On the eve of the 70th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, the exploits of Soviet soldiers are involuntarily recalled. Their heroism is captured in prose, poetry, films, performances, monuments. Orders and medals, which have been preserved in old boxes under a pile of papers, remind grandchildren and great-grandchildren of the glorious military path of their grandfathers.
More than one generation of Soviet schoolchildren with bated breath listened to the live stories of veterans. The country could thank its heroes only by celebrating their deeds with worthy awards.
Among the many differences, the Order of the Patriotic War of the 1st degree was considered the main one. The list of those who have been awarded it to date is approximately three million people. Everyone dreamed of him - from a private to an army general.
How did the order come about?
In order to raise morale in 1942, Stalin put forward the initiative to create the Order "For Military Valor". The production of sketches was entrusted to two artists:Kuznetsov and Dmitriev. As a result, the Supreme Commander was presented with two works from each.
Kuznetsov's layout went into revision, but the inscription was taken from Dmitriev's sketch. On a white background, bordering a ruby circle with the image of a sickle and a hammer, there is the phrase: "Patriotic War". The inscription fit so harmoniously into the general view that this led to the decision to rename the insignia into the Order of the Patriotic War.
The award has a number of unique characteristics:
- The first order of the USSR, which appeared during the war.
- The list of those awarded the Order of the Patriotic War 1st class included both people and military units, settlements, enterprises and institutions.
- For the first time, the award had two degrees.
- The only award until the end of the 70s of the XX century, which did not give up after the death of the recipient.
- The first precedent when certain feats were indicated in the statute for submission to the order.
- For the first time in the USSR, a block was used to fasten the order.
- The most numerous award. The list of candidates approved for the Order of the Patriotic War 1st class in 1985 exceeded two million people.
Thanks to this, the order is still the most outstanding sign of the Great Victory.
Decree on establishment dated May 1942. The order underwent changes twice - in June 1943 and in December 1947.
Statute of the order
The paragraphs of the statute definitely prescribe thirty military feats for which it is possible to get into the list of awardedOrder of the Patriotic War, 1st class.
The number of such people could include military personnel of any rank. The order is considered the second in seniority. Fastened on the right side of the chest.
Appearance and description
What the Order of the Patriotic War of the 1st degree looks like. In the photo present in the article, you can see what this award is. This is a star covered with ruby enamel, between the rays of which golden flashes diverge. They also form a star. In the middle of the award is a hammer and sickle made in gold. On the white enamel border is written: "Patriotic War", the words below are separated by a small gold star.
A crossed rifle and a saber are visible on the golden flashes behind the enamel star. Oxidation method was used to cover them.
After a detailed examination of the award in the photo and reading the description, the question naturally arises: "What is the Order of the Patriotic War 1st degree made of?"
The main materials are silver and gold. All non-enamelled and non-oxidized parts are gold-plated. Weight is about 33g. Silver is about 17g, gold is 8g. Diagonal span is 45mm.
On the reverse side there is a pin with a nut, with which the award is attached to clothes.
The 24 mm wide ribbon is made of burgundy moiré with one 5 mm transverse strip located in the middle.
The order book was attached to the award. It must have indicatedpersonal number of the award and details of the recipient. If desired, you can always determine who owns the Order of the Patriotic War, 1st degree. The list of those awarded by number is available in the archives of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.
Types of Order
The award is presented in two main forms:
- The first existed from the moment of approval until mid-June 1943. The end of the beam of the ruby star had an eye on top. A block was fixed on it. A burgundy moire stretched through the horizontal slits. On the block on the reverse side there is a pin and a washer for fastening.
- The second type appeared a year later, after a change in the order according to which orders that look like a star are worn. In this regard, the suspension block was abolished, and the mount was placed directly on the reverse side of the order itself. By the same decree, it was allowed to wear order bars on regular and field uniforms.
It will be interesting and useful to dwell on each species in more detail.
Order on the block
Consists of 4 parts: two stars, hammer and sickle, block. The elements are connected with rivets. The loop on the tip of the beam is one with the order.
Number applied by hand. Raised letters "Mint" were applied to the washer in two lines.
Orders with a block were made in three versions:
- Hanging shoe height 18mm. It is directly attached to the lug of the insignia with a wire soldered to it. On the back of the gold star is a vertical pin.
- Heightsuspension pads 21.5 mm. An additional ring appeared for fastening with the order. The rest corresponds to the first option.
- Everything corresponds to the second option, except for the pin on the back of the gold star.
Order on a pin fastening
The order of this type has a fundamental difference from the previous one. The block was abolished, and there was no need for a loop on the beam. The round washer has a circumference of 33 mm, without inscriptions. The stars are fastened with a nut.
The hole on the reverse side is larger and has three jumpers. The numbers were drawn by hand. The stamped stamp of the Mint was placed on top.
The order on the pin fastening has 4 options for the location of the hallmark and jumpers.
Reissuance of orders
Rewards changed outwardly over time. The Order of the Patriotic War, 1st class, did not escape such a fate. If the award of a regular soldier did not correspond to reality, it was changed to a new one. When reissuing, the previous serial number was kept.
The big reissue took place on the eve of the Victory Parade. The participants were given new type of awards.
Duplicates
Getting the Order of the Patriotic War 1st class instead of the lost one is an exceptional case. It included: war, the elements and unavoidable circumstances.
The duplicate had the serial number of the original followed by the letter "D". It was allowed to be applied manually or with a stamp. Marking depended on the year of issue. There is an assumption that not allduplicates have the letter "D".
Chevaliers of the Order
During the Second World War, the awards took place approximately 350 thousand times. Before 1985 - 20 thousand times.
On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Victory, it was decided to use the Order of the Patriotic War, 1st class, 1985 again. The list of awarded veterans is impressive.
To date, the number of awards is approximately two and a half million.
From the very moment of its appearance, the Order was awarded literally in the trenches, without delaying the paperwork with the design for a long time. This was done to raise the morale of the soldiers and an example to follow.
Captain I. Krikliy was awarded the first Order of the Patriotic War, 1st class. He added to the list of awardees only a year later. The family of the first cavalier who fell in battle received the award in 1971.
Poems and songs are composed about the exploits of those awarded with these orders. Heroes are glorified in the prose and memoirs of front-line soldiers. It is impossible to list them all by name: there are so many of them. But some need to be reminded.
Eighteen Orders of the Patriotic War of the 1st degree were received by the fighters sung in the famous song about the Nameless Height. They fought to the death, repelling the attacks of a company of German soldiers, without retreating, and held their positions. Only two survived. This feat was appreciated by the government.
In 1942, terrible battles were fought during the defense of Stalingrad. It was especially important to prevent the Germans from reaching the Krasny Oktyabr plant. Steel was poured there for productionmilitary equipment. An ordinary soldier, Mikhail Panikakha, at the cost of his life, blocked the way for a tank. For this feat, he received a worthy award, unfortunately, posthumously.
Everyone remembers the unprecedented feat of the Hero of the Soviet Union Gastello. Three crew members who died with him received the Order of the Patriotic War, 1st class. Their surnames: Burdenyuk, Skorobogaty, Kalinin.
This order is considered special for a reason. In 1977, eight years after her death, Epistinia Stepanova was awarded. She raised nine sons, and they all died fighting for their homeland. A mother who steadfastly survived the bitterness of loss deserves a reward like no other.
More than 600 anti-fascist foreigners and the Czech village of Sklabinia received the order.
In addition, they were awarded the Order of the 1st degree:
- 7 military units for valor shown in battle;
- 80 enterprises that have made a significant contribution to helping those fighting at the front;
- 3 editorial offices of the newspaper, whose selfless work covered the course of the war and supported the morale of the soldiers;
- 39 cities in the USSR.
Everyone who received a high award, by their actions, and sometimes by their lives, brought the day of the Great Victory closer. Among them are those who have been awarded the order more than once.
Multiple Cavaliers
For all the severity of the statute that determines the possibility of receiving an award, there were people who repeatedly proved their right to the Order of the Patriotic War, 1st degree.
List of recipients by number of orders received:
- Awarded 4 times: Arapov V. A., Bespalov I. A., Loginov S. D.
- Awarded 3 times: Anokhin S. N., Bazanov P. V., Bezugly I. F., Vasiliev L. I., Egorov L. I., Georgievsky A. S., Kozhemyakin I. I., Kulikov V. G., Lyubimov A. I., Mazuruk I. P., Mosienko S. I., Nagorny N. N., Raspopova N. M., Sergeev A. F., Skobarihin V. F., Shiyanov G. M.
It will take a long time to list those awarded 2 times, as their number exceeds several thousand.
Khrushchev thaw
During this period of time, they decided to revive the award. During the reign of Stalin, many worthy people were undeservedly deprived of honors, and some were declared enemies and traitors.
In the late fifties, this mistake was decided to be corrected. Award lists were issued for the Order of the Patriotic War, 1st degree. The list of awardees included not only Soviet citizens, but also foreigners. Residents of other states, to the best of their ability, helped the wounded soldiers who fell into the territory of the enemy. Sheltered, treated, risking their lives.
Order for the 40th anniversary of the Victory
By the significant date, the government decides to adequately celebrate the heroes of the occasion. Order of the Patriotic War 1st class in 1985 was received by all veterans who survived and had at least one military award.
The order was cast in its original form, but still there are differences. What? First of all - materials. What is the Order of the Patriotic War 1 made of?1985 degree?
Due to the huge number of awardees, it was decided not to use gold. For the manufacture took silver. Separate details, to give the award an appropriate look, were gilded. In all other respects, the award badge is no different. It has a number and an inscription: "The Mint". An order book is attached to the order.
It is a pity that every year the number of WWII veterans is rapidly decreasing. Age, disease, old wounds take their toll. Now these people can rarely be seen on the streets of cities on the most important holiday for them. Very soon the time will come when there will be no one to share living memories with posterity. Flowers and congratulations in the form of soldiers' triangles will not find recipients… And even when the last of them leaves this world, the memory of their feat will remain for centuries.
