ivanovich" (commander Chapaev) received a little less - 3 pieces.
2-3 awards were given to George Zhukov, Rodion Malinovsky, Konstantin Rokossovsky - it is not surprising that they became Marshals of Victory!
The partisan general Sidor Artemievich Kovpak had 2 "George." Then he added 2 Gold Stars to them. Only 7 heroes of the Soviet Union were at the same time full St. George cavaliers.
The teams of the cruiser "Varyag" and the accompanying gunboat "Koreets" were awarded as military units.
During World War I, 2 French and 1 Czech pilots were awarded.

In the lists of cavaliers come across completely strange characters. So, search engine enthusiasts unearthed in them a certain von Manstein and a certain ... Hitler! They have nothing to do with the Third Reich and odious namesakes.

The unexpected side of fame

St. George's Cross - the most famous Russian award. Because of this, it is associated with Russia in general. Attempts are made to “appropriate” it in its entirety, as well as its individual attributes.

The authorities of unrecognized DNR and LC are now giving out their analogues. The status of these awards is not determined due to the uncertain situation of the republics themselves.

Even more often, the St. George ribbon is used - the colors of the order block. Theoretically, they should symbolize "smoke and flame" (black and orange stripes). But this does not interest anyone - they consider the ribbon as a symbol of Russian power.

For this reason, it is used in symbolism in Russia-friendly states. Countries whose relations with Russia are strained seek to ban it.

So, in Ukraine, the public use of the ribbon is treated even as a criminal offense.

Today, some orders of Russia are quoted higher than the St. George Cross. His rebirth is not intended to change the hierarchy of rewards. It is simply a tribute to the glory of the ancestors and an attempt to revive the continuity of generations where it is worth doing.

Video

Award awarded to representatives of the lower ranks of the imperial army from 1807 to 1917. For a long time, this name was unofficial, until in 1913 it was fixed in the statute. The insignia assigned to the Order of St. George was the highest praise for the soldiers and non-commissioned officers. He was awarded for military merits and courage on the battlefield. Today we will get acquainted with the history of the establishment and use of St. George's Crosses of 4 degrees.

Idea

On January 6, 1807, in a note filed in the name of Alexander the First from an unknown author, the establishment of a soldier’s award, class 5, or a special branch of the Order of St. George, was initiated. The note also suggested that it be made in the form of a silver cross not on the St. George ribbon. The emperor liked this initiative, and already on February 13 of the same year, under his manifesto, a reward for “undaunted courage” was instituted for lower military ranks. According to the 4th article of the manifesto, it was necessary to wear it on the same colors as the Order of St. George. The cavaliers were commanded to put on this sign always, and to remove it only in case of receiving the Order of St. George. In 1855, it was allowed to combine soldier and officer awards.

First gentlemen

The first soldier awarded the St. George Cross was Yegor Ivanovich Mitrokhin, who distinguished himself in the battle with the French on June 2, 1807. Having served until 1817, he resigned with the rank of ensign. A little later, ensign Vasily Berezkin was awarded soldier George for his services in the battle with the French near Morungen, which took place on January 6, 1807, that is, before the establishment of the award.

Award Practice

At the establishment of 4 degrees, the St. George crosses did not have. The number of awards of one soldier with the insignia was also not regulated. Directly, the cross was awarded only once, and with subsequent awards to the gentleman, his salary was increased by a third, up to a double salary. The soldier’s award was minted from silver and not covered with enamel, unlike the officer’s. On July 15, 1808, a decree was passed exempting the Knights of the St George Cross from corporal punishment. Withdrawal of the insignia from the awarded person could be made only after the relevant court decision and with the obligatory notification of the emperor.

The practice of rewarding the St. George with the civilian population was also widespread, but their representatives were not given the right to be called a gentleman. So, in 1810, Matvey Gerasimov was awarded, who managed to save his vessel carrying flour from being captured by English soldiers. After 11 days of captivity, Matvey Andreevich, along with his crew of 9 people, captured the enemy’s prize team and forced her to surrender. There was also a case when a soldier’s award was awarded to General Miloradovich for his merits in the battle with the French near Leipzig.

At the beginning of 1809, numbering of awards and name lists was introduced. By that time, soldiers received about 10 thousand St. George's crosses. At the beginning of the Patriotic War of 1912, almost 17 thousand crosses were made by the mint. Unnumbered insignia were awarded until 1820. Such awards were mainly awarded to representatives of non-military ranks of the army and guerrilla unit commanders.

From 1813 to 1815 soldiers of the allied armies of Russia opposing the French could become gentlemen of the Cross of St. George. These included: Prussians, Swedes, Austrians, British, and representatives of various German states.

In total, under Alexander the First, about 46.5 thousand people were awarded the Tsar George Cross.

Statute of 1833

In 1833, the provisions on the insignia were also spelled out in the updated statute of the Order of St. George. It was then that they introduced the wearing of the St. George Cross with a bow from an orange-black St. George ribbon, and the gentlemen were honored to receive a full surplus salary for repeated exploits.

In 1839, in honor of the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Paris world, an anniversary variety of the cross was established. Outwardly, it was distinguished by the presence on the upper ray of the reverse of the monogram of Alexander the First. Such an award was presented to the Prussian army.

In August 1844, Nicholas I issued a decree establishing the St. George Cross variety for Muslims and other non-Christian faiths. On such awards, instead of St. George the killing snake, a two-headed eagle of black color was depicted.

During the reign of Nicholas I, almost 59 thousand soldiers received the award. Most of the cavaliers were awarded during the Russian-Persian and Russian-Turkish wars, as well as during the suppression of the Polish rebellion and during the Hungarian campaign.

Since 1855, those holders of the insignia, which were subsequently awarded the Officer Order of St. George, were allowed to wear a cross on their uniforms with the highest award.

Four degrees

In March 1856, the emperor signed a decree on the introduction of 4 degrees of St. George's Crosses. So, the first two degrees were made of gold, and the second - of silver. According to the drawing, the crosses differed only in the words “1 step.”, “2 step.” etc. A separate numbering has been started for each degree. Awarding a military cross of a new level took place sequentially. There were cases when the degree awarded depended on the level of valor shown. For example, on September 30, 1877, General I. Popovich-Lipovac was awarded the 4th degree prize, and on October 23 of the same year, the 1st degree St. George Cross.

From 1856 to 1913 about 7 thousand soldiers were awarded three degrees of distinction other than the first. And the honor of being the full gentleman of “soldier George” (the owner of all 4 degrees of the award) received about two thousand soldiers. The largest number of awards were presented during the Russo-Japanese War, the Russo-Turkish War, the Caucasus Campaign and the Central Asian campaigns.

Statute of 1913

In 1913, in the new statute of the insignia, the award became officially called the St. George Cross. Then began a new numbering of signs. Since 1913, St. George's Crosses of 4 degrees were awarded only to Christians and had a characteristic image of St. George. There was also a provision in the new statute that allowed him to be awarded posthumously a military feat.

It was also practiced awarding a soldier the same degree several times. For example, Warrant Officer G.I. Solomin was awarded a total of 7 crosses and became almost twice a full Cavalier of St. George.

After the adoption of the new statute, Kozma Kryuchkov became the first knight of the St. George Cross on August 1, 1914, who brilliantly proved himself in an unequal battle against 27 German cavalry on July 30 of the same year. Subsequently, Kryuchkov received the other three degrees of the award. Despite all his merits, he did not become the owner of Cross No. 1. The cross with this number was left to the emperor’s discretion and was handed only to September 30, 1914 to Peter Chernoy-Kovalchuk, who captured their banner in a battle with the Austrians.

Repeatedly for their courage in battle, women were awarded the insignia of the Military Order. For example, the Cossack M. Smirnova and the sister of mercy N. Plaksin were awarded three St. George crosses. More than once, foreigners in favor of the Russian army were awarded. So, the French bomber Marcel Plya was awarded two crosses, and his fellow countryman Alfons Poiret - four, as well as the Czech Karel Vashatko.

In 1915, due to the difficulties of the war, signs of the first and second degree began to be made of low-grade gold, in which 39.5% was silver. In total, almost 80 thousand were minted for cheapened crosses. On such crosses under the letter “C” they put a stamp depicting the head.

From 1914 to 1917 was handed:

Insignia of the 1st degree - 33 thousand.
Crosses of the 2nd degree - 65 thousand.
Crosses of St. George 3 degrees - 290 thousand.
4 degree insignia - 1.2 million.

To indicate the serial number after a million, the stamp “1 / M” was used. The remaining figures were placed on the sides of the cross. In September 1916, the Council of Ministers decided to remove precious metals from the George Cross. Signs began to be made of cheap "yellow" and "white" metals. Such crosses had the designation “ЖМ” or “BM” under the serial number. In total, about 170 thousand were issued base crosses.

In the history of the Cross of St. George, cases of rewarding entire units are known:

The crew of the brig "Mercury", which in 1829 took the battle with a pair of Turkish battleships and won it.
The 4th hundred of the second Ural Cossack regiment, which survived in an unequal battle against the Kokandans in 1865.
The crew of the cruiser "Varyag" along with the crew of the gunboat "Koreets" who died in an unequal battle against the Japanese squadron during the Russo-Japanese war.
The 2nd hundred of the first Uman regiment of the Kuban Cossack army, which made the most difficult raid in 1916 as part of the Persian campaign.
The Kornilovsky shock regiment, which broke through positions in 1917 near the village of Yamshitsa.

Change in the country

After the February coup, cases of handing over the St. George Cross for purely political reasons became more frequent. So, the award was awarded to non-commissioned officer Kirpichnikov, who was the leader of the rebellion of the life guard of the Volyn regiment. And Prime Minister Kerensky received crosses of the 2nd and 4th degrees as “the undaunted hero of the Russian revolution who tore the banner of tsarism.”

In June 1917, the Provisional Government allowed the officers to be awarded the St. George Cross by decision of the soldiers ’assembly. In such cases, a laurel branch made of silver was attached to ribbons of signs of degrees 4 and 3, and gold from ribbons of signs of degrees 2 and 1. About two thousand such awards were presented.

On December 16, 1917, the George Cross, as well as other awards of the Russian Empire, was abolished.

Civil War

Due to the lack of a unified command and the disunity of the army, a common award system was not created during the Civil War. A unified approach to the presentation of pre-revolutionary awards was also not observed. In all territories occupied by representatives of the White Army, St. George's crosses and medals were still awarded to ordinary soldiers, Cossacks, non-commissioned officers, cadets, volunteers and charity sisters.

In the south of Russia, as well as in the territories of the Don and Great Armies, George the Victorious was depicted as a Cossack. In the Don army, not only soldiers were awarded crosses, but also officers and even generals.

On February 9, 1919, the rewarding of the St. George Cross was also restored on the Eastern Front of A. Kolchak. At the same time, the presentation of awards with a laurel branch to officers was prohibited.

In the Volunteer Army, awarding with the insignia was allowed on August 12, 1918. It took place on the same grounds as in the Imperial Army. The first award took place on October 4 of that year. In the Russian army of Wrangel, this practice has been preserved.

Wahmister Pavel Zhadan became the last gentleman of "soldier George" during the coup. He was awarded in June 1920 for a significant contribution to the defeat of the horse corps of D. Zhloba.

1930-1950 years

On September 20, 1922, the last rewarding with the insignia on behalf of P.N. It is known that in November 1930 the 4th degree Cross of St. George was awarded to Vladimir Degtyarev for successful reconnaissance missions. In addition, the rank 4 distinction was awarded twice to the ranks of the Russian Security Corps - doctor Nikolai Golubev and cadet Sergei Shaubu. Their rewarding took place in December 1941. Schaub is considered the last St. George Knight since WWII.

Years of the USSR and the Russian Federation

Contrary to popular belief, such a reward as the St. George Cross was not “legitimized” by the USSR government or officially authorized to be worn by representatives of the Red Army. When the Second World War began, many elders of the older generation were mobilized, who participated in the WWII. They were allowed to wear the reward in “safe house”.

When the Order of Glory, ideologically similar to “soldier George,” was introduced into the system of Soviet awards, an opinion appeared about the possibility of legitimizing the old award. As a result, the authorities decided to equate the Knights of the Cross of St. George with the Knights of the Order of Glory and allow them to wear awards in a free manner. The honorary title "Full St. George Knight" received seven heroes of the USSR.

In 1992, the Russian government restored the Order of St. George, and with it the St. George Cross.

Famous Knights

We already know who was awarded the St. George Cross. Now note the most famous among his gentlemen:

N. A. Durova, known by the nickname "cavalry girl." In 1807, she saved the life of an officer in the battle of Gutstadt.
Non-commissioned officer Sofia Dorothea Frederic Krueger representing the Prussian brigade of Borstell. He is also a knight of the Prussian Iron Cross of the second degree.
Future Decembrists ensigns I. Yakushin and M. Muravyov, who fought at Borodin.
Famous characters - Kozma Kryuchkov and Vasily Chapaev received St. George's Crosses of the First World War.
The full cavaliers of “soldier George” were such Soviet military leaders: A. Eremenko, I. Tyulenev, K. Trubnikov, S. Budyonny. At the same time, Budyonny received even 5 awards. The fact is that the first cross of the 4th degree was taken from him for assaulting the vahmistra, and then again issued as a feat on the Turkish front. Semen Mikhailovich received the first degree distinction for 7 Turkish soldiers brought from the enemy rear along with five comrades.
Of the future marshals, R. Malinovsky had three crosses, and G. Zhukov and K. Rokossovsky had two crosses each.
Sidor Kovpak, who during the years of the Second World War was the commander of the Putivl partisan detachment and the formation of Sumy partisans, was awarded two “soldier Georgians”.
Maria Bochkareva, who distinguished herself with her exploits during the First World War, also became a famous knight of the George Cross.
Despite the fact that individual awards continued almost until the end of the 20th century, the last holder of the insignia of the Order of St. George is considered to be P.V. Zhadan, who during the Civil War, being an 18-year-old wachmistr, saved the headquarters of the second horse division of General Morozov.