The St. George Cross was considered the most honorable soldier's award in the Russian army during the First World War. The award had four degrees. And the count of the full knights of the St.George Cross was in the thousands. And the warriors who also became Heroes Soviet Union, can be counted on one hand.
Rodina represents this outstanding six.
IVAN TYULENEV (1892 - 1978)
Origin.The son of a soldier.
Chin, place of service. Dragoon, junior non-commissioned officer of the 5th Dragoon Kargopol regiment.
Merit. Cross of the IV degree - for the difference in the battle on September 11, 1914, when, "being surrounded by the enemy at the patrol near the village of Holupki-Sechki, he broke through the enemy lines and joined the squadron, giving valuable information about the enemy and his rear" 1.
Cross of the III degree, replaced by a cross of the II degree - for the fact that on July 14, 1915, together with two colleagues, they attacked a German patrol, chopped up 11 people and took three prisoners 3.
Cross III degree - awarded on November 6, 1915 by the Grand Duke Georgy Mikhailovich in memory of the anniversary of the war 4.
Cross I degree - awarded in early February 1917.
In April 1917 he handed over all the awards to the Revolution Fund.
Career... He took the side of the Bolsheviks. Entered the Academy General Staff Red Army, where he met the legendary Chapaev. He served with Budyonny, participated in the suppression of the Kronstadt and Tambov uprisings, commanded a cavalry brigade and a division. In 1921 he became twice a "Red Banner" - a holder of two Orders of the Red Banner.
He commanded a brigade, a division, and inspected cavalry in the North Caucasian district. In 1938 he was appointed commander of the troops of the Transcaucasian Military District. In 1940 he became one of the first Soviet army generals (apart from him, only G.K. Zhukov and K.A.Meretskov were awarded such an honor).
The beginning of the Great Patriotic War met with the commander of the Moscow Military District.
1941-1945. On the first day of the war, he led the Southern Front defending Soviet Moldavia. At the end of the first military summer, in the battles near Dnepropetrovsk, he was seriously wounded, after recovering from which he received an order to form 20 reserve divisions in the Urals within two months. Stalin signed the mandate for this at a critical moment for the country, on October 13, 1941, when the Germans were rushing to Moscow.
Later he commanded the Transcaucasian Front and was able to prevent the breakthrough of the Nazis to the strategically important fields of Grozny and Baku oil. For many years, Tyulenev's merits remained unrecognized. Once, in his hearts, he threw: "Probably, the Caucasus should have been surrendered and then liberated. Then the assessment of the activities of the front command would have been higher."
He became a Hero of the Soviet Union only in 1978, on the occasion of the anniversary of the Red Army (the 86-year-old veteran became the oldest Hero). He died six months later.
STROKE TO PORTRAIT
In January 1964, the son-in-law and daughter presented Tyulenev with a set of St. George's crosses bought from collectors for his birthday, on which the engraver engraved the numbers of those that belonged to Tyulenev. The next year Tyulenev donated this set to the Historical Museum 6.
KONSTANTIN NEDORUBOV (1889 - 1978)
Origin.From the Don Cossacks.
Chin, place of service. Cossack, sergeant of the 15th Don Cossack General Krasnov of the 1st regiment.
Merit. Cross III degree - for the battle near Przemysl in December 1914, when he single-handedly captured 52 Austrians.
Cross III degree - for the attack on the Austrian fortifications near Balamutovka and Rzhaventsy on April 27, 1915. Then the Russian troops overcame three rows of wire barriers, broke into the enemy's trenches, where a fierce hand-to-hand fight broke out. The Austrians were driven out of their positions, capturing eight officers, about 600 soldiers, three machine guns and two guns 7.
Grade IV Cross - for the same battle, when he was able to disperse an enemy company and capture a machine gun 8.
Cross of the II degree - for the Brusilov breakthrough.
Cross I degree - for the capture of the headquarters of an enemy division together with the general. Apparently, we are talking about a partisan raid on the village of Nevel on the Pripyat River on the night of November 14-15, 1915. According to intelligence, there was a German headquarters in the village. The guerrillas attacked the village from different directions, throwing hand grenades at the enemy and causing incredible confusion. In one hour hand-to-hand combat, many German soldiers and officers were exterminated. They managed to capture several officers and the chief of the 82nd German reserve infantry division, General Karl Friedrich Siegfried Fabarius. It was decided to take the general to the headquarters of the corps, but he managed to shoot himself.
Career. In the Civil War, the Cossack Nedorubov rushed between the reds and whites, like Sholokhov's Grigory Melekhov. In the end, he chose the Bolsheviks, fought for them heroically and even received red revolutionary trousers as a reward.
During the period of collectivization, he allowed starving collective farmers to use the remains of grain after sowing for food. Was convicted of abuse of office. Received ten years in the camps. He worked on the construction of the Moscow-Volga canal and was released ahead of schedule for shock work.
1941-1945. In the fall of 1941, he formed and led a squadron of volunteer Cossacks. He served with his 17-year-old son. The squadron made daring cavalry raids on the enemy, only near the Kushchevskaya station, Nedorubov's fighters destroyed 200 Nazis, the same number - near the village of Maratuki. In the battles, the son was seriously wounded. Nedorubov himself, who was already over fifty, personally destroyed at least a hundred Nazi soldiers. The squadron raised to the attack with the words: "Forward, for the Motherland, for Stalin, for Volny Quiet Don! "I joined the party at the front.
In October 1943 he was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Victory Day Nedorubov met the captain of the guard, had 11 wounds and a severe concussion. Despite this, he took part in the Victory Parade and even attended a reception with Stalin.
He died in 1978, a few months before his 90th birthday.
STROKE TO PORTRAIT
He wore the Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union at the front along with the St. George's crosses.
MAXIM KOZYR (1890 - 1945)
Origin... Of the peasants.
Chin, place of service.Junior non-commissioned officer, ensign of the 419th Atkar Infantry Regiment.
No documents were found about other awards, but the hero himself confirmed the fact of awarding all four degrees: "During that war, instead of four soldiers' Georgievs, they gave a gold cross with a bow and thus made them a ensign."
Career. He took the side of the Bolsheviks. Into the Civil awarded the order Of the Red Banner. He graduated from the courses for command personnel and courses "Shot", rose to the rank of colonel, became deputy division commander. The writer Konstantin Simonov remembered Trump's words: "I have two passions in life - war and agriculture ... After the war, I am not interested in being in the army. After the war, I want to start farming like an old man. Y-yes! .." 11
1941-1945 ... At the very beginning of the war, he lost his family. Later he told Konstantin Simonov about this, becoming the prototype of General Kuzmich in the novel "The Living and the Dead":
"My family died in Brest-Litovsk. Both the police chief and the chief of staff of the family. Two bombs - right into the house where we lived at night. As they were, they were naked. They brought only shreds. They buried them later in Kobrin. N-yes. I did not go." They say they wore flowers on the graves. Didn't go why? It had an effect on me. The chief of staff, as he saw that he was with his family, shot himself. So, in general, I have only one mother-in-law, an old woman, from the family. He writes to me between other "12.
Before his death, the general did not learn that the Nazis had driven his wife and son to Germany, from where Kozyr's relatives would return only after the Victory.
At Brest, the assembled commanders elected Kozyr as temporary commander of the 4th Army, whose troops he was able to withdraw from the encirclement.
He took part in the defense of Moscow, received several severe wounds. He himself spoke about this somewhat ironically (or maybe doomed): “I was wounded near Staraya Russa, seriously. I returned back to the front. I was standing near Novgorod. The second time I was seriously wounded near Novgorod. This is the seventh, while the last. Three times in the world, twice in the Civil, twice in this "13.
In May 1944, Maxim Evseevich became a Hero of the Soviet Union.
The soldiers adored the "soldier general" who did not get out of the trenches, he reciprocated. The life of the "old man", as his colleagues called him behind his back, was cut short a couple of weeks before the Victory - on April 23, 1945, due to an error on the map, Kozyr's "jeep" slipped through the corps's battle formations. The general was killed in battle in the city of Raigrad in Czechoslovakia (according to other sources, he was captured and killed on 14). A day after the death of the general, when Raigrad was taken by our troops, a car was found in a ditch, and in the garden nearby the bodies of the driver, adjutant, general and nurse.
STROKE TO PORTRAIT
Three of his brothers died in the First World War, the fourth in the Civil War. The ashes of Maxim Kozyr rests at the Olshansky cemetery in Prague - not far from the graves of the White Guards, with whom he fought in Civil.
GRIGORY AGEEV (1902 - 1941)
Origin. From the workers.
Chin, place of service. Senior non-commissioned officer, location unknown. He ran away to the war as a 12-year-old boy.
Merit... Cross of the IV degree - for climbing into a German trench, dragging a machine gun with ribbons and delivering a trophy to his own.
Cross III degree - for the capture of a German officer with an orderly.
Two more crosses - on the aggregate of merits for long battles.
According to other sources, there were three 15 crosses, no documentary evidence was found.
Career. He took the side of the Bolsheviks. During the Civil War, he served as a liaison for partisan detachments in Ukraine occupied by the Germans, political instructor, military commissar. He was wounded three times.
He worked as a secretary of the district committee, editor of a large circulation, restored mines in Donbass, built the Dnieper hydroelectric power station, carried out collectivization. Conscientiously fulfilled any instructions of the party leadership. In 1939 he was sent to the Chegdomyn village 630 km from Khabarovsk to create a fuel base for the future BAM. Already in 1941, the Chegdomyn mines gave the country the first coal. For the construction of mines Ageeva was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor.
1941-1945. Became one of the creators militia Tula, formed fighter battalions from miners. When the enemy approached the borders of the Tula region, he led one of the detachments. In the first battle, he proved himself to be a skillful commander. But in the Great Patriotic War, the life in the infantry was short. Combat life Ageeva lasted only 11 days.
Own the last battle Ageev received on October 30, 1941, on the near approaches to Tula. During the sortie for the wounded, the eighth in a row, the hero was struck by a machine-gun burst. He was buried with military honors at the All Saints cemetery in Tula.
In 1965, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Victory, he was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
STROKE TO PORTRAIT
He fled to the First World War as a 12-year-old boy under the influence of a priest's sermon. He left a note to his relatives: "Don't look for me, I'll show up myself."
IVAN LAZARENKO (1895 - 1944)
Origin... Of the peasants.
Chin, place of service... Senior non-commissioned officer of the 107th Troitsk Infantry Regiment
Merit. In the lists of awarded three times there is a junior, and then a senior non-commissioned officer of the 21st sapper battalion Ivan Lazarenko, who distinguished himself in battles with the Austrians 16. Perhaps this is Ivan Sidorovich, but the place of service does not coincide with that known from the official biography of our hero. There is also a photo attributed to Lazarenko with four St. Lazarenko. So far, these questions remain unanswered.
Career. He took the side of the Bolsheviks. He commanded a platoon, squadron, detachment. He fought with the Ural and Don Cossacks, Czechoslovak legionnaires, Denikinites, Wrangel and Makhnovists 17. Was awarded the Order of the Red Banner.
At the end of the Civil, he joined the party. Graduated from the Frunze Academy. He participated in the Spanish Civil War, and then in the Soviet-Finnish War.
1941-1945. At the beginning of the war, he commanded a Brest Fortress... Today we know about how heroically the fortress was held. But in the summer of 1941, this was not yet known. Then a notorious case arose against the command of the Western Front, within the framework of which the front commander, Hero of the Soviet Union, General of the Army Dmitry Pavlov, and with him six other generals, were arrested and shot.
General Lazarenko was also arrested (he was not in the Brest Fortress, where part of his division heroically fought). He was "lucky" - the execution was replaced by ten years of disenfranchisement camps, and in October 1942 he was released, given the opportunity to go to the front as a deputy division commander with the rank of colonel.
From November 1943 he commanded the 369th Karachevskaya rifle division... The future Marshal K.K. Rokossovsky, who himself went through arrest before the war. Lazarenko's conviction was removed, but not rehabilitated. They also restored him to the rank of Major General.
Participated in the famous operation "Bagration" for the liberation of Belarus. He died in June 1944 in a battle for the village of Holmy near Mogilev. Buried in Mogilev. For his skillful command of a division, exemplary performance of command assignments, courage and heroism, he was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
Only in 2010 did Lazarenko's grandson get the Military Collegium of the Supreme Court of Russia to overturn the 1941 sentence against his heroic grandfather as inconsistent with the actual circumstances.
STROKE TO PORTRAIT
He donated his St. George crosses to the fund to help the starving in the Volga region.
MIKHAIL Meshcheryakov (1896 - 1970)
Origin... Of the workers
Chin, place of service... Non-commissioned officer, ensign of the 550th Infantry Igumensky Regiment.
Merit. According to the records of General Meshcheryakov for the Soviet period, it is known that he was awarded four St. George's crosses 18. Meshcheryakov received crosses in a short time - in October 1915 he was drafted into the army, the next year he graduated from the Oranienbaum training machine-gun command and the school of machine gun instructors, fought on the Northern Front, was wounded three times. The clause of the statute of the award provided for rewarding with the rank of ensign for the award of the 1st degree cross 19. Maxim Kozyr recalled this as a bright event. Meshcheryakov wrote the same thing in his autobiography: "For military distinction he was awarded the St. George crosses of all degrees and promoted to ensign" 20.
Career... He took the side of the Bolsheviks. He commanded a company, participated in suppressing the uprising of the Left SRs in Moscow in the summer of 1918, taught machine-gun science at the Moscow command courses, and later defended Petrograd from the Whites. Demobilized in 1925. He worked as a simple worker, graduated from the workers' school, and then the famous IFLI - Moscow Institute of Philosophy, Literature and History. He taught at the Moscow Aviation Institute and at the Institute of Physical Education.
1941-1945. Returning to the army, he became commandant of Voronezh, commanded a regiment, then a division. He fought on eight fronts. He commanded a regiment at Stalingrad. In October 1942 he was wounded, but did not leave his soldiers.
In July 1944, Meshcheryakov's division crossed the Western Bug and created a bridgehead for the main forces to cross. And in September 1944, Meshcheryakov became a Hero of the Soviet Union for breaking through the German defense in the Lviv direction. In the battles for Berlin, regardless of the danger, he was in battle formations.
After the war, he served as a military adviser in Mongolia, headed the Suvorov school in Orenburg, and became a major general.
He died in 1970 and was buried in Moscow at the Vagankovsky cemetery.
Two prototypes from Brest
Ivan Lazarenko became the prototype of the fearless divisional commander Talyzin from the epic novel "The Living and the Dead" by Konstantin Simonov. Maxim Kozyr is the prototype of General Kuzmich. What is the likelihood of a meeting between two divisional commanders, two of the six Heroes of the Soviet Union and full knights of the St. George Cross, two generals who died in the Great Patriotic War and two prototypes of the heroes of "The Living and the Dead"? Probability tending to zero.
But there was such a meeting.
Surprisingly, the biographies of Ivan Lazarenko and Maxim Kozyr were intertwined. They met before the war in Brest - General Lazarenko was in command of the division, and Colonel Kozyr was his deputy.
Life often throws up plots that the most outstanding novelists will not come up with.
GEORGIAN CROSSES OF MARSHALS OF VICTORY
AWARD LIST
SEMEN BUDENNY, senior non-commissioned officer of the 18th Dragoon Seversky King Christian IX of the Danish regiment
Confirmed two St. George's crosses: a cross of the IV degree for the difference in the battle on May 21, 1916, "when, when the bypass column was retreating, a separate outpost under his command was sent to the height and surrounded by the Turks, he broke through the chain and joined the squadron" 21 and cross III degree (no description of the feat) 22.
ALEXANDER VASILEVSKY, Staff Captain of the 409th Infantry Novokhopersk Regiment
He was awarded the soldier's St.George Cross of the IV degree with a silver laurel branch for officers for the fact that in the battles of July 27-30, 1917 near Mereshesti, commanding a company and a battalion "under strong rifle, machine-gun and artillery fire of the enemy, he walked all the time in front of the chain, not by without getting lost, he encouraged the soldiers with words and with his personal courage and courage drew them along. Thanks to this, the enemy's onslaught was held back, the breakthrough made by the exhausted 50 [m] infantry [ot] Bialystok regiment was closed, and the opportunity was given to save our guns "23
GEORGY ZHUKOV, non-commissioned officer of the 10th Novgorod Dragoon Regiment
He was awarded the IV degree cross for the capture of a German officer and the III degree cross. The award is known from the words of Marshal himself 24.
GRIGORY KULIK, bombardier of the 1st battery of the 9th artillery brigade
He was awarded the Cross of St. George, IV degree "for the fact that on 04/19/1915, being on a platoon pushed forward at the village of Metzina Mala, under strong real artillery and rifle fire, he fought off the advancing Germans to the last cartridge, with installation on buckshot, supporting the infantry" 25.
RODION MALINOVSKY, private machine gun command of the 256th Infantry Elisavetgrad regiment; corporal of the 2nd Special Infantry Regiment
Awarded the IV degree cross "for outstanding deeds of bravery and selflessness in battle" 26. And a III degree cross for the difference in the battle on September 14, 1918 during the breakthrough of the "Hindenburg Line" on the French front, when "by a personal example of courage, commanding a platoon of machine guns, he carried people along, broke through [Xia] in the interval between the fortified nests of the enemy, established himself there with machine guns, which contributed to the decisive success in capturing the heavily fortified trench of the 3rd line, the "Hindenburg line" 27.
KONSTANTIN ROKOSSOVSKY, hunter (volunteer), dragoon, corporal of the 5th dragoon Kargopol regiment (friend and colleague of I.V. Tyulenev)
Awarded with a cross of IV degree for the fact that on August 8, 1914, "being a sentinel on the patrol, going out to the village of Yastrzhem, came across an enemy ambush, was surrounded by the enemy, but, having killed a German cavalryman, made his way to his unit and warned her about an ambush" 28.
SEMYON TIMOSHENKO, corporal of the 304th Novgorod-Seversky infantry regiment
He was awarded a cross of the IV degree for distinction in the defense of the Osovets fortress during the bombing on September 13-16, 1914 29 and crosses of the III and II degrees.
1. Patrikeev S.B. Consolidated lists of holders of the St.George Cross 1914-1922 M., 2013.T. 9.P. 705.
2. Ibid. M., 2015.Vol. 2.P. 559.
3. Ibid. S. 1095.
4. Ibid. P. 978.
5. Timofeev A. "He won the duel with Hitler" // Tyulenev I.V. After three wars. M., 2007.S. 11-12.
6. Tyulenev I.V. After three wars. P. 376.
7. Patrikeev S.B. Consolidated lists ... T. 2.P. 416.
8. Ibid. Moscow, 2013.T. 6.P. 699.
9. Ibid. M., 2015.Vol. 3.P. 605.
10. Simonov K.M. Different days of the war. Writer's diary. 1942-1945 years. M., 2005.S. 336.
11. Ibid. S. 338-339.
12. Ibid. P. 336.
13. Ibid. S. 336-337.
14. Great Patriotic War: Divisional Commander. Military biographical dictionary... M., 2015.T. 4.P. 294.
15. Tumanov A. Tula: Pages of the chronicle of the heroic defense of the hero-city in 1941, M., 1985. P. 80.
16. Patrikeev S. B. Consolidated lists ... M., 2015. T. 1.P. 606; M., 2015.T. 2.P. 409; Moscow, 2013.T. 6.P. 623.
17. Great Patriotic War: Divisional Commander. T. 4.S. 560-561.
18. Ibid. S. 802.
19. Statute of the Imperial Military Order of the Holy Great Martyr and Victorious George, belonging to this Order of the St. George Cross and ranked among the same Order of the St. George Arms and the St. George Medal. Pg., 1915.S. 60.
20. Archive of the Moscow City Military Commissariat. D. AG-117739. L. 9. Information courtesy of A.A. Meshcheryakov's biographer. Simonov (Zhukovsky).
21. Patrikeev S. B. Consolidated lists ... M., 2013.Vol. 10, p. 378.
22. Ibid. M., 2015.Vol. 3.P. 655.
23. Ibid. M., 2014.T. 14.P. 769.
24. Zhukov G.K. Memories and Reflections. M., 1975.Vol. 1.P. 43.
25. Patrikeev S.B. Consolidated lists ... M., 2013.Vol. 7, p. 791.
26. Ibid. M., 2012.T. 4.S. 548.
27. Popova S.S. Military awards of Marshal of the Soviet Union R. Ya. Malinovsky // Military History Journal. 2004. N 5.S. 31.
28. Patrikeev S. B. Consolidated lists ... T. 4.P. 102.
29. Ibid. P. 381.
During the First World War, several St. George Knights appeared, each having five (!) Crosses. today I will only mention a few of them, although at least three more are not on this list!
This is the soldier George of all 4 degrees (the first on the left - the fourth on the right, with bows 3 and the first)
the so-called Georgievsky bow ( full bow included 4 more St. George medals for bravery)
Officer St. George crosses (everything is clear - where is what)
Scheme of the correct wearing of the officer's St.George crosses
Ilya Vasilievich Volkov, repeatedly distinguished himself in battles during the war with Japan, and then in the First World War. His five St. George's crosses are still kept in the family.
St. George crosses of the hero:
4th degree (No. 42701)
3rd degree (No. 86324) - received it not immediately ... but after being wounded
already in the new part there is another cross of the 3rd degree (No. 117607)
2nd degree (No. 18654)
1st degree (No. 14357)
Another hero is the namesake of Ilya Vasilyevich, Abner Nikolaevich Volkov, also received five St. George's crosses.
Also in japanese war he already had four degrees of awards, and in the very first battles of the First World War, he again distinguished himself and received a second time the highest degree George Cross.
Third hero Peter Leonov, all five crosses deserved in the German war.
Fourth hero: Zhidik Alexey Vasilievich, ensign of the 9th Kiev hussar regiment.
Ensign of the 9th Kiev hussar regiment, in this regiment another was a ensign with 5 crosses.
There was another hero - who received two Georges of the first degree at once in one day (two exploits!) From the hands of Tsar Nicholas.
There was one more, I don't remember the name ... you have to dig and look :(
There were also full cavalier heroes who received their 5th crosses with wreaths (for the fight against Soviet power) - in particular, there were two of them in the famous Kappelevsky (Baikal) crossing in the winter of 1919.
There were also such cavalier-heroes who, having received all 4 degrees of George, became officers and managed to get also officer George!
Here is one of them in the photo! Full Knight of St. George, 4 crosses and 4 medals for bravery + officer's cross of the 3rd (?) degree
In the Foto Dmitry Ivanovich Mitaki (1892 - 1953) - Full George Knight (awarded by Emperor Nicholas II in the church "Peter and Paul" in Bendery (Moldova), military intelligence officer, 19 wounds. In the Museum of the History of Moldova (now the Republic of Moldova), not all have been preserved, duplicates of his awards and several old photographs, medal numbers "For Bravery": No. 166722, No. 707194.
to the left of him: with 4 crosses and 2 medals P.I.Krizhenovsky
* sorry, Ramadan, that he was ahead.
i give you everything I have - your post will turn out better and better!
** I check information about the holders of 6 crosses.
It was not often, but it was practiced to present the same degree to the Cross of St. George several times. So, ensign of the Life Guards 3rd infantry regiment GI Solomatin was awarded two St. George crosses of the 4th degree, two of the 3rd degree, one of the 2nd degree and two of the 1st degree.
The most complete hero in soldiers' crosses and St. George medals Salomatin ensign of the Life Guards Rifle Regiment (born in 1893 (?), Only 13 crosses and St. George medals
SEVEN St. George crosses (4X2 + 3x2 + 2nd + 1x2 \u003d 7!)
George medals 6? (2 in Japanese and 4 in WWI)
*** next time I'll tell you about 83 heroes who were presented (or even received) 4 (FOUR) Orders of Glory!
and about three who have deserved this glorious order 5 (FIVE) times !!!
One of them is still my fellow countryman from the suburbs of Krasnoyarsk! (however, he wears only those 4 Orders of Glory that were awarded to him - someone in Moscow thought that he would have a lot ...)
But Nikolai Evgenievich Litvinenko is not sad about this ... As well as about the highest rank of Sergeant Major, which he has not received until now, deserved during the Second World War!
We plan to organize a petition to the award department - so that the veteran would be given his deserved third medal of the Order of Glory, 2nd degree.
Today there is hardly a person who does not know the national hero Vasily Ivanovich Chapaev. But not everyone knows that he was a complete knight of St. George, the owner of four St. George's crosses - the most honorable soldier award in the old Russian army. Many remarkable commanders who became famous during the Civil and Great Patriotic Wars were awarded the St. George's Crosses.
STATUS OF THE GEORGIAN SIGN
The insignia of the Order of St. George was awarded to privates and non-commissioned officers for the courage and valor they displayed in battles. The badge was established on February 13, 1807 and was a silver cross that was worn on an order ribbon. Originally it had one degree, but in 1856 it was divided into four: 1st and 2nd - gold crosses, 3rd and 4th - silver. Since 1913, the sign began to be called "St. George's Cross". Commanders of armies and commanders of individual corps had the right to award the badge of subordinates with the subsequent approval of their decision by the emperor.
The holders of the mark were entitled to a one-third increase in salary. In addition, corporal punishment could not be applied to them without trial. When a new feat was accomplished, the awarded was entitled to an increase in salary of another third, and for the next - and a full salary. Such a surplus salary remained with the bearer of the mark until death.
The awarding criteria were strict. But despite this, many soldiers in the Russian army were awarded the St. George's Crosses. Only during the war with Napoleonic France, more than 41 thousand people received crosses, in the Crimean campaign of 1853-1856 - more than 24 thousand, in the Russo-Japanese war of 1904-1905 - 87 thousand soldiers and non-commissioned officers.
FIRST CAVALER
The first of the lower ranks of the Russian army, awarded the St. George badge, was a non-commissioned officer of the cavalry regiment Yegor Ivanovich Mityukhin. He received this award for bravery in the battle of Friedland on June 14, 1807.
During the Patriotic War of 1812, Mityukhin distinguished himself in many battles. Interestingly, the first knight of St. George in our Fatherland was also awarded the highest insignia of Prussia - the Iron Cross, which by that time had only a few servicemen in the Prussian army. Wilhelm III, who watched the Kulm battle, was delighted with the heroism of the Russian soldiers and after the battle awarded all those who distinguished themselves. Among them was E.I. Mityukhin.
Brave GERASIM KURIN
One of the few Russian peasants awarded the St. George Cross was a native of the village of Pavlovo (now the city of Pavlovsky Posad), the son of a Suvorov soldier Gerasim Matveyevich Kurin. At the beginning of the war with Napoleon, at a gathering of residents of several surrounding villages, he was unanimously elected head of partisan detachment... The volost head Yegor Stulov became his right hand.
Kurin's detachment, numbering more than 5,000 foot and 500 horse villagers, existed for a little more than a week, but all this time it fought with the regular units of the French Marshal Michel Ney. The baptism of fire took place near the village of Bolshoy Dvor. When the French approached the huts, a crowd rushed towards them with shouts, armed with what could be found in the peasant's yard. The French fled, and the peasants had guns thrown by the enemy.
Thanks to the courage of the peasant volunteers and the ingenuity of their commander, Kurin's detachment expelled the French from their land, capturing a huge number of trophies. In May 1813, in Moscow, Gerasim Kurin and Egor Stulov were awarded the St. George crosses.
SCORER OF WOLVES
Senior non-commissioned officer Avvakum Nikolaevich Volkov is one of the few who was awarded five St. George's crosses. From childhood, Avvakum was an orphan. At the age of ten, distant relatives assigned him to the musical team of the Amur Dragoon Regiment.
And three years later, in the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War, he received the St.George Cross of the 4th degree for bravery. Then, when it was necessary to find out the location of the Japanese, the bugler Volkov volunteered for reconnaissance. Disguised in Chinese clothes, the young soldier scouted the location of the enemy troops, but stumbled upon a Japanese patrol of twenty horsemen. The Japanese guessed who this unusual Chinese man was. Taking out a revolver, the scout killed three, jumped on the horse of one of the killed and was like that. For this feat, the scout was awarded the St.George Cross of the 3rd degree.
In one of the battles, the wounded Avvakum was captured by the Japanese. He was sentenced to death. But Volkov set up a tunnel at night, dealt with the sentry and went into the taiga. The Japanese did not pursue him - it is clear that he will not survive there. But after ten days of wandering, having traveled many kilometers, the brave man returned to his regiment and was awarded the St. George Cross, 2nd degree.
The war continued, and before the battle at Mukden Volkov again volunteered to go into reconnaissance. This time he removed the guards from the enemy's powder magazine and blew it up. For a new feat, he received a cross of the 1st degree and became a full Knight of St. George.
Started First world War I found Avvakum in Kislovodsk, where he was healing his wounds. And the brave soldier, having signed up as a volunteer, was on the reconnaissance on August 16. In one of the raids, a small detachment led by Volkov came across an enemy patrol. In that battle, Volkov was wounded in the stomach and was sent for treatment. The brave warrior was awarded one more St. George's Cross of the 1st degree and presented to the officer's rank.
DON COSSAC SEMEN BUDENNY
An outstanding commander, Marshal Semyon Mikhailovich Budyonny loved horses from childhood and, very young, mastered horse fighting. When he turned 17 years old, the Minister of War, General A.N. Kuropatkin, in whose honor horse races were staged with cutting vines and stuffed animals. Semyon became the winner, for which he received a silver ruble from the minister.
In the army, he served in the dragoon regiment. And at the beginning of the First World War, non-commissioned officer Budyonny received his first award for his successful participation in the battle at Brzeziny - the St. George Cross of the 4th degree, which he soon lost.
At the end of 1914, Budyonny was on the Turkish front. The regiment did not participate in hostilities, and some officers led a riotous life, squandering soldiers' money. The sergeant Khestanov was especially zealous in this. Budyonny offered Khestanov to return the money to the soldiers, but he responded with impudence. Budyonny broke down and hit the rude man hard. The court-martial, taking into account the impeccable service, decided to deprive Budyonny St. George of the Cross for assault. But soon the award was returned to him for the courage and ingenuity shown by Semyon in the battle for the city of Van.
Budyonny received the 3rd degree cross in January 1916 for his participation in the battles of Mendelidge. And in March of the same year, he received the St. George Cross, 2nd degree. Our hero also distinguished himself in the battle at Ker-Manshah. Going into reconnaissance, he captured the tongue and received a cross of the 1st degree.
After the revolution, Budyonny became the commander of the cavalry detachment, then the commander of the 1st Cavalry Army. With her, he participated in battles Civil War... It is interesting that during the fight against Basmachism in Central Asia there was a rumor that Budyonny was spellbound - not a single bullet took him.
Since 1923 CM. Budyonny was in Moscow. During the Great Patriotic War, he was a member of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command, received a high award - the Order of Suvorov, 1st degree. In 1958 he was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. In 1963, he became a hero for the second time, and five years later - for the third.
OUTSTANDING COMMANDER MARSHAL ZHUKOV
Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov, Marshal of the Soviet Union and four times Hero of the Soviet Union, graduated from a parish school. During the First World War, he, a non-commissioned officer, was awarded two St. George's Crosses for capturing a German officer and being seriously wounded while in intelligence.
During the Civil War, Zhukov was a Red Army soldier, commander of a platoon and squadron. Before World War II, commanding a group soviet troops in Mongolia, conducted a successful operation to defeat the Japanese in the region of the Khalkhin-Gol River, for which he was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. He became the commander of the Kiev Special Military District, and then the chief of the General Staff.
Zhukov's military leadership talent was especially vividly revealed during the Great Patriotic War. He played an outstanding role during the battle for Moscow. Under his leadership, the troops of the Western Front stopped numerically superior forces enemy, launched a decisive counteroffensive and threw him back many kilometers from the capital.
In his memoirs, the Marshal wrote: “When they ask me what I remember most from the last war, I always answer: the battle for Moscow *. In January 1943, when approving the submission for conferring on Zhukov the rank of Marshal of the Soviet Union, Supreme Commander-in-Chief Stalin said: "Zhukov saved Moscow!"
G.K. Zhukov has always been on the most responsible and important sectors of the front. In all operations, he quickly and deeply assessed the situation and made the right decisions. His confidence was transferred to his subordinates, and they did not doubt the achievement of the final goal. During the war, he went to the front 225 times.
During the war Zhukov was awarded the second Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union, and after its completion - the third. He became the first holder of the highest military leader order "Victory", which was awarded twice. Marshal received the fourth star of the hero in 1956.
Valentin DUBIN, Major General of the Reserve
You can write a lot or nothing about the soldier's "Yegoria". It's better not to write anything - just look at the faces of these people. The same Budyonny was awarded not even four - FIVE "Georgias", non-commissioned Zhukov - two. And no one ever under Stalin officially equated them with anything, did not allow them, did not legalize them. He was simply worn "without a notice", in which no one ever interfered with them. On the contrary, they enjoyed legitimate respect in the army.
The awards were not numbered, but lists were kept. The most common - 4th degree, received over 1.2 million soldiers.
Below in full size and with explanations.
About Georgievsky kakvalera below. This photograph is interesting precisely in combination with the portrait of Stalin. Which many falsely accuse of instinctive rejection of any crosses. Demonstration after 1945 and of course until Stalin's death.
A unique veteran, Konstantin Vikentievich Khrutsky, on Red Square.
Participant russian-Turkish war 1877-1878 years. In this 1963 photo, he is only 112 years old, and he lived for another 4 years.
on his chest he has the Order of George Dimitrov, the Order of the Badge of Honor, the medal "40 years Armed Forces THE USSR". Well, he is dressed in a specially tailored uniform of a Bulgarian militia.
Edrenkin Grigory Dmitrievich. During the First World War, he fought as part of the Russian expeditionary corps in France, was awarded the French Military Cross. In the second photo / below / the French cross is already without a ribbon, just sewn on.
Here is a break in the template for stupid anti-Sovietists - both George, and a foreign award from the imperialists, he was abroad, and does not hide crosses - where was the NKVD looking?
Also awarded with medals "For Courage", for the victory over Germany, Japan, "For Valiant Labor in the Great Patriotic War"
Dinner of the Cavaliers of St. George at the people's house of Nicholas II.
/ Comments are posted above the photo /. George is hanging from the soldier next to the Order of the Red Star, without a ribbon, apparently just sewn on. Photo may be 1944-45.
1947, Riga. The cross of the participant of the liberation of Prague, the guard major, private manufacture, called "Kuchkino". That is, it was received at the end of the First World War.
The most famous Knight of St. George of the Great Patriotic War. Having a "full bow", he became a Hero of the Soviet Union.
Nedorubov Konstantin Iosifovich21. 5. 1889 - 13. 12. 1978
1944, Leningrad.
The guardsman has the Order of the Red Star, Glory III degree, two medals "For Courage" and St. George's Cross IV degree.
The foreman wears the cross on the old shoe. The time of the photo was the winter of 1943 or after, but not earlier.
Writer, playwright, war correspondent Vsevolod Vishnevsky on the steps of the Reichstag, May 1945.
The photo is all the more awful because, along with a cross, he has two medals "For Courage" on his chest, on the obverse of which is the profile of Nicholas II.At the same time, Soviet awards from him are modestly presented by bars, but from the tsarist period - in all their glory.
Doctor. It is noteworthy that on the chest there is the Military Order of St. George of the IV class - "officer George".
Matushkin was awarded the Order of St. George of the 4th degree - the order on the ranks of civilians No. 37 dated July 31, 1916, being id. senior doctor of the 21st Siberian Rifle Regiment for the battle on August 1, 1915
People's Hero of Yugoslavia and awarded seven orders of the USSR Alexander Teolanovich Manachadze with his uncle Semyon Dmitrievich Manachadze
On the clergyman's chest a full bow peacefully coexists with the medal "For Valiant Labor in the Great Patriotic War" with the profile of I.V. Stalin.And nothing.
A sailor from the cruiser Varyag.
For this battle, the Soviet government awarded its participants the medal "For Courage".The last medal - like the priest.
The photo was taken between 1975-1978.From the Soviet awards medal "For Courage" and two "For Military Merit"
Year 1949. Three "dummy" crosses to replace the lost ones.Cavalier - Mikhail Eremenko.It is he who walks under the portrait of Stalin in the first photo.
Cavalier - Mikhail Kazankov. "When the artist painted Mikhail Kazankov, he was 90 years old. Every wrinkle of his stern face glows with deep wisdom. He had a chance to participate in three wars: the Russian-Japanese (1904-1905), the First World War (1914-1918), the Great Patriotic (1941-1945). And he always fought bravely: in the First World War he was awarded two St. George's Crosses, for the fight against German fascism he received the Order of the Red Star and several medals. "
Volkov Daniil Nikitich. Order of the Red Banner - for the Civil War.
After the revolution, he served in the auto armored division named after Ya. M. Sverdlov of the Cheka - OGPU. Received the Order of the Red Banner on the civil. After being wounded and amputated, he was demobilized.
Unknown. Photo exactly before 1965.
Khizhnyak Ivan Lukich.End of the 40s.
Until 1975.
Both knights - George and a son full of the Order of Glory.Father and son Vanachi from the village of Lykhny in the Gudaud region of Abkhazia.
At that time, Temuri Vanachi was 112 years old.
Samsonov Yakov Ivanovich.1876-1967. Four crosses and four medals
Kruglyakov Timofey Petrovich. 1965 to 1970
Kuzin Pavel Romanovich. Until 1948.
Photo taken after 1965 and probably before 1970.This cavalier defended the Caucasus and walked well across Europe during the Great Patriotic War, took Budapest and Vienna, liberated Belgrade. Well, of course, Romania and Bulgaria.
He was awarded the medal "For Military Merit".
Life Guard of the Lithuanian regiment non-commissioned officer Karl Golubovsky, for the capturethe city of Plevna, November 28, 1877, its block
Kuzma Petrovich Trubnikov. Period 1965-1970.
Kuzma Petrovich Trubnikov was born on October 27 in the village of Gatishche, now in the Volovsky District of the Lipetsk Region. In the Russian army since 1909. He served in the Semyonovsky regiment. During the First World War, a platoon non-commissioned officer, then a junior company officer, head of a team of foot scouts, a lieutenant. Chevalier of four soldiers' crosses of St. George. In the Red Army since 1918. During the Civil War, he commanded a platoon, then a company, battalion, regiment, rifle brigade... In 1927 he graduated from the KUVNAS at the Frunze Military Academy. He commanded a regiment and division.In June 1938 he was arrested and until February 1940 was under investigation by the NKVD. At the end of March 1940 he was reinstated in the ranks of the Red Armyand is aimed at teaching. A month after the start of the Great Patriotic War, K.P. Trubnikov was appointed commander of the 258th Infantry Division of the 50th Army of the Western Front, which took part in defensive battles near Orel, Bryansk and Tula. From November 1941 he commanded the 217th rifle division of the same army. He was awarded the Order of the Red Banner for the skillful management of divisional units in the defense of Tula. From June 1942 - Deputy Commander of the 16th Army, and from October - Deputy Commander of the Don Front. He was directly involved in the organization and management of troops in Stalingrad battle... From February 1943, deputy commander of the Central Front. From April to September - Commander of the 10th Guards Army, which took part in the liberation of Yelnya. In September 1944, he was appointed deputy commander of the 1st Belorussian Front, and soon deputy commander of the 2nd Belorussian Front. At the 1945 Victory Parade, Colonel-General Trubnikov led the combined regiment of the 2nd Belorussian Front. After the war, deputy and assistant commander-in-chief of the Northern Group of Forces. Since 1951 - retired. He was awarded 2 Orders of Lenin, 5 Orders of the Red Banner, Orders of Kutuzov 1st and 2nd degree, Suvorov 2nd degree, 2 Orders of the Red Star, medals, as well as foreign orders and medals. Kuzma Petrovich Trubnikov died on January 16, 1974 in Moscow. On May 9, 2010, a monument in honor of Colonel General Trubnikov was unveiled in the village of Volovo, Lipetsk Region.
Nikitin Sergey Nikitovich, military flight. Republican (Khorezm) Order of the Red Banner.
Well, its and the screw orders of the Red Banner of the RSFSR, he law-abidingly replaced with all-Union ones.
Top photo from 1975 to 1978.
Vladimir Nikolaevich Gruslanov (1894 - 1981). Born in the city of Buinaksk in Dagestan. Father is a mountaineer, a Muslim, mother is a Kuban Cossack. In early childhood, he lost his father and mother, was brought up by his aunt, then in an orphanage. In 1914, with the declaration of war, he volunteered for the front, served in the Caucasian Cossack troops, in the regimental intelligence. For his courage in battles, he was awarded four St. George's crosses, a silver dagger with the inscription "To the dashing scout St. George cavalier, junior officer of the 3rd Sunzha-Vladikavkaz Cossack regiment Vladimir Gruslanov from the centurion of Prince A. Aliev. Derbent, December 25, 1916 " and promoted to ensign. In 1917 he was elected a member of the regimental committee, joined the Bolshevik Party, and was elected a member of the Military Revolutionary Committee of the 4th Army. In 1918 he volunteered for the Red Army, went through the Civil War as a commander of cavalry reconnaissance. He was awarded a saber in a silver frame with the inscription: “For Soviet power. In memory of the soldiers and commanders. 1920 ". In 1941 he again volunteered for the front. He fought near Leningrad, on the Nevsky patch. He was wounded three times, liberated the Baltic States and Poland, and reached Berlin. After the war, he worked in Leningrad, at the Museum of the Great October Socialist Revolution (now the State Museum of the Political History of Russia). A well-known writer, bibliophile and bonist.
Captain Vladimir Gruslanov with battery soldiers at the solemn ceremony of sending the Victory Banner to Moscow. On the chest of Gruslanov, there are USSR awards and four St. George's crosses. Berlin, Tiergarten park, May 1945.
Among the awards of the complete Georgievsky cavalier Gurslanov was a silver Caucasian dagger with the inscription “To the dashing scout George cavalier, junior officer of the 3rd Sunzhensk-Vladikavkaz Cossack regiment Vladimir Gruslanov from the centurion Prince A. Aliev. Derbent, December 25, 1916 ".
After the introduction of the Order of Glory into the system of Soviet awards, which is in many ways similar in ideology to "soldier's George", an opinion appeared to legitimize the old award. We know a letter addressed to the chairman of the Council of People's Commissars and the State Defense Committee I.V. Stalin from a professor at VGIK, a former member of the first Military-Revolutionary Committee on Aviation of the Moscow Military District and Knight of St. George, N.D. Anoshchenko 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 the same 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 SNK:
DRAFT REGULATION of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR
April 24, 1944 In order to create the continuity of 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. Equal b. Knights of St. George, who received the 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 a sash 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 track records of that time)
This project did not become a real resolution.
The St. George standard of His Majesty's Life Guards Cuirassier Regiment. 1817 g.
St. George's cross with a laurel branch, which was awarded by decision of the lower ranks to officers who distinguished themselves in battle after February 1917.
Soviet commanders: A.I. Eremenko, I.V. Tyulenev, K.P. Trubnikov, S.M.Budyonny were full knights of the soldier's St.George Cross. Moreover, Budyonny received the St. George's crosses even 5 times: the first award, the St. George's Cross of the 4th degree, Semyon Mikhailovich was deprived of the court for assault on a senior in rank, the sergeant-major. Again he received the cross of the 4th century. on the Turkish front, at the end of 1914. St. George Cross 3rd Art. was received in January 1916 for participating in the attacks at Mendelidge. In March 1916, Budyonny was awarded the 2nd degree cross. In July 1916, Budyonny received the 1st degree cross of St. George for bringing 7 Turkish soldiers from a sortie to the enemy's rear with four comrades.
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 that guarded 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.
An award given to members 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 enshrined 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 service and bravery 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 from an unknown author filed in the name of Alexander the First, the institution of a soldier's award was initiated - the 5th class, or a special department of the Order of St. George. The note also proposed to make it in the form of a silver cross 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 "fearless courage" was instituted for lower military ranks. According to article 4 of the manifesto, it had to be worn in the same colors as the Order of St. George. The cavaliers were commanded to wear this badge always, and to remove it only in case of receiving the Order of St. George. In 1855 it was allowed to combine the soldier's and officer's awards.
First cavaliers
The first soldier to be awarded the St. George Cross was Yegor Ivanovich Mitrokhin, who distinguished himself in the battle with the French on June 2, 1807. After serving until 1817, he retired with the rank of ensign. Somewhat later, Warrant Officer Vasily Berezkin was awarded the soldier George for his services in the battle with the French at Morungen, which took place on January 6, 1807, that is, before the award was established.
Rewarding practice
With the establishment of 4 degrees, St. George's crosses did not have. The number of awards to one soldier with the insignia was also not regulated. 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 was not covered with enamel, unlike the officer's one. On July 15, 1808, a decree was adopted exempting the knights of the St.George Cross from corporal punishment. The confiscation of the insignia from the person awarded could be made only after an appropriate court decision and with the obligatory notification of the emperor.
The practice of awarding the St.George Cross to civilians was also widespread, but the right to be called a cavalier of its representatives was not given. So, in 1810 Matvey Gerasimov was awarded, who managed to save his ship carrying flour from being captured by British soldiers. After 11 days of captivity, Matvey Andreevich, together with his crew of 9 people, took the enemy's prize team captive and forced it to surrender. There was also a case when General Miloradovich was awarded a soldier's award for services in the battle with the French near Leipzig.
At the beginning of 1809, the numbering of awards was introduced and name lists... By that time, the soldiers received about 10 thousand St. George's crosses. At the beginning of the Patriotic War of 1912, the mint produced almost 17 thousand crosses. Unnumbered insignia were awarded until 1820. Such awards were given mainly to representatives of non-military ranks of the army and commanders of partisan detachments.
From 1813 to 1815 soldiers of the allied armies of Russia, who oppose the French, could become cavaliers of the St.George Cross. These included: the Prussians, Swedes, Austrians, British, and representatives of various German states.
In total, under Alexander the Great, about 46.5 thousand people were awarded the Tsar's St. George Cross.
Statute of 1833
In 1833, in the updated statute of the Order of St. George, provisions on the insignia were also spelled out. It was then that the wearing of the St.George Cross with a bow made of orange and black St.George ribbon was introduced, and the gentlemen were awarded a full additional salary for repeated exploits.
In 1839, in honor of the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Paris Peace, a jubilee version of the cross was instituted. Outwardly, it was distinguished by the presence of the monogram of Alexander the First on the upper beam of the reverse. This award was presented to the soldiers of the Prussian army.
In August 1844, Nicholas the First issued a decree establishing a variety of the St.George Cross for Muslims and other representatives of the non-Christian faith. On such awards, instead of St.George the slaying snake, a two-headed black eagle 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, who were later awarded the officer's order of St. George, were allowed to wear a cross on their uniforms along 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 - from silver. According to the drawing, the crosses differed only in the words "1 step.", "2 steps." etc. Separate numbering was started for each degree. The awarding of a military cross with a new level took place consistently. There were cases when the awarded degree depended on the level of valor displayed. For example, General I. Popovich-Lipovac was awarded the 4th degree on September 30, 1877, and on October 23 of the same year - the St.George Cross of the 1st degree.
From 1856 to 1913 about 7 thousand soldiers were awarded three degrees of the insignia except for the first. And the honor to be full cavalier "Soldier George" (the owner of all 4 degrees of awards) received about two thousand soldiers. The largest number of awards was presented during the Russo-Japanese War, the Russo-Turkish War, the Caucasian Campaign and the Central Asian campaigns.
Statute of 1913
In 1913, in the new statute of the insignia, the award was officially called the St. George's Cross. At the same time, a new numbering of signs began. Since 1913, the 4-degree St. George crosses were awarded only to Christians and had a characteristic image of St. George. Also in the new statute there was a provision allowing the awarding of a military feat posthumously.
It was also practiced to present the soldier with awards of the same degree several times. For example, Warrant Officer G.I.Solomin was awarded a total of 7 crosses and almost twice became a complete knight 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 showed himself in an unequal battle against 27 German cavalrymen on July 30 of the same year. Subsequently, Kryuchkov received three other awards. Despite all his merits, he did not become the owner of the cross number 1. The cross with this number was left to the discretion of the emperor and was presented only on September 30, 1914 to Peter Cherny-Kovalchuk, who captured their banner in a battle with the Austrians.
Women were repeatedly awarded with the insignia of the Military Order for bravery in battle. For example, the Cossack M. Smirnova and the sister of mercy N. Plaksina were awarded three St. George's crosses. Foreigners playing for the Russian army were awarded more than once. Thus, the French bomber Marcel Plya was awarded two crosses, and his fellow countryman Alphonse Poiret was awarded four, as was 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-standard gold, of which 39.5% was silver. In total, almost 80 thousand crosses were minted at the lowest price. On such crosses, under the letter "C", they put a stamp representing the head.
From 1914 to 1917 was awarded:
- 1st degree insignia - 33 thousand.
- Crosses of the 2nd degree - 65 thousand.
- St. George crosses of the 3rd degree - 290 thousand.
- Insignia of the 4th degree - 1.2 million.
To designate the serial number after a million, the stamp “1 / M” was used. The rest of the numbers were placed on the sides of the cross. In September 1916, the Council of Ministers decided to remove precious metals from the St. George's Cross. Signs began to be made from cheap "yellow" and "white" metals. Such crosses had the designation "ZhM" or "BM" under the serial number. In total, about 170,000 non-precious crosses were produced.
In the history of the St.George Cross, there are cases of awarding entire units:
- The crew of the brig "Mercury", which in 1829 took a battle with a pair of Turkish battleships and won it.
- 4th hundred of the second Ural Cossack regiment, which withstood an unequal battle against the Kokand people in 1865.
- The crew of the cruiser "Varyag" together with the crew gunboat "Korean" who died in an unequal battle against the Japanese squadron during russo-Japanese War.
- 2nd hundred of the first Uman regiment of the Kuban cossack troops, who made the hardest raid in 1916 as part of the Persian campaign.
- Kornilov shock regiment, which in 1917 broke through positions near the village of Yamshitsa.
Changes in the country
After the February coup, cases of the presentation of the St.George Cross became more frequent for purely political reasons. So, the award was awarded to non-commissioned officer Kirpichnikov, who was the leader of the rebellion of the Volynsky Life Guards regiment. And Prime Minister Kerensky received crosses of 2 and 4 degrees as "the fearless hero of the Russian revolution, who tore down the banner of tsarism."
In June 1917, the Provisional Government allowed the officers to be awarded the St. George Cross by the decision of the soldiers' meeting. In such cases, a laurel branch of silver was attached to the ribbons of the signs of the 4 and 3 degrees, and of gold on the ribbons of the signs of the 2 and 1 degrees. About two thousand such awards were presented.
December 16, 1917 St. George Cross, as well as other awards 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. There was also no single approach to the presentation of pre-revolutionary awards. 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 sisters of mercy.
In the south of Russia, as well as in the territories of the Don and the Great Troops, George the Victorious was portrayed as a Cossack. In the Don Army, crosses were awarded not only to soldiers, but also to officers and even generals.
On February 9, 1919, on the Eastern Front of A. Kolchak, the awarding of the St. George Cross was also restored. At the same time, the presentation of awards with a laurel branch to officers was prohibited.
In the Volunteer Army, the decoration was allowed on August 12, 1918. It took place on the same grounds as in the Imperial Army. The first awarding took place on October 4 of the same year. In the Russian army of Wrangel, this practice has been preserved.
The sergeant-major Pavel Zhadan became the last knight of "soldier George" during the coup d'etat. He was awarded in June 1920 for his significant contribution to the defeat of the cavalry corps of D. Zhloba.
1930-1950 years
On September 20, 1922, the last awarding of the insignia from the name of P.N. Wrangel is dated. It is known that in November 1930, the 4th degree St. George's Cross was awarded to Vladimir Degtyarev for successful reconnaissance missions. In addition, the rank of distinction of 4 degrees was twice received by the ranks of the Russian Guard Corps - doctor Nikolai Golubev and cadet Sergei Shaubu. They were awarded in December 1941. Schaub is considered the last Knight of St. George during WWII.
Years of the USSR and RF
Contrary to popular misconception, such an award as the St. George Cross was not "legalized" by the government of the USSR or officially allowed to be worn by representatives of the Red Army. When the Second World War began, many cavaliers of the older generation who had participated in WWI were mobilized. They were allowed to wear the award in a "private order".
When the Order of Glory was introduced into the system of Soviet awards, ideologically similar to "soldier's George", an opinion arose about the possibility of legitimizing the old award. As a result, the authorities decided to equate the knights of the St. George Cross with the knights of the Order of Glory and allow them to wear awards in a free order. Honorary title Seven Heroes of the USSR received the "Full St George Cavalier".
In 1992, the government of the Russian Federation restored the Order of St. George, and with it the St. George Cross.
Famous cavaliers
We already know who was awarded the St. George Cross. Now let's 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 Gutshtadt.
- Non-commissioned officer Sophia Dorothea Frederica Krueger representing the Prussian Borstella brigade. He is also a Knight of the Prussian Iron Cross of the second degree.
- The future Decembrists ensigns I. Yakushin and M. Muravyov, who fought at Borodino.
- Famous characters - Kozma Kryuchkov and Vasily Chapaev received the St. George crosses of the First World War.
- Such Soviet commanders as A. Eremenko, I. Tyulenev, K. Trubnikov, S. Budyonny were full cavaliers of "soldier's George". 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 assault on the sergeant-major, and then again issued for exploits on the Turkish front. Semyon Mikhailovich received the insignia of the first degree 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 - two crosses each.
- Sidor Kovpak, who during the Second World War was the commander of the Putivl partisan detachment and the Sumy partisans, was awarded two "soldiers' Georgievs".
- Maria Bochkareva, who distinguished herself for her exploits during the First World War, also became a well-known knight of the St. George Cross.
- Despite the fact that individual awards continued almost until the end of the 20th century, P.V. Zhadan is considered the last holder of the insignia of the Order of St. George, who during the Civil War, being an 18-year-old sergeant-major, saved the headquarters of the second cavalry division of General Morozov.