For the entire period Russian history There were many different awards and medals. One of the most honored are the St. George Crosses. This award was the most massive at the time Tsarist Russia. soldier George Cross was carefully kept in the family of the soldier who received it, and the full cavalier of the St. George Cross was revered by the people on a par with epic heroes fairy tales. The particular popularity of this award was brought precisely by the fact that it was awarded lower ranks Imperial army, i.e simple soldiers and non-commissioned officers.

This award was equivalent to the Order of St. George, which was established by Catherine the Great in the 18th century. The George Cross was divided into 4 degrees:

• St. George's cross 4 degrees;
• St. George's Cross 3rd class;
• St. George's Cross, 2nd class;
• George Cross 1st class.

received this award only for the incredible valor that was shown on the battlefield. First they gave out the St. George Cross of the 4th degree, then the 3rd, 2nd and 1st degrees. Thus, the one who was awarded the St. George Cross of the first degree became full cavalier George Cross. Performing 4 feats on the battlefield and staying alive at the same time was a manifestation of incredible military skill and luck, so it is not surprising that such people were treated like heroes.

George Crosses were awarded to soldiers for over 100 years, they appeared shortly before Napoleon's invasion of Russia, and were abolished after the First World War, during which several million people received this royal award, although few were awarded the George Cross of the first degree.

With the coming to power of the Bolsheviks, the St. George crosses were canceled, although even before the start of the Great Patriotic War the medal "For Courage" was introduced, which somehow copied the St. George Cross. Convinced that the medal "For Courage" enjoys great respect among the military, the Soviet command decided to establish the Order of Glory three degrees, which almost completely copied the Royal George Cross.

Although most royal awards in Soviet Russia were very unpopular, and wearing them was equated almost with treason, the bosses often looked “through their fingers” at the wearing of the old front-line soldiers of the St. George's crosses. George's crosses had the following famous Soviet military leaders:

• Marshal Georgy Zhukov;
• K. Rokossovsky;
• R. Malinovsky;
• Budyonny, Tyulenev and Eremenko were full Cavaliers of St. George.

One of the most legendary wartime partisan commanders, Sidor Kovpak, also had the St. George Cross of two degrees.

In Tsarist Russia, all those awarded the St. George Cross received a cash bonus, and they were also paid a lifetime pension, the amount of which varied depending on the degree of the cross. Such an award as the George Cross gave its owner numerous tacit benefits in civil life and global respect.

History of the George Cross

Many contemporary sources do not share such awards as the Order of St. George and the George Cross, although these are completely different awards. The Order of George was established in the 18th century, and the George Cross in the 19th century.

In 1807, Emperor Alexander I received a proposal to establish some kind of award for soldiers and non-commissioned officers who distinguished themselves in the performance of combat missions. Allegedly, this will help to strengthen the courage of Russian soldiers who, in the hope of receiving the desired reward (which includes monetary rewards and a lifetime pension), will fight without sparing their lives. The emperor considered this proposal quite reasonable, especially since news of the battle of Preussisch-Eylau reached him, in which Russian soldiers showed miracles of courage and endurance.

At that time there was one a big problem: a Russian soldier who was a serf could not be awarded an order, since the order emphasized the status of its owner, was, in fact, a knightly insignia. However, the courage of the Russian soldier had to be somehow encouraged, so Russian emperor introduced a special "insignia of the order", which in the future became the same St. George soldier's cross.

"Soldier George", as he was called by the people, could only receive the lower ranks of the Russian army, who showed selfless courage on the battlefield. Moreover, this award was not handed out at the request of the command, the soldiers themselves determined which of them was worthy of receiving the St. George Cross. The George Cross was issued for the following merits:

• Heroic and skillful actions on the battlefield, thanks to which the detachment managed to win in a seemingly hopeless situation;
• Heroic capture of an enemy banner, preferably right from under the nose of a stunned enemy;
• Capture of an enemy officer;
• Heroic actions that prevent the capture of a group of their soldiers;
• A sudden blow to the rear of the superior forces of the enemy, which entailed his flight and other similar feats on the battlefield.

At the same time, wounds or contusions on the battlefield did not give absolutely no right to a reward, unless they were received in the process of carrying out heroic activity.

According to the then existing rules, it was necessary to wear the St. George's Cross on a specially St. George's ribbon, which was threaded into the buttonhole. The first soldier to become a cavalier St. George Order- non-commissioned officer Mitrokhin, who received it in the battle of Friedland in 1807.

Initially, the George Cross did not have any degrees and was issued an unlimited number of times (this is in theory). In practice, the George Cross was issued only once, and the next presentation was purely formal, although at the same time the soldier's salary increased by a third. The undoubted advantage of a soldier awarded this distinction was complete absence corporal punishment which were widely used at the time.

In 1833, the St. George Cross was included in the statute of the Order of St. George, in addition, at the same time, they entrusted the procedure for awarding soldiers to the commanders of armies and corps, which significantly accelerated the process of awarding, since it used to happen that the hero did not live up to the solemn award.

In 1844, a special George Cross was developed for soldiers who profess the Muslim faith. Instead of St. George, who is an Orthodox saint, a double-headed eagle was depicted on the cross.

In 1856, the George Cross was divided into 4 degrees, while its degree was indicated on the cross. How difficult it was to get the St. George Cross of the 1st degree is evidenced by impartial statistics. According to her, there were about 2,000 full knights of the St. George Order in its entire history.

In 1913, the award officially became known as the St. George Cross, in addition, the St. George Medal for Bravery appeared, also having 4 degrees. Unlike a soldier's award, the St. George medal could be awarded civilians and military personnel in Peaceful time. After 1913, the George Cross began to be issued posthumously. In this case, the award was passed on to the relatives of the deceased and kept as a family heirloom.

During the First World War, about 1,500,000 people received St. George's Crosses. Of particular note is the first Knight of St. George of this war, Kozma Kryuchkov, who received his first cross for destruction in battle 11 German cavalry. By the way, until the end of the war, this Cossack became a full Knight of St. George.

For the first time in the history of the George Cross, it began to be awarded to women and foreigners. Due to the difficult situation of the Russian economy during the war, the awards began to be made from low-quality gold (1st and 2nd degrees) and they significantly lost weight (3rd and 4th degrees).

Judging by the fact that during the First World War more than 1,200,000 George Crosses were issued, the heroism of the Russian army was simply at the highest level.

An interesting case of receiving the St. George Cross by the future Soviet marshal Zhukov. He received it (one of several of his crosses) for shell shock, although this award was issued only for well-defined feats, clearly indicated in the statute. Apparently, acquaintances among the military authorities in those days could easily solve such problems.

After February Revolution The George Cross could also be received by officers, if it was approved by the soldiers' meetings. During civil war White Guards were still awarded St. George's crosses, although many soldiers considered it a shame to wear orders received for the murders of their compatriots.

What did the George Cross look like?

The George Cross is called a "cross" precisely because of its shape. This is a characteristic cross, the blades of which widen at the ends. In the center of the cross there is a medallion depicting St. George slaying a snake with a spear. With reverse side on the medallion there are letters "C" and "G", made in the form of a monogram.

The cross was worn on the St. George ribbon (which has nothing to do with the modern St. George ribbon). The colors of the St. George ribbon are black and orange, symbolizing smoke and flame.

The most famous holders of the George Cross

During the existence of the St. George Cross, more than 3,500,000 people were awarded it, although the last 1.5-2 million are quite controversial, since they were issued in the First world war often beyond merit. Many holders of the St. George Orders became famous not only for receiving this award, but are also historical figures:

• The famous Durova, or "cavalry girl", who served as the prototype of the heroine from the "Hussar Ballad", was awarded the St. George Cross for saving the life of an officer;
• The Decembrists Muravyov-Apostol and Yakushkin also had St. George's Crosses, which they received for military merit in the battle of Borodino;
• General Miloradovich received this award from the hands of Emperor Alexander, who personally saw the courage of Miloradovich in the battle of Leipzig;
• Kozma Kryuchkov, who was a full cavalier of the Order of St. George, became Russian hero in life. By the way, a Cossack died in 1919 at the hands of the Red Guards, defending the tsarist regime until the end of his life;
• Vasily Chapaev, who went over to the side of the Reds, had 3 crosses and the St. George medal;
• Maria Bochkareva, who created the women's "battalion of death", also had this award.

Despite the mass character, it is quite difficult to find St. George's crosses now. This is due to the fact that they were minted from gold (1 and 2 degrees) and silver (3 and 4 degrees). In February, the provisional government intensively collected awards "for the needs of the revolution." AT Soviet period when there was a famine or blockade, many changed their rewards for flour or bread.

The memory of the George Cross was revived in 1943, when the Order of Glory was established. Everyone is now familiar George Ribbon, which adorn themselves with people celebrating Victory Day. At the same time, not everyone knows that although the ribbon symbolizes the Order of Glory, its roots go much deeper.

Insignia of the Military Order - award badge to the Order of St. George for the lower ranks from to 1917 for outstanding bravery shown in battle against the enemy. The insignia of the Military Order was the highest award for soldiers and non-commissioned officers.

The first to receive soldier Georgy was the non-commissioned officer of the Cavalier Guard Regiment Yegor Ivanovich Mitrokhin for distinction in the battle with the French near Friedland on June 2, 1807. The first gentleman of the soldier George served from 1793 to 1817 and retired in the lower officer rank warrant officer. However, the name of Mitrokhin was the first to be included in the lists only in 1809, when cavaliers from the guards regiments were the first to be included in the compiled lists. Ensign of the 5th Jaeger Regiment Vasily Berezkin received a cross for the battle with the French near Morungen on January 6 () 1807, that is, for a feat accomplished even before the establishment of the award.

When established, the soldier's cross did not have degrees, there were also no restrictions on the number of awards for one person. Unlike the officer's order, the soldier's award was not covered with enamel, it was minted from silver of the 95th test (modern. 990th test). By decree of July 15, 1808, holders of the insignia of the Military Order were exempted from corporal punishment. The insignia could be withdrawn from the recipient only in court and with the obligatory notification of the emperor.

There was a practice of awarding the insignia of the Military Order of civilians lower classes, but without the right to be called a holder of the insignia. One of the first In a similar way was awarded the Kola tradesman Matvey Andreevich Gerasimov. In 1810, the ship on which he was carrying a cargo of flour was captured by an English warship. On the Russian ship, the crew of which was 9 people, a prize team of eight English soldiers under the command of an officer was landed. 11 days after the capture, taking advantage of the inclement weather on the way to England, Gerasimov and his comrades captured the British, forcing them to officially surrender (give up the sword) and the officer in command, after which he brought the ship to the Norwegian port of Varde, where the prisoners were interned.

There is a known case of awarding a general with a soldier's award. They became M. A. Miloradovich for the battle with the French in the soldier's ranks near Leipzig. The silver cross was presented to him by Emperor Alexander I, who watched the battle.

• St. George's crosses 1st class. - OK. 33 thousand
• St. George's crosses 2nd class. - OK. 65 thousand
• St. George's crosses 3rd class. - OK. 289 thousand
• St. George's Crosses 4th Art. - OK. 1 million 200 thousand

To indicate the serial number (“per million”), “1 / M” was stamped on the upper side of the cross, and the remaining numbers were placed on the sides of the cross. On September 10, 1916, according to the highest approval of the opinion of the Council of Ministers, gold and silver were removed from the St. George Cross. They began to be stamped from "yellow" and "white" metal. These crosses are serial numbers letters "ZhM", "BM". St. George's crosses, there were: 1st degree "ZhM" - 10,000 (No. from 32481 to 42480), 2nd degree "ZhM" - 20,000 (No. from 65031 to 85030), 3rd degree "BM" - 49,500 (No. from 289151 to 338650), 4th degree "BM" - 89,000 (No. from 1210151 to 1299150).

statute

• The insignia of the Military Order consists of a silver cross, in the circle of which, on one side, is the image of St. George on horseback, and on the other, the monograms of St. George and the number under which the person with this sign is listed in the list granted to him.
• The insignia of the Military Order is worn in a buttonhole on the St. George ribbon.
• This insignia is acquired only on the battlefield, during the siege and defense of fortresses, and on the waters in naval battles. It is given only to those lower ranks who really serve in the Land and Naval troops, will distinguish themselves with special courage against the enemy.
• It goes without saying that, in any case, the right to be awarded the insignia of the Military Order is acquired only by those lower ranks who, when performing feats, combine exact obedience to their superiors with courage.
• The insignia of the Military Order is never removed, even if the person who received it was an Officer; but if by production to the Officer, he will be granted the Knight of the Order of St. George, in which case the insignia should already be removed.

For a cross, a soldier or non-commissioned officer received a salary one third more than usual. For each additional sign, the salary was increased by a third, until the salary was doubled. The surplus salary was maintained for life after retirement; widows could receive it for another year after the death of the gentleman.

The awarding of soldier George also gave the following benefits to those who distinguished themselves: the prohibition of the use of corporal punishment to persons with the insignia of the order; when transferring cavaliers awarded the St. George Cross of non-commissioned officer rank from army regiments to the guards, the preservation of their former rank, although the guards non-commissioned officer was considered two ranks higher than the army.

If the gentleman received a distinction in the militia, then he could no longer be given to military service(“shave into soldiers”) without his consent. However, the statute did not rule out the forcible transfer of gentlemen to soldiers if they were recognized by the landowners as persons "whose behavior would violate the general peace and tranquility."

It should be noted that often a certain number of crosses were allocated to a unit that distinguished itself in battle, and then they were awarded to the most distinguished soldiers, moreover, taking into account the opinion of their comrades. This order was legalized and was called the "sentence of the company." The crosses received by the "company's verdict" were valued among the soldiers more than those received on the recommendation of the commander.

Extract from the 1913 Statute of the Order of St. George:

St. George's cross for representatives of non-Christian faith with the image of an eagle instead of St. George

• First highest degree: Golden Cross worn on the chest, on the St. George ribbon, with a bow; in the circle of the Cross on the front side is the image of St. George, and on the back - the monogram of St. George; on the transverse ends of the reverse side of the Cross is carved the number under which the one having the Cross of the first degree is included in the list granted by this degree, and on the lower end of the Cross there is an inscription: 1st step.

• Second degree: The same golden Cross, on the St. George ribbon, without a bow; on the transverse ends of the reverse side of the Cross, a number is carved, under which a person with a Cross of the second degree is included in the list granted by this degree, and at the bottom there is an inscription: 2nd degree.

• Third degree: The same silver cross on the St. George ribbon, with a bow; on the transverse ends of the reverse side, a number is carved, under which one having a Cross of the third degree is included in the list of those granted this degree, and at the bottom there is an inscription: 3rd degree.

• fourth degree: The same silver Cross, on the St. George ribbon, without a bow; on the transverse ends of the reverse side of the Cross, a number is carved, under which the granted Cross of the fourth degree is included in the list granted by this degree, and at the bottom there is an inscription: 4th step.

The new statute also introduced lifelong cash incentives for holders of the St. George Cross: for the 4th degree - 36 rubles, for the 3rd degree - 60 rubles, for the 2nd degree - 96 rubles and for the 1st degree - 120 rubles a year. Cavaliers of several degrees were paid an increase or pension only for the highest degree. It was possible to live normally on a pension of 120 rubles, the salary of industrial workers in 1913 was about 200 rubles a year.

The Cavalier of the 1st degree also complained about the rank of ensign, and the Cavalier of the 2nd degree received such a rank only when he was transferred to the reserve.

For the fight against the Bolsheviks

Contrary to popular misconception, the George Cross was not "legalized" by the Soviet government or officially allowed to be worn by the Red Army. After the start of the Great Patriotic War, many older people were mobilized, among whom were participants in the First World War who were awarded St. George's Crosses. Such servicemen wore awards "on a whim", in which no one interfered with them, and enjoyed legitimate respect in the army environment.

After entering the system Soviet awards Order of Glory, in many respects similar in ideology to the "soldier George", an opinion appeared to legalize the old award, in particular, a letter is known to the chairman of the Council of People's Commissars and the State Defense Committee I.V. Stalin from a professor at VGIK, former member of the first Military Revolutionary Committee for Aviation of the Moscow Military District and St. George Knight N. D. Anoshchenko with a similar proposal:

... I ask you to consider equating b. St. George knights, awarded this order for military exploits committed during last war with damned Germany in 1914-1919, to the gentlemen Soviet order Glory, since the statute of the latter almost completely corresponds to the statute of b. the Order of George and even the colors of their sashes and their design are the same.

By this act Soviet government first of all, it will demonstrate the continuity of the military traditions of the glorious Russian army, high culture respect for all heroic defenders our beloved Motherland, the stability of this respect, which will undoubtedly stimulate both b. cavaliers of St. George, and their children and comrades to perform new feats of arms, because each combat award pursues not only the goal of justly rewarding the hero, but it should also serve as an incentive for other citizens to perform similar feats.

Thus, this event will further strengthen the combat power of our valiant Red Army.

Long live our great Motherland and its invincible, proud and courageous people, who have repeatedly beaten the German invaders, and are now successfully crushing them under your wise and firm leadership!

Long live the great Stalin!

Professor Nick. ANOSHCHENKO 22.IV.1944

A similar movement eventually resulted in a draft resolution of the Council of People's Commissars:

In order to create continuity in the fighting traditions of Russian soldiers and pay due respect to the heroes who smashed the German imperialists in the war of 1914-1917, the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR decides:

1. Equate b. St. George Cavaliers who received St. George Crosses for military exploits committed in battles against the Germans in the war of 1914-17, to the Knights of the Order of Glory with all the ensuing benefits.

2. Allow b. St. George Cavaliers wearing blocks with a sash of established colors on their chests.

3. Persons subject to the action of this resolution are issued an order book of the Order of Glory marked “b. St. George Cavalier”, which is issued by the headquarters of military districts or fronts on the basis of the presentation of relevant documents (genuine orders or track records that time)

This project never became a real decision.

List of persons who were full holders of the St. George Cross and who bore the title of Hero of the Soviet Union

Five such people are known:

1. Ageev, Grigory Antonovich (posthumously)
2. Budyonny, Semyon Mikhailovich (one of the three three times Heroes of the Soviet Union)
3. Lazarenko, Ivan Sidorovich (posthumously)

The owner of the "full bow" of the soldier's Georgiev K. I. Nedorubov wore the Gold Star of the Hero for exploits on the fronts of World War II along with crosses.

Cavaliers

Knights of the George Cross. Photo from 1915

Future marshals had two crosses each - non-commissioned officer Georgy Zhukov, lower rank Rodion Malinovsky and junior non-commissioned officer Konstantin Rokossovsky.

The future Major General Sidor Kovpak had two crosses, during the Great Patriotic War he was the commander of the Putivl partisan detachment and formation partisan detachments Sumy region, which later received the status of the First Ukrainian Partisan Division.

During World War I, Maria Bochkareva became a famous Cavalier of St. George. In October 1917, she was the commander of the famous women's battalion guarding Winter Palace in Petrograd. In 1920, the Bolsheviks shot her.

The last Cavalier of St. George, awarded on Russian soil in 1920, was the 18-year-old sergeant major P.V. Zhadan, for saving the headquarters of the 2nd Cavalry Division of General Morozov. Zhadan, at the head of a squadron of 160 checkers, scattered the equestrian column of the red commander Zhloba, who was trying to escape from the "bag" directly to the division headquarters.

Recovery in the Russian Federation

The insignia "St. George's Cross" was restored in Russian Federation in 1992. Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Russian Federation of March 2, 1992 No. 2424-I "On state awards ah of the Russian Federation" it was established:

Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council No. 2424-I was approved by the Decree of the Supreme Council of the Russian Federation of March 20, 1992 No. 2557-I “On Approval of the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Russian Federation “On State Awards of the Russian Federation” ”.

see also

Notes

1. Supreme Manifesto of February 13, 1807
2. Talanov A. I. Military History Journal, 1991, No. 1
3. The 84th test corresponds to coin silver. In the pre-revolutionary hallmarking system, it means the content of 84 spools of pure silver in 96 spools (1 pound) of a product.
4. Personal decree of July 15, 1808
5. Kovalevsky N. F. History of the Russian State. Biographies of famous soldiers figures of the XVIII- the beginning of the XX century. M., 1997

The insignia "St. George's Cross" has always been one of the most revered domestic military awards. Originally existed from 1807 to 1917, it was used as an award badge for the Order of St. George for the lower ranks. The award was given to soldiers and non-commissioned officers for outstanding bravery shown in battles with the enemy. Many Soviet military leaders were Knights of St. George. For example, G.K. Zhukov was a holder of the St. George Crosses of the third and fourth degrees. In 1992, it was decided to restore this insignia in the Russian award system.

On the basis of the Decree of the Presidium of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation of March 2, 1992, it was attributed to restore the Russian military order of St. George and the sign "St. George's Cross". However, the work on drawing up the regulations and statute of the awards dragged on until 2000. The regulation on these awards and their description was adopted only on August 8, 2000 on the basis of a decree of the President of the Russian Federation.

It was originally planned that this award would be given only to feats of arms manifested in battles with an external enemy in the defense of the Fatherland. However, after the events of early August 2008, changes were promptly made to the statute and position of the award. In particular, since then, the award could be awarded for feats during military operations on the territory of other countries while maintaining or restoring international peace and security. Currently, St. George's Crosses can be awarded to privates (soldiers and sailors), sergeants and senior officers, midshipmen, warrant officers and junior officers of the Russian Army. The basis for the award is the courage, bravery and dedication shown in the performance of military duty.

The modern George Cross, like its predecessor, has 4 degrees, of which the first degree is the highest. The award is made only sequentially: from lowest degree to the highest.

The sign "St. George's Cross" is made in the form of a straight equilateral cross with rays expanding towards the ends. Its rays, slightly convex on the front side, are bordered by a narrow edging along the edges. In the center of the award is a round medallion, which contains a relief image of St. George, who strikes a snake with a spear. On the reverse side, at the ends of the cross, the number of the award is applied, and in the center of the medallion there is a relief monogram in the form of the letters “C” and “G” intertwined. At the same time, an appropriate inscription is made on the lower beam of the cross, depending on the degree. At the end of the upper beam of the cross there is an eye designed to fasten the badge through a ring to a standard pentagonal block. She is covered with a moire silk ribbon. orange color, on which there are 3 longitudinal stripes of black color - the well-known St. George ribbon.

The award is made of pure silver, while the signs of the second and first degree are gilded. The size of the award is determined strictly by the distance between the ends of the rays and is 34 mm for all four degrees of the St. George Cross. The pads of all degrees also have the same dimensions, the width of the tapes on them is 24 mm. But there are also some peculiarities, so the pads for the signs of the first and third degrees of the St. George Cross also have a bow with the flowers of the Order of St. George.

Dmitry Medvedev during the presentation of state awards. Vladikavkaz August 18, 2008

The insignia of the George Cross is worn on the left side of the chest. It is located after orders, but before all medals. If the recipient already has signs of several degrees, then they are located on his chest strictly in descending order. For everyday wear of the badge, special miniature copies of the award were provided. On the uniform the recipient may wear the ribbons of the insignia of Saint George on a daily basis. Such tapes are located on slats 24 mm wide and 8 mm high. In the middle part, such ribbons are covered with images in the form of golden-colored Roman numerals from one to four, the height of the numbers is 7 mm. Roman numerals indicate the degree of the George Cross, to which the bar corresponds.

The first awards with St. George's Crosses in modern Russia took place in August 2008. This insignia was awarded to junior military personnel who showed courage and heroism during the events of August 2008 in the territory South Ossetia and Georgia. On August 15, on the basis of a presidential decree, the first 11 soldiers and sergeants received the St. George Crosses of the IV degree. Russian army. In total, 263 Russian servicemen were awarded the St. George Crosses for the distinctions shown during the peacekeeping operation to force Georgia to peace.

Based on materials from open sources.

For the entire period of Russian history, there have been many different awards and medals. One of the most honored are the St. George Crosses. This award was the most massive in the days of Tsarist Russia. The soldier's St. George's Cross was carefully kept in the family of the soldier who received it, and the full cavalier of the St. George's Cross was revered by the people along with the epic heroes of fairy tales. This award was especially popular because it was awarded to the lower ranks of the Tsarist army, that is, ordinary soldiers and non-commissioned officers.

This award was equivalent to the Order of St. George, which was established by Catherine the Great in the 18th century. The George Cross was divided into 4 degrees:

• St. George's cross 4 degrees;
• St. George's Cross 3rd class;
• St. George's Cross, 2nd class;
• George Cross 1st class.

They received this award only for the incredible valor that they showed on the battlefield. First they gave out the St. George Cross of the 4th degree, then the 3rd, 2nd and 1st degrees. Thus, the one who was awarded the St. George Cross of the first degree became a full cavalier of the St. George Cross. Performing 4 feats on the battlefield and staying alive at the same time was a manifestation of incredible military skill and luck, so it is not surprising that such people were treated like heroes.

George Crosses were awarded to soldiers for over 100 years, they appeared shortly before Napoleon's invasion of Russia, and were abolished after the First World War, during which several million people received this royal award, although few were awarded the George Cross of the first degree.

With the coming to power of the Bolsheviks, the St. George Crosses were abolished, although even before the start of World War II, the medal "For Courage" was introduced, which somehow copied the St. George Cross. Convinced that the medal "For Courage" enjoys great respect among the military, the Soviet command decided to establish the Order of Glory of three degrees, which almost completely copied the Royal St. George's Cross.

Although most of the tsarist awards in Soviet Russia were very unpopular, and wearing them was equated almost with treason, the bosses often looked “through their fingers” at the wearing of the St. George's crosses by the old front-line soldiers. The following famous Soviet military leaders had St. George's crosses:

• Marshal Georgy Zhukov;
• K. Rokossovsky;
• R. Malinovsky;
• Budyonny, Tyulenev and Eremenko were full Cavaliers of St. George.

One of the most legendary wartime partisan commanders, Sidor Kovpak, also had the St. George Cross of two degrees.

In Tsarist Russia, all those awarded the St. George Cross received a cash bonus, and they were also paid a lifetime pension, the amount of which varied depending on the degree of the cross. Such an award as the George Cross gave its owner numerous unspoken benefits in civilian life and popular respect.

History of the George Cross

Many modern sources do not share such awards as the Order of St. George and the George Cross, although these are completely different awards. The Order of George was established in the 18th century, and the George Cross in the 19th century.

In 1807, Emperor Alexander I received a proposal to establish some kind of award for soldiers and non-commissioned officers who distinguished themselves in the performance of combat missions. Allegedly, this will help to strengthen the courage of Russian soldiers who, in the hope of receiving the desired reward (which includes monetary rewards and a lifetime pension), will fight without sparing their lives. The emperor considered this proposal quite reasonable, especially since news of the battle of Preussisch-Eylau reached him, in which Russian soldiers showed miracles of courage and endurance.

In those days, there was one big problem: a Russian soldier who was a serf could not be awarded an order, since the order emphasized the status of its owner, and was, in fact, a knightly insignia. Nevertheless, the courage of the Russian soldier had to be somehow encouraged, so the Russian emperor introduced a special "insignia of the order", which in the future became the St. George soldier's cross.

"Soldier George", as he was called by the people, could only receive the lower ranks of the Russian army, who showed selfless courage on the battlefield. Moreover, this award was not handed out at the request of the command, the soldiers themselves determined which of them was worthy of receiving the St. George Cross. The George Cross was issued for the following merits:

• Heroic and skillful actions on the battlefield, thanks to which the detachment managed to win in a seemingly hopeless situation;
• Heroic capture of an enemy banner, preferably right from under the nose of a stunned enemy;
• Capture of an enemy officer;
• Heroic actions that prevent the capture of a group of their soldiers;
• A sudden blow to the rear of the superior forces of the enemy, which entailed his flight and other similar feats on the battlefield.

At the same time, wounds or contusions on the battlefield did not give absolutely no right to a reward, unless they were received in the process of carrying out heroic activity.

According to the then existing rules, it was necessary to wear the St. George's Cross on a specially St. George's ribbon, which was threaded into the buttonhole. The first soldier who became a knight of the Order of St. George was non-commissioned officer Mitrokhin, who received it in the battle of Friedland in 1807.

Initially, the George Cross did not have any degrees and was issued an unlimited number of times (this is in theory). In practice, the George Cross was issued only once, and the next presentation was purely formal, although at the same time the soldier's salary increased by a third. The undoubted advantage of a soldier awarded this distinction was the complete absence of corporal punishment, which was widely used at that time.

In 1833, the St. George Cross was included in the statute of the Order of St. George, in addition, at the same time, they entrusted the procedure for awarding soldiers to the commanders of armies and corps, which significantly accelerated the process of awarding, since it used to happen that the hero did not live up to the solemn award.

In 1844, a special George Cross was developed for soldiers who profess the Muslim faith. Instead of St. George, who is an Orthodox saint, a double-headed eagle was depicted on the cross.

In 1856, the George Cross was divided into 4 degrees, while its degree was indicated on the cross. How difficult it was to get the St. George Cross of the 1st degree is evidenced by impartial statistics. According to her, there were about 2,000 full knights of the St. George Order in its entire history.

In 1913, the award officially became known as the St. George Cross, in addition, the St. George Medal for Bravery appeared, also having 4 degrees. Unlike a soldier's award, the St. George medal could be awarded to civilians and military personnel in peacetime. After 1913, the George Cross began to be issued posthumously. In this case, the award was passed on to the relatives of the deceased and kept as a family heirloom.

During the First World War, about 1,500,000 people received St. George's Crosses. Of particular note is the first Knight of St. George of this war, Kozma Kryuchkov, who received his first cross for the destruction of 11 German cavalrymen in battle. By the way, until the end of the war, this Cossack became a full Knight of St. George.

For the first time in the history of the George Cross, it began to be awarded to women and foreigners. Due to the difficult situation of the Russian economy during the war, the awards began to be made from low-quality gold (1st and 2nd degrees) and they significantly lost weight (3rd and 4th degrees).

Judging by the fact that during the First World War more than 1,200,000 George Crosses were issued, the heroism of the Russian army was simply at the highest level.

An interesting case of receiving the St. George Cross by the future Soviet Marshal Zhukov. He received it (one of several of his crosses) for shell shock, although this award was issued only for well-defined feats, clearly indicated in the statute. Apparently, acquaintances among the military authorities in those days could easily solve such problems.

After the February Revolution, officers could also receive the St. George Cross, if the soldiers' meetings approved it. During the Civil War, the White Guards were still awarded St. George's Crosses, although many soldiers considered it a shame to wear orders received for the murders of their compatriots.

What did the George Cross look like?

The George Cross is called a "cross" precisely because of its shape. This is a characteristic cross, the blades of which widen at the ends. In the center of the cross there is a medallion depicting St. George slaying a snake with a spear. On the reverse side of the medallion there are the letters "C" and "G", made in the form of a monogram.

The cross was worn on the St. George ribbon (which has nothing to do with the modern St. George ribbon). The colors of the St. George ribbon are black and orange, symbolizing smoke and flame.

The most famous holders of the George Cross

During the existence of the St. George Cross, more than 3,500,000 people were awarded it, although the last 1.5-2 million are quite controversial, since they were often issued in the First World War not on merit. Many holders of the St. George Orders became famous not only for receiving this award, but are also historical figures:

• The famous Durova, or "cavalry girl", who served as the prototype of the heroine from the "Hussar Ballad", was awarded the St. George Cross for saving the life of an officer;
• The Decembrists Muravyov-Apostol and Yakushkin also had St. George's Crosses, which they received for military merit in the battle of Borodino;
• General Miloradovich received this award from the hands of Emperor Alexander, who personally saw the courage of Miloradovich in the battle of Leipzig;
• Kozma Kryuchkov, who was a full cavalier of the Order of St. George, became a Russian hero during his lifetime. By the way, a Cossack died in 1919 at the hands of the Red Guards, defending the tsarist regime until the end of his life;
• Vasily Chapaev, who went over to the side of the Reds, had 3 crosses and the St. George medal;
• Maria Bochkareva, who created the women's "battalion of death", also had this award.

Despite the mass character, it is quite difficult to find St. George's crosses now. This is due to the fact that they were minted from gold (1 and 2 degrees) and silver (3 and 4 degrees). In February, the provisional government intensively collected awards "for the needs of the revolution." During the Soviet period, when there was a famine or a blockade, many exchanged their rewards for flour or bread.

The memory of the George Cross was revived in 1943, when the Order of Glory was established. At present, everyone is familiar with the St. George's Ribbon, with which people who celebrate Victory Day adorn themselves. At the same time, not everyone knows that although the ribbon symbolizes the Order of Glory, its roots go much deeper.

During the First World War, several Knights of St. George appeared, who had five (!) Crosses each. today I will mention only a few of them, although at least three more are not on this list!

This is a soldier's Georgy of all 4 degrees (on the left the first - on the right the fourth, with bows 3 and the first)

so-called George's bow(full bow included 4 more St. George medals for bravery)

Officer St. George's Crosses (everything is clear - where is which)

Scheme of the correct wearing of officer St. George's crosses

Ilya Vasilievich Volkov, repeatedly distinguished himself in battles back in the war with Japan, and then in the First World War. His five St. George Crosses are still kept in the family.

George's crosses of the hero:

4th degree (No. 42701)

3rd degree (No. 86324) - did not receive it immediately ... but after being wounded

already in the new part, another cross of the 3rd degree (No. 117607)

2nd degree (No. 18654)

1st degree (No. 14357)

Another hero is the namesake of Ilya Vasilyevich, Avenir Nikolaevich Volkov, also received five St. George's crosses.

Also in Japanese war he already had four degrees of award, and in the very first battles of the First World War he again distinguished himself and received the highest degree of the St. George Cross for the second time.

third hero, Petr Leonov, all five crosses earned in the German war.

Fourth Hero: Zhidik Alexey Vasilievich, ensign of the 9th hussar Kyiv regiment.

Ensign of the 9th Hussar Kyiv Regiment, in this regiment another was a warrant officer with 5 crosses.

There was another hero - who received two Georges of the first degree at once in one day (two feats!) From the hands of Tsar Nicholas.

There was another one, I don’t remember the name ... I have to dig and look for it :(

There were also heroes-full gentlemen who received their 5th crosses with wreaths (for the fight against Soviet power) - in particular, there were two of them in the famous Kappelevsky (Baikal) crossing in the winter of 1919.

There were also such gentlemen-heroes who, having received all 4 degrees of George, became officers and managed to get an officer George as well!

Here is a photo of one of them! full Cavalier of St. George, 4 crosses and 4 medals for bravery + officer's cross of the 3rd (?) degree

In the Foto Dmitry Ivanovich Mitaki (1892 - 1953)- Full Georgievsky Cavalier(awarded by Emperor Nicholas II in the Church of Peter and Paul in Bendery (Moldova), military intelligence officer, 19 wounds. Not all of them are preserved in the Museum of the History of Moldova (now the Republic of Moldova), duplicates of his awards and several old photographs, numbers of medals "For courage": No. 166722, No. 707194.

to his left: with 4 crosses and 2 medals P. I. Krizhenovsky

* Sorry, Ramadan, that I got ahead of you.

I give you everything I have - your post will turn out better and better!

** I check the information about the holders of 6 crosses.

Infrequently, but the presentation of the same degree of the St. George Cross was practiced several times. So, lieutenant of the Life Guards of the 3rd rifle regiment G. I. Solomatin was awarded two St. George's crosses of the 4th degree, two of the 3rd degree, one of the 2nd degree and two of the 1st degree.

The most complete hero in terms of soldier's crosses and St. George medals Salomatin, lieutenant of the Life Guards Rifle Regiment (born in 1893 (?), 13 crosses and St. George medals in total

SEVEN St. George Crosses (4x2 + 3x2 + 2nd + 1x2 = 7!)

St. George medals 6? (2 in Japan and 4 in World War I)

*** next time I'll tell you about 83 heroes presented (or even received) 4 (FOUR) Orders of Glory!

and about three who deserved this glorious order 5 (FIVE) times!!!

One of them is still alive today, my countryman from the suburbs of Krasnoyarsk! (True, he wears only those 4 Orders of Glory that were awarded to him - someone in Moscow thought that he would have a lot anyway ...)

But Nikolai Evgenievich Litvinenko is not sad about this ... As well as about the highest soldier rank of Sergeant Major that he still did not receive, which he deserved back in the years of the Second World War!

We plan to organize a petition to the award department - so that the veteran will be given his well-deserved third medal of the Order of Glory, 2nd degree.