What does the St. George's ribbon symbolize? St. George Ribbon, its history and meaning St. George Ribbon is a symbol of what

The “St. George Ribbon” campaign has started in Russia, distributing the main symbol of Victory Day until May 9. But many people treat it carelessly and wear it incorrectly - in our material we will tell you how to tie it beautifully and wear it with dignity.

History of the black and orange ribbon

For the first time black and yellow tape in the system Russian awards appeared during the reign of Empress Catherine the Second, it began to be attached to the Order of St. George the Victorious. The Order of St. George became highest award V Russian Empire: They were awarded for excellence in military exploits. The order had four degrees, it was issued to officers and soldiers (the soldier's order was called the “Insignia of the Military Order”). Later, the yellow color in the ribbon was replaced with orange.

In 1913, another medal appeared in Russia using a black and orange ribbon - the St. George Medal. It was awarded to lower ranks for courage and bravery shown in peace or war.

After the October Revolution of 1917, the Order of St. George the Victorious, like other awards of the empire, was abolished. However, on the fronts of the civil war, both former generals and commanders of the Red Army continued to award soldiers for distinguished service in battle with the Order of St. George and the St. George Medal.

The black and orange ribbon appeared again in 1941. Then, for the courage and bravery of personnel, such ribbons began to be given to units, formations and ships. The ribbon was called “Guards”.

Later, already during the Second World War in 1943, the Order of Glory was established, to which a “guards ribbon” was attached.

The St. George ribbon became a real symbol of Victory in 1945, when by Decree of the Presidium of the USSR Armed Forces the medal “For the victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War in 1941-1945” was established. This award was received by 15 million people - front-line soldiers and home front workers. A St. George ribbon was also attached to the medal.

Medal "For Victory over Germany"

In 1992 in Russian Federation revived the former Order of St. George. Thus, the order and ribbon became a symbol of the continuity of generations and traditions of Russia.

In 2005, the RIA Novosti news agency and the Student Community, in honor of the 60th anniversary of the Victory, announced the St. George Ribbon campaign - volunteers throughout Russia distributed thousands of ribbons to honor the memory of war heroes. The event has become an annual event and this year will pass for the 13th time in a row.

What do the colors of the St. George ribbon symbolize?

Count Litta in 1833 wrote about the introduction of the ribbon by Catherine II: “the immortal legislator who founded this order believed that its ribbon unites the color of gunpowder and the color of fire.” Therefore, it is generally accepted that orange means flame, and black means smoke.

There is another version of the symbolism of the colors of the ribbon: black is the eagle on the coat of arms of Russia, and orange is the golden background (in heraldry, golden can be represented by yellow or orange colors). Thus, the ribbon reproduces the colors of the coat of arms of the Russian Empire.

How to wear the St. George's ribbon?

St. George Ribbon not a decoration that can be tied anywhere: you should not wear it on your head, below the belt, on a bag, or tie it on a bicycle or car. It should be worn near the heart, attached to clothing (for example, it is convenient to use the lapel of a jacket).

You can tie a ribbon different ways, in this video you will learn about ten of them:

We also remind you that our newspaper is running. Send us materials about your heroes, and we will post them on the main page.

The St. George ribbon has become a symbol of Russian military glory and loyalty to Russia. It is generally accepted that two orange stripes mean flame, and three black stripes mean smoke. But there are other versions.

Ribbon of Combat Glory

The St. George Ribbon was established by Catherine II during Russian-Turkish war 1768-1774 to encourage loyalty, courage and prudence. The ribbon was supplemented with the motto: “For service and courage,” as well as a white equilateral cross or a four-pointed gold star. It is traditionally believed that the black color on the St. George's ribbon symbolizes smoke, and orange symbolizes flame. Count Giulio Renato Litta wrote about this in 1833:

“The immortal legislator, who founded this order, believed that its ribbon connects the color of gunpowder and the color of fire.”

But there are other interpretations. According to the general of the French army and falerist Serge Andolenko, the colors of the ribbon reproduce the colors of the state emblem (black eagle on a golden background). There is also a version that the colors symbolize the death and resurrection of St. George the Victorious.

The St. George ribbon was an integral part of the medals that were awarded for participation in successful wars or battles with an external enemy: “For bravery in Finnish waters”, “For Turkish war 1828-1829”, “For the defense of Sevastopol”.

Some awards were issued on combined ribbons: “For the Turkish War of 1877-1878” (St. Andrew’s Ribbon), “In Memory Russo-Japanese War"(Alexandrovsko-Georgievskaya ribbon).

There were also exceptional cases of awards. Thus, Lieutenant General Alexander Lukomsky was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir on the St. George Ribbon for excellent conduct of mobilization events in 1914. This award was jokingly called “Vladimir Georgievich.”

St. George's bow

Before the revolution, in cases where the presentation of the order was impossible, heroes were awarded with a ribbon. At the third awarding of the Order of St. George, a black and orange bow was attached to the order ribbon.

The expression “full bow” also received a second, figurative meaning. This is the name given to a person who has received every conceivable award.

St. George's or Guards?

The St. George ribbon adorns the medal blocks “For Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945,” established by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on May 9, 1945. Like George, this medal was awarded exclusively to military personnel who took direct part in the war fronts.
However, there is an opinion that the St. George ribbon of the war and post-war period was not St. George’s, but the Guards: both on the Order of Glory and on the medal “For Victory over Germany.” Terminological debates on this topic continue today.

Rolling symbol

During the years of the revolution and the Civil War, the St. George ribbon became one of the main symbols White movement. Thus, during the Yaroslavl rebellion, the rebels distinguished their own by ribbons attached to their clothes. It was convenient - no insignia was required. Officers wore St. George ribbons in their buttonholes and caps, as well as a St. George chevron on the left sleeve.

According to historian Alexei Karevsky, the rebels even fought under the St. George banner and the tricolor Russian flag.

Ribbons of St. George were also awarded to collaborators from the ROA and KONR. Many soldiers of the Vlasov army were Knights of St. George.

St. George's regalia

It is interesting that the St. George ribbon was also assigned to some insignia awarded to military units - the St. George silver trumpets, banners and standards.

In 1806, the award St. George banners were introduced into the Russian army. The St. George Cross was placed at the top of the banner; a black and orange St. George ribbon with banner tassels 1 inch wide (4.44 cm) was tied under the top.

The first St. George banners were issued to the Kyiv Grenadier, Chernigov Dragoon, Pavlograd Hussars and two Don Cossack regiments for distinguished service in the 1805 campaign.

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

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

No. 1. Slogan

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

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

“Grandfather’s Victory is my Victory”, “Tie it up. If you remember!”, “I remember! I’m proud!”, “We are the heirs Great Victory!", "Thank the granfather for the victory!"

No. 2. Author of the idea

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

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

The St. George Ribbon Code consists of 10 points:

Promotion "St. George's Ribbon" - not commercial and not political.
The purpose of the action is creation of a holiday symbol - Victory Day .
This symbol is an expression of our respect for veterans, a tribute to the memory of those who fell on the battlefield, gratitude to the people who gave everything for the front. To all those thanks to whom we won in 1945.
"George Ribbon" is not a heraldic symbol . This is a symbolic ribbon, a replica of the traditional bicolor St. George ribbon.
The use of original St. George's or Guards ribbons in the promotion is not allowed. "St. George's Ribbon" is a symbol, not a reward.
"George Ribbon" cannot be the object of purchase and sale .
"George Ribbon" cannot serve to promote goods and services. The use of tape as an accompanying product or element of product packaging is not allowed.
"George Ribbon" distributed free of charge. It is not permitted to issue a ribbon to a visitor to a retail establishment in exchange for a purchase.
Not allowed usage"St. George's Ribbon" for political purposes any parties or movements.
The “St. George Ribbon” has one or two inscriptions: the name of the city/state where the ribbon was produced. Other inscriptions on the ribbon are not allowed.
This is a symbol of the unbroken spirit of the people who fought and defeated Nazism in the Great Patriotic War.

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

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

No. 4. On banknotes

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

No. 5. Correspondence

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

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

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

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

No. 6. "Georgievskaya" or "Gvardeyskaya"

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

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

Guards ribbon in the USSR. Postcard.

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

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

No. 7. When first appeared

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

Catherine II with the Order of St. George, 1st degree. F. Rokotov, 1770

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

Under his command, a special detachment of Jaeger battalions and part of the 1st Grenadier Regiment, numbering 1,600 people, completely defeated a Turkish detachment of 7,000 people and occupied the city of Galati. For this feat, on December 8, 1769, Fabritian was the first in history to be awarded the Order of St. George, 3rd degree.

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

The last lifetime portrait of M. I. Kutuzov, R. M. Volkov, 1813. In the portrait, the Badge of the Order of St. George, 1st degree (cross) on the St. George ribbon (behind the hilt of the sword) and its quadrangular star (2nd from the top) .

No. 8. Ribbon color

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

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

The traditional interpretation of the colors of the St. George's ribbon states that black means smoke, orange means flame . Chief Chamberlain Count Litta wrote in 1833: “the immortal legislator who founded this order believed that the ribbon connects it color of gunpowder and color of fire ».

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

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

“The Miracle of George on the Dragon” (icon, late 14th century)

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

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

According to one version, the cult of St. George, as often happened with Christian saints, was put forward as opposed to the pagan cult of Dionysus , temples were built on the site of the former sanctuaries of Dionysus, and holidays were celebrated in his honor on the days of Dionysius.

The name George comes from the Greek. γεωργός - farmer. In the popular consciousness they coexist two images of the saint: one of them is close to the church cult of St. George - a serpent fighter and a Christ-loving warrior, another, very different from the first, to the cult of the cattle breeder and tiller, the owner of the land, the patron of livestock, who opens the spring field work

Saint George, together with the Mother of God, is considered the heavenly patron of Georgia and is the most revered saint among Georgians. According to local legends, George was a relative of Equal-to-the-Apostles Nina, the enlightener of Georgia. And the Cross of St. George is present on the flag of the Georgian church. It first appeared on Georgian banners under Queen Tamara.

This is interesting:

It is well known that the St. George Ribbon appeared along with the Order of St. George. So, since St. George was considered a Christian saint, how should Muslim defenders be rewarded? Thus, for non-believers, a version of the order was provided, in which, instead of St. George, the coat of arms of Russia, a double-headed eagle, was depicted. The model of the order with an eagle was approved by Nicholas I on August 29, 1844 during the Caucasian War, and Major Dzhamov-bek Kaitagsky was the first to receive the new badge. In this regard, in the memoirs and fiction There are moments when officers, immigrants from the Caucasus, are perplexed:

“Why did they give me a cross with a bird, and not with a horseman?”

Badge of the Order of the 3rd class. for officers of non-Christian faith, since 1844

No. 10. Restoration of the Order of St. George

Once abolished by the Bolsheviks, the Order of St. George has today been restored, and by Decree of the President of Russia No. 1463 of August 8, 2000, it serves as the highest military award in Russia. The restored Order of St. George has the same external features as in tsarist time. Unlike the previous order, the order of awarding has been slightly changed: not only the 3rd and 4th degrees, but all degrees are given sequentially. An annual pension is not provided for holders of the order, whereas under Catherine II a pension was provided - it was received throughout life. After the death of the gentleman, his widow received a pension for him for another year.

Recently, videos have appeared on the Internet reflecting the psychosis reigning in the American puppy colony in relation to the St. George tape. Moreover, the virus of madness and hatred for this attribute of the celebration of the Great Victory, which became a symbol of the glory and heroism of our fathers and grandfathers during the Great Patriotic War, struck many representatives of the liberal public, from whom one can often hear reproaches about someone wearing a St. George ribbon on their chest in days of the relevant promotion, as well as during various types of commemorative and festive events.

For Russian liberals, as well as for the possessed admirers of Bandera in Ukraine, the St. George ribbon is a symbol of Russia’s non-existent aggression in the Donbass. actions that plunged Ukraine into civil war, chaos, chaos and poverty. Well, in the most amazing country, nothing that happens in it can no longer be surprising:

St. George Ribbon: history and meaning

The St. George Ribbon is one of the most recognizable symbols of Russian reality in recent years. This black and orange ribbon is one of the main attributes of Victory Day in the Great Patriotic War (WWII) - one of the most respected holidays in our country. Unfortunately, few of those who tie the St. George Ribbon on their clothes or attach it to their car know what it really means.

The St. George ribbon is a ribbon consisting of two colors (orange and black), which in pre-revolutionary Russia was attached to several awards dedicated to St. George the Victorious. These included: the St. George Cross, the St. George Medal and the Order of St. George.
In addition, starting around the 18th century, the St. George ribbon is actively used in Russian heraldry: the ribbon was used as an element of the St. George banners (standards), it was worn on the uniforms of military personnel of particularly distinguished units, the St. George ribbon was on the caps of the sailors of the Guards crew and sailors of ships awarded St. George's banners.

History of the St. George Ribbon

Already in early XVIII century, black, orange (yellow) and white began to be considered the state colors of Russia. It was this color scheme that was present on the state emblem of the Russian state. The sovereign eagle was black, the field of the coat of arms was gold or orange, and the white color meant the figure of St. George the Victorious depicted on the shield of the coat of arms.

In the middle of the 18th century, Empress Catherine the Great established a new award - the Order of St. George, which was awarded to officers and generals for their merits in the military field (however, the first recipient was the Empress herself). This order was accompanied by a ribbon, which was named St. George's in honor of the order.

The statute of the order stated that the St. George Ribbon should have three black and two yellow stripes. However, it was not yellow that was initially used, but rather orange.

In addition to matching the colors of the state emblem of Russia, this color scheme had another meaning: orange and black are symbols of “fire and gunpowder.”

IN early XIX century (1807), another award was established dedicated to St. George the Victorious - an insignia of the Military Order, which was unofficially called the Cross of St. George. This award was given to lower ranks for exploits performed on the battlefield. In 1913, the St. George Medal appeared, which was also awarded to soldiers and non-commissioned officers for courage shown in the face of the enemy.

All of the above awards were worn along with the St. George Ribbon. In some cases, the ribbon could be an analogue of an award (if the gentleman for some reason could not receive it). During the First World War, holders of the St. George's Cross in winter time Instead of an insignia, they wore a ribbon on their overcoat.

At the beginning of the 19th century, St. George's banners (standards) appeared in Russia; in 1813, the Marine Guards crew was awarded them, after which the St. George's ribbon appeared on the caps of its sailors. Emperor Alexander II decided to award ribbons for merit to entire military units. The St. George's cross was placed at the top of the banner, and the St. George's ribbon was tied under the pommel.

The St. George ribbon was actively used in Russia until October revolution 1917: after it, the Bolsheviks abolished all royal awards. However, even after this, the St. George Ribbon remained part of the award system of the White movement. The White Guards used this attribute in their insignia, which appeared already during the Civil War.

In the White Army there were two particularly respected insignia: “For Ice trek" and "For the great Siberian campaign", they both had St. George's ribbon bows. In addition, the St. George Ribbon was actively used in the White movement: it was worn on headdresses, tied on uniforms, and attached to battle flags.

After the end of the Civil War, the St. George Ribbon was one of the most common symbols of emigrant White Guard organizations.

The St. George's Ribbon was very widely used by various organizations of collaborators who fought on the side of Hitler's Germany during the Second World War. Member of the Russian liberation movement(ROD) included more than ten large military units, including several SS divisions, which were staffed by Russians.

Guards ribbon

After devastating defeats initial period During the Great Patriotic War, the leadership of the USSR desperately needed symbols that could unite the people and raise morale at the front. The Red Army had very few military awards and insignia of military valor. This is where the St. George Ribbon came in handy.

The USSR did not completely repeat the design and name. The Soviet ribbon was called “Guards”, and its appearance was slightly changed.

Back in the fall of 1941, the honorary title “Guards” was adopted into the USSR award system. The following year, the “Guard” badge was established for the army, and the Soviet Navy adopted its own similar sign - “Naval Guard”.

At the end of 1943, a new award was established in the USSR - the Order of Glory. It had three degrees and was issued to soldiers and junior officers. In fact, the concept of this award largely repeated the royal Cross of St. George. The block of the Order of Glory was covered with a Guards ribbon.

The same ribbon was used in the medal “For Victory over Germany,” which was awarded to almost all military personnel who fought in western fronts. After the victory in World War II, about 15 million people were awarded this medal, which was approximately 10% of the entire population of the USSR.

Therefore, it is not surprising that the black and orange ribbon in the minds of Soviet citizens became a real symbol of victory in the war over Hitler's Germany. In addition, after the end of the Second World War, the Guards Ribbon was actively used in a wide variety of visual propaganda related to the theme of war.

Modern Russia

IN modern Russia Victory Day is one of the most popular holidays. For state propaganda, the theme of World War II is one of the main tools for raising the patriotism of the population.

In 2005, in honor of the sixtieth anniversary of the victory over Germany, an action was launched at the state level to promote the St. George Ribbon as the main national symbol of the Great Patriotic War.

On the eve of the May holidays, St. George's ribbons began to be distributed free of charge directly on the streets of Russian cities, in shops and government institutions. People hang them on clothes, bags, car antennas. Private companies began to often (sometimes even too often) use the tape to advertise their products.

The motto of the action was the slogan “I remember, I am proud.” In recent years, events related to the St. George Ribbon have begun to take place abroad. At first the tape was distributed in neighboring countries, in Last year promotions were held in Europe and the USA.

Russian society received this symbol very favorably, and the St. George Ribbon received a rebirth. Unfortunately, people who wear it usually have little knowledge of the history and meaning of this sign.

The first thing that should be said: the St. George Ribbon has nothing to do with the award system of the Red Army and the USSR in general. This is the insignia of pre-revolutionary Russia. If we talk about the period of the Second World War, the St. George’s Ribbon is most likely associated with the collaborators who fought on the side of Hitler’s Germany.

In 1992, by decree of the Russian President, the St. George Cross was restored to the country's award system. The current St. George's ribbon, in its color scheme and arrangement of stripes, completely coincides with the royal insignia, as well as with the ribbon worn by Krasnov and Vlasov.

However, this is not a big problem. The St. George Ribbon is truly a real symbol of Russia, with which the Russian army has gone through dozens of wars and battles. Disputes about Victory Day being celebrated with the wrong ribbon are stupid and insignificant. The differences between the Guards and St. George ribbons are so small that only historians and heraldry specialists can understand them. It is much worse that this sign of military valor is actively used by politicians and, as usual, not always for good purposes.

St. George's ribbon and politics

Over the past few years, this insignia has been actively used in politics, and this is done both within Russia and abroad. This trend became especially acute in 2014, after the annexation of Crimea and the outbreak of hostilities in the Donbass. Moreover, the St. George Ribbon became one of the main distinctive signs of those forces that were directly involved in these events.
The St. George ribbon is very actively used by supporters of the DPR and LPR. Russian propaganda is trying to draw a parallel between the fighters of the separatist formations in eastern Ukraine with the Red Army soldiers who fought the Nazis during World War II. Russian media usually portray the modern Ukrainian government as Nazis.

Therefore, in the last few years, the St. George ribbon has turned from a symbol Great War into a propaganda tool. This sign is increasingly perceived as a symbol of support for the current government. And this is very wrong. And the St. George’s ribbon on vodka, toys or the hoods of Mercedes looks like a complete insult. After all, both the St. George Cross and the Order of Glory could only be earned on the battlefield.

Great Patriotic War- this is such a grandiose and tragic event that May 9 should become a day of remembrance for the millions of victims, whose remains are still scattered throughout our forests.

May 2018 is approaching and the next anniversary of the Victory - a great holiday “with tears in our eyes.” Military parade, participants passing " Immortal Regiment"and distribution of St. George's ribbons. This process, which began in 2005 at the initiative of RIA Novosti, will again be accompanied by a clash of two extremes. On the one hand, there are enthusiastic reports about the distribution of hundreds of thousands, even millions, of ribbons to the citizens of the country. On the other hand, there is malice and condemnation of the ongoing action with elements of another shift in history in a convenient direction.

The army of ribbon opponents is very diverse. From a fiery fighter against privileges in the era of perestroika, A. G. Nevzorov, to irreconcilable supporters of the cause of Lenin and Stalin. From dropouts of the “Pepsi generation” to full-blown nationalists from some former Soviet republics. Surprisingly, sometimes expressing opposite things, they come to the same conclusion that the St. George’s ribbon is evil.

From the history of the symbol of victory

One of the main arguments of opponents of the ribbon is that this is not our symbol, these are not our colors, our grandfathers and fathers did not go into battle with them.

The Order of St. George was established by the Decree of Catherine II of November 26, 1769. The motto of the order “For Service and Bravery” needs no comment.

The ribbon appeared later, but in exactly the same color scheme - three black and two orange (yellow, gold) stripes. This order (it had 4 degrees) was awarded only to officers and generals.

Since the order was for military merit, it personified smoke and flame, of which there was plenty in the war of those times.

The recipient received various benefits and privileges.

In 1807, lower ranks were established. He also had 4 degrees. The number of St. George cavaliers also included officers awarded the “Golden” St. George weapon. In 1805, the St. George Standards appeared in the Russian army, which were awarded to the best units and formations.

The Knight of St. George enjoyed special respect in society.

In the forefront of those awarded, and more than once, are our great commanders - A.V. Suvorov, M.I. Kutuzov, M.B. Barclay de Tolly, I.I. Dibich. Does anyone consider it unworthy to wear a St. George’s ribbon and, at least purely symbolically, join in the greatness of the country?

St. George's Ribbon - an attribute of the White Movement

Unfortunately, the negative assessment of the role of the White movement in civil war, pushes to the wrong conclusion about the significance of the attributes of the Order of St. George for the country and the army. The rigid formula proposed for officers and generals was wrong: either-or.

Faced with such a choice and remaining faithful to the oath, they did not become worse or better than those who joined the Red Army.

And, of course, they had every right to preserve and use army traditions.

And their attitude towards the USSR is well illustrated by the positions of the two tsarist generals, two leaders of the White movement, two Knights of St. George - P.N. Krasnov and A.I. Denikin.

If the first enthusiastically greeted Hitler's attack on the USSR, appealed to Russian emigrants to support the war against Stalin and actively collaborated with the occupiers, the second refused all offers to work with the Germans, called on his compatriots to support Russia, and at his own expense sent a carload of medicines to the Red Army . What, was it possible that a war veteran or his great-grandson was given a St. George’s ribbon from Krasnov’s reserves?

St. George's ribbon and Vlasovites

Amazing situation. Orthodox Stalinists refuse to recognize any symbols of Victory other than the red flag (as if anyone would argue with that). And fighters for liberal values, with their loyal attitude towards the Vlasovites, attribute the St. George ribbon to the symbolism of the ROA.

As a result, both of them misinform people.

Firstly, on the buttonholes, chevrons, shoulder straps, armbands, and flags of Vlasov’s army, the tricolor was used - white-blue-red. No comments. And secondly, on the banners that were handed to the guards units and formations, a bow was attached to the staff, tied with a bow, and very similar to St. George’s. Both in status and color scheme.
Unknown and unpopular...

A common belief among war history revisionists. They are talking about the ribbon and are lying again. What kind of popularity of “attributes of the past government” could we talk about in a country that has abandoned a significant part of its history?

And it’s great that from the first days of the war, state leaders began working, figuratively speaking, to popularize the St. George’s ribbon.

After all, this small piece of fabric symbolizes a whole range of measures Soviet government, aimed at glorifying the fight against the enemy and increasing the morale of soldiers and officers. Appeal to great history great country, even to the detriment of ideology, is one of these directions.

in September 1941, a decision was made to assign the title to guards units, formations and associations that distinguished themselves in battles with the enemy. Heroism, courage and military skill were mentioned in the regulations on guardsmen;
During the war years in the USSR, orders named after prominent Russian military leaders and naval commanders: Suvorov and Kutuzov, Bogdan Khmelnitsky and Alexander Nevsky, Nakhimov and Ushakov. These orders were awarded to officers and generals for success in command and control and for excellent organization and conduct of a military operation.
The Order of Glory - a soldier's order - established on November 8, 1943, had three degrees. No one will argue about its similarity with the St. George Cross of the Tsarist army. The same black and orange ribbon for both. According to the statute, both orders were intended to be awarded only to privates and sergeants. Only a person who, having shown courage and heroism, personally accomplished a feat could become a holder of the order (cross). The Order of Glory, the only one that was not awarded to any unit or formation.
On May 9, 1945, on Victory Day, by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, the medal “For Victory over Germany” was established, which was awarded to more than 15 million Soviet citizens. She also had a ribbon similar to St. George's.

After all, supporters of revising the results of the war are not against the ribbon. In its place there could be anything - a soldier's medallion, which was called a mortal, a cap, a three-ruler cartridge, a red carnation, a ribbon with a star.

The fight against the ribbon is a fight against people’s memory, another attempt to denigrate the best that our country had.

Promotion St. George's Ribbon

St. George's ribbon on the chest of representatives of different generations is great. But the problem of our country is campaignism. She can ruin all good endeavors. Already a few days before the holiday, the media will enthusiastically report that more ribbons have been distributed this year than last year. And logically there should be fewer of them. Where did last year's go?

The Internet is replete with advertisements with the following content: “St. George ribbons wholesale - 0.91 rubles. Delivery in Moscow or pickup." And the distribution of ribbons near metro stations is on par with advertising leaflets. Has anyone ever wondered what the fate of both of them is? Why not organize the sale of ribbons for a nominal fee (1 ruble), for example, at newsstands? And not in bulk, but one at a time.

Those who value the ribbon will go and buy it and won’t throw it in the trash bin. If not, then it’s not necessary. Let not 100...200 thousand, but significantly fewer ribbons be distributed to residents of the city of N-sk. But these will be people who truly preserve the memory of the dead and treat living veterans with respect, and do not follow fashion.

Unwritten rules

In the description of any order there is a rule for wearing it. Of course, the black and orange ribbon is not an order. Accordingly, the rules are unwritten and are advisory in nature:

you can attach the ribbon in any convenient way - with a pin, some kind of brooch, it can be sewn or tied to a jacket button;
the placement of the ribbon is limited by common sense and the level of education - if it looks decent on a headdress, on the chest, or, in extreme cases, on the forearm, then attaching it to the back pocket of jeans is disgusting;
the same applies to bags, handbags, backpacks - if such a need arises, you need to strengthen the ribbon as high as possible, but not near the bottom of the bag;
For car enthusiasts, it is better to place this piece of fabric inside the passenger compartment, in extreme cases, tie it to the antenna, but certainly not in places where road dirt gets in the first place;
A ribbon on the collar or leash of even the most thoroughbred dog looks absolutely wild.

National flags are hung on administrative buildings and residential buildings a few days before the holiday and taken down a day or two after. We should treat wearing a ribbon the same way, without waiting for it to turn into a piece of dirty rag.

Simple but tasteful

And finally, a rather difficult question, especially for men, is the question of creating something non-standard, festive from a St. George ribbon.

Creative people, when asked how to tie a St. George ribbon, suggest considering several options under conventional names: flower, tie, star, bow, loop, letter M, butterfly, corner, rose.

In general, the ribbon looks decent and beautiful in any version. And this fact, and the fact that the ribbon is one of the symbols of our victory, and its role in today’s political situation, gives us hope that every normal citizen, having removed the ribbon from his jacket on May 10, will carefully fold it and put it away until next year.

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