Starting from the era of perestroika, the "iconostasis" of the General Secretary of the period of "stagnation" was spoken only derisively. Comments and anecdotes were in the style of Fedot the archer: “On the back, and then there are six of them.”
At the same time, the jokers were absolutely sure that Leonid Ilyich was the absolute world leader in the number of awards, but they could not say how many awards Brezhnev had exactly. Also, they were absolutely unaware of when and in connection with what specific orders and medals were awarded. Perhaps knowledge would have lessened their amusement somewhat. Why was Brezhnev Leonid awarded so many honors? We will consider the awards and titles of this significant person in the history in the article.
Problem with unknowns
Not only the compilers of jokes, but also reputable experts do not undertake to name the exact number of Brezhnev's awards. The problem is in foreign orders and medals, which the leaders of the countries of the Soviet bloc and other allied states generously endowed the leader of the USSR. Their complete list has not been published anywhere, the available data have significant discrepancies. Therefore, it is not worth analyzing them - you cannot rely on unreliable information.
It's easier with Soviet awards. Leonid Ilyich had 16 orders (one of them was awarded posthumously) and 22 medals. By the way, a photo of Brezhnev with all the awards (or at least from the theme that fit on the jacket) is posted in the article.
In work and in battle
But not all Soviet awards can be classified as military. So, Brezhnev was a Hero of Socialist Labor - this, as they say, is from another opera. Also, Leonid Ilyich had several commemorative medals, including, for example, dedicated to the 1500th anniversary of Kyiv. But at that time they were given to all more or less significant people in the country, it was impossible to bypass the top leadership!
At the same time, it is simply unreasonable to say that Brezhnev received his awards only because he had a weakness for them and, as General Secretary, could afford to satisfy this weakness. This is not true, if only because a considerable part of the orders and medals was received by him long before he ascended to the highest post in the country, and Brezhnev's career began from the very bottom. He really fought and really worked hard.
Four-star
From the military awards of Leonid Ilyich, 4 Stars of the Hero of the Soviet Union (and the Order of Lenin to them) attract the attention first of all. But here they can just be recognized as a manifestation of both personal passion for “trinkets” and toadying subordinates. All Stars were received by Brezhnev in the very postwar period (in 1966, 1976, 1978 and 1981, respectively) and already during his tenure as General Secretary.
Yes, it happened thatrewards were found by heroes after a considerable period of time after they had accomplished a feat, and in peacetime, heroism can also be shown. But Leonid Ilyich was not noticed either in the cosmonaut corps or among the rescuers. According to the charter of the award, he had nothing to give even a single copy.
Besides Brezhnev, there was another "four-star" Hero in the USSR. But it was "Marshal of Victory" G. K. Zhukov, and there are no questions about his awards.
For taking everything
Brezhnev Leonid Ilyich’s awards for the capture of Warsaw and Vienna (which he had nothing to do with), as well as “For the Defense of Odessa” attract attention (although he can be dragged here at least through his work in the political department of the Southern Front). But they can in no way be explained by the influence of the post of General Secretary, since they were received before 1964, therefore, at a time when Brezhnev was a fairly prominent party and economic worker, but by no means an all-powerful leader of a huge country.
Probably the medals were received as almost commemorative ones. Such a practice existed in those years, and military awards were issued to well-deserved front-line soldiers (and Brezhnev was one!) in honor of anniversaries or in connection with important events in the life of the country.
Many anniversaries
Medals dedicated to the anniversaries of the Victory and the Armed Forces fall out of this category. Leonid Ilyich had every right to them as a front-line soldier, major general, participant in the Victory Parade. So many participants in the war were marked in this way, and this is only fair.
Writer's Paradox
Before turning to Brezhnev's combat awards he received during the war years, it should be noted that he himself in some way contributed to the formation of a skeptical attitude towards them in society. The reason is the literary activities of the General Secretary.
From the memoirs of Brezhnev's acquaintances who knew him in his youth, it is known that he tried to compose, but did not like to read, did not suffer from the beauty of the syllable, and even his grammar was noticeably lame. Of course, while holding ideological positions in the military and party lines, he could not help but learn a little coherent presentation of thoughts, but it is clear that literature was not the element of Leonid Ilyich.
However, several books were published under Brezhnev's name. Rumors immediately spread about who exactly and under what conditions worked for the General Secretary as a “literary negro”, and the works were perceived with skepticism. But among them was "Small Land" - a description of the heroic history of the unconquered foothold near Novorossiysk!
After the beginning of perestroika, there was even talk that the fighting near Novorossiysk was embellished to please Brezhnev, and Malaya Zemlya actually cost little. So the unrespectable desire to denigrate the name of someone who can no longer fight back led to an even worse result - a direct falsification of history.
1941-1945
Yes, Brezhnev did not go into dashing bayonet attacks, did not throw grenades at enemy pillboxes and did not personally capture particularly valuable prisoners. But theyshouldn't have done that! In the war, he was a brigade commissar, then a colonel and a major general, served in the political department of the Black Sea Group (North Caucasian Front), and then in the political department of the Southern Front.
Colonels and generals are not supposed to personally sit in the trenches and rush at the enemy shouting "Hurrah!". Their task is to organize things in such a way that the rank and file, who should go on the attack, do it effectively.
Brezhnev was at war since the autumn of 1941, and he performed his duties honestly. This is another perestroika injustice - the assertion that political workers only peeped at the soldiers, handed out membership cards and proclaimed inspirational speeches away from the front line. Their task was to constantly be among the fighters, to explain to them, within the framework of a possible military task, to raise their spirits, to motivate them for excellent service. And Brezhnev did it all without hesitation.
Brezhnev's awards: list (short)
Rather, during the war, Brezhnev was even bypassed with awards. At the Victory Parade, he was one of the least decorated generals. He did not have high patrons in the army, and he himself did not show much careerism and did not climb to the fore. Therefore, all his awards of the war period are extremely respectful.
Brezhnev had:
- 2 Orders of the Red Banner;
- Red Star;
- medal "For Military Merit";
- order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky (it was customary to mark high-ranking officers with this award, andmajor general is a suitable candidate for her).
The situation is more serious with the Caucasus and the "Little Land". Leonid Ilyich had a medal "For the Defense of the Caucasus", and who can say that the deputy head of the political unit of the Black Sea military group did not deserve it? And for the liberation of Novorossiysk, political officer Brezhnev was awarded the Order of the Patriotic War (1st degree). And is it possible to object anything here if he was transported dozens of times under shelling by sea to a bridgehead isolated from land in order to fulfill his duties as an ideological leader there! It is known that once his seiner even ran into a mine, and it cost the colonel-political officer an unplanned bath. But even after this incident, he continued to regularly visit Malaya Zemlya.
Defeated Germany
Leonid Ilyich received another military award after a considerable period of time after the end of the war. This is the medal "For the Victory over Germany". But even here it is difficult to see subservience or injustice. Brezhnev had not yet become General Secretary by that time, and this medal was awarded to many front-line soldiers who went through the entire war some time after the Victory.
Brezhnev did not go to the front in the very first days of the war only because, as the third secretary of the regional committee in Dnepropetrovsk, he was involved in ensuring the mobilization and evacuation of strategic industries - a more than good reason! But already in the fall he was in the army, and until the end of the war he did not leave the service. The medal was rightfully his.
Choose "Victory"
But withone military order came out the same embarrassment. In 1978, Brezhnev was awarded the Order of Victory. They were counted in the USSR on units, this award relied on outstanding commanders for the successful organization of several operations on a scale no smaller than the front. It is clear that there was no reason to hand it to Brezhnev - it was a case of currying favor with the country's leader.
In 1989, the Presidium of the Supreme Council canceled this award. Everything would be right, if not for one "but" - it is very easy to take away awards from the dead … Brezhnev had been gone for almost 7 years by that time, and anything could be done with him.
Red Army Brezhnev
You can award not only medals and orders. Among other things, Brezhnev was the owner of personalized weapons - Mauser and checkers. Questions may arise about the second (given in 1978). Although why not - a military man. The Mauser was received in 1943 and undoubtedly deserved.
Foreigners will sort it out themselves
As for the foreign awards of Brezhnev Leonid Ilyich, among them were those with military status. But these awards are on the conscience of the leaders of the respective states. They know better who deserved their state orders and medals and how many times. Claims for this can only be made by their own peoples.
For eternity
No one has been able to provide convincing evidence that during the funeral of Brezhnev, 44 officers carried pillows with his awards - this is all newspaper gossip, TV shooting does not allow us to judge accurately. But it is certain that the widow of the General Secretary gave everythinghis awards for safekeeping in the Order Chamber - the family considered them the property of the state.
Highest rank
And there are such awards for Brezhnev Leonid Ilyich, which neither the authorities, nor the mockery of ignoramuses, nor time can take away.
Marine Marine Maria Aleksandrovna Galushkina, a volunteer sergeant, during the war served not only as a nurse, but also as a liaison officer, and even a sniper. She is the owner of the Red Star and three medals "For Courage". The word of such a person is worth a lot.
So, the “good, desperate man” Lenka Brezhnev remained in her memory. Exactly. And nothing else is needed.
