Very soon, we will celebrate the 70th anniversary of that great day when one of the most bloody wars for our country ended. Today, everyone knows the symbols of Victory, but not everyone knows what they mean, how and by whom they were invented. In addition, modern trends bring their own innovations, and it turns out that some of the symbols familiar from childhood appear in a different embodiment.
History of St. George Ribbon
There are characters that tell us about an event. For several years now, the St. George ribbon has been used as such a symbol of Victory. She is handed out on the streets of Russian cities before the holiday, she is tied to car antennas and handbags. But why such a ribbon began to tell us and our children about the war? What does the St. George ribbon mean?
St. George ribbon is made in two colors - orange and black. Her story begins with the soldier's order of St. George the Victorious, which was established by Empress Catherine II on November 26, 1769. This tape was later added to the USSR award system under the name “Guards tape”. They gave it to the soldiers as a sign of special distinction. The ribbon covered the Order of Glory.
What do the colors mean?
The St. George ribbon is a symbol of Victory, the colors of which indicate the following: black is smoke, and orange is flame. The Order itself was given to soldiers for certain military deeds during the war, and it was considered an exceptional military award. The Order of St. George was presented in four classes:
- The order of the first degree consisted of a cross, a star and a ribbon in black and orange, and such an order was worn over the right shoulder under the uniform.
- The Order of the second degree assumed the presence of a star and a large cross. It was decorated with a thin ribbon and was worn around the neck.
- The third degree is an order with a small cross on its neck.
- The fourth degree is a small cross worn in the buttonhole of a uniform.
What does the St. George ribbon mean in terms of color besides smoke and flame? Black and orange colors today embody military prowess, glory. This award was awarded not only to people, but also to the insignia that were issued to military units. For example, silver pipes or banners.
St. George's banners
In 1806, award-winning St. George banners were introduced into the Russian army, which were crowned with the St. George Cross and tied with a black and orange ribbon with banner tassels almost 4.5 cm long. In 1878, Emperor Alexander II issued a decree establishing a new insignia: now St. George ribbons were issued as awards for the military exploits of an entire regiment.
The traditions of the Russian army were passed down from generation to generation, and the Order of Glory did not change. During the Second World War, he was of three degrees, in a yellow-black coloring of the ribbon, which reminded of the George Cross. And the tape itself continued to serve as a symbol of military prowess.
Tape today
Modern Victory symbols originate in ancient Russian traditions. Today, young people, on the eve of the holiday, tie ribbons to clothes, distribute them to motorists and just passers-by in order to remind everyone of the feat of our people and to express their solidarity. By the way, the idea of holding such an action, as it turned out, belongs to the staff of Ria Novosti news agency. As the employees themselves say, the purpose of this action is to create a symbol of the holiday, which will be a tribute to the standing veterans and will once again remind those who fell on the battlefield. The scale of the action is actually impressive: every year the number of common ribbons is increasing.
What other characters?
Probably, in every city there is Victory Park, which is dedicated to this glorious feat of our grandfathers and great-grandfathers. Very often various events are timed to this event, for example, Plant a Tree. The symbol of Victory may look and be interpreted in different ways, but the most important thing is to show your involvement in this important event. In addition, it is important to cultivate a feeling of love and respect for the Motherland among our children, and it is precisely these important actions that help in this. So, on the eve of the 70th anniversary of the Victory, the “Lilac of Victory” campaign was launched, within the framework of which entire avenues from these beautiful flowering plants will be planted in Russian hero cities.
Victory Banner History
Many of us saw the Victory Banner in pictures and in movies. In fact, it is the assault flag of the 150th Order of Kutuzov, II degree, by the Idritskaya Infantry Division, and it was he who was hoisted on the roof of the Reichstag in Berlin on May 1, 1945. Red Army soldiers Aleksey Berest, Mikhail Egorov and Meliton Kantaria did this. Russian law established the 1945 Victory Banner as the official symbol of the victory of the Soviet people and the Armed Forces of the country over the Nazis in 1941-1945.
Externally, the Banner is an USSR flag improvised and created under military conditions, which was attached to a flagpole and created from a 82-by 188-cm single-layer red cloth. Silver sickle, hammer and five-pointed star are depicted on the front surface, and the name is written on the rest of the canvas. divisions.
How the banner was hoisted
Symbols of Victory are various elements that are popular from year to year. And the Victory Banner in the series of these elements and symbols plays the most important role. Recall that at the end of April 1945, fierce battles were fought in the Reichstag area. The building was assaulted several times, one after another, and only the third assault yielded results. April 30, 1945 on the radio, which broadcasts around the world, it was reported that at 14:25 the Victory Banner was hoisted over the Reichstag. Moreover, at that time the building was not yet captured, only a few groups were able to get inside. The third assault on the Reichstag took a long time, and it was crowned with success: the building was seized by Soviet troops, several banners were hoisted on it at once - from divisional to improvised.
The symbols of Victory, World War II, the heroism of Soviet soldiers, namely the banner and ribbons, are still used in various processions and events dedicated to the celebration of May 9th. The Victory Banner was carried along Red Square during the Victory Parade in 1945, and for this purpose the flagmen and their assistants were specially trained. By decree of July 10, 1945, the Main Political Administration of the Soviet Army handed over the Victory Banner to the Central Museum of the USSR Armed Forces in Moscow, where it was to be stored forever.
History of the Banner after 1945
After 1945, the Banner was again carried out in 1965 to the 20th anniversary of the Victory. And until 1965 it was stored in the museum in its original form. A little later, it was replaced with a copy, which accurately repeated the original version. It is noteworthy, but the Banner was prescribed to be stored only horizontally: the satin from which it was created was too fragile material. That is why until 2011 the banner was covered with special paper and folded only horizontally.
On May 8, 2011, in the hall of the Victory Banner in the Central Museum of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, an authentic flag was put on public display, and it was displayed on special equipment: the banner was placed in a large glass cube, which was supported by metal structures in the form of rails. In this form - genuine - this and other symbols of victory in the Second World War were able to see many museum visitors.
A noteworthy fact: the Banner (the present, which was hoisted on the Reichstag) lacked a strip 73 cm long and 3 cm wide. Many rumors have been and continue to be circulated about this. On the one hand, they say that a piece of the canvas was taken as a keepsake by one of those soldiers who participated in the capture of the Reichstag. On the other hand, it is believed that the Banner was stored in the 150th Infantry Division, where women also served. And it was they who decided to keep a souvenir in their memory: they cut off a piece of fabric and divided it among themselves. By the way, according to the museum staff, in the 70s one of these women came to the museum and showed her shred from the Banner, which came up to him in size.
Victory Banner today
To date, the most important flag telling us about the Victory over Nazi Germany is a mandatory attribute for celebrations on May 9, Red Square. True, a copy is used. Other copies as symbols of Victory in the Second World War can be hung on other buildings. The main thing is that the copies correspond to the original appearance of the Victory Banner.
Why cloves?
Probably, everyone remembers from his childhood demonstrations on the celebration of May 9th. And most often we place carnations at the monuments. Why exactly them? Firstly, this flower is masculine and is a symbol of courage and courage. Moreover, such a meaning flower received in the third century BC, when the carnation was called the flower of Zeus. Today, carnation is a symbol of Victory, which in classical heraldry is a sign of passion, impulse. And already from Ancient Rome, carnations were considered flowers for the winners.
The following historical fact attracts attention. Cloves were brought to Europe during the Crusades and were used to treat wounds. And since the flower appeared along with the warriors, it began to be perceived as a symbol of victory, courage and a talisman from wounds. According to other versions, the flower was brought by German knights from Tunisia to Germany. Today, for us, carnation is a symbol of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. And many of us lay bouquets of these flowers at the foot of the memorials.
Already since the French Revolution of 1793, cloves became a symbol of fighters who died for the idea and became the personification of revolutionary passion and devotion. The victims of terror, who went to their deaths, always attached a red carnation to their clothes as a symbol of confrontation. Modern floral arrangements based on carnations symbolize the blood that our grandfathers, great-grandfathers, fathers shed during the Great Patriotic War. These flowers not only look beautiful, but also retain a decorative appearance in a cut form for a long time.
Popular flowers-symbols of Victory are tulips of saturated red color. They are also associated with the scarlet blood of Soviet soldiers spilled for their homeland, as well as our love for their country.
Modern Victory Symbols
May 9 is widely celebrated throughout the post-Soviet space annually. And every year, the symbols of Victory change, supplemented by new elements in the development of which many experts take part. On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of Victory, the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation issued a whole selection of characters that are recommended for use in graphic and font design of various documents, presentations, handouts and souvenirs. According to the organizers, such symbols are an opportunity to once again remind everyone of the great feat of the people who could defeat absolute evil.
The Ministry of Culture recommends using the selected characters as a base for decoration of almost all communication formats of the holidays. The main logo that was specially created this year is a composition that depicts a white dove on a blue background, a St. George ribbon and inscriptions made in the colors of the Russian tricolor.
