Why is the St. George's ribbon like this? Why is there so much controversy around the St. George's ribbon?

Hello my dear readers. The celebration of Victory Day is just around the corner. Numerous residents of the country will hang St. George ribbons not only on their chests, but also on bags, cars, and even weave them into their hair instead of ribbons. Do you know what the St. George ribbon means? Where did it come from, the designation of stripes and colors? This is what I want to tell you about today.

How did the St. George ribbon appear?

The history of its appearance begins in the 18th century. The national colors of the Russian Empire were white, orange (yellow), and black. The country's coat of arms was decorated with these shades. On November 26, 1769, Catherine II established the Order of St. George the Victorious. It included a ribbon called “St. George” in honor of this order, which was awarded to generals and officers for military merit.

In 1807, another medal was approved - a badge of merit of the Military Order. This award was also dedicated to St. George the Victorious. The unofficial name is St. George's Cross. Since 1913, non-commissioned officers and soldiers were awarded the St. George Medal.

All these awards were received along with the St. George's Ribbon. If for some reason the gentleman was not awarded the order, he received the St. George Ribbon.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the St. George standards appeared. After the Marine Guards crew received this award in 1813, the sailors began wearing the St. George ribbon on their hats. For their differences, ribbons were awarded to entire military units by decree of Emperor Alexander II.

After the October Revolution of 1917, all tsarist medals were abolished by the Bolsheviks. But even after that, they were awarded with a ribbon for their merits.

In the post-revolutionary period, the most respected insignia were “For the Great Siberian Campaign” and “For the Ice Campaign.” These awards included St. George's ribbons.

What do the colors and stripes mean?

According to the statute, the St. George Ribbon had two stripes of yellow and three stripes of black. Although immediately instead of a yellow tint, orange was used.

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

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

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

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

There is also a consideration that the stripes on the St. George Ribbon represent the death and return to life of St. George the Victorious. He faced death three times and was resurrected twice.

It should be noted that the designation of colors is still debated to this day.

Symbol

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

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

The approximate number of recipients is around 15 million people.

The Order of Glory was awarded only for personal merit. Commanders, home front workers, and developers of military equipment were not given such an honor. The medal was awarded only to ordinary soldiers based on the statute of the order:

• Personal capture of a German officer.
• Personal destruction of a mortar or machine gun at an enemy position.
• Capturing the enemy's banner while ignoring one's own safety.
• Performing a military mission using tank weapons while being in a burning tank.
• Providing assistance to the wounded in a number of battles under enemy fire at the risk of life.
• Destruction of a bunker garrison (trench, bunker, dugout) regardless of the danger.
• Removal or capture of an enemy patrol (post, secret) at night.
• Destruction of an enemy warehouse with military equipment during a night raid.
• Saving the banner in a moment of danger from being captured by the enemy.
• Creating a passage through an enemy wire fence during combat operations.
• When a wounded soldier returns to the battlefield.

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

How to wear the ribbon

The ribbon was worn in different ways. Everything depended on the class of the gentleman. There were three possible options:

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

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

St. George's ribbon today

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

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

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

Sincerely, Ekaterina Bogdanova

First, it’s worth understanding what can be understood by the name “St. George’s ribbon”

• Ribbon for the Order of St. George and the insignia of the order (St. George's Cross). Established by Catherine II in 1769. It was actively used until 1917, but there were Civil and even WWII awards, but more on that later.
• Ribbon for medals “For victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.” and to the Order of Glory. Also used on banners and caps of sailors.
• A symbolic ribbon distributed during the St. George's Ribbon campaign. That is, it symbolizes involvement in the Second World War and the famous “I remember, I am proud,” but it is called St. George’s.

Below I will give examples of using each tape in the appropriate order:

Now directly about why this action causes so much controversy, and is inherently flawed and even unacceptable for sensible people:

1. The fact that the symbolic ribbon completely copies the order and medal ribbon is, at the very least, disrespect for the recipients. The right to wear an award had to be earned by doing something beyond what was required - in other words, performing a feat. I doubt that Putin’s patriots, who use the date of May 9th to get drunk, and just people who wear the ribbon “like everyone else,” did something similar.

But not only that, the order ribbon was, in fact, also an independent reward. The precedent was the following - Lieutenant General Lukomsky A.S. took an important part in the mobilization of the Russian Imperial Army in 1914, but since the Order of St. George was awarded only for military achievements... then he awarded with a ribbon:

"..deigned welcomeribbon of the order St. Great Martyr and Victorious George to his Order of St. Equal to the Apostles Prince Vladimir, 4th degree"

The ribbon could also be used as a symbol that a person has been awarded the order itself. For example, they wrote about General Drozdovsky:

"in the same worn jacket, with shabby St. George's ribbon in the buttonhole; Out of modesty, he did not wear the order itself"

Moreover, M. G. Drozdovsky was awarded for raising rifle companies and personally leading them under enemy fire and occupying the heights. He himself was wounded in the arm, which remained partially paralyzed for the rest of his life. However, Mikhail Gordeevich, despite being declared unfit for combat service, still returned to the front. It is unlikely that current tape carriers are capable of this, although they, perhaps, do not know about Drozdovsky.

2. Next interesting point. It is believed that the "St. George's ribbon" is a symbol of victory in the Second World War. The statement is at least controversial. Yes, a ribbon for the medal “For victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.” had such an appearance. And even if we omit the incorrectness of using the medal ribbon as a symbolic one, the name “St. George” is absurd here - that ribbon is a guards ribbon. Moreover, we must remember that the last award of the St. George Cross was in the Russian Corps, which fought on the side of Germany and 1942, included in the Wehrmacht - a formation of white emigrants created for the self-defense of the Russian emigration in Yugoslavia from partisans and to continue the fight against Bolshevism.The last awarded was the cadet S.V. Schaub, who was the only one wounded during the defense of the 1st cadet company of the 1st Consolidated regiment of the mine in the village of Stolitsa. As you know, Rasseyan patriots, even if they know about the Russian Corps (which is unlikely), then consider it a formation of traitors, enemies of the people, etc.

3. Recently, the film has also acquired a political meaning. That's why most of the disagreements arise. It is used by separatists in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions of Ukraine, well, we all know that. Well, in general, it has turned into a symbol of solidarity with the current government.

So, the controversy surrounding this action and the tape will exist for a long time. Some people don’t like the very fact of completely copying the symbolic ribbon from the order. Others do not consider themselves worthy to wear a ribbon, again copying the order. Many people do not want to wear a symbol used by the current government, separatists, and all sorts of organizations like "NOD".

More precisely, the truth about her. In short, we are clearing up the mess that was created by liars and demagogues.

The other day, a man who considers himself a communist reproached me: “You replaced the symbols of Victory with your ribbon, and now you want your neighbors to swear allegiance to this fake,” it was said about.

And he cited as evidence Nevzorov’s exemplary performance, which can be considered the quintessence of all the lies on this matter. Below is an excerpt from the recording and the text, and you can read and watch the full version:

“The definition of the ribbon that people tie to themselves on May 9 as "Colorado" , based on the color of the Colorado potato beetle, I actually gave once on Channel Five. Naturally, I have nothing against May 9th. But if you take this so seriously, if it is extremely important for you, then you must be extremely neat and serious, including in symbolism .

St. George's Ribbon, was unknown in the Soviet Army . The Order of Glory was established only in 43, was not particularly popular, did not even enjoy fame at the front , the award must have a certain historical path in order for it to become popular and famous, and just the opposite, General Shkuro, General Vlasov, many The highest ranks of the SS supported the cult of the St. George's ribbon . It was a tape of both the Vlasovites and the highest ranks of the SS.

Understand, no matter how we treat the Soviet state, the color of victory, and we must treat this calmly and courageously, victory color - red . The red color was raised banner over the Reichstag , under the red banners people marched into the Patriotic War, not under any others. And anyone who pays attention and pain to this holiday should probably be precise in observing this symbolism too.”

And I know, of course, that in the Soviet system of awards and badges there was no concept of “St. George’s ribbon.”

But do we every time want to plunge into the jungle of faleristics like: “the ribbon is a silk rep moiré ribbon of golden-orange color with three longitudinal black stripes applied to it with edging 1 mm wide”?

Therefore, for simplicity of presentation, let’s conventionally call it “St. George’s ribbon” - after all, everyone understands what we are talking about? So…

Victory symbol

Question: When did your St. George ribbon become a symbol of Victory?

Medal "For victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945"

It looked like this:

and like this:

Soviet naval guards at the Victory Parade

Guards ribbon on a USSR post stamp ( 1973 !!!)

and, for example, like this:

Guards ribbon on the Guards naval flag of the destroyer "Gremyashchiy"

Order of Glory

A.NEVZOROV:
My friend Minaev, don’t forget about my former profession. I was once a reporter, after all. That is, I must be absolutely shameless and unprincipled.

S. MINAEV:
Listen, this is amazing, because you are completely cynical in answering questions around which everyone usually starts picking at their fingertips and saying that it was just such a time.

A.NEVZOROV:
There was no such time. We were all, to one degree or another, on gold chains from various oligarchs, they boasted about us, they outbid us. We tried to escape, taking with us, if possible, the gold chain.

“That Berendey hut, which was built on the ruins of my homeland, is not a shrine for me.”

"Vlasov ribbon"

Like many inspired liars, Nevzorov, looking for numbers to confirm his speculations, forgot about common sense.

He himself said that the Order of Glory was established in 1943. And the guards ribbon came even earlier, in the summer of ’42. And the so-called “Russian Liberation Army” was only officially established six months later, and operated mainly in 43-44, while officially subordinate to the Third Reich.

Tell me, can you imagine that the official military orders and insignia of the Wehrmacht coincided with the awards of the enemy army? For German generals to create military units and formalize the use of the insignia of the Soviet army in them?

It is reliably known that the “Russian Liberation Army” fought under the tricolor, and used a parody of St. Andrew’s flag as symbolism.

The land fleet in the steppes of Ukraine turned out to be, as you can see, not a joke at all... :)

And it looked like this:

And that is all. They received awards from the German Wehrmacht in accordance with the regulations established by it.

Order of the Patriotic War

During the war this order were awarded 1.276 million people , including about 350 thousand - Order of the 1st degree.

Think about it: also more than a million! It is not surprising that it has become one of the most popular and recognizable symbols of Victory. It was this order, together with the Order of Glory and the medal “For Victory,” that was almost always seen on front-line soldiers returning from the war.

It was with him that orders of various degrees were returned (for the first time during Soviet rule): the Order of the Patriotic War (I and II degrees) and later - the Order of Glory (I, II and III degrees), which has already been discussed.

The name is telling. And why it became one of the symbols of victory later, after 1945, is also understandable. One of the three main symbols.

His ribbon combines the colors of 6 other Soviet orders, separated by white spaces half a millimeter wide:

• Orange with black in the middle - Order of Glory (along the edges of the tape; those same colors hated by Nevzorov and some modern “communists”)


• Blue - Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky


• Dark red (Bordeaux) - Order of Alexander Nevsky


• Dark blue - Order of Kutuzov


• Green - Order of Suvorov


• Red (central section), 15 mm wide - Order of Lenin (the highest award in the Soviet Union, if anyone doesn’t remember)

Today, when people like to rewrite history, it would not hurt to remember with what respect these orders awarded to the allies are kept abroad:

• Eisenhower's award is located in the 34th President of the United States Memorial Library in his hometown of Abilene, Kansas;


• Marshal Tito's award is on display at the 25 May Museum in Belgrade (Serbia);


• Field Marshal Montgomery's decoration is on display at the Imperial War Museum in London;

“The Order of Victory, as the highest military order, is awarded to senior command personnel of the Red Army for the successful conduct of such military operations on the scale of several or one front, as a result of which the situation radically changes in favor of the Red Army.”

Now let's draw simple and obvious conclusions.

Tens of millions of soldiers are returning home from the front. There is some percentage of senior officers, a little more of junior officers, but mostly privates and sergeants.

Everyone has the Victory Medal. Many have the Order of Glory, and some also have 2-3 degrees. It is clear that full cavaliers are especially honored, namely their portraits in the press and at meetings, concerts and other public events - there they are, too, with all their orders.

The naval guardsmen also naturally wear their insignia with pride. Like, they're not cut out for it - the guards!

So, pray tell, is it surprising that three symbols become the main, most popular and recognizable: the Order of Victory, the Order of the Patriotic War and the St. George Ribbon?

Who is not happy with the St. George ribbon on today's posters? Well, let's all come here, let's watch the Soviet ones. Let's look at how they "replaced history."

“We’ve arrived!”

One of the most famous posters. Drawn shortly after the Victory. And it already contains the symbolism of this Victory. There was a little background.

In 1944, Leonid Golovanov on his poster “Let's get to Berlin!” portrayed a laughing warrior. The prototype of the smiling hero on the march was a real hero - the sniper Golosov, whose front-line portraits formed the basis of the famous sheet.

And in 1945 the already legendary “Glory to the Red Army!” appeared, in the upper left corner of which the artist’s previous work is quoted:

So, here they are - the true symbols of Victory. On the legendary poster.

On the right side of the Red Army soldier’s chest is the Order of the Patriotic War.

On the left is the Order of Glory (“unpopular,” yeah), the medal “For Victory” (with the same St. George’s ribbon on the block) and the medal “For the Capture of Berlin.”

The whole country knew this poster! He is still recognized today. Perhaps only “The Motherland is Calling!” is more popular than him! Irakli Toidze.

Now someone will say: “It’s not difficult to draw a poster, but in life it wasn’t like that.” Okay, here you go"in life"

Ivanov, Viktor Sergeevich. Photo from 1945.

Here's another poster. How is the star edged?

Okay, this is the end of the 70s, someone will say that it’s not true. Let's take something from the Stalin years:

Well? "Vlasov ribbon", Yes? Under Stalin? Seriously?!!

How did Nevzorov lie? “The ribbon was unknown in the Soviet Army.”

Well, we see how she “wasn’t famous.” Already under Stalin it became both a symbol of the Red Army and a symbol of Victory.

And here is a poster from the Brezhnev era:

What's on the fighter's chest? Only one only “an unpopular and even little-known order,” as far as I can see. And nothing more. By the way, this emphasizes that the fighter is a private. There is no cult of "commanders", this was a feat of the people.
(By the way, most of the posters are clickable).

And here’s another one, for the 25th anniversary of the Victory. The year 1970 is written on the poster:

And the glorious date is written “an unknown ribbon in the Soviet army”, which"is not a symbol of Victory."

Look what's going on! What is our current government like? And it reached 1945, and in the 60s She slipped “fake” ones into the 70s!

And here they are again! “Their” ribbon again:

“USSR postcard for May 9
"May 9 - Victory Day"
Publishing house "Planet". Photo by E. Savalov, 1974 .
Order of the Patriotic War, II degree"

And here's another one again:

St. George's Ribbon is a public event for the distribution of symbolic ribbons, dedicated to the celebration of Victory Day in the Great Patriotic War, taking place since 2005 on the initiative of RIA Novosti and the Student Community.

Since then, the event has become traditional and is held annually at the expense of enterprises and the budget from April 24 to May 12. In 2008, the St. George ribbons were distributed in more than 30 countries.

Over the 6 years of the campaign, more than 50 million ribbons have been distributed around the world. Countries in which the campaign is most active are Russia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, Abkhazia, Belarus, Ukraine, Greece, France, Italy, Estonia, Latvia, Great Britain, USA, Germany, Moldova, China, Vietnam, Belgium, Kyrgyzstan, Israel , Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Afghanistan.

The St. George ribbon is called “Georgievskaya” because it is a ribbon of orders and medals of Russia - the USSR, as well as the former Russian Empire.

Such a ribbon adorned the medal “For Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945,” which was awarded to all participants in the hostilities back in May 1945.

That is why the St. George's ribbon is considered in Russia at present (2014) a symbol of victory over fascism.

Then, of course, it was not advertised that this was a St. George ribbon, but many knew that this ribbon was taken from an analogue of the royal award “St. George's Cross”, which was the most respected among the military. Even ordinary soldiers were awarded it (soldier's Cross of St. George).

But that's not all. The fact is that the Cross of St. George appeared in Russia only in 1807, but before that there was the Order of St. George, established back in 1769 by Empress Catherine. He also had a yellow and black ribbon.

Saint George himself was very respected in Rus'. St. George the Victorious is the symbol of the city of Moscow. This is a man canonized during the years of persecution of Christianity (4th century). The tormentors and executioners could not defeat him, since he constantly revived and again preached the teachings of Christ. He was invincible.

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Why is the ribbon called St. George's ribbon? As a result of a spontaneous action in 2005, a “St. George’s” ribbon, painted orange and black, appeared in all cities of Russia. The participants of this action set themselves the main goal: to restore the memory of the traditions of the Soviet and Russian army. Since then, the “St. George” ribbon has become an indispensable attribute of ceremonial events dedicated to the victory in the Great Patriotic War - the victory over the Nazis. Why is a two-color ribbon called “St. George’s”? A little from the history of the “St. George” ribbon. The Russian Empress Catherine II in 1769 established the Order of St. George, which has four degrees, in order to reward those who accomplished feats in battle and demonstrated their valor. The order of the first degree is made in the form of sets, which include a cross, stars and a special ribbon with two orange and three black stripes, which was worn under the uniform over the shoulder. This tape was called “St. George’s”. Since then, these two colors of the St. George ribbon have become symbols of valor and military glory in Russia. Later, this ribbon was assigned to military units as a sign of distinction, for example, to banners. Also, state awards were worn on this ribbon. At the beginning of the 19th century, individual units of the Russian army received the award St. George Banners. St. George's ribbon and tassels were attached to these banners. Half a century later, during the Crimean War, the colors of the “St. George” ribbon began to appear on award weapons that belonged to officers. This award became as honorable as the Order of St. George. Until the Empire ceased to exist, the St. George ribbon existed in the Russian army as an award attribute. Continuation of the tradition. The leadership of the Soviet Union decided to partially restore the traditions of the Russian army during the war with Nazi Germany. Thus, the government of the USSR in 1943 established the Order of Glory, which had three degrees and was a five-pointed star and a block covered with a yellow-black ribbon, which was reminiscent of the Order of St. George. The two-color ribbon also symbolized courage, valor and continuity of tradition. The decision to restore the former Russian order was made by the Russian government after the collapse of the USSR. It was then that the distinctive sign “St. George's Cross” was introduced. This is how a symbol appeared in modern Russia, uniting the traditions of different eras, which are more than two centuries apart from each other.

Currently, Russians with pride and patriotism attach the orange-red ribbon to their clothes or hang it on their cars on public holidays or during socio-political events. You definitely need to know how to tie a St. George's ribbon. After all, the St. George Ribbon is not only a symbol of the unity of the nation, but also a way to express one’s patriotic feelings.

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❶ What does the St. George ribbon symbolize?

At the end of April - beginning of May, on the streets of Russian cities and towns, volunteers hand out a bright orange and black ribbon to everyone. This action is called “St. George’s Ribbon”. Its organizers - the RIA Novosti news agency and the Student Community youth union - tried to express gratitude to the veterans of the Great Patriotic War in this way. Most Russians liked the idea. St. George's ribbons are tied on the arm, attached to clothes and cars. However, not everyone knows the details about the origin and meaning of the new symbol of Victory Day.

The St. George Ribbon first appeared in 1769 as part of the highest military award in Russia - the Imperial Order of the Holy Great Martyr and Victorious George. Catherine II ordered that it be awarded to officers for courage and special merits on the battlefields. The order had 4 degrees. Along with the St. George Cross of the first degree, the officer was awarded a wide ribbon. It was supposed to be worn on a military uniform, tied over the right shoulder. The same tape was used to cover the blocks of crosses of all degrees. The St. George ribbon received a specific color: two orange stripes between three black ones. Along the edges there was a narrow orange edging. However, another option is also possible: black stripes are combined with yellow ones. There is no violation of heraldic principles, because both yellow and orange symbolically represent gold. The colors of the St. George's Ribbon are reminiscent of the smoke and flames of war, through which the recipient of the award passed with honor. In addition, they repeat the color scheme of the state emblem of the Russian Empire during the time of Catherine II. Somewhat later, the St. George Ribbon began to be used in other awards and insignia of military distinction: banners, standards, silver trumpets, hats, officer weapons, etc. They were awarded for personal and collective military exploits. The ribbon found a second life during the Great Patriotic War: in 1943 it adorned the Order of Glory, and in 1945 – the medal “For Victory over Germany”. Since then, the St. George bicolor has another name: “ribbon of the Order of Glory.” Historians consider these titles to be equivalent, given the high value of both military awards. Calling the black-and-orange ribbon Guards is permissible only when talking about the symbols of the Navy: flags, pennants, caps, and badges. In 1992, the Order of St. George was returned to the system of state awards of the Russian Federation. In addition to it, the insignia “St. George’s Cross” was introduced. Both awards feature the same black and orange ribbon. As an integral part of this or that award, the St. George bicolor signifies the personal courage of a warrior, his devotion to the Fatherland, courage shown in combat, and the high moral qualities of a hero. A ribbon awarded for personal military achievements cannot be transferred to other people.

The ribbons distributed during the Victory Day campaign have become for most Russians a symbol of national unity, memory of the events of the Great Patriotic War, a sign of gratitude to the heroes and grief for the soldiers and officers who died on the fronts for the freedom of the Motherland.

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What does the St. George's ribbon symbolize?

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St. George's Ribbon - everything you need to know

Today, the St. George's Ribbon is perceived more as a modern fashion accessory on certain May days, which does not stand up to criticism. But few people know the history of the symbol of Victory and courage, courage and perseverance. The history of the origin of the color of the ribbon is even less familiar. And why is the ribbon called St. George's?

What you need to know about the St. George's Ribbon - we offer you a selection of 10 most important facts.

No. 1. Slogan

People started talking about the St. George's Ribbon, as a symbol of the Victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War, in the mid-2000s.

In 2005, on the eve of the 60th anniversary of the Victory, a non-political action began under the well-known slogans:

No. 2. Author of the idea

The idea of ​​the action came from a group of journalists from the Russian International Information Agency RIA Novosti.

No. 3. Code of the St. George's Ribbon promotion

The St. George Ribbon Code consists of 10 points:

1. The St. George's Ribbon campaign is neither commercial nor political.
2. The purpose of the action is to create a symbol of the holiday - Victory Day.
3. This symbol is an expression of our respect for veterans, a tribute to the memory of those who fell on the battlefield, gratitude to the people who gave everything for the front. To all those thanks to whom we won in 1945.
4. The "St. George's Ribbon" is not a heraldic symbol. This is a symbolic ribbon, a replica of the traditional bicolor St. George ribbon.
5. The use of original St. George's or Guards ribbons in the promotion is not allowed. "St. George's Ribbon" is a symbol, not a reward.
6. "St. George's Ribbon" cannot be an object of purchase and sale.
7. "St. George's Ribbon" cannot be used to promote goods and services. The use of tape as an accompanying product or element of product packaging is not allowed.
8. "St. George's Ribbon" is distributed free of charge. It is not permitted to issue a ribbon to a visitor to a retail establishment in exchange for a purchase.
9. The use of the “St. George Ribbon” for political purposes by any parties or movements is not permitted.
10. The “St. George Ribbon” has one or two inscriptions: the name of the city/state where the ribbon was produced. Other inscriptions on the ribbon are not allowed.
11. This is a symbol of the unbroken spirit of the people who fought and defeated Nazism in the Great Patriotic War.

Naturally, like any code in the Russian Federation, it is also not observed by every citizen. From 2005 to 2017, paragraph 7 of the code is considered the most violated. On the eve of the holiday, enterprising businessmen get away with impunity as best they can: manicures, vodka, beer, dogs, wet wipes, ice cream, mayonnaise, and even toilets - madness in all its glory:

This is such speculation on the topic of war and victory... Petty, low, mean, disgusting...

No. 4. On banknotes

The St. George's ribbon is depicted on the commemorative banknotes of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic issued by the Central Bank of Transnistria to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War.

No. 5. Correspondence

The St. George ribbon in appearance and color combination corresponds to the ribbon that covers the order block for the medal “For Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.”

Medal "For victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945" became the most popular medal. As of January 1, 1995, approximately 14,933,000 people have been awarded the medal.

Among the recipients are 120 thousand soldiers of the Bulgarian army who took part in hostilities against the German army and its allies.

No. 6. "Georgievskaya" or "Gvardeyskaya"

The ribbons distributed as part of this event are called St. George's ribbons, although critics argue that in fact they correspond to the Guards, since they mean a symbol of victory in the Great Patriotic War and have orange stripes, not yellow. The fact is that since the autumn of 1941, units, formations and ships, for the courage and heroism of their personnel, which they showed in defending the Fatherland, were awarded the honorary title “Guards”, “Guards”, and not “Georgievsky” or “Georgievskaya” .

In fact, everything is simple - the guards ribbon is characteristic of the Soviet era of rule, while the St. George ribbon is characteristic of the Tsarist era. And they differed slightly - in color and width of stripes. The Bolsheviks, who abolished the award system in 1917, only copied the tsar's award in 1941, changing the color slightly.

By the way, according to a common version, the term “guard” appeared in Italy in the 12th century and designated a selected detachment for guarding the state banner. In Russia, the first guard detachments were created in 1565 by decree of Ivan the Terrible - they were all part of his personal guard. Today they are called bodyguards, and in the times of Ivan the Terrible - guardsmen. The basis of the tsar’s personal guard were the “best” representatives of the most noble families and descendants of appanage princes... The guardsmen had to stand out from the crowd, and like monks, who were easy to distinguish by their black robes, special black clothes were invented for the tsar’s guard. This fact, by the way, explains the color of the clothes of modern bodyguards...

Paradoxically, the Bolsheviks, hating everything tsarist, overthrew the term “Georgievsky”, returned in 1941 another tsarist term “Guards”, but called it their own, Soviet...

No. 7. When first appeared

The St. George's ribbon appeared on November 26 (December 7), 1769 under Catherine II, along with the Order of St. George - the highest military award of the Russian Empire. The motto of the order was: “For service and bravery.”

The first holder of the order was the Empress herself - on the occasion of its establishment... And “For service and courage” - Fyodor Ivanovich Fabritsian - Russian general, hero of the Russian-Turkish war of 1768-1774.

And the first full holder of the Order of St. George was the outstanding Russian commander, commander-in-chief of the Russian army during the Patriotic War of 1812, student and comrade-in-arms of A.V. Suvorova - Mikhail Illarionovich Golenishchev-Kutuzov.

No. 8. Ribbon color

The ribbon was worn depending on the class of the gentleman: either in the buttonhole, or around the neck, or over the right shoulder. The ribbon came with a lifelong salary. After the death of the owner, it was inherited, but due to the commission of a shameful offense it could be confiscated from the owner. The Order Statute of 1769 contained the following description of the ribbon: “Silk ribbon with three black and two yellow stripes.”

However, as the images show, in practice, not so much yellow as orange was initially used in practice (from a heraldic point of view, both orange and yellow are just variants of displaying gold).

However, a prominent specialist in Russian faleristics, Serge Andolenko, points out that black and yellow colors, in fact, only reproduce the colors of the state emblem: a black double-headed eagle on a golden background.

The image of George both on the state emblem and on the cross (award) itself had the same colors: on a white horse, white George in a yellow cloak killing a black snake with a spear, respectively, a white cross with a yellow-black ribbon.

No. 9. Why is it named after St. George the Victorious?

This saint has become extremely popular since early Christianity. In the Roman Empire, starting from the 4th century, churches dedicated to George began to appear, first in Syria and Palestine, then throughout the East. In the West of the empire, Saint George was considered the patron saint of chivalry and participants in the crusades; he is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. In Rus' since ancient times, St. George was revered under the name Yuri or Yegory.

Very soon we will celebrate the 70th anniversary of that great day when one of the bloodiest wars for our country ended. Today everyone is familiar with the symbols of Victory, but not everyone knows what they mean, how and by whom they were invented. In addition, modern trends bring their own innovations, and it turns out that some symbols familiar from childhood appear in a different embodiment.

History of the St. George Ribbon

There are symbols that tell us about a particular event. For several years in a row, the St. George ribbon has been used as such a symbol of Victory. It is distributed on the streets of Russian cities before the holiday; it is tied to car antennas and handbags. But why did such a ribbon begin to tell us and our children about the war? What does St. George's ribbon mean?

The St. George ribbon is made in two colors - orange and black. Its history begins with the soldier's Order of St. George the Victorious, which was established by Empress Catherine II on November 26, 1769. This ribbon was later included in the USSR award system under the name “Guards Ribbon”. They gave it to soldiers as a sign of special distinction. The ribbon covered the Order of Glory.

What do the colors mean?

The St. George Ribbon is a symbol of Victory, the colors of which represent the following: black is smoke, and orange is flame. The Order itself was given to soldiers for certain military exploits during the war, and it was considered an exceptional military award. The Order of St. George was presented in four classes:

1. The order of the first degree consisted of a cross, a star and a ribbon in black and orange, and was worn over the right shoulder under the uniform.
2. The order of the second degree required the presence of a star and a large cross. It was decorated with a thin ribbon and worn around the neck.
3. The third degree is an order with a small cross on the neck.
4. The fourth degree is a small cross, which was worn in the buttonhole of a uniform.

What does the St. George ribbon mean in terms of color besides smoke and flame? Black and orange colors today embody military valor and glory. This award was given not only to people, but also to insignia that were issued to military units. For example, silver trumpets or banners.

St. George's Banners

In 1806, the Russian army introduced award St. George banners, which were crowned with the St. George cross and tied with a black and orange ribbon with banner tassels almost 4.5 cm long. In 1878, Emperor Alexander II issued a decree establishing a new insignia: now St. George ribbons were issued as rewards for the military exploits of an entire regiment.

The traditions of the Russian army were passed down from generation to generation, and the Order of Glory did not change. During the Second World War, it was of three degrees, with yellow and black ribbon colors, which were reminiscent of the St. George Cross. And the ribbon itself continued to serve as a symbol of military valor.

Feed today

Modern symbols of Victory originate in ancient Russian traditions. Today, on the eve of the holiday, young people tie ribbons on their clothes, hand them out to motorists and passersby to remind everyone of the feat of our people and express their solidarity. By the way, the idea of ​​holding such an action, as it turned out, belonged to the employees of the Ria Novosti news agency. As the employees themselves say, the goal of this action is to create a holiday symbol that will become a tribute to surviving veterans and once again remind of those who fell on the battlefield. The scale of the campaign is actually impressive: every year the number of distributed ribbons increases.

What other symbols?

Probably every city has a Victory Park, which is dedicated to this glorious feat of our grandfathers and great-grandfathers. Very often, various promotions are timed to coincide with this event, for example, “Plant a tree.” The Victory symbol can look and be interpreted in different ways, but the most important thing is to show your involvement in this important event. In addition, it is important to cultivate a sense of love and respect for the Motherland in our children, and such important actions help in this. Thus, on the eve of the 70th anniversary of the Victory, the “Victory Lilac” campaign was launched, within the framework of which entire alleys of these beautiful flowering plants will be planted in Russian hero cities.

History of the Victory Banner

Many of us have seen the Victory Banner in pictures and movies. In fact, it is the assault flag of the 150th II degree Idritsa Rifle Division, and it was this flag that was hoisted on the roof of the Reichstag in Berlin on May 1, 1945. This was done by Red Army soldiers Alexei Berest, Mikhail Egorov, and Russian legislation established the 1945 Victory Banner as the official symbol of the victory of the Soviet people and the country's Armed Forces over the Nazis in 1941-1945.

Externally, the Banner is an improvised flag of the USSR created in military field conditions, which was attached to the pole and was created from a single-layer red cloth measuring 82 by 188 cm. A silver sickle, hammer and five-pointed star are depicted on the front surface, and the name is written on the rest of the cloth divisions.

How the Banner was hoisted

Victory symbols are various elements that are popular from year to year. And the Victory Banner plays the most important role among these elements and symbols. Let us recall that at the end of April 1945 there were fierce battles in the Reichstag area. The building was stormed several times, one after another, and only the third assault yielded results. On April 30, 1945, a message was broadcast on the radio that broadcast throughout the world that at 14:25 the Victory Banner was hoisted over the Reichstag. Moreover, at that time the building had not yet been captured; only a few groups were able to get inside. The third assault on the Reichstag took a long time, and it was crowned with success: the building was captured by Soviet troops, several banners were hoisted on it at once - from divisional ones to homemade ones.

Symbols of Victory, the Great Patriotic War, the heroism of Soviet soldiers, namely the banner and ribbons, are still used in various processions and events dedicated to the celebration of May 9. carried across Red Square during the Victory Parade in 1945, and flag bearers and their assistants were specially trained for this purpose. By decree of July 10, 1945, the Main Political Directorate of the Soviet Army transferred the Victory Banner to the Central Museum of the USSR Armed Forces in Moscow, where it was to be kept forever.

History of the Banner after 1945

After 1945, the Banner was carried out again in 1965 on the 20th anniversary of the Victory. And until 1965 it was kept in the museum in its original form. A little later it was replaced with a copy that exactly repeated the original version. It is noteworthy that the Banner was ordered to be stored only horizontally: the satin from which it was created was too fragile a material. That is why, until 2011, the Banner was covered with special paper and folded only horizontally.

On May 8, 2011, in the “Victory Banner” hall at the Central Museum of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, the original flag was put on public display, and it was displayed on special equipment: the banner was placed in a large glass cube, which was supported by metal structures in the form of rails. In this original form, many museum visitors could see this and other symbols of victory in the Second World War.

A remarkable fact: the Banner (the real one that was hoisted on the Reichstag) was missing a strip 73 cm long and 3 cm wide. There were and continue to be many rumors about this. On the one hand, they say that a piece of canvas was taken as a souvenir by one of those soldiers who participated in the capture of the Reichstag. On the other hand, it is believed that the Banner was kept in the 150th Infantry Division, where women also served. And it was they who decided to keep a souvenir for themselves: they cut off a piece of fabric and divided it among themselves. By the way, according to museum employees, in the 70s one of these women came to the museum and showed her scrap of the Banner, which was the right size for it.

Victory Banner today

To this day, the most important flag, which tells us about the Victory over Nazi Germany, is a mandatory attribute when holding festive events on Red Square on May 9. True, a copy is used. Other copies as symbols of Victory in the Second World War can be hung on other buildings. The main thing is that the copies correspond to the original appearance of the Victory Banner.

Why carnations?

Probably everyone remembers from their childhood the demonstrations dedicated to the celebration of May 9th. And most often we lay carnations at monuments. Why them? Firstly, this one is a symbol of courage and bravery. Moreover, the flower received this meaning back in the third century when the carnation was called the flower of Zeus. Today, the carnation is a symbol of Victory, which in classical heraldry is a sign of passion and impulse. And already since Ancient Rome, carnations were considered flowers for winners.

The following historical fact attracts attention. Cloves were brought to Europe during the Crusades and were used to treat wounds. And since the flower appeared along with the warriors, it began to be perceived as a symbol of victory, courage and a talisman against wounds. According to other versions, the flower was brought by German knights from Tunisia to Germany. Today, for us, the carnation is a symbol of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. And many of us lay bouquets of these flowers at the foot of the memorials.

Since the French Revolution of 1793, the carnation has become a symbol of fighters who died for the idea and became the personification of revolutionary passion and devotion. Victims of terror who went to their deaths always attached a red carnation to their clothes as a symbol of confrontation. Modern flower arrangements based on carnations symbolize the blood that our grandfathers, great-grandfathers, and fathers shed during the Great Patriotic War. These flowers not only look beautiful, but also retain their decorative appearance for a long time when cut.

Popular flowers-symbols of Victory are tulips of rich red color. They are also associated with the red blood of Soviet soldiers shed for their Motherland, as well as our love for our country.

Modern symbols of Victory

The holiday of May 9 is widely celebrated throughout the post-Soviet space every year. And every year the symbols of Victory change and are supplemented with new elements, in the development of which many specialists take part. For the 70th anniversary of the Victory, the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation has released a whole selection of symbols that are recommended to be used for graphic and font design of various documents, presentations, and souvenirs. As the organizers say, such symbols are an opportunity to once again remind everyone of the great feat of the people who were able to defeat absolute evil.

The Ministry of Culture recommends using selected symbols as a basis for designing almost all communication formats for holidays. The main logo, which was specially created this year, is a composition depicting a white dove on a blue background, a St. George ribbon and inscriptions made in the colors of the Russian tricolor.

conclusions

Symbols of Victory are seemingly simple elements, but they carry a deep meaning. And it would not hurt to know the meaning of these symbols for every resident of our country who is proud of their Motherland and their ancestors, who gave us life and gave us the opportunity to live in relatively peaceful conditions. And the St. George's ribbon, which is almost the main symbol of Victory, will soon appear on all cars in the country and on wardrobe items of Russian citizens. The main thing is that people understand what exactly this symbol means. We remember, we are proud of the feat of our soldiers!