During the First World War, the name of Kuzma Kryuchkov was known throughout Russia. The brave Cossack flaunted on posters and leaflets, cigarette packs and postcards, his portraits and drawings depicting his feat were published in newspapers and magazines. And the Cossack distinguished himself in the first days of the war in a battle with German cavalry near the Polish town of Kalvaria.

The Cossack guard patrol led by him entered into battle with a group of German cavalrymen and, as recorded in award documents, Kuzma Kryuchkov personally hacked 11 people during a cavalry battle. It is hard to believe, but forgery in the Cossack award documents is also unlikely.

Here is how Kryuchkov himself described this fight:

“About ten in the morning we headed from the city of Kalvaria to the Alexandrovo estate. There were four of us - me and my comrades: Ivan Shchegolkov, Vasily Astakhov and Mikhail Ivankov. We began to climb the hill and stumbled upon a German patrol of 27 people, including an officer and non-commissioned officer. At first the Germans were frightened, but then they climbed on us. However, we met them staunchly and laid down several people. Dodging the attack, we had to disengage. Eleven people surrounded me. Not wanting to be alive, I decided to sell my life dearly. Horse I have a mobile, obedient. I wanted to use the rifle, but in a hurry the cartridge jumped in, and at that time the German hacked me on the fingers of my hand, and I threw the rifle. I grabbed the saber and began to work. I received several minor wounds. but I realize that the wounds are not important. For each wound I answer with a mortal blow, from which the German lays down forever. Having laid down several people, I felt that it was difficult to work with a saber, and therefore grabbed their own peak and with her he laid the rest one by one. At this time, my comrades coped with others. Twenty-four corpses lay on the ground, and several unwounded horses rushed about in fear. My comrades received light wounds, I also received sixteen wounds, but all of them were empty, so - injections in the back, in the neck, in the arms. My horse also received eleven wounds, but then I rode it back six miles. On August 1, General Rennenkampf, commander of the army, arrived in Belaya Olita, took off his St. George ribbon, pinned it on my chest and congratulated me on the first St. George cross.

In the presentation of the Cossack, all this looks almost ordinary, and yet they clashed not with hastily mobilized infantrymen, but with cavalrymen, who have always been the elite of any army and had the appropriate training. The more incredible the outcome of the battle looks. No wonder the commander of the army himself came to congratulate the Cossack for such a feat. By the way, General Rennenkampf himself was an experienced cavalry commander and understood a lot about the cavalry cabin.
For this feat, all four Cossacks became St. George Knights, and the St. George Cross of the 4th degree, number 5501, received by Kuzma Kryuchkov, became the first St. George award presented in this war. This feat was reported to the emperor and published in the newspapers. The brave Cossack instantly became a Russian celebrity, and he was only 24 years old.

Kuzma (Kozma) Kryuchkov was born in 1890 on the Nizhne-Kalmykovsky farm of the Ust-Khoperskaya village of the Ust-Medveditsky district of the Don Cossack Army in the family of a native Cossack-Old Believer Firs Larionovich Kryuchkov. Like all Cossacks, Kuzma studied at the village school (the Cossacks honored education) and in 1911 he was called up for active service in the 3rd Don Cossack regiment named after Yermak Timofeev. By the beginning of the war, he already had the rank of orderly (corresponding to a corporal in the army) and was considered an experienced fighter, which he demonstrated in the very first battle.

After lying down after the battle for 5 days in the infirmary, Kryuchkov returned to the regiment and received leave to his homeland. One can imagine with what furor the Cossack appeared in the village with George on his chest, and, probably, he didn’t forget to grab newspapers describing his feat. By this time he was married, had a son and a daughter, so that the reflections of his glory were reflected on them.
A short visit flew by quickly, and the war was just beginning. And her Cossack went, as they say, from bell to bell. He also had new battles with fierce cavalry felling, and new wounds, fortunately not fatal, and new awards. By the end of the war, he became a cadet (the first officer rank in the Cossack troops), received another St. George cross and two St. George medals. There is information that he managed to receive the golden St. George weapon, a very honorable award among the officers.

After the February Revolution, Kryuchkov was elected chairman of the regimental committee, and after the collapse of the front, he returned to the Don together with the regiment. There was no peaceful life. Even the former monopoly sums ended up on opposite sides of the bloody boundary that divided Russia. So, a participant in the legendary battle, Mikhail Ivankov, served in the Red Army.
And on the Don, Kryuchkov had to assemble a partisan detachment in order to confront another well-known Cossack - Philip Mironov, the future commander of the 2nd Cavalry Army. The battles were difficult, because on both sides of the front there were experienced, fierce fighters, who at one time jointly learned the science of combat in fierce battles with the Germans.
The Cossack fought skillfully, by the summer of 1919 he became a centurion. Kryuchkov died, as befits a Cossack, taking a machine-gun burst with his chest in battle.
Kuzma Firsovich Kryuchkov was buried in the cemetery of his native farm.

For centuries, there was no higher military distinction in Russia than the "George Cavalier"

The military order of St. George - "St. George's Cross" and his sign were given only for real courage on the battlefield. People who received this symbol of valor enjoyed universal respect and honor. "For service and courage" - that was the motto of the Order of St. George. In February 1807, a distinction was added to the order - to reward soldiers and non-commissioned officers. The history of this order, the only one given in Russia only for military merit, turned out to be closely connected with the fate of the country ...

On November 24, 1769, summonses were sent around St. Petersburg, informing that on the 26th "the first day of the establishment of the Imperial Military Order of the Holy Great Martyr and Victorious George will be celebrated at the Court of Her Imperial Majesty, and for this purpose, on that day in the morning at the eleventh hour, to gather to To the court of Her Imperial Majesty, nobles of both sexes and gentlemen, foreign ministers, ladies in robes, gentlemen in colored dresses, all military personnel to be in scarves and military attire and expect the Divine Liturgy. , these persons have congratulations to Her Imperial Majesty, and in the afternoon at ordinary time there is a ball and dinner for the first four classes of both sexes and foreign ministers.

Catherine II went to the front chambers in order clothes and after the initiation of the order - as the founder and grand master - laid on herself the signs of this order of the 1st degree, establishing the order holiday on this day.

The image of St. George on the military order was not accidental.

According to life, St. George humbles the serpent with a word and a cross, but in Greece and among the Slavic peoples there is a tradition that he does this primarily by force of arms. This is where the duel depicted on the icons comes from. From here comes the tradition of considering St. George the patron saint of warriors. For a long time in Russia there was a spiritual verse about Egor the Brave, in which Saint George is the organizer of the Russian Land. Since the first centuries of Christianity in Russia, the name of St. George was given to members of the grand-ducal families: for example, in 968, Prince Yaroslav was named George. After the victory over the Pechenegs in 1036, Yaroslav founds the monastery of St. George in Kyiv and commands throughout Russia to "create a holiday" of St. George on November 26.

Since the time of Yaroslav, the image of St. George has already been found on the grand ducal seals. Since Dmitry Donskoy, St. George is considered the patron saint of Moscow. Somewhat later, his image became part of the state emblem and remained there until 1917. Since 1728, the image of St. George has been placed on Russian banners.

The statute of the order was announced on 27 November. The Order of St. George was divided upon establishment into four classes or degrees, and it was ordered "this order should never be removed" and "the order bestowed by this order should be called cavaliers of the Order of St. George."

The four degrees of the order had different signs. The first degree of a large cross: a ribbon worn over the right shoulder under the uniform, a large cross and a quadrangular gold star to be worn on the left side of the chest, which had the inscription "For service and courage". The order of the first degree was extremely honorable and rare. For example, from the moment of its establishment until 1917, more than a thousand people were awarded the highest order of Russia - the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, and only 25 people were awarded the first degree in almost one hundred and fifty years of its existence. In the 18th century, the Order of St. George, I degree, was awarded, with the exception of Catherine II, only eight times: Field Marshal Count P.A. Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky in 1770 for the victory over the Turkish army at Larga, General-in-Chief Count A.G. Orlov-Chesmensky in 1770 for the destruction of the Turkish fleet in the Chesme Bay, General-in-Chief Count P.I. Panin in 1770 for the capture of the Bendery fortress, General-in-Chief Prince V.M. Dolgorukov-Krymsky in 1771 the conquest of the Crimea, Field Marshal General Prince G.A. Potemkin-Tavrichesky in 1788 for the capture of Ochakov, General-in-Chief Count A.V. Suvorov-Rymniksky in 1789 for the victory at Rymnik, General-in-Chief Prince N.V. Repnin in 1790 for the victory over the Turks at Machin, to Admiral V.Ya. Chichagov in the same year for the victory over the Swedish fleet.

The awarding of the Order of St. George I degree to foreign military leaders belongs to the era of the Patriotic War of 1812. The first of them was the former marshal of Napoleon, then the crown prince of Sweden, and later the king of Sweden Bernadotte in 1813. In the same 1813, the Prussian Field Marshal G.L. received the first degree for the victory in the "battle of the nations" over Napoleon at Leipzig. Blucher and the Austrian K. Schwarzenberg. The following year, the English Field Marshal A. Wellington also received the order for the victory at Waterloo.

The last awards of the order of the 1st degree refer to the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878, when it was received by the Grand Dukes - semi-nominal commanders-in-chief in the European and Caucasian theaters of military operations. By this time, the first degree reflected more political realities than military merit. By that time, the Order of St. George II degree had long been considered the highest and most honorary order, honorary for genuine military leaders who do not play complex political games.

According to the statute of 1769, the sign of the II degree of the big cross consisted of the same cross on the neck and a star, that is, without a ribbon over the shoulder. This order was also extremely rare and therefore doubly honorable. During the century of its existence - 1769-1869 - it was given only 117 times.

The first to receive the second degree were Generals Plemyanikov and Baur, who were noted for their heroism in the Larga battle. Shortly after Plemyanikov and Baur, N. Repnin received the second degree for the capture of the fortress of Kiliya.

The third degree of the order was a smaller cross than the first two degrees. Hence the expression about gentlemen of the I and II degrees - gentlemen of the big cross. This cross was worn around the neck. The first cavalier of the third degree was Lieutenant Colonel Fabrician, who received the order for the capture of the Turkish city of Galati on November 11, 1769. In general, he was the first Knight of St. George - after grandmaster Catherine II.

The Turks, having concentrated forces near Galati, numbering about 7,000 people under the command of the seraskir Mehmet, attacked the detachment of Lieutenant Colonel Fabrician, numbering 1,600 people. Fabrizian repelled the attack and went on the attack himself. Having utterly defeated the Turks during the battle, he occupied Galati, for which, upon the establishment of the order on November 26, 1769, he was awarded on December 8 of the same year the first St. George Cross immediately of the III degree.

At first, such awards were not uncommon - bypassing the lower degree, they immediately gave a higher one. So, Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov (on the picture) He also immediately received the third degree and therefore did not become a full Cavalier of St. George, although he later received both the first and second.

In total, there were about 600 cavaliers of the third degree during the century of the existence of the order. From the very beginning, this degree was given to generals and staff officers, that is, senior officers, and from 1838 it became possible to obtain it only for those who already had the lowest fourth degree.

The fourth degree, like the other degrees, was a white quadrangular cross with equal ends with an image of St. George inscribed in its center, striking a snake with a spear, but smaller, intended to be placed not on the chest, but in the buttonhole. The first gentleman was Prime Major R. Patkul, granted on February 3, 1770. In total, in the first century, 2,073 Russian officers and 166 foreigners were awarded the Order for Combat Distinction.

In addition to being directly awarded the order, its cavaliers, according to their status, had a number of advantages: in addition to acquiring hereditary nobility, each recipient was automatically promoted to the next rank. Upon retirement, the knights of the order had the right to wear a uniform, without even having served the ten-year period necessary for this; they could depict the St. George Cross on their coats of arms, monograms and seals. They were entitled to a special annual pension.

Knights of the order had the right to enter at "the court and all public celebrations" according to the order of the first two degrees with major generals. In 1833 they were equated with the most privileged part of the guard - the cavalry guards. According to the order of III and IV degrees - with colonels, "at least they were in the ranks and below the colonel."

In the period from 1769 to 1833, when a new statute was adopted, it refers to the awarding of all four of its degrees. There were only four such awardees in the history of Russia. The first of them was Field Marshal Prince Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov-Smolensky. He received the fourth degree of the order back in 1774 for the victory over the Tatars near the village of Shumy, which is between Sudak and Yalta. Third degree - in 1789 for participation in the capture of the fortresses of Akkerman and Bendery. The second degree - in 1791 for active participation in achieving victory over the Turkish army and Machin. And the first degree - December 12, 1812 to commemorate the expulsion of Napoleon from Russia.

The names and surnames of the Cavaliers of St. George were immortalized by entering them on marble plaques both in the St. George Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow and in those educational institutions in which they were brought up. In St. George's Hall, lists of gentlemen began to be kept as early as 1849. The Duma itself was initially located in Chesma at the Church of John the Baptist, where it had a house, an archive, a seal and a special treasury, and since 1811 the St. George Hall of the Winter Palace became its meeting place.

As already noted, by decree of February 13, 1807, the insignia of the military order was added to the Order of St. George - to reward soldiers and non-commissioned officers for bravery against the enemy.

This sign was acquired only on the battlefield. Their number was not limited. According to the initial status, the cavaliers of the sign, consisting of a silver St. George's cross, worn on an order ribbon, relied on an increase of one third in excess of the usual salary. In addition, the holder of the sign was excluded from the taxable estate, and from now on, corporal punishment could not be applied to him without trial.

The insignia did not have degrees, and therefore, if a soldier who had already been awarded the cross once performed a new feat, he was entitled to only a new increase of a third, and for one more - a full salary. This surplus salary remained with him until his death. According to the statute of 1833, soldiers and non-commissioned officers who had already been awarded a cross, upon accomplishing a new feat, could wear it on a St. George ribbon with a bow.

At first, the badge was not numbered, but in 1809 Alexander I ordered a list of those awarded and put serial numbers on their awards.

In 1843, new benefits were established for the soldiers-cavaliers. In addition to those already available this time, they were exempted from corporal punishment not only without trial, but also by court, equating them to those with a silver lanyard for voluntarily renouncing the officer rank.

The insignia of the military order was never removed, even if the person who received it was promoted to officer. But if, being an officer, he accomplished a new feat and was already awarded the officer's military order of St. George, then he was obliged to remove the insignia of this order.

Until the end of the Eastern, Crimean, war, the insignia did not have degrees. They were introduced under a new statute of 1856. Four degrees were established: I - a golden cross with a bow; II - the same cross without a bow; III - a silver cross with a bow; IV - a silver cross without a bow. Signs complained from the lowest degrees to the highest. The higher degrees, bypassing the lower ones, were awarded upon accomplishment of a particularly outstanding feat. The right to award the badge was given to the commanders-in-chief of the armies and the commanders of individual corps, with the subsequent approval of their decision by the emperor.

With the adoption of the statute of 1856, the old numbering of signs ended. New four-degree began a separate numbering. From now on, the wearing of a sign was also allowed for an officer awarded the officer order of St. George.

The new statute, as well as the statute of 1833 for the officer's order, dwelled in great detail on who was worthy of this award. True, unlike a military order, the insignia provided for a two-fold reward: "1) when one of the lower ranks showed special personal courage and 2) when a regiment or other team that especially distinguished itself will be seen in action."

In general, the criteria for awarding soldiers were similar to the statute of a military order - "For the ground forces and the fleet in general: 1) Whoever, when taking a ship, battery, retrenchment or otherwise occupied by the enemy fortified place, will encourage his comrades with an example of excellent courage and fearlessness; 4) Whoever in battle captures an enemy staff officer or general; 6) Whoever, being wounded, returns, after being dressed, to his team at the battlefield with full weapons and ammunition, will remain in business until the end of it. For the ground forces in particular: 1) Who, during the assault on a fortress, retrenchment or other fortified place, will be the first to climb a rampart or a fortified place; 2) Who, after the retirement of all officers, having accepted the command and maintaining order between the lower ranks, will hold out, when attacked by the enemy, at the post , or displace the enemy from the lodgement, a notch, or some fortified place.For artillery: 1) Whoever knocks out an enemy gun with a single shot and thereby completely stops the action your onago. By fleet: 2) Who, when boarding, will be the first to board an enemy ship; 8) The entire team, located on the firewall, which will cause significant harm to the enemy.

If a regiment or team differed in any battle, then two to five crosses per company or squadron were relied upon. They were distributed among the companies by a council consisting of staff officers and company commanders. Awards were made on the basis of the presentation of company commanders or on the basis of a general certificate of all the soldiers of a given company who witnessed the differences of their comrades. This is how the awarding took place during the years of the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878 in the Caucasian Cossack brigade, according to the recollection of a participant in the war, V.V. Voeikova: "... it was sent to a hundred of four crosses. The hundred commanders gathered hundreds and announced to them that they themselves choose worthy ones. According to their votes, they chose more worthy than crosses. Then the chosen ones were put in a row, and a hundred went to the right, one behind them, and each threw a hat to the one he found worthy. It was, so to speak, a closed ballot. Then they counted each hat, and whoever had more, they were given crosses. The Cossacks rocked happy comrades and could not calm down for a long time. "

As you can see, the criteria for awarding were tough, and yet in the Russian army there were many soldiers awarded the St. George Cross. So, during the war with Napoleon, 41,722 people were awarded, in the Russian-Persian war and the Russian-Turkish war of 1826-1829 - 11993, for the Polish campaign of 1831 - 5888, for the Hungarian campaign of 1849 - 3222, for the Caucasian war until 1856 years - 2700, for the Eastern War (1853-1856) - 24150, for the Caucasian War (1856-1864) - 25372, for the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878 - 46000, for campaigns in Central Asia - 23000, for Russian -Japanese war - 87,000.

According to the new statute of 1913, the insignia of the military order was officially transformed into the St. George Cross, established "for the lower military ranks as a reward for outstanding deeds and selflessness performed in battle against the enemy." While retaining the criteria of the 1856 statute, the new one correlated them with the development of military technology that had taken place during that time. Examples of heroic deeds and regulations on awards, as before, were grouped by type of weapon in the ground forces and the navy. What was new was that from now on, the St. George Cross was also awarded to those soldiers and non-commissioned officers who died, having accomplished a feat, that is, the award, as well as the Order of St. George, was now also made posthumously.

The new statute established that from now on, the St. George Cross complains exclusively for personal exploits on the battlefield and, moreover, only for honoring the closest authorities.

"Century" recently published an article about the full St. George Cavalier - Hero of the Soviet Union, General of the Army I.V. Tyulenev. Ivan Demyanovich Podolyakin was also a full Knight of St. George (on the picture), he received the first of his crosses for saving the regimental banner.

Along with individual St. George's awards, there were also collective St. George's distinctions, which were awarded by whole units for courage and heroism shown in battles. The first St. George banners were granted by the grenadier regiment - the 6th Tauride and the 8th Moscow for the campaign of 1799. At the same time, two infantry regiments were noted - the 25th Smolensk and the 17th Arkhangelsk. The first St. George Trumpets were also given for the war with Turkey in 1810 to the 8th Moscow Grenadier Regiment and the 12th Starodubsky Dragoon Regiment ...

Special for the Centenary

The St. George ribbon, on which a cross with the image of a saint was attached in the 19th - early 20th century, has been symbolizing the victory of our country in the Great Patriotic War for many decades. She is also a link between the heroes of the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union.

Full Knights of St. George in our country enjoyed universal honor even in the twenties and forties, when they wanted to erase everything that was before the October Revolution from the people's memory. Among them there are those who later became the Hero of the Soviet Union, including more than once.

background

The Order of St. George appeared in the list of awards of the Russian Empire in 1769. He had 4 degrees of distinction and was intended for officers. Full Knights of the Order of St. George became only 4 people:

• M. I. Kutuzov.
• M. B. Barclay de Tolly.
• I. F. Paskevich-Erivansky.
• I. I. Dibich-Zabalkansky.

institution

At the moment, it is not known who exactly was the initiator of the establishment of the Insignia of the Military Order, or, as it was more commonly called, the St. George Cross. According to the surviving documents, in 1807 a note was filed in the name of Alexander the First proposing to establish a soldier's award. It was to become "a special branch of the Order of St. George." The idea was approved, and already at the beginning of February 1807, a corresponding manifesto was issued.

There are many cases of confusion associated with the fact that the order is confused with the soldier's "Egoriy". For example, if it is claimed that Colonel Zorya Lev Ivanovich, who graduated from the cadet school in 1881, is a full Knight of St. George, then one can immediately object that this is a mistake. Indeed, among the officers there was no one who was awarded such a cross again, and the last who had an order of all 4 degrees was I.I. Dibich-Zabaikalsky - died in 1831.

Description

The award is a cross, the blades of which expanded towards the end. In its center is a round medallion. The obverse depicted St. George with a spear, striking a snake. On the reverse side of the medallion there are the letters С and Г connected in the form of a monogram.

The cross was worn on everything today by the well-known “color of smoke and flame” (black and orange) ribbon.

Since 1856, the award began to have 4 degrees. The first and second were made of gold, and the other two were made of silver. The reverse indicated the degree of the award and its serial number.

There were also special "Muslim" insignia of the Military Order. Instead of a Christian saint, they depicted the Russian coat of arms. Interestingly, when people from the North Caucasus were awarded with "Egoriy", they demanded to give them the option "with a horseman", instead of the prescribed one.

In 1915, due to the difficulties caused by the war, crosses of the 1st and 2nd degrees began to be made from an alloy that consisted of 60% gold, 39.5% silver and half a percent copper. At the same time, the signs of the 3rd and 4th degrees were not subject to change.

Awarded

In the summer of 1807, non-commissioned officer E. I. Mitrokhin received the first St. George Cross. He was decorated for bravery in the battle against the French near Friedland.

There are known cases of awarding and civilians. So, in 1810, the St. George Cross was awarded to the tradesman M. A. Gerasimov. Together with his comrades, this brave man arrested the British military who captured the Russian merchant ship, and was able to bring the ship to the port of Varde. There, the prisoners were interned, and the merchants were helped. In addition, for heroism in the Patriotic War of 1812, St. George's crosses without numbers were received by the commanders of partisan detachments from among civilians of the lower class.

Among other interesting facts related to the awarding of the St. George Cross, one can note its presentation to the famous General Miloradovich. This brave commander, in the battle near Leipzig, in front of Alexander the First, got into line with the soldiers and led them into a bayonet attack, for which he received “Egoria” from the hands of the emperor, who did not rely on him by status.

Full Cavaliers

The four-degree cross existed for 57 years. Over the years, about 2,000 people got into the full St. George Cavaliers (list). In addition, about 7,000 crosses of the second, third and fourth degrees were awarded, 3rd and 4th - about 25,000, and 4th degree - 205,336.

At the time of the October Revolution, several hundred full St. George Knights lived in Russia. Many of them joined the Red Army and rose to the highest military ranks of the USSR. Of these, 7 also became Heroes of the Soviet Union. Among them:

• Ageev G.I. (posthumously).
• Budyonny S.M.
• Kozyr M. E.
• Lazarenko I. S.
• Meshryakov M. M.
• Nedorubov K.I.
• Tyulenev I.V.

S. M. Budyonny

The name of this legendary personality thundered in parts of the Russian cavalry during the First World War, and even earlier - the Russian-Japanese. For courage on the Austrian, German and Caucasian fronts, Semyon Mikhailovich was awarded crosses and medals of all 4 degrees.

His first award was received for the capture of a German convoy and 8 soldiers accompanying it. However, Budyonny was deprived of her because he hit an officer. This did not prevent him from getting on the list of "Full St. George's Cavaliers", since on the Turkish front Semyon Budyonny earned 3 St. George's crosses during the battles for Van and Mendelid, and the last (first degree) - for capturing 7 enemy soldiers. Thus, he became the person who received 5 awards.

During the Civil War, he initiated the creation, and in 1935 he and four other commanders of the USSR were awarded the rank of marshal.

During the Second World War, Semyon Budyonny did not have the opportunity to show his abilities, as he was removed from command of the South-Western direction of the front because of a telegram in which he honestly described the danger that threatened those who were in the so-called Kiev bag.

In the postwar years, the commander was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union three times.

Kuzma Petrovich Trubnikov

This legendary person was a participant in three wars. For the exploits committed between 1914 and 1917, he received many awards. In particular, the list of "Full Cavaliers of St. George" also contains his last name. He showed himself no less heroically during the Second World War, organizing the defense of Tula, commanding troops during the Battle of Stalingrad, commanding the units entrusted to him during the liberation of Yelnya, etc. At the Victory Parade, Trubnikov, who at that time had already been awarded the rank of colonel general, led a box of a consolidated regiment of the 2nd Belorussian Front. For his long service, the military leader was awarded 38 orders and medals of tsarist Russia, the USSR and a number of other countries.

Ivan Vladimirovich Tyulenev

The future was born in the family of a participant in the Russian-Turkish war. He was drafted into the army at the beginning of the First World War and ended up in a regiment, where K.K. Rokossovsky also served at that time. Starting the war as a simple soldier, Ivan Vladimirovich Tyulenev rose to the rank of ensign. For the heroism shown in the battles on the territory of Poland, he was awarded the George Cross four times. In the very first days of the Second World War, Tyulenev was appointed commander of the Southern Front, but in August he was seriously wounded, and after the hospital he was sent to the Urals to form 20 divisions. In 1942, the commander was sent to the Caucasus. At his request, the defense of the Main Range was strengthened, which in the future made it possible to stop the offensive of the Nazis, with the aim of capturing oil fields in the Caspian Sea region.

In 1978, for merits in defending the Motherland and increasing the country's defense capability, I. V. Tyulenev was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union and he became one of the seven outstanding military men who were awarded the highest award of the USSR, having the title "Full St. George Cavalier of the First World War" .

R. Ya. Malinovsky

The future, at the age of 11, ran away from home due to the marriage of his mother and worked as a laborer until he got into the army, attributing two years to himself. The deception was revealed, but the teenager was able to persuade the command to leave him to bring ammunition to the machine gunners. In 1915, the 17-year-old soldier received his first Egoriy. Then he was sent to France as part of the Expeditionary Force, where he was twice awarded by the government of the Third Republic. In 1919, Rodion Yakovlevich Malinovsky enrolled in the Foreign Legion, and for bravery on the German front he became a holder of the French Military Cross. In addition, by order of the Kolchak general D. Shcherbachev, he was awarded the St. George Cross of the third degree.

In 1919, Rodion Yakovlevich Malinovsky returned to his homeland and became one of the active participants in the Civil War, and in the late 30s he was sent as a military adviser to Spain.

The merits of this commander during the Great Patriotic War are also invaluable. In particular, the troops under his command liberated Odessa, played an important role in the Battle of Stalingrad, expelled the Nazis from Budapest and took Vienna.

After the end of the war in Europe, Malinovsky was sent to the Far East, where the actions of the Trans-Baikal Front led by him finally defeated the Japanese group. For the successful conduct of this operation, Rodion Yakovlevich received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. The second Golden Star was awarded to him in 1958.

Other Soviet generals awarded the St. George Cross for bravery

Before the revolution, other soldiers of the imperial army, who were destined to become famous generals of the USSR, were also awarded the soldier's "Egoriy" before the revolution. Among them are Sidor Kovpak and Konstantin Rokossovsky, who were awarded two crosses. In addition, the famous hero of the Civil War V. Chapaev had three such awards.

Now you know the details of the biographies of some prominent military men who can be classified as "Full Knights of St. George." The list of their exploits is amazing, and they themselves deserve the respect and gratitude of their descendants, who are not indifferent to the fate of their native country.

You can write a lot or nothing about the soldier's "Egoria". It is better not to write anything - just look at the faces of these people. The same Budyonny was awarded not even four - FIVE "George", Unter Zhukov - two. And no one ever under Stalin officially equated them with anything, did not allow, did not legitimize. They simply wore it “on a whim”, in which no one ever prevented them from doing so. On the contrary, they enjoyed legitimate respect in the army environment.
The awards were not numbered, but the lists were kept. The most common - 4th degree, received more than 1.2 million soldiers.

Below in full size and with explanations.
About St. George as a qualifier below. This photograph is interesting in combination with the portrait of Stalin. Which many falsely accuse of an instinctive rejection of any crosses. Demonstration after 1945 and of course until the death of Stalin.

A unique veteran, Konstantin Vikentievich Khrutsky, on Red Square.

Member of the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878. In this 1963 photo, he is only 112 years old, and he lived for another 4 years.

on his chest he has the Order of Georgy Dimitrov, the Order of the Badge of Honor, the medal "40 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR". Well, he is dressed in a specially tailored uniform of a Bulgarian militiaman.
Edrenkin Grigory Dmitrievich. During the First World War, he fought as part of the Russian Expeditionary Force in France, was awarded the French Military Cross. In the second photo /below/ the French cross is already without a ribbon, just sewn on.


Here is a break in the template for stupid anti-Soviet - and Georgy, and a foreign award from the imperialists, and was abroad, and does not hide crosses - where did the NKVD look?


He was also awarded medals "For Courage", for the victory over Germany, Japan, "For Valiant Labor in the Great Patriotic War"

Dinner of the Knights of St. George in the people's house of Nicholas II.


/Comments are placed above the photo/. Georgy hangs from the soldier next to the Order of the Red Star, without a ribbon, apparently just sewn on. Photo may be 1944-45.

1947, Riga. The cross of a participant in the liberation of Prague, a major guard, privately made, called "Kuchkin's". That is, it was received at the end of the First World War.

The most famous Knight of St. George of the Great Patriotic War. Having a "full bow", he also became a Hero of the Soviet Union.

Nedorubov Konstantin Iosifovich 21. 5. 1889 - 13. 12. 1978

1944, Leningrad.

The guardsman has the Order of the Red Star, Glory III degree, two medals "For Courage" and the St. George Cross IV degree.

The foreman wears a cross on an old block. The time of the picture is the winter of 1943 or after it, but not earlier.

Writer, playwright, war correspondent Vsevolod Vishnevsky on the steps of the Reichstag, May 1945.

The photo seems all the more terrible because on his chest, along with a cross, he has two medals "For Courage", on the obverse of which is the profile of Nicholas II.At the same time, his Soviet awards are modestly represented by slats, but the tsarist period is in all its glory.

Doctor. Remarkably, on the chest is the Military Order of St. George IV class - "officer George".

Matushkin was awarded the Order of St. George of the 4th degree - order on civil ranks No. 37 of July 31, 1916, being an acting officer. senior doctor of the 21st Siberian Rifle Regiment for the battle on August 1, 1915.

People's Hero of Yugoslavia and awarded seven orders of the USSR Alexander Teolanovich Manachadze with his uncle Semyon Dmitrievich Manachadze

On the priest's chest, a full bow peacefully coexists with the medal "For Valiant Labor in the Great Patriotic War" with the profile of I.V. Stalin. And nothing.

Sailor from the cruiser "Varyag".

For this battle, the Soviet government awarded its participants with the medal "For Courage".The last medal - like a clergyman.

The photo was taken between 1975-1978.From the Soviet awards a medal "For Courage" and two "For Military Merit"

Year 1949. Three "dummy" crosses to replace the lost ones.Cavalier - Mikhail Eremenko.It is he who walks under the portrait of Stalin in the first photo.

Cavalier - Mikhail Kazankov. "When the artist painted Mikhail Kazankov, he was 90 years old. Each wrinkle of his stern face shines with deep wisdom. He had a chance to participate in three wars: Russian-Japanese (1904-1905), World War I (1914-1918), Patriotic (1941-1945). And he always fought bravely: in the First World War he was awarded two St. George Crosses, for the fight against German fascism he received the Order of the Red Star and several medals. "

Volkov Daniil Nikitich. Order of the Red Banner - for the Civil War.

After the revolution, he served in the armored division named after Ya. M. Sverdlov of the Cheka - OGPU. I received the Order of the Red Banner in civilian life. After being wounded and having his leg amputated, he was demobilized.

Unknown. The photo is exactly before 1965.

Khizhnyak Ivan Lukich. Late 40s.

Until 1975.

Both cavaliers - George and a son full of the Order of Glory.Father and son Vanachi from the village of Lykhny in the Gudaud region of Abkhazia.

At that time, Temuri Vanachi was 112 years old.

Samsonov Yakov Ivanovich 1876-1967. Four crosses and four medals

Kruglyakov Timofey Petrovich. From 1965 to 1970.

Kuzin Pavel Romanovich. Until 1948.

The photo was taken after 1965 and probably before 1970.This gentleman defended the Caucasus and walked well through Europe in the Great Patriotic War, took Budapest and Vienna, liberated Belgrade. Well, of course, Romania and Bulgaria.
He was awarded the medal "For Military Merit".

Life Guards of the Lithuanian Regiment non-commissioned officer Karl Golubovsky, for capturingthe city of Plevna, November 28, 1877, his block

Kuzma Petrovich Trubnikov. Period 1965-1970.



Kuzma Petrovich Trubnikov was born on October 27 in the village of Gatishche, now the Volovsky district of the Lipetsk region. In the Russian army since 1909. He served in the Semyonovsky regiment. During the First World War, a platoon non-commissioned officer, then a junior company officer, head of a team of foot scouts, lieutenant. Cavalier of four soldiers' St. George's crosses. In the Red Army since 1918. During the Civil War, he commanded a platoon, then a company, battalion, regiment, rifle brigade. In 1927 he graduated from KUVNAS at the Military Academy named after M.V. Frunze. He commanded a regiment, a division.In June 1938 he was arrested and until February 1940 was under investigation by the NKVD. At the end of March 1940 he was reinstated in the ranks of the Red Army.and assigned to teaching. A month after the start of the Great Patriotic War, K. P. Trubnikov was appointed commander of the 258th Infantry Division of the 50th Army of the Western Front, which took part in defensive battles near Orel, Bryansk and Tula. From November 1941 he commanded the 217th Infantry Division of the same army. For the skillful management of parts of the division during the defense of Tula, he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner. Since June 1942 - Deputy Commander of the 16th Army, and since October - Deputy Commander of the Don Front. He was directly involved in the organization and management of troops in the Battle of Stalingrad. From February 1943 he was deputy commander of the Central Front. From April to September - commander of the 10th Guards Army, which participated in the liberation of the city of Yelnya. In September 1944 he was appointed deputy commander of the 1st Belorussian Front, and soon deputy commander of the 2nd Belorussian Front. At the Victory Parade of 1945, Colonel-General Trubnikov led the combined regiment of the 2nd Belorussian Front. After the war, Deputy and Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Northern Group of Forces. Retired since 1951. He was awarded 2 Orders of Lenin, 5 Orders of the Red Banner, Orders of Kutuzov 1st and 2nd degree, Orders of Suvorov 2nd degree, 2 Orders of the Red Star, medals, as well as foreign orders and medals. Kuzma Petrovich Trubnikov died on January 16, 1974 in Moscow. On May 9, 2010, a monument in honor of Colonel-General Trubnikov was unveiled in the village of Volovo, Lipetsk Region.

Nikitin Sergey Nikitovich, military pilot. Republican (Khorezm) Order of the Red Banner.

Well, its and screw orders of the Red Banner of the RSFSR, he law-abidingly replaced by all-Union.

The top photo is from 1975 to 1978.

Vladimir Nikolaevich Gruslanov (1894 - 1981). Born in the city of Buynaksk in Dagestan. Father mountaineer, Muslim, mother Kuban Cossack. In early childhood, he lost his father and mother, was brought up by his aunt, then in an orphanage. In 1914, with the declaration of war, he volunteered for the front, served in the Caucasian Cossack troops, in regimental intelligence. For courage in battles, he was awarded four St. George's crosses, a silver dagger with the inscription "To the dashing scout St. George Cavalier junior officer of the 3rd Sunzha-Vladikavkaz Cossack regiment Vladimir Gruslanov from the centurion Prince A. Aliyev. Derbent, December 25, 1916" and promoted to lieutenant. In 1917 he was elected a member of the regimental committee, joined the Bolshevik Party, was elected a member of the Military Revolutionary Committee of the 4th Army. In 1918, he volunteered for the Red Army, went through the Civil War as a commander of mounted reconnaissance. He was awarded a saber in a silver frame with the inscription: “For Soviet power. In memory of soldiers and commanders. 1920". In 1941 he again volunteered for the front. Fought near Leningrad, on the Nevsky Piglet. He was wounded three times, liberated the Baltic states and Poland, reached Berlin. After the war, he worked in Leningrad, at the Museum of the Great October Socialist Revolution (now the State Museum of the Political History of Russia). Famous writer, bibliophile and bonist.
Captain Vladimir Gruslanov with battery soldiers at the solemn ceremony of sending the Victory Banner to Moscow. On the chest of Gruslanov are awards of the USSR and four St. George's crosses. Berlin, Tiergarten park, May 1945.

Among the awards of the full St. George Cavalier Gurslanov was a silver Caucasian dagger with the inscription “To the dashing intelligence officer of the St. George Cavalier junior officer of the 3rd Sunzha-Vladikavkaz Cossack regiment Vladimir Gruslanov from the centurion Prince A. Aliyev. Derbent, December 25, 1916.

After the Order of Glory was introduced into the system of Soviet awards, in many respects similar in ideology to the “soldier George”, an opinion appeared to legitimize the old award. There is a letter addressed to the Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars and the State Defense Committee I. V. Stalin from a professor at VGIK, a former member of the first Military Revolutionary Committee 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. Knights of St. George, awarded this order for military exploits committed during the last war with accursed Germany in 1914-1919, to the holders of the Soviet Order of Glory, since the statute of the latter almost completely corresponds to the statute b. the Order of George and even the colors of their sashes and their design are the same.
By this act, the Soviet government will first of all demonstrate the continuity of the military traditions of the glorious Russian army, the high culture of respect for all the heroic defenders of our beloved Motherland, the stability of this respect, which will undoubtedly stimulate both the b. Knights of St. George, and their children and comrades to perform new feats of arms, because each military award pursues not only the goal of rewarding the hero justly, 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:

DRAFT RESOLUTION OF THE SNK OF THE USSR
April 24, 1944 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 the 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 submission of relevant documents (original orders or service records of that time)
This project did not become a real decision.
St. George Standard of the Life Guards of His Majesty's Cuirassier Regiment. 1817
George Cross with a laurel branch, which was awarded by decision of the lower ranks to officers who distinguished themselves in battle after February 1917.

Soviet commanders A. I. Eremenko, I. V. Tyulenev, K. P. Trubnikov, S. M. Budyonny were full cavaliers of the soldier's St. George's Cross. Moreover, Budyonny received St. George's crosses even 5 times: the first award, the St. George's Cross of the 4th degree, Semyon Mikhailovich was deprived in court for assaulting a senior rank, sergeant major. Again he received the cross of the 4th class. on the Turkish front, at the end of 1914. George Cross 3rd class. was received in January 1916 for participation in the attacks near Mendelage. In March 1916, Budyonny was awarded the 2nd degree cross. In July 1916, Budyonny received the St. George Cross of the 1st degree, for bringing 7 Turkish soldiers from a sortie behind enemy lines with four comrades.

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 the formation of partisan detachments of the 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 the 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, dispersed the equestrian column of the red commander Zhloba, who was trying to escape from the "bag" directly to the division headquarters.

In imperial Russia, there was no more honorable award for an officer than the white cross of the Order of St. George the Victorious. The idea to create such an award belongs to Peter 1. He intended to make such an award the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky, established in 1725.
The idea of ​​Peter I was brought to life by Empress Catherine II. Paying tribute to the military glory of the Russian army and striving to strengthen its influence on the military, on November 26, 1769, it approved a new military order of the Holy Great Martyr and Victorious George.
The full name of the order is the Imperial Military Order of the Holy Great Martyr and Victorious George. This award could be received by one who “personally leading the army, will win over the enemy, who is in significant forces, a complete victory, the consequence of which will be his complete destruction”, or, “personally leading the army, will take the fortress.” The order was also awarded for capturing an enemy banner, capturing the commander-in-chief or corps commander of an enemy army, and other outstanding feats.
The Order of St. George was divided into four degrees, and the award was made from the fourth degree, then the third was awarded, then the second, and, finally, the one who accomplished the fourth outstanding feat could be presented for the award of the Order of George of the first degree. The motto of the order is "For Service and Courage".
It was extremely difficult to earn the Order of St. George in a combat situation. For example, in the first hundred years of the existence of this award, the order of the fourth degree for bravery in battle received 2239 people, the third degree - 512, the 2nd - 100 and the first - only 20.
In the entire history of Russia, only four people have become full Knights of St. George: M.I. Golenishchev-Kutuzov, M.S. Barclay de Tolly, I.F. Paskevich and I.I. Dibich-Zabalkansky.

Ivan Fyodorovich Paskevich(1782 -1856), Field Marshal, Count of Erivan,. Born on May 19, 1782, at the age of 12 he was appointed to the Corps of Pages, and in October 1800, among the first graduates, he was sent as a lieutenant to the Life Guards Preobrazhensky Regiment.
Paskevich made his first military campaign in 1805, but he received real combat training during the Russian-Turkish war of 1806-1812. He went from captain to major general in five years. Paskevich was a participant in many battles of this war, and in 1810, for capturing enemy batteries at Cape Galotburg during the siege of the fortress of Varna, he earned his first Order of St. George of the fourth degree.
18 days later, in the same place, the Vitebsk regiment, commanded by Colonel Paskevich, repelled the attacks of the Turkish army throughout the day. The fierce battle ended in a complete victory for the Russians, who not only fought on the defensive with a numerically superior enemy, but also counterattacked themselves. This feat became widely known in the army, and the young commander of the Vitebsk regiment was awarded the Order of St. George of the third degree.
Russo-Persian War 1826-1828 Paskevich met in the Caucasus, where he replaced General Yermolov as commander of the Separate Corps. In the war with the Persians, he acted decisively. During the campaign of 1827, Paskevich occupied Nakhichevan, the fortress of Abbas-Abad, which was of great strategic importance, and in October, the fortress of Erivan. The rescript of Nicholas I said: “For the excellent courage, firmness and art shown by Adjutant General Paskevich during the conquest of Sardar Abbad and the important conquest of the famous fortress of Erivan in Asia, welcome the Order of St. George the Victorious 2nd degree of the big cross.” With the capture of Erivan, the Russian-Persian war actually ended. In 1828 peace was signed in Turkmanchay.
In June 1829, in a field battle, Paskevich utterly defeated the Turkish army under the command of Gakki Pasha. During the two-day battles near the village of Kainly, the Sultan's army ceased to exist. Then, having made a march of more than 100 km in three days, on July 5, the Russian corps occupied the Gasean-Kale fortress, and four days later the Russian soldiers entered rich Erzurum, the control center of Asian Turkey. For Erzurum, Infantry General Ivan Fedorovich Paskevich was awarded the Order of St. George of the first degree and became the third full holder of the highest military award of the empire.