People at all times paid attention to signs and symbols. The five-pointed red star, one ray of which is directed upwards, thanks to the communists, has become one of the main symbols of the USSR. And in a fairly short period, it has become one of the main symbols of totalitarian statehood. Let's find out how the red star became one of the main symbols of the USSR.
How did the history of the red Soviet star begin? After the Great October Revolution, not only the state system changed, but also many signs and attributes went into oblivion. Thus, a new system of symbolism began to take shape. Initially, the emergence of a star as a symbol is associated with Masonic societies. Since the influence of Freemasonry on revolutionary activity in different parts of the world (including the USSR) was truly significant. However, there is no real evidence for this fact.
On the territory of the USSR, the scarlet star appeared as the emblem of the Soviet Army. Unfortunately, today it is not possible to give the exact name of the author of the emblem. So, some historians suggest that for the first time it was proposed for the army by N.A. Polyansky (commissar of the military Moscow district). Other historians associate the name of K.S. with the red star. Eremeevna (commander of the troops of the Petrograd district).
The official history of the emblem begins on April 18, 1918. It was then that a red five-pointed star with a gold border, which depicts a golden hammer and a plow, was appointed by the order of the People's Commissariat for Military Affairs as a badge for all personnel of the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army (RKKA). It became a distinctive sign that allowed people to be divided into “us” and “them”. In this regard, an act was issued that forbade people who were not in the service of the Red Army to wear the emblem. Violation of this rule was punished by the tribunal.
The meaning of the red star. The scarlet star is a heraldic sign that is closely associated with both the Soviet army and directly with the USSR. This sign was depicted on the flag and emblem of the Soviet Union.
What is the meaning of this key symbol of the USSR? It was believed that the star is a symbol that was supposed to unite the world proletariat. So, for example, the 5 ends of a star were associated with 5 continents, on which communism spread. In addition, it is a symbol of security and protection. And the red color was associated with the proletarian revolution, was the color of brotherhood and blood shed in the struggle for the rights of the proletariat.
Also, some scientists associate the scarlet star with the god of war Mars (the ancient Roman god), who was considered the protector and patron of workers. It is possible that some influential Soviet people were guided by this theory.
The image of such a symbol on the flags and emblems of the socialist countries denoted the unity of ideologies and solidarity on the path of development. Many Soviet newspapers described that the red star characterizes the struggle of the peasantry, which was trying to free itself from poverty, hunger, war, and slavery.
Hammer and plow as an addition to the symbol. On the badge of the Soviet army, as described above, there was also an image of a plow and a hammer. They also symbolize the union of workers and peasants. Later, the image was slightly modified: instead of a plow, a sickle was placed on the sign for clarity. But the meaning of the emblem "" did not change from this.
It is also noteworthy that initially the star was depicted with two ends up. However, such an arrangement among the Soviet people was associated with the "satanic" pentagram. And this is in a country where they were treated negatively. So, the star began to be depicted with one end up and two ends down. And the position of the star never changed again. On this occasion, even a large circulation leaflet was issued in the USSR with the title: "Look, comrade, here is the Red Star."
Star and the Great Patriotic War. During the Second World War, this Soviet emblem began to acquire new qualities. In 1943, along with pre-revolutionary shoulder straps, the stars returned to the army, which helped to distinguish the ranks of officers. In addition, at the same time, the red star is taken as the basis in many orders and medals (for example, the Gold Star medal, the Order of Glory, the Order of the Red Star).
One way or another, the star is considered an ancient symbol that has been and is used in various traditions. Probably, this ensured the cult role of this sign in Soviet society.
On June 19, information appeared in the media that the Ministry of Defense approved a new emblem of the Russian Armed Forces - a red-white-blue star, which will replace the traditional red star. The new emblem was designed by a "subordinate design bureau". The new sign received the official name "Army of Russia", while the media unofficially dubbed it "Star Shoigu". A number of authors (N. Starikov, A. Lebedev, G. Moskvin) have already expressed their opinion on the new emblem (see the list of references at the end of the article), however, in our opinion, the essence of the issue remained untouched. According to the developers themselves, the new emblem is designed to improve the image of the Russian army.
Redesign of the emblem of the Russian Armed Forces: instead of the traditional red star, the Ministry of Defense approved a new red-white-blue star
It is difficult to say what kind of image improvement the “experts” are talking about; rather, we can talk about a crushing blow to the Russian army, perhaps the most crushing blow in the entire history of its existence.
The five-pointed star, as a symbol of the Russian army, has a long history. The "Mars" star was used in the tsarist Russian army, in 1827 Nicholas I introduced the wearing of stars on the epaulettes of officers and generals. The five-pointed red star from the very beginning became the symbol of the Red Army and remained the main army sign until June 19, 2014.
It is no coincidence that the five-pointed star has become a symbol of the army. Philosopher Alexei Losev defined a symbol as "the substantial identity of an idea and a thing." Therefore, a symbol cannot be an arbitrarily taken image. The symbol is the bearer of the idea, the main meaning underlying the existence of what it symbolizes. A symbol is a kind of expresser and custodian of the basic semantic code. There is a deepest subtle connection between a symbol and its real embodiment. This connection was convincingly demonstrated during the operation to dismantle the USSR, when one of the main blows was aimed at destroying Soviet symbols. Now the same blow is being struck at the ideological basis of the Russian armed forces.
The five-pointed star (pentagram) is one of the most ancient, most mysterious and most powerful symbols. The first known images of the pentagram date back to around 3500 BC. e. The pentagram was considered an important symbol in many ancient civilizations - Sumerian, Ancient Egyptian, Babylonian, Assyrian. A pentagram inscribed in a circle (pentacle) was known in ancient China, India, Japan, and the American continent.
At the geometric level, the pentagram embodies idea of stability and stability due to intertwining internal connections. Five intersecting lines carry the idea unity and interconnection. Therefore, the pentagram was often used as a sign of the macrocosm. In the 12th century AD. there is a tradition to interpret the pentagram also as symbol of man (microcosm). Combining the meanings of macrocosm and microcosm made the pentagram a universal symbol. world harmony and divine creativity.
When considering natural objects, you can also notice that the number five has a certain special meaning. Five processes of the human body (arms, legs, head). Five fingers on a human hand. Five continents and parts of the world on the globe. And even starfish have at least five processes.
Pentagram as a schematic representation
man (Cornelius Agrippa "Occult Philosophy")
At the level of society, the pentagram expresses harmony of man and state(microsystems and macrosystems). Perhaps this idea was familiar to the ancients, since even in ancient Rome the pentagram was used as a state symbol. The image of the pentagram was present on the personal seal of Emperor Constantine I. In ancient Babylon, the pentagram was considered a sign state power and personified ruler's power.
In the Christian tradition, the pentagram symbolizes, according to different versions, Savior, Tabor Light, Star of Bethlehem. For the Pythagoreans, the pentagram was a symbol of perfection and health. Pythagoras believed that the pentacle embodies mathematical perfection, because it hides the golden ratio. In Celtic mythology, the pentagram was considered the signature of the goddess of war and death. The pentagram is well known since ancient times as a talisman that protects against evil forces. It is interesting that in this role it was used by completely different peoples and in completely different cultures, separated by oceans and millennia!
Thus, the five-pointed star for centuries embodies the idea of stability, integrity, perfection, harmony and protection from the forces of evil and chaos. Is it possible to come up with a more appropriate symbol for the armed forces of the state?
According to the official version, the creator of the emblem of the Red Army was the commander of the Petrograd military district Konstantin Yeremeev. In the USSR, the five-pointed star symbolized the unity of the world proletariat of all five continents of the Earth (the five ends of the star are the five continents of the planet). The red color of the army star symbolizes the memory of the blood of comrades shed in battle.
However, there is an opinion that the symbols of the RRKA were developed personally by Leon Trotsky and his associates, some of whom were very knowledgeable in the occult sciences, and the pentagram as an army symbol was not chosen by chance.
Putting on the uniform, the officer and soldier take the stars on their shoulders (shoulder straps) and on their foreheads (cap or cap). Thus, on the one hand, he declares himself a protector from the forces of darkness and the keeper of world harmony, and, on the other hand, he receives protection from destructive forces.
Now let's look at the semantic content of the new star of the Russian Armed Forces of the 2014 model.
The first and most important thing to pay attention to is that the new symbol is not a pentagram. He only imitates her, tries to appear as her through an optical illusion. A pentagram is a figure formed by five intersecting lines. The new symbol does not have five intersecting lines (they are replaced by two broken curves), so the new symbol is neither a pentagram nor a star! This symbol has a different nature, the resemblance to the pentagram is external and superficial. The so-called Shoigu star is a pseudo-star and a pseudo-pentagram, i.e. fake, imitation, fake of an ancient symbol. Therefore, the new symbol does not carry or convey any of the meanings characteristic of the pentagram.
By replacing the pentagram star with a fundamentally different sign, the “designers” break the chain of continuity between the modern Russian army and the Russian and Soviet army. Russian warriors will no longer have stars on their shoulders (two colorful squiggles will appear instead). Now they are warriors of other meanings, warriors of a completely different army, fighters for a completely different idea. Their fathers and grandfathers went into battle with a completely different sign on caps, shoulder straps and banners.
I'm not talking about such a "little thing" as the fact that the new pseudo-star, in terms of color pattern, corresponds not to the Russian, but to the Dutch flag.
At the associative level, the new symbol carries the idea of fragmentation and fragmentation, instability and chaos. From this point of view, it should not be called "Shoigu's star", but "Serdyukov's star". Instead of the strict ascetic harmony of the pentagram in the new symbol, we see two strangely broken lines, one of which is colored red and the other blue.
The new symbol is clearly split, torn into two unrelated elements - top and bottom. They are clearly and completely separated from each other, which is further emphasized by their different colors. What does this symbolize - the separation of command from the troops? Decapitation of the army? Separation of the elite from the people? The splitting of society into the "top" with a wonderful life and the "bottom" that will turn blue from the life that they are preparing?
The new emblem of the Russian Armed Forces: a separation of the top from the bottom, a mound over a pit, the letter “M” turned upside down and a crossed out arrow.
The red line of the upper part of the logo is shaped like a barrow. “A kurgan is a kind of burial monuments… It is usually characterized by the construction of an earth mound over a burial pit” (Wikipedia). The symbol clearly shows a red barrow above the pit. It turns out that the new symbol at the associative level carries the meaning of the grave for the armed forces of the Russian Federation? Ah yes good star Shoigu!
The lower blue part of the new symbol of the Russian army is the letter "M" turned upside down. The letter M in Russian has always been a very powerful defining sign. In the Russian pre-reform alphabet, the letter "M" was called "think". The letter "M" is part of such words as peace, power, courage, wisdom, youth, we. The new symbol shows us that from now on in the Russian army the meaning of these concepts will be turned upside down, i.e. the army will use perverted notions of courage, might and wisdom.
Inside the symbol we see a white arrow pointing up. But for some reason this upward aspiration is crossed out by a horizontal white stripe. Thus, the new sign carries the idea of blocking aspirations upward, towards development, towards perfection, towards God.
With some external resemblance of the red star to the new red-white-blue pseudo-star, at the semantic level, the distance between them is greater than between the red star and the swastika.
By proposing a new symbol, its developers strike at the most intimate semantic foundation, i.e. at the heart of the Armed Forces. And the semantic base “what we are fighting for” is the basis on which the power of the army stands.
Who has created such a disgrace?
I will make two assumptions. The first version - a new sign was invented, drawn and approved by madmen and totally illiterate people who have no idea either about the history of military symbols, or about symbols and history in general. The second version, which seems more likely, is that the sign was not developed in Russia. With all due respect to the designers of the "subordinate design bureau" of the Ministry of Defense, I do not believe that this sign was created there. First, the potential for hostility and destabilization that the new symbol contains is too great. Secondly, the work is too professional: the meanings are too clearly chosen, the accents are too subtly placed, the disguise “under the star” is too skillfully done. Such work could be performed by an experienced Kabbalist and an expert in ancient history, but not by any means an average designer.
According to ancient beliefs, an evil demon can be enclosed within a pentagram, and he can never cross its border until it is broken. The Russian Defense Ministry broke the pentagram and released the demon. The new emblem shows the whole world that the way is open for the forces of evil and chaos. Well, the fact that this happened exactly during the Ukrainian crisis is, of course, just a coincidence.
The Russian army enjoyed well-deserved military glory. She was strong in the courage of her soldiers, their selfless loyalty to the military oath, their indestructible stamina, their ability to intrepidly endure the hardships of a harsh soldier's service. There were magnificent military traditions in the Russian army. Traditions in the army are a great thing. The unwritten laws of military honor rallied the soldiers around the commanders, created strong internal discipline, united the soldiers into a close and friendly regimental family - it was sometimes dearer to the soldier and officer than their own home. Our duty is to take the best of the military traditions of the old Russian army and implement them in our country. We are the legitimate heirs of the soldierly glory of the Russian army and, as diligent hosts, we are trying to preserve and increase this heritage dear to our hearts.
One of the most remarkable and exciting traditions of the Russian army was the love for their regimental banner. The banner was considered the shrine of the regiment. The banner was a symbol of military honor and glory. Russian regiments went into battle with unfolded banners, and the panels of these banners, swayed by the wind, seemed to extend the blessing of the motherland over the regiments. And when a soldier went on a feat and saw how the regimental banner was floating above the ranks of his comrades, he knew that the Russian land was with him, the love of the people and the fatherland was with him.
It is clear why the sacred banner was guarded with such zeal during the battle, why the elected people of the unit - the bannermen - who were instructed to carry the regimental relic, rather parted with their lives than with the banner. It is clear why the loss of the banner was considered the greatest disgrace for the regiment. The regiment that lost its banner was to be disbanded, excluded from the lists of the army - how could a greater misfortune be imagined for soldiers and officers ?! After all, every true warrior saw his regiment as his home, his hearth. After all, to every true warrior the honor of the regiment seemed to be his own personal honor.
The history of the Russian army keeps many examples of the high heroism of soldiers and officers who fearlessly sacrificed their lives to save the military banner.
During the war between the Russians and the French in 1805, the flagman of the Azov regiment, non-commissioned officer Starichkov, received several bullet and bayonet wounds. Beginning to lose strength and fearing that the banner would fall into the hands of the enemy, he removed it from the staff and hid it on his chest, continuing to fight with the enemy. The seriously wounded Starichkov was taken prisoner, but even while in captivity, he continued to sacredly keep the hidden regimental banner. Dying from his wounds, Starichkov called his friend Chaika, a soldier of the Butyrsky Infantry Regiment, and handed him the banner, taking an oath to save the sacred relic and deliver it to the regiment by any means. Seagull exactly fulfilled his friend's will: he carefully and diligently hid the banner during the entire time he was in captivity, and when he finally returned to his homeland, he delivered the banner to the command.
The honor of the regiment was saved. Fellow soldiers did not forget the courageous non-commissioned officer. The news of his exploit was spread throughout Russia. The names of the modest non-commissioned officer Starichkov and his friend Chaika were recorded in the history of the Russian army. So in captivity, the Russian soldier remained true to his oath, remembered the service, the soldier's duty, and the native banner.
The bannerman of the 2nd battalion of the Selenginsky regiment of the 2nd grenadier company, non-commissioned officer Andrey Snozik, being on October 23, 1853 in a battle with a banner, was badly wounded and fell. Instantly, several comrades jumped up to him in order to take the banner from his weakened hands, but the valiant Andrey Snozik got up and firmly said: “As long as I am alive, I will not give the banner to anyone,” and, bleeding, carried the banner forward.
Inspired by his valor, the soldiers quickly rushed into battle and drove the enemy. The banner, carried by the courageous Andrey Snozik, fluttered high above the battalion and called the soldiers to victory.
During the defense of Sevastopol, the Okhotsk regiment attacked a heavily fortified English position on the Inkerman Heights. The battery was defended by the Black Arrows, an elite English regiment. Although most of the soldiers and officers of the Okhotsk regiment died on the battlefield, the Russians nevertheless captured the English battery. But the English guards hurried to the aid of the Black Riflemen and drove the hunters from the occupied height. In an unequal battle, the regimental bannerman was killed by the Russians. In a moment of confusion, the banner passed into the hands of the British. Seeing this, non-commissioned officers Ivan Barabashev and Osip Ignatiev irresistibly rushed back to the battery, into the thick of the British, and wrested their shrine from enemy hands. The banner was saved, and with it the honor of the regiment.
During the Turkish war of 1877, the fortifications of Kizil-Tapa were defended by the 1st battalion of the 157th Imeretian infantry regiment. During a fierce battle, the Turks pressed the weak forces of the Russians and took possession of the banner. Then ensign Petropavlovsky, drawing his saber, rushed alone into the midst of enemy soldiers and grabbed the flagpole. Ensign Peter and Paul was raised on bayonets, but with a desperate effort he managed to tear off the sacred cloth from the staff and throw it over the heads of the Turks into the hands of his fellow soldiers. The Turks chopped the brave officer to pieces, but the banner was saved.
So the valiant warrior without hesitation gave his life for his native banner, for the honor of his regiment and the glory of his comrades.
During the defense of Sevastopol, the 2nd Battalion of the 54th Minsk Regiment had to engage in battle with the entire French division of General Bosquet. The battalion was commanded by the courageous Lieutenant Colonel Rakovich. The enemy had a huge numerical superiority. Every Russian had to deal with at least ten or fifteen Zouaves. The French managed to capture the banner of the battalion. Then the lieutenant colonel himself rushed to the French, cut down several enemy soldiers, beat off the banner and retreated to his own.
The heroic feat of lieutenant colonel Rakovich, who showed by personal example how to fight for his banner, inspired the soldiers of the Minsk regiment even more. They again united at the repulsed banner, and although they were forced to retreat, they made the enemy pay dearly for every step of advance. Both officers and soldiers equally cherished the honor of their native banner, for it was the shrine of the regiment, and this shrine was guarded by all who served under its canopy.
In the battle with the Turks near Eski-Zagra on June 19, 1877, the 3rd militia squad gloriously distinguished itself. The bannerman of the squad, Arsenty Tsymbalyuk, was seriously wounded in the chest. Faithful to the duty of the oath, he did not want to leave his shrine and, overcoming excruciating pain, carried the banner forward. Soon, completely exhausted, he fell. The banner was picked up by Lieutenant Colonel Kalitin, but was immediately killed on the spot. Then the banner was taken by one of the rank and file militias, but he did not have time to take a few steps, as he fell dead. It was scary to approach the banner - the enemy developed a furious fire. However, the militia did not leave their shrine. Five bannermen were killed on the spot, but the squad, nevertheless, honorably carried their banner out of the battle, riddled with bullets, spattered with the blood of its glorious defenders.
Here is an example of heroic service, here is an example of that lofty military spirit that has always lived and will live forever in the Russian people!
The banner inspired Russian soldiers, called them to feats of arms. When Alexander Nevsky, his princely banner fluttered high at the Raven Stone, and each of the soldiers knew: there is a prince, there is a commander, there is the heart and soul of the battle. During the hours of the terrible Battle of Kulikovo, when 150,000 Russian soldiers fought in mortal combat with the innumerable Mamaev horde, the Grand Ducal banner of Dmitry Donskoy fluttered in the center of the raging battle, and the mere sight of this banner made the hearts of Russian soldiers beat faster. They knew that their commander was with them, the love of the people was with them!
Glorious Russian banners! Where have they not been? They trembled in the smoke and flames of the Battle of Poltava, when the great Peter crossed the Russian sword with the Swedish sword and when the question was being decided whether Russia should be a great power or remain a weak border state for many centuries. Proud Ishmael, taken by an unprecedented assault by the Suvorov miracle heroes, saw Russian banners on his hitherto impregnable walls. In the terrible time of the Patriotic War, which Russia waged with Napoleon, Russian banners fluttered over the iron regiments of the Russian army, which defended Moscow on the fields of Borodino.
The Germans saw Russian banners on the squares of Berlin, which was occupied by us during the Seven Years' War. Russian banners were carried through the Alpine gorges during the unprecedented Suvorov campaign. The valleys of Lombardy, hearing the measured step of the Russian infantry, saw our banners, covered with great glory.
The Russian army, the army of a great people, whose history is marked by many brilliant victories, was the protector and defender of Russia. Her valor and courage should be attributed to the fact that our homeland withstood numerous enemies, repelled many enemy invasions.
We, modern Soviet people, Russian people, say with pride: the blood of the heroes of Poltava and Borodin, Gangut and Chesma, Izmail and Sevastopol flows in our veins. We bow before the memory of Alexander Nevsky and Dmitry Donskoy, Suvorov and Kutuzov, Bagration and Kulnev, Nakhimov and Brusilov. These names, as well as the names of other valiant commanders, constitute the military glory of our fatherland.
And the symbol of the glory of the Russian regiments are military banners, covered with the dust of long-distance campaigns, the powder soot of countless battles.
We, the heirs of Russian military glory, must raise the sacred battle banners over the regiments of our valiant Red Army, which is defending our homeland from a terrible and vicious enemy. The combat banners of the Soviet regiments, as well as the banners of Russian soldiers who defended their homeland, will be a symbol of military honor, valor and glory. With what pride the guards regiments and divisions wear their banners! The guardsmen kneel on their knees to accept their well-deserved banner in battles and sacredly cherish its honor.
Combat regimental colors will once again remind every fighter and commander of their sacred oath, of their duty to faithfully serve their homeland, defend it courageously and skillfully, defend every inch of their native land from the German hordes, not sparing their blood and life itself. And when, in the harsh hour of a fierce battle, it will be hard for our fighter, he will turn his thoughts to his native battle banner. In it - the honor of the regiment, the honor of the army, the honor of the homeland. In it is the blessing of the motherland, the blessing of the people. In it - soldier's prowess and glory. // .
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* ("Red Star", USSR)
("Red Star", USSR)
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Agitator in a trench
From the notebook of a front-line agitator
In agitation, sometimes a small touch, a petty fact, leads to a topic of the day. It happens that the agitator decided to have a conversation on a topic. He goes to the company, and, having arrived there, he builds a conversation in a completely different way than he thought before. This is one of the manifestations.
I recently met the propagandist Captain Rogozhkin. We are talking about the purposefulness and effectiveness of agitation. And this is what he told me:
I went to the forefront with the intention of having a discourse about discipline. But all my plans were overturned as soon as I got to the trenches.
The first thing that caught my eye was the shallow trenches. The Germans fire at them all the time and often disable our fighters. While we were walking, they fired machine guns and periodically threw mines. There was no shooting from our side. What's the matter? We approach the machine-gun crew, we ask.
Why are you silent?
But how to shoot, we don’t see anything, - the fighter says.
In fact, it is 500 meters to the front edge of the Germans, and the firing sector at the easel machine gun is designed for 150 meters. Ahead is high dry grass, hummocks and small bushes. We approach another machine gun.
Well, how do you shoot? - We turn to the fighters.
We shoot a little.
And the Fritz are walking around, why don't you hit? - Asked Lieutenant Colonel Yurchenko, who was present here. He quickly set the sight and fired a burst. Two Germans sprawled on the ground.
What are you doing, lieutenant colonel? - the platoon commander, Lieutenant Popov, turned to him. - After all, the Germans will open fire back.
In the lieutenant's remark, I heard not only anxiety for the life of the senior commander, but also his. From a conversation with a nearby fighter, I established that the platoon and its commander were recently on the front line, that the Germans here all the time, without fear, walk along their front line to their full height, and our fighters do not bother them. Everything became clear to me.
In this company, I had two conversations. Topics suggested themselves. The first is about strengthening the defense and organizing fire, the second is "".
Five days later, I again went into this company, - says the propagandist Rogozhkin, - and was incredibly happy. The trenches were deepened. Ammunition and food could be safely brought into the trenches. Sectors of fire have been cleared. And to top it all off, in a few days the platoon fighters exterminated 60 Germans.
The agitator Rogozhkin was clearly convinced of the power of his word.
Night is the busiest time. She is full of surprises. It is at night in the trench, in the dugout, that the presence of an agitator is necessary in order to.
In the dark night, I made my way from the command post to our front line. In the distance, an enemy machine gun scribbled endlessly with intermittent fire. Mines exploded near our trenches with a dry metallic crack. Bullets kept screeching overhead. Our fighters did not shoot.
Why such silence? - I asked the fighter who was standing at the last dugout.
He doesn’t let me raise his head, he keeps hitting and hitting, ”he answered.
And you make him shut up. Beat yourself.
The enemy made dugouts under the houses - you can't get him.
The Hungarians, who settled in the village, in the underground houses, equipped firing points. From these bunkers, interconnected by trenches, they continuously poured fire on our trenches. As soon as our mortars began to shoot the firing point, it fell silent, but after two or three minutes the machine gun again began to scribble from the underground of another hut. Continuous fire did not give rest. It was necessary to seize the fire initiative.
I knew that Senior Sergeant Leonov was an excellent marksman, he had a sharp eye and a steady hand.
Hit with incendiaries, I advised.
Half an hour later, the extreme huts were on fire.
The next night I was back in the trenches. Having lost warm apartments,. Their machine guns were silent. Feeling the power of their weapons, our fighters triumphed and did not stop firing for a minute. In the morning, a soldier crawled out of the enemy trenches and began to shout something into a mouthpiece.
Boys, take off the "screamer," Leonov commanded.
A shot followed. "Screamer" hung on the parapet, and the mouthpiece rolled down.
In the afternoon, leaving the front line, I already knew for sure that there would be no more silence in this company. The fire initiative passed into our hands. I involuntarily remembered Captain Rogozhkin. I was pleased too. Night is a good time for an agitator.
What is needed in order for the word of an agitator to be intelligible, to sound fresh and convincing, to have an irresistible effect on the mind and heart of a fighter? First of all, it is necessary that the agitator has at his disposal concrete arguments and facts that are understandable to every fighter, close to him, taken from his own life. Therefore, before having a conversation, you need to get acquainted with the life of the fighters and the entire unit, replenish your notebook with fresh facts from their combat practice and trench life. Quite often, the strength and success of his conviction, the effect of his words on the mind and behavior of a fighter depend on the ability of the agitator to attract even small facts from the life of the unit. Before going to one company or another, I usually get acquainted with it "in absentia", I collect materials in the political department, from the commanders.
Our fighter -. He immediately determines what is strong and what is weak agitator. And if he sees that in front of him is an agitator who knows his life and way of life, who knows weapons well, he shows him sincere confidence and willingly expresses his disposition. And to win over a fighter is already half the success.
At the forefront, the agitator is always given a warm welcome. The audience here is grateful. Usually you have to answer hundreds of different questions. The fighters show a burning interest in the international position of the country, the situation on the fronts and the life of our rear. Therefore, the agitator before each trip to the unit must be ready to report on these topics.
Finally, each of us often has to deal with shortcomings in military units. The agitator in the unit is not an outsider. An agitator is a representative of a political agency. Therefore, he cannot pass by the observed outrages. // Captain G. Rumyantsev. VORONEZH FRONT.
Issue of medical collections at the front
LENINGRAD FRONT, 8 December. (Special correspondent TASS). Medical workers of the N-th army are doing a lot of scientific and practical work, summarizing the experience they have accumulated during the Patriotic War. The sanitary department of the army has published a number of scientific works, in which professors and doctors working in divisional and army medical institutions take part.
The third medical collection is coming out the other day. It consists of four sections: "Organization and tactics of the sanitary service", "Military hygiene and epidemiology", "Military field surgery", "Military field therapy and toxicology".
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A.Krivitsky: ("Red Star", USSR)
A. Tolstoy: * ("Izvestia", USSR)**
("Red Star", USSR)***
* ("Red Star", USSR)
That rare case when the Bolsheviks did not "throw overboard" history and traditions
In the early nineties, it became fashionable to trample Soviet symbols into the dirt. In particular, there were many attempts to discredit the red five-pointed star - they say, this is a satanic sign associated with black magic. However, if we consider the history of this symbol, it becomes clear that it was not Satanists who invented it at all.
From the depths of centuries
The five-pointed star as a symbol, according to the most conservative estimates, is about five thousand years old. The Sumerians used this sign to designate a corner, a pit or a small room, a room. The Pythagoreans saw five shelters in the pentagram, in which, when creating our world, primitive chaos was hidden. The inhabitants of Babylon used a star with five rays as a sign protecting their home from thieves. For a while, the five-pointed star was the official seal of Jerusalem - perhaps that is why medieval scholars who dreamed of mastering magic called the pentacle the seal of the king Solomon. And the ancient Romans considered the five-pointed star a symbol of the god of war. Mars- according to legend, he was born from a lily; it was the lily that symbolized the “Mars star”.
During the French Revolution, the five-ray star penetrated the military symbols of the young republic and settled on the epaulettes and headdresses of generals and officers. It was from France that the five-pointed star made its way to Russia: in 1827, with a light hand NicholasI epaulettes of the highest army ranks began to be decorated with gold forged stars. After 27 years, in 1854, also under Nicholas I, epaulettes will appear on the shoulders of the Russian military, and embroidered stars will appear on the epaulettes.
well forgotten old
When the February Revolution broke out in 1917, all the royal insignia in the army were abolished en masse.
According to order No. 321 dated May 7, 1918, issued by the People's Commissar of the Republic Leon Trotsky, "Mars star with a plow and a hammer" becomes the sign of the Red Army. There is an opinion that the introduction of the five-pointed star into the symbolism was carried out as part of a campaign to attract former tsarist officers to the Red Army.
The star, symbolizing the Red Army, was also red - like the banners of the young republic. At first, it was thought of as a badge on the breastplate - however, after six months it successfully migrated to the headdresses of the military and sailors, where it remained for many years.
Each character needs a legend. At the dawn of the existence of the Red Army, the red five-pointed star personified the unity of the "proletarians of all countries" - workers from all five continents; red was the color of the revolution, the color of the blood that was shed for freedom. Later, red stars on headdresses became associated with defending warriors.
From January 1919, stars began to be sewn onto the new headdresses of the Red Army, resembling the helmets of ancient knights in shape. The first name of these pointed hats - "heroes" - did not take root; they remained in the memory of the people as Budyonovka.
Poster "Join the red cavalry", 1920 Coats of arms and flags
Soon the red stars gained such popularity that they lit up on the coat of arms and banner of the young country building communism. And then they began to light up on the emblems of the republics. By the way, the red star appeared on the coat of arms of the RSFSR only in 1978!
Interestingly, another ancient sign had a good chance of becoming a symbol of Soviet Russia, which later, in the middle of the 20th century, gained notoriety thanks to the Nazis. Yes, we are talking about the swastika. She even at one time flaunted on banknotes - "Kerenki". However, the coat of arms of the country never got over.
In 1928, an October star was born - also red, but with a portrait of a young Volodya Ulyanova in the middle. All Octobrists were obliged to wear it on the left side of the chest. And in 1935, the stars, decorated with Ural gems, shone on the Spasskaya, Troitskaya, Borovitskaya and Nikolskaya towers of the Kremlin. True, these stars soon dimmed, so that in 1937 Stalin ordered to install red stars made of milky (inside) and ruby (outside) glass on these towers, as well as on the Vodovzvodnaya Tower. The leader considered that with such stars the Kremlin would become more beautiful. And this, perhaps, is the little in which we can agree with him.
HUMANITY has been giving meaning to symbols since ancient times. Wise men of different eras and peoples saw symbols as a kind of amulets, invisibly protecting their bearers from all kinds of evil. One such symbol is the five-pointed star. She owes her appearance not to European Masons, contrary to popular belief, and not even to the biblical King Solomon.
The original origin of the five-pointed star (pentagram) is unlikely to ever be established. Judging by the excavations of archaeologists, it was well known since ancient times as a symbol-amulet. Primitive people, and then representatives of the earliest civilizations in the territories of modern Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Greece, used it in their totems and ritual drawings. It was also a revered emblem among the Japanese and American Indians.
Among the Saami of Russian Lapland, the five-pointed star was considered a universal amulet protecting deer - the basis of the lifestyle of most northerners. In North Karelia, back in the middle of the 19th century, the fact of honoring the five-pointed star by Karelian hunters was attested. Having stumbled upon a connecting rod bear in the winter forest, the hunter quickly drew three five-pointed stars in a row on the snow and retreated behind them. It was believed that the bear would not be able to cross this line.
The number five in the culture of mankind is symbolic. Humans have five toes on their hands and feet. Two arms, two legs and a head “stick out” from the body - again, five “processes”. In the drawing of the genius Leonardo da Vinci, the “ideal” person, legs and arms wide apart, resembles a five-pointed star.
FIRST known images of the pentagram date back to about 3500 BC. e. These are five-pointed stars painted on clay, found in the ruins of the ancient city of Uruk. Images of pentagrams are also found on Egyptian statues. The ancient Egyptians called the pentagram "the star of the dog-headed Anubis." In ancient Babylon, she was depicted on the doors of warehouses to protect goods from damage and theft. And for the “initiates” of those peoples, it was a powerful sign of power. In the same Babylon, the pentagram was found on royal seals.
In the lands of ancient Palestine, the pentagram was called the "seal of King Solomon", which can protect against the dark influence of supernatural forces. The magicians of medieval Europe, from whom, apparently, the Masonic lodges went, learned about the "seal of Solomon" from Arabic manuscripts. So the five-pointed star became one of the main symbols of Freemasonry (“blazing star”). With this sign, according to Masonic tradition, Solomon marked the cornerstone of his Temple. For Freemasons, the five-pointed or flaming star symbolizes the world mind, the perfection of the spirit.
In the Hebrew Kabbalah, the pentagram, facing one ray upwards, symbolizes the Savior, and facing two rays upwards, the forces of darkness.
In ancient Greece, the pentagram was used by the Pythagoreans (followers of Pythagoras) as a distinctive sign of belonging to their community. They taught that the world is composed of five interconnected elements (Fire, Water, Air, Earth and Ether). They were symbolized by the five rays of the star. 
The Roman emperor Constantine I the Great (272-337) included a five-pointed star in his seal and his amulet, because he considered that thanks to the star he found the true faith and converted to Christianity. The British knight Sir Gowain of Orkney, nephew of the legendary King Arthur, placed the pentagram as a personal symbol on his shield in gold on a red background. The five sharp ends of the star symbolized the five knightly virtues - nobility, politeness, chastity, courage and piety.
In pre-Christian Russia, the red five-pointed star was considered a sign of the spring god Yarila, the patron saint of farmers and warriors.
CONCERNING Soviet Russia, then shortly after the October events of 1917, the five-pointed red star became the emblem of the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army. According to one version, the idea of using a red star was expressed in the spring of 1918 by the military commissar of the Moscow Military District N.A. Polyansky, who proposed to introduce it as a distinctive sign of the fighters of the first units of the Red Army. The source of information is the memoirs of a prominent Bolshevik
EAT. Yaroslavsky, according to which Polyansky proposed to choose a red five-pointed star with the image of a plow, a hammer and a book as a symbol. The picture is a little overworked. After a discussion in the MVO command, only the hammer and plow were left on the emblem.
According to another version, the five-pointed star became the emblem of the Red Army and the official military insignia thanks to the All-Russian Collegium for the Organization and Formation of the Red Army, created on December 20, 1917. Konstantin Eremeev, the first Soviet commander of the troops of the Petrograd Military District, proposed at a board meeting to introduce a red star as a symbol of the new army.
For reference. Konstantin Stepanovich Yeremeev (1874–1931) was born in Minsk. Son of a non-commissioned officer. In 1894–1895 he served in the army as a non-commissioned officer. In 1896 he joined the RSDLP. Since 1910, he worked in the editorial office of the newspapers Zvezda and Pravda. During the First World War, he headed the military organization of the North Baltic Committee of the RSDLP (b), in the fall of 1917 he was sent to work in the Petrograd Military Revolutionary Committee (VRK).
From December 1917 - Commander of the Petrograd Military District. In 1918 he was transferred to Moscow. Enjoying great confidence in V.I. Lenin. During the Left SR rebellion in July 1918, he led the security of the Kremlin and the Bolshoi Theater, where the 5th All-Russian Congress of Soviets was held. One of the organizers and editor of the newspaper "Army and Fleet of Workers' and Peasants' Russia" (later - "Workers' and Peasants' Red Army and Fleet"). From 1923 he was a member of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Baltic Fleet, from 1925 he was the head of the political department of the Baltic Fleet.
It is impossible to say today what guided N. Polyansky or K. Eremeev in their choice. Maybe they knew that the five-pointed star was one of the symbols of the Great French Revolution, and the Soviet government was considered the successor of its work (recall the famous slogan "Liberty, equality, fraternity").
It is possible that other considerations prevailed in the decision. The red star in Russia at that time had not so much a revolutionary meaning as it was traditionally associated with the fourth planet of the solar system - Mars. He was considered the god of war. The red star as the emblem of the Red Army emphasized the military aspect of the new Soviet symbol.
The Red Planet (Mars) generally occupied a special place in the subculture of the old Russian Social Democrats. Alexander Bogdanov, as you know, even wrote a fantasy novel, which was called The Red Star (1908). On its pages, a veteran of the revolutionary movement presented an imaginary society of the inhabitants of Mars who built communism. 
Officially, the red five-pointed star became the symbol of the Red Army in July 1918, when its design was finally approved (a five-pointed red star with a gold border, in the middle - a golden plow and hammer, symbolizing the union of peasants and workers). Chronologically, the process of its adoption looked like this: the emblem was introduced by order of the People's Commissariat for Military Affairs of April 19, 1918 as a badge for all personnel of the Red Army; wearing it was confirmed by order of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic No. 310 dated May 7 of the same year; it was finally approved in July 1918 by the decision of the V All-Russian Congress of Soviets. Later, the emblem was simplified - instead of a plow, a sickle began to be depicted. This amendment was formalized by order of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic on April 13, 1922.
REMARKABLE that in the first years of Soviet power, apparently on the initiative of anti-Christian figures in the core of the Bolshevik party, an attempt was made to depict a red star with both ends up. The first Soviet Order of the Red Banner, established on September 16, 1918, had exactly this - "upside down" - the image of a star. On the poster by Dmitry Moor (Orlov) “Soviet Russia is a besieged camp. All to the defense! ”, Issued in 1919, the red star is also depicted upside down.
But the ancient tradition nevertheless prevailed, and the star was returned to its "anti-Satanic" position. The military department of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee was forced to issue a mass edition of a special leaflet “Look, comrade, here is the Red Star”, where, in the form of a “Parable about Truth and Krivda”, an explanation of its symbolism is given. The star was drawn with two rays down and one up ...
In the old Russian army, stars were also used on shoulder straps - to distinguish military ranks - but not red, but gold. Then it was believed that this was due to a tradition allegedly coming from Ancient Rome. The pentagram appeared in the imperial army in the meaning of the "Mars" star - named after the ancient Roman god of war Mars. By decree of Emperor Nicholas I on January 1, 1827, stars appeared on the epaulettes of Russian officers - perhaps by analogy with the French army. And on April 29, 1854, sewn stars were introduced on the newly established shoulder straps.
The "Mars" meaning of the red star was also recognized by the Bolsheviks. For the first time, the red five-pointed star is mentioned in the “Proceedings of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee of the Soviets of Peasant, Worker, Soldier and Cossack Deputies” on April 19, 1918. The "Chronicle" section reports: "The Commissariat for Military Affairs approved a drawing of a badge for the soldiers of the Red Army in the form of a red star with a golden image of a plow and a hammer in the center." It was noted that the configuration of the sign embodied the most ancient symbol of protection. The plow and hammer represents the union of workers and peasants, the red color - "the revolution and the god of war Mars."
AND ONE MORE curious fact. For several years now, a unique photograph of the times of the Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905) has been “walking” on the Internet. The then-famous photojournalist Viktor Karlovich Bulla was named as its author. It was made on the day when the 23rd artillery brigade was sent from Gatchina to the front in Manchuria to fight the Japanese (winter 1904). At the request of Victor Bulla, the gunners lined up picturesquely for a parade shot. An interesting detail: a five-pointed star with a two-headed imperial eagle in the center flaunts on the carriage door.
Some participants in virtual discussion forums, however, believe that this could be a skillful photomontage. Definitely something to say about this is difficult. Perhaps someone in Russia still has old photographs depicting stars as symbols of the imperial army. This would allow unraveling this historical mystery. Moreover, there are statements on the Internet that at the beginning of the 20th century, five-pointed stars with a double-headed imperial eagle in the center appeared on the banners of some Russian regiments.
It is also known that the star as an element of the emblem appeared on the Russian military uniform in April 1917. On April 21, by order of the military and naval minister of the Provisional Government A.I. Guchkov for the Navy and the Maritime Department No. 150, shoulder straps were replaced with sleeve insignia and a new cockade was introduced: a five-pointed star was placed above the socket with an anchor ...
One way or another, the five-pointed star is a very ancient symbol. In the minds of people, it symbolizes high aspirations and ideals. Probably, the expression “to be born under a lucky star” is not without deep meaning. And for military people, the five-pointed red star is primarily a symbol of military deeds and military prowess.
P.S.
The American writer Dan Brown in his novel The Da Vinci Code gives his own interpretation of this symbol. The hero of the book, Langdon, talks about the pentagram like this:
“It's a pentacle,” Langdon said, his own voice sounding strange and hollow under the gallery arches. - One of the oldest symbols on earth. Appeared four thousand years before the birth of Christ.
- And what does it mean?
Langdon always hesitated when asked that question. To say what the symbol means is the same as explaining what effect this or that song has on a person. After all, everyone perceives the same song in their own way. The white hat of the Ku Klux Klan became a symbol of hatred and racism in the United States, but in Spain such a costume only emphasized the steadfastness of the Christian faith.
“The same symbols have different meanings in different circumstances,” Langdon replied cautiously. - In fact, initially the pentacle was a religious symbol of the pagans.
"Devil worship," Fache nodded.
“No,” Langdon said, and immediately realized that he needed to choose his words more carefully. Indeed, these days the words "pagan" and "pagan" have become almost synonymous with devil worship, which is completely wrong. The roots of this word go back to the Latin pagan, which means "inhabitants of the countryside." The pagans were rural and forest dwellers and in their religious views were polytheists, worshiped the forces and phenomena of Nature...
“The five-pointed star,” Langdon explained, “is also a pre-Christian symbol, related to the worship and deification of Nature. Ancient people divided the whole world into two halves - male and female. They had gods and goddesses who kept the balance of power. Yin and yang. When the masculine and feminine principles are balanced, harmony reigns in the world. When the balance is disturbed, chaos arises...
There is an even more specific interpretation. The five-pointed star symbolizes Venus, the goddess of love and beauty... Early religions were based on the divine principle of Nature. The goddess Venus and the planet Venus are one and the same. The goddess takes her place in the night sky and is known by many names - Venus, the Eastern Star, Ishtar, Astarte. And they all symbolized the powerful feminine principle associated with Nature and Mother Earth...
Langdon decided not to go into details and did not talk about perhaps the most surprising property of the star: graphic evidence of its relationship with Venus. While still an astronomy student, Langdon was surprised to learn that every eight years the planet Venus traces an absolutely regular pentacle around the great circle of the celestial sphere. Ancient people noticed this phenomenon and were so shocked that Venus and her pentacle became symbols of perfection, beauty...
In the pictures: Soviet poster from the Civil War; Russian gunners set out to fight the Japanese, 1904; Clay vessel. Southern Mesopotamia, 4 thousand years BC
