St. George's Ribbon - the history of the symbol. Symbols of victory in the Second World War. What does the St. George ribbon mean? Smoke and flame of the St. George ribbon

St. George's ribbon - a ribbon with three black and two orange stripes, is a symbol of heroism, military valor and glory of the defenders of Russia. This is one of the most popular symbols in modern Russia.

St. George's Ribbon - a symbol of awards for heroism

"St. George's Ribbon" is a symbol, not a reward. The first medals on the St. George Ribbon were awarded in August 1787. Medals on the St. George Ribbon were awarded only to those who showed the greatest personal courage and heroism. Black and orange ribbons were laid in the design of military awards awarded for personal courage and heroism.

St. George's Ribbon - a symbol of Victory Day

The St. George ribbon in appearance and color combination corresponds to the ribbon that covers the order block for the medal “For Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.” This medal has become the most popular medal, the block of which is covered with a silk moire ribbon of longitudinal alternating stripes - three black and two orange. The medal was awarded to approximately 14,933,000 people, which was approximately 10% of the total 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 Nazi Germany.

St. George's Ribbon - a symbol of anti-fascism

The St. George ribbon is a symbol of victory over fascism, which is why neo-fascists hate it so much. This is a symbol of the unbroken spirit of the people who fought and defeated Nazism in the Great Patriotic War.

The traditional interpretation of the colors of the St. George's Ribbon states that black means smoke, orange means flame and are considered a sign of a soldier's personal valor on the battlefield.

The stripes on the ribbon symbolize the death and resurrection of St. George: according to legend, he passed through death three times and was resurrected twice (three black stripes and two orange).

St. George's Ribbon - a two-color ribbon for the Order of St. George, the St. George's Cross, the St. George's Medal. Also, St. George's ribbons on the cap were worn by the sailors of the guards crew of the ship awarded the St. George's flag.

The history of the St. George ribbon

In 1769, Empress Catherine the 2nd established an award for officers of the Russian Army, awarded for personal courage shown on the battlefields - Order of St. George.

The establishment of the Order of George was solemnly celebrated in St. Petersburg on November 26, 1769. It was supposed to be worn on a “silk ribbon with three black and two yellow stripes”; subsequently, the name St. George’s Ribbon was assigned to it. According to the statute, the Order of St. George was intended to reward military ranks "for courage, zeal and zeal for military service and for encouragement in the art of war" and came in importance immediately after the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called.

“neither high birth, nor previous merits, nor wounds received in battles are accepted as respect when awarded the Order of St. George for military exploits; “The only one who is awarded it is the one who not only fulfilled his duty in everything according to oath, honor and duty, but on top of this marked himself for the benefit and glory of Russian weapons with a special distinction.”

Four degrees of the Order of George

Badge of the Order of St. George, 1st degree. 1850s

Cross, star and ribbon.

Golden cross, covered on both sides with white enamel, with a gold border around the edges. In the central circle, filled with red enamel, there is an image of St. George on a white horse, slaying a dragon with a spear. On the reverse side, in a white circle, is the monogram of St. George (intertwined letters SG).
Star of the Order- golden quadrangular (diamond-shaped), formed by 32 golden (solar) rays emanating from the center. In the middle of it, on a gold background, there is a similar monogram of St. George, and on a black hoop around it, the motto of the Military Order “For Service and Bravery” is written in gold letters. On the back side (reverse): there is a monogram of two letters “C” and “G” (St. George) in such a way that, intertwined, it makes up the third letter - “P” (Victorious).
Ribbon. The cross was worn on a 10-11 cm wide moire ribbon with three black and two orange stripes, which was worn over the right shoulder.

Badge of the Order of St. George, 2nd degree. 1850s

Cross, star and narrow ribbon.

Golden cross and golden star, similar to the first degree. The cross was worn around the neck on a narrower medal ribbon.

Badge of the Order of St. George, 3rd degree. 1850s

Golden cross, similar to the senior degrees, but smaller in size. Worn around the neck on an order ribbon.

Order of George, 4th class

Badge of the Order of St. George, 4th degree. 1850s

Cross and narrow ribbon.

The golden cross is slightly smaller in size than the third degree sign. Worn in a buttonhole or on the left side of the chest on a narrow order ribbon.

By decree of 1833 a warrior who accomplished several feats received the right to bow with ribbon. The wearing of the cross was prescribed on a ribbon, the colors of which corresponded to the colors of the Order of St. George.

It was from this period that the popularity of the St. George Ribbon became nationwide, since the common Russian people saw such awards much more often than golden orders of officers of the Russian Army. This sign later became known as the soldier’s Cross of St. George or “soldier Egoriy” (George), as it was popularly called. In total, during the reign of Emperor Alexander I, 46,527 people were awarded the soldier's St. George Badge of Distinction.

St. George's Honors of Priests

1790. This was the second St. George's award, which appeared after the Order of St. George. Its establishment is associated with the heroic assault on the Turkish fortress of Izmail in 1790. Then, in the midst of the battle, all the officers of the Polotsk infantry regiment were killed, and the attack was on the verge of failure. And then at the head of the column the regimental priest Father Trofim (Kutsinsky) appeared, who, with a cross in his hand, led the assault. Inspired by the sight of their beloved shepherd, the soldiers rushed to attack. After the capture of Izmail, A.V. Suvorov informed P.A. Potemkin: “Today we will have a thanksgiving prayer service. It will be sung by the Polotsk priest, who was with the cross in front of this brave regiment.” Father Trofim became the first holder of the Golden Pectoral Cross on the St. George Ribbon. The award was not only honorable, but also very rare - until 1903, only 194 army clergy were awarded it.

Collective St. George's Awards

In 1805 The first collective St. George's awards appeared - St. George's Banners (standards) and St. George's Trumpets.

St. George's Banner of the Izhevsk Rifle Division. 1918

Double-sided panel measuring 115.5 x 105 cm.

The badge of the Order of St. George was installed in the spear of the banner staff, narrow St. George ribbons with lanyards were hung on the top, and an inscription was made on the panel, for which such a distinction was received. The first to receive such a banner were the Chernigov Dragoon Regiment, two Don Cossack regiments, the Kiev Grenadier and Pavlograd Hussar regiments. They were awarded “For their exploits at Shengraben on November 4, 1805 in a battle with an enemy consisting of 30 thousand.”

St. George's pipes

St. George's Trumpet of the 1st, 3rd and 4th battalions of the Tenginsk regiment. 1879

Silver St. George Trumpet

In 1805 A new type of award trumpet appeared - silver St. George's trumpets, which differed from simply silver ones by the applied image of the St. George's Cross on the bell, which made them a higher award. Inscriptions and silver tassels on the St. George ribbons were present on both types of insignia (Differences in shape between the award pipes given to cavalry and infantry: for the first - straight, long pipes, for infantry - figured, several times curved.)

In 1807 Emperor Alexander 1 established a special award for the lower ranks of the Russian Army for personal courage in battle, which was called the Insignia of the Military Order.

The soldier's St. George Cross is considered the most famous monument to the bravery of soldiers.

Silver sign and bow with St. George's ribbon.

February 13, 1807 The Highest Manifesto was issued, establishing the Insignia of the Military Order (ZOVO), which would later become known as the Cross of St. George. The Manifesto stipulated the appearance of the award - silver sign on the St. George ribbon, with the image of St. George the Victorious in the center. Reason for award: acquired in battle by those who have shown particular bravery. This sign is still evidence of unparalleled courage.

Medal "For Bravery"

The merit of the medal "For Bravery" was lower than the Insignia of the Military Order, but higher than all other medals.

Medal "For Bravery"

Established in 1807 The medal “For Bravery” was intended to reward soldiers of irregular troops and paramilitary forces (Cossack, militia, cavalry irregular, police, police, security, guards), who do not have officer and class ranks, for distinction in military operations, as well as for exploits , manifested in battles with violators of public order, both in war and in peacetime. From 1850 to 1913, it was included in the list of awards intended for the indigenous inhabitants of the Caucasus, Transcaucasia and other Asian territories of the Russian Empire, who were not members of the regular troops and did not have officer or class ranks, and was awarded for distinction in battles against the enemy on the Russian side army. “For Bravery,” also worn on a black and orange (St. George) ribbon, was assigned to the Order of St. George in 1913 and, along with the Cross of St. George, became the most popular soldier’s medal awarded for personal bravery.

Golden weapon "for bravery"

In 1855, during the Crimean War, lanyards of St. George's colors appeared on officer's award weapons. Golden weapons as a type of award were no less honorable for a Russian officer than the Order of George. Since 1855, officers who received the golden weapon “For Bravery” were ordered to wear lanyards from the St. George ribbon for a more visible distinction.

Crimean War Medal

Medal "For the Defense of Sevastopol". 1855

Medal "For the Defense of Sevastopol"

In the same 1855 The medal “For the Defense of Sevastopol” was established.
The defense of Sevastopol in 1854–1855 became the main event of the Crimean War, which went down in history as the bloodiest war of the 19th century. For the first time in the history of the Russian Empire, a medal was awarded not for a heroic victory, but specifically for the defense of a Russian city. This medal was silver, intended for both military officials and civilians who participated in the defense of Sevastopol. For generals, officers, soldiers and sailors of the Sevastopol garrison who served there from September 1854 to August 1855, the medal was awarded on the St. George Ribbon.

St. George's award buttonholes

St. George award buttonholes of the Votkinsk artillery division

St. George's buttonholes

In 1864 St. George's buttonholes were installed for lower ranks. In Transbaikalia, the ranks of the Votkinsk artillery division were awarded St. George's buttonholes in commemoration of their feat, and the ranks of the division had the St. George's cord on their shoulder straps as a distinction. The artillerymen had buttonholes made from the St. George ribbon on their overcoats.

Since January 20, 1871 In the Russian Imperial Army, the St. George's lanyard was defined as a belt folded in the form of a loop with a tassel, for fixing (tying) the covers of banners and standards for the distinction of the St. George's regalia.

St. George ribbons for military sailors

Peak cap of the Guards crew of the ship "Derzhava". 1887

St. George ribbons on caps

In 1878 St. George ribbons were installed for military sailors (still preserved on the caps of sailors of the guards units). St. George's ribbons on the cap were worn by sailors of the Guards crew of the Russian Imperial Guard and sailors of ships awarded the St. George's flag.

For service on the border

Medal with the inscription “For Bravery” on the St. George Ribbon.

Medal "For Bravery" for the Border Guard

In 1878 Emperor Alexander II, to reward the lower ranks of the border guards and the army and navy units assisting them for military distinction in the performance of the duties of the border and customs service, established a separate award - a medal with the inscription “For Bravery”. On the front side of the medal was the profile of the reigning emperor, on the back - the inscription “For bravery”, the degree of the medal and its number.

Alexander II ordered“to the lower ranks, instead of the Badges of the Military Order, give silver medals for bravery on the St. George Ribbon, which will be accepted as a rule in the future”

This award was equivalent to the Insignia of the Military Order and was higher than all other medals, including Anninsky. Since 1906, the medal with the inscription “For Bravery,” established in 1878 for the border guard, was also awarded to lower ranks of the army, navy, and a separate corps of gendarmes, and from 1910 to the police, “for feats of courage” in the fight against armed troublemakers.

In memory of the 50th anniversary of the defense of Sevastopol

Medal "In memory of the 50th anniversary of the defense of Sevastopol." 1905

Medal "In memory of the 50th anniversary of the defense of Sevastopol"

In 1905 a medal was established “In memory of the 50th anniversary of the defense of Sevastopol”, which was awarded to all surviving participants in the events. The medal had an eyelet for attaching to a block or ribbon. The medal should be worn on the chest. The ribbon of the silver version of the medal is St. George. Diameter 28 mm. On the front side of the medal there is an equal-pointed cross, in the center of which is written the number of days of defense of Sevastopol - “349” in an oak wreath. At the top, the cross is overshadowed by the radiance of the All-Seeing Eye of the Lord. Below the dates: "1855-1905". On the reverse side of the medal, the inscription in Church Slavonic, a quotation from the Psalter, means literally “Our fathers trusted in You; they trusted, and You delivered them."

St. George's ribbons in their original form were present in the Russian Imperial Army until the very end of its existence.

During the existence of the black and orange ribbon of St. George, from its appearance in 1769 until 1917, it was an indispensable attribute of a variety of awards of the Russian Empire awarded for military courage. Golden officer's crosses, lanyards of golden weapons, insignia, medals, as well as collective ones - silver trumpets, banners, standards.

St. George medals of the Provisional Government

Medal "For Bravery"

Medal of the Provisional Government "For Bravery"

St. George Medal "For Bravery"

April 24, 1917 The medal "For Bravery" was introduced by order of the Military and Naval Departments. Its statute was basically retained as before. In the period from the February to the October Revolution, on the medals “For Bravery”, instead of the emperor’s profile, there was an image of St. George the Victorious. This medal “For Bravery” in peacetime, as before, was the main award for the lower military ranks of the army and navy and was awarded for manifestations of personal courage and valor in a combat situation. Quite a lot of silver medals “For Bravery”, especially 4th class, have been preserved. Most of them are St. George medals from the First World War.

Awards of the RSFSR and the White Army

After the Bolsheviks abolished the old award system, the St. George Ribbon continued to be used in the award systems of the White armies. St. George's colors (St. George's bows, chevrons, ribbons on headdresses and banners) were used in various white formations, especially by participants in the Yaroslavl uprising.

Insignia of the Military Order "For the Great Siberian Campaign"

Medal "For the Great Siberian Campaign"

The insignia of the Military Order “For the Great Siberian Campaign” is a military award from the Civil War.
Established February 11, 1920 by order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Eastern Front of the General Staff, Major General S. N. Voitsekhovsky.

The order establishing the insignia stated: In recompense for the exceptional dangers and labors suffered by the troops of the Eastern Front in the unprecedented campaign from the banks of the Irtysh beyond Lake Baikal, I affirm the Insignia of the Military Order “For the Great Siberian Campaign.” The Insignia of the Military Order complains: 1st class on the St. George ribbon without a bow, 2nd class on the Vladimir ribbon without a bow.

The insignia had two degrees. The insignia of the first degree was awarded to all those who were in the ranks and at the operational headquarters of the troops and was worn on the St. George ribbon. The second degree insignia was awarded to everyone else, including civilians, and was worn on the Vladimir ribbon.

After the revolution, a course was set to destroy everything lordly - the award “Badge of the Order of St. George” did not receive official recognition. However, they were worn on the chests of elderly soldiers who fought against the Nazis, and the owners of St. George were treated with no less respect than the Hero's Star. Moreover, at least 6 full holders of the award of Tsarist Russia and at the same time heroes of the Soviet Union are known.

Nedorubov Konstantin Iosifovich
full St. George Knight and Hero of the Soviet Union

Svirin Ivan Mikhailovich
full Knight of St. George and Knight of the Order of Lenin

Gruslanov Vladimir Nikolaevich
captain, full St. George Cavalier

Serga Andrey Georgievich
Knight of St. George in 1917 and 1951

Budyonny Semyon Mikhailovich
Marshal of the Soviet Union

Book Vasily Ivanovich
Soviet general

The nationality and respect of the sign is confirmed by the fact that in 1992 the award received a rebirth. Modern “George,” just like centuries ago, emphasizes the recognition and gratitude of the living for their courage and personal heroism.

Guards ribbon

After the devastating defeats of the initial period of 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. Paradoxically, the Bolsheviks, hating everything tsarist, overthrew the term “Georgievsky”, returned in 1941 another tsarist term “Guards”, but called it their own, Soviet. So the St. George Ribbon, with minor changes, entered the Soviet award system under the name “Guards Ribbon”.

Orders and medals of the Great Patriotic War

Order of Glory I, II and III degrees.

Order of Glory 1943

November 8, 1943 The Order of Glory was established by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council. The Order of Glory is awarded to privates and sergeants of the Red Army, and in aviation, to persons with the rank of junior lieutenant, who have demonstrated glorious feats of bravery, courage and fearlessness in battles for the Soviet Motherland. The sign is connected using an eyelet and a ring to a pentagonal block covered with a silk moiré ribbon 24 mm wide. The tape has five longitudinal alternating stripes of equal width: three black and two orange. Along the edges of the tape there is one narrow orange stripe 1 mm wide. The Order of Glory was also awarded to military personnel of the allied armies. Thus, on the website of the American collector Paul Schmitt, information was found that the Order of Glory, III degree, was awarded to a US Navy serviceman, Cecil R. Haycraft. Probably, the American Cavalier of Glory could have been part of one of the sea convoys.

By 1945, the Order of Glory was awarded to:

Order of Glory, 1st degree – about 1,500 people
Order of Glory II - about 17,000 people
Order of Glory III degree - about 200,000 people

As of 1989, the Order of Glory was awarded to:

Order of Glory, 1st degree – 2620 people
Order of Glory II degree – 46,473 people
Order of Glory III degree – 997815 people

Guards ribbon on the Naval flag

June 19, 1942 By order of the People's Commissar of the USSR Navy No. 142, the Guards Naval Flag was installed for ships of the Navy whose crews were awarded the Guards rank. On November 16, 1950, by decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, changes were made to the description of the previous flag, and the designs of the star and hammer and sickle of the Naval Flag were also changed. On April 21, 1964, by decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, this flag was re-established. The flag existed in this form until July 26, 1992, when it was replaced by the Russian Guards Naval Flag.
Guards Naval Flag of the USSR - is a Naval flag of the USSR with a Guards ribbon located on it, tied in a bow, with fluttering ends. The guards ribbon is located above the blue stripe, symmetrically relative to the middle vertical line of the flag. The length of the guards ribbon in a straight line is 11/12, and the width is 1/20 of the width of the flag.

Ribbon of guard ships on caps

A special ribbon on the caps of Soviet sailors is the ribbon of Guards ships, approved together with the Guards badge in 1943. The ribbon of the Guards ships has the color of the Order of Glory ribbon of alternating stripes of orange and black, which corresponds to the colors of the St. George ribbon (there is an indication from 1769, which says that the colors are given: orange is the color of flame and black is the color of gunpowder smoke).
The Guards ribbon is laid along the band of the Red Navy caps (peakless caps) of enlisted personnel of Guards ships and units and is secured at the rear seam, with the ends of the ribbon remaining free. On the guards' ribbons, in the place in front of the cap, the name of the ship, unit or formation is stamped in gold, and on the free ends - anchors.

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

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

By Decree of the Presidium of the USSR Armed Forces dated May 9, 1945 The Medal “For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945” was established. It could be received by all military personnel who took part in the war at the front, as well as those who did not take part in hostilities, but served for a certain time in the system of the People's Commissariat of Defense; workers of rear evacuation hospitals of the Red Army and Navy; workers, employees and collective farmers who took part in the fight against the invaders as part of partisan detachments behind enemy lines.
Using an eyelet and a ring, the medal is connected to a pentagonal block covered with a silk moiré ribbon 24 mm wide. The tape has five longitudinal alternating stripes of equal width - three black and two orange. The edges of the ribbon are bordered with narrow orange stripes.
Medal "For victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945" became the most popular medal. Later, a larger number of awards were made only with anniversary medals. As of January 1, 1995, the medal “For the victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945” approximately 14,933,000 people were awarded, which was approximately 10% of the total 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 Nazi 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.

Medal in honor of the capture of Berlin

Medal "For the Capture of Berlin"

By Decree of the Presidium of the USSR Armed Forces dated June 9, 1945, in honor of the capture of Berlin during the Great Patriotic War, the medal “For the Capture of Berlin” was established. It was awarded to “military personnel of the Soviet Army, Navy and NKVD troops - direct participants in the heroic assault and capture of Berlin during the period April 22 - May 2, 1945, as well as the organizers and leaders of military operations during the capture of this city.”
At the top of the medal there is an eyelet, with which the medal is connected by means of a ring to a metal pentagonal block with a pin. The block is covered with a red silk moire ribbon 24 mm wide. There are five stripes running down the middle of the ribbon - three black and two orange.
In total, the medal “For the Capture of Berlin” was awarded over 1,100,000 times.

St. George's ribbon - a symbol of Victory Day

In the Soviet Union, as today, posters and greeting cards were printed with the image of a black and orange ribbon as a symbol of victory.

1945

1948

1967

1970
"9th May"

1972

1974
"May 9 - Victory Day"

1975

1976
"Glory to the Soviet Armed Forces"

1979

Anniversary awards with a black and orange ribbon as a symbol of victory

1970

1995 2005
60 years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War

2010

Restoration of the Order of St. George

The statute of the restored Order of St. George was approved by decree of the President of Russia from August 8, 2000 No. 1463, but no awards were made until 2008.

Order of St. George

The restored Order of St. George has the same external features as in tsarist times. The Order of St. George is the highest military award of the Russian Federation. The Order of St. George is awarded to military personnel from among senior and senior officers for conducting combat operations to defend the Fatherland during an attack by an external enemy, which ended in the complete defeat of the enemy, becoming an example of military art, whose exploits serve as an example of valor and courage for all generations of defenders of the Fatherland and who were awarded state awards of the Russian Federation for distinction shown in combat operations.

St. George's Ribbon or Guards Ribbon

Since 1769, no matter what the two-color black and orange ribbon is called, she has always been a symbol of soldier's valor and glory.

Color of St. George's and Guards ribbons

Looking at the St. George ribbons of awards from different times, one notices the difference in shades of orange (even for the same awards).

Over hundreds of years, some ancient ribbons faded, others darkened from dirt and blood in battles, and the technology in those days probably did not allow the production of ribbons of the same orange color. Over time, the appearance of the St. George Ribbon may have changed somewhat, the shades of the ribbon may have changed, but it always remained a ribbon of longitudinal alternating stripes - three black and two orange.

The St. George ribbon in appearance and combination of colors corresponds to the Guards ribbon, and no matter how the enemies of Russia and neo-fascists try to replace the colors of the stripes (comparing shades of orange) and the width of the stripes (measuring hundredths of a millimeter under a magnifying glass), she always combined stripes of black (the color of gunpowder) and two stripes of orange (the color of fire). So all the discussions about the “different color schemes” of the St. George and Guards ribbons are nothing more than lies, manipulations and fantasies.

Edging on the St. George and Guards ribbons

The St. George ribbon does not have a strict description. The 1913 award statute stated only that the ribbon consisted of 3 black and 2 orange stripes. This is used by opponents of the “St. George Ribbon” in disputes about comparing the St. George and Guards ribbons, because if there is no accurate description of the St. George ribbon, then one can say that the St. George ribbon does not have edging (a thin orange stripe along the edges of the ribbon), but the Guards one has it. Let’s not be unfounded, let’s look at the paintings of famous holders of the Order of St. George, and consider what St. George ribbons they wore on their chests.

Derzhavin Gavriil Romanovich Potemkin Grigory Alexandrovich

The paintings clearly show a narrow strip (Embedding) along the edges of the St. George Ribbon. Only those who don’t want to, of course, won’t notice the orange stripes along the edges of the tape, but they are there. You should also pay attention to the colors of the St. George ribbons, they are all orange, but in different shades, which again confirms that the St. George ribbon does not have a strict description, there was no precisely established color for the St. George ribbon. The only difference between the St. George ribbon is that it should consist of 3 black and 2 orange stripes.

"St. George's Ribbon" - a public event for the distribution of symbolic ribbons

The first St. George's Ribbon event took place in 2005, the year of the 60th anniversary of the Victory. The initiators of the action chose as a symbol that was supposed to symbolize the unification of several generations, St. George's ribbon. Since then, the campaign has been under the motto “I remember! I'm proud!" takes place annually. The St. George's Ribbon campaign is neither commercial nor political.

Who deserves to wear the St. George's Ribbon?

The St. George's Ribbon campaign is traditionally held every year on the eve of Victory Day. "St. George's Ribbon" has never been an award, it is heard symbolically, that is, it cannot be earned. George Ribbon - This symbol awards and memories. The St. George's Ribbon is prohibited from being used as a reward, and it is also prohibited from being sold. Symbolic “St. George Ribbons” are distributed free of charge to everyone who wants to express their respect for veterans, gratitude to the people who gave everything for the front, and to honor the memory of those who fell on the battlefield. To all those thanks to whom we defeated fascism in 1945.

"St. George's Ribbon" is a symbol, not a reward

The "St. George's 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. Whether or not to wear the St. George ribbon is up to everyone to decide for themselves. Now this is a symbol of Victory, not an insignia.

St. George's ribbon is one of the most recognizable symbols

The St. George's Ribbon, uniting millions of people in many countries of the world, in just a few years has become one of the most successful and recognizable symbols. Almost 90 countries around the world took part in the “St. George Ribbon” campaign in 2017, and more than 10 million ribbons were distributed around the world. The St. George ribbon has become an anti-fascist symbol in many countries around the world.

St. George's ribbon is a symbol of heroism, military valor and glory of the defenders of Russia
St. George's Ribbon - a symbol of awards for heroism
St. George's ribbon - a symbol of Victory Day
St. George's ribbon - a symbol of anti-fascism

In Russia, the St. George Ribbon is one of the iconic symbols. At the same time, not everyone knows about how, when and why it arose, what its colors mean, how it differs from other symbols that are now in circulation in our country, as well as abroad. Let's talk about it.

St. George's Ribbon: history

The history of the film is inextricably linked with the history of the Russian state. More precisely, with Russian state symbols. Back in the first half of the 18th century, Russia decided what its sovereign colors should be. These colors were black, white, and yellow (or golden). It is these three colors that are reflected on the coat of arms of the Russian Empire. The sovereign eagle was symbolized in black, the field of the coat of arms was golden, and the Russian saint, St. George the Victorious, was symbolized in white. It is from here, that is, on behalf of St. George, that the St. George Ribbon originates.

In the mid-19th century, Empress Catherine introduced the Order of St. George as the highest state award in Russia. This order was to be awarded to Russian senior military leaders for their courage and steadfastness on the battlefield. The order was accompanied by a ribbon called St. George's, which consisted of two yellow (or golden) and three black stripes. This color scheme also had additional symbolic meaning. Thus, the golden color symbolized fire, and the black color symbolized gunpowder, and more broadly, the smoke of military fires.

The same colors of the St. George ribbon - three black and two golden stripes - are also present in the modern St. George ribbon.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the Russian government established a military award for lower ranks - the St. George Medal in the form of a cross with the image of St. George the Victorious. The cross was attached to a bow, painted in the traditional “St. George” colors - three black and two golden stripes.

By the way, the lower rank of the Russian army, awarded four “St. Georges” (the so-called full bow) at that time had approximately the same status and social weight as the Hero of the Soviet Union had during the Second World War.

In the same 19th century, Emperor Alexander II decided to introduce St. George's standards (that is, banners) into the army, and also to grant St. George's ribbons to military regiments and crews of warships. The St. George Cross was attached to the banner of the crew and regiment, and, in addition, the St. George ribbon was tied to the staff. Such military units received the title of “guards” and, accordingly, had the right to wear distinctive insignia on their uniforms. In particular, the sailor guards wore not black, but black and gold ribbons on their caps.

The St. George ribbon, as well as the St. George awards, were in use in Russia until the revolution of 1917, when the Bolshevik government abolished these “symbols of tsarist times.”

Second life of the St. George ribbon

However, the St. George Ribbon did not remain in historical oblivion for long. In the first months of the Second World War, the Soviet government decided to return to the St. George ribbon, despite its “royal origin.” The essence of this decision was that the Red Army and its individual fighters had to be encouraged in some way to raise morale and achieve victory, and the list of awards at that time was small. It was then that we remembered the St. George Ribbon.

True, they still did not call the “St. George” ribbon, but gave it a different name - “Guards”. However, the color scheme remains the same - black and gold stripes. Soon a special “Guard” badge was issued, and the “Naval Guard” badge was issued for the naval forces. From now on, land and naval units began to have distinctive insignia on their banners - St. George's ribbons.

In 1943, the Soviet government established the Order of Glory. This order had three degrees, and, like the earlier Cross of St. George, it was awarded to the lower ranks of the Red Army. The order was given an even greater resemblance to the St. George Cross by the fact that the block of the order had the colors of the Guards (and, in fact, St. George) ribbon. And, by the way, a full holder of the Order of Glory also had almost the same authority in society and enjoyed the same respect as the once holder of a full St. George's bow.

When the Second World War was nearing its end, the USSR government established another award - the medal “For Victory over Germany.” The base of this medal was also covered with a two-color – black and gold – ribbon.

It is clear that after the victory, the ribbon with three black and two golden stripes turned into one of the most important state and national symbols. Moreover, the government strongly encouraged its use in further propaganda and patriotic educational work.

The third life of the St. George ribbon

One of the most important areas in the patriotic education of modern Russians is the memory of the victory won in the Great Patriotic War. It is quite understandable and logical that in such a matter it is impossible to do without the symbol of Victory - the Guards Ribbon. We can say this: the present time in Russia is the time of the third appearance in the lives of Russians of the famous St. George ribbon.

True, the modern appearance of the great symbol still differs in many ways from previous times. Nowadays, the St. George's Ribbon has literally stepped into the people, and, in addition to military symbolization, it has also acquired a general civil meaning.

So, on the eve of the Victory Day holiday, two-color ribbons, called St. George ribbons, are distributed to anyone who wants them, they can be seen anywhere: on the lapels of clothes, handbags, on car antennas and windshields, posters, even on the windows of retail establishments and on certain types of products sold in goods stores.

We can say that the St. George ribbon in all its forms and states has become too much in modern society. And here it is unlikely that quantity can turn into quality. In other words, the too frequent appearance of a great national symbol contributes to the profanation of this symbol, but in no way to the cultivation of patriotic feelings among citizens. But this is already a policy that has a very distant relation to the St. George Ribbon as a symbol and as a part of Russian history.

The St. George's ribbon is a symbol of the Second World War. The black and orange ribbon has become the main attribute of modern Victory Day. But as statistics show, unfortunately, not all citizens of the Russian Federation know its history, what it means, and how to wear it.

St. George's Ribbon: what it means, its colors, history

The St. George's ribbon, bicolor orange and black, appeared simultaneously with the soldier's Order of St. George the Victorious, which was established on November 26, 1769 by Empress Catherine II. This award was given only for feats in battle in the form of encouraging loyalty and courage for the benefit of the Russian Empire. Along with it, the recipient received a considerable lifelong allowance.

There are several versions of color decoding. According to the first, black symbolizes smoke or gunpowder, and orange symbolizes fire. According to another version, the colors were taken from the old coat of arms of Russia. Historians also say that black and orange were the imperial and state colors, this is a symbol of a black double-headed eagle and a yellow field.

The first to receive the Order of St. George were the participants in the naval battle in Chesme Bay. Medals on the St. George ribbon were first awarded in August 1787, when Suvorov’s army defeated the Turks.

The ribbon changed slightly and during the Soviet era began to be called the “Guards Ribbon.”

During the Great Patriotic War, the block of the very honorable “soldier’s” Order of Glory was covered with it.

How to wear the St. George's ribbon?

For 13 years in a row, on the eve of May 9, the “St. George Ribbon” campaign has started, during which volunteers hand out ribbons and tell people how to wear it correctly.

Nowadays, there is a tradition of decorating clothes with the St. George Ribbon as a sign of respect, memory and solidarity with Russian soldiers. However, there are currently no official rules for wearing it. It is important to remember that this is not a fashion accessory, but a sign of respect for fallen soldiers. Therefore, the St. George Ribbon must be treated with care and respect.

It is recommended to wear the St. George ribbon on the left side near the heart - as a sign that the feat of the ancestors will forever remain in it. You can attach it in the form of different shapes using a pin. You should not use the ribbon as a decoration on the head, below the waist, on a bag, or on the body of a car (including on the car’s antenna). It would be indecent to use it as shoelaces or lacing for a corset. If the St. George ribbon has deteriorated, it is best to remove it.

There are several ways to tie a St. George's ribbon so that it looks beautiful and meets the bounds of decency. To do this, the main thing is to use your imagination, or use the Internet, where you can find step-by-step instructions.

The standard and easiest way is a loop. To do this, the ribbon is folded crosswise and attached with a pin.

Lightning or zigzag. The tape will need to be folded in the form of the English letter “N”.

A simple bow is most often used to tie a ribbon in kindergartens and schools.

A person with a St. George's ribbon tied in a tie will look elegant. It will need to be wrapped around the neck so that the ends are of different lengths. Afterwards you need to cross them and thread the right one around the left one to make a loop. Next, you need to pull the end out of the loop and thread it through the eyelet.

May 2018 is approaching and the next anniversary of the Victory - a great holiday “with tears in our eyes.” A military parade, the passage of members of the “Immortal Regiment” and the distribution of St. George 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 the Civil War, cultivated for many years, 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 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 this). 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 of the Soviet government aimed at glorifying the fight against the enemy and increasing the morale of soldiers and officers. Appeal to the great history of a great country, even at the expense 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 were established in the name of 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.

Video

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 at the beginning of the 18th 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.”

At the beginning of the 19th 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 Cross in winter wore a ribbon on their overcoat instead of an insignia.

At the beginning of the 19th century, St. George banners (standards) appeared in Russia; in 1813, the Marine Guards crew was awarded them, after which the St. George 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 the October Revolution of 1917: after it, the Bolsheviks abolished all tsarist 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 the Ice Campaign” and “For the Great Siberian Campaign”, both of them had bows from the St. George’s ribbon. 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. The Russian Liberation Movement (ROD) included more than ten large military units, including several SS divisions, which were staffed by Russians.

Guards ribbon

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 badge, the “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 on the 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 Nazi 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 the 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 of the 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.

The Great Patriotic War 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.