Grigorievskaya tape. St. George ribbon - a symbol of Victory Day

Recently, videos have appeared on the network, reflecting the psychosis prevailing in the puppy-dead American colony in relation to the St. George ribbon. Moreover, the virus of madness, 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 community, from whom you can often hear reproaches about someone wearing a St. days of the corresponding action, as well as during various kinds of commemorative and festive events.

For the Russian liberals, as well as for the possessed admirers of Bandera in Ukraine, the St. George ribbon is a symbol of the non-existent aggression of Russia in the Donbass. In fact, the liberal democrat, which is in captivity of its illusions, has taken up the myth invented by the Kiev bandera-fascist junta to justify its failures and criminal actions that plunged Ukraine into a civil war, chaos, chaos and poverty. Well, in the most amazing country, nothing that happens in it does not have to be surprised:

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 cling to the 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 relied on 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 from about the 18th century, the St.George ribbon was actively used in Russian heraldry: the ribbon was used as an element of the St. 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 white 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 instituted a new award - the Order of St. George, which was awarded to officers and generals for services in the military field (although the empress herself became its first cavalier). This order relied on 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, from the very beginning, not yellow, but rather orange was used.

In addition to matching the colors of the state emblem of Russia, this color scheme had one more 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 - the insignia of the Military Order, which was unofficially called the St. George Cross. This award was bestowed on the lower ranks for the deeds performed on the battlefield. In 1913, the St. George medal appeared, which was also awarded to soldiers and non-commissioned officers for their courage 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 the award (if the gentleman for some reason could not receive it). During the First World War, the knights of the St.George Cross in winter, instead of the insignia, wore a ribbon on their overcoat.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the 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 grant ribbons for merit to entire military units. At the top of the banner was placed the St.George cross, and under the pommel the St.George ribbon was tied.

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 that, the St.George ribbon remained part of the reward 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 especially respected insignia: "For the Ice Campaign" and "For the Great Siberian Campaign", both of them had bows from the St. George 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 the emigrant White Guard organizations.

The St. George ribbon was very widely used by various organizations of collaborators who fought on the side of Nazi Germany during the Second World War. The Russian Liberation Movement (ROD) consisted of more than ten large military units, including several SS divisions, which were manned by Russians.

Guards tape

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 tape was named "Guards", and its appearance was somewhat changed.

Back in the fall of 1941, the honorary title of "Guards" was accepted into the award system of the USSR. The following year, the Army received the "Guard" badge, and the Soviet Navy adopted its own similar badge - "Sea Guard".

At the end of 1943, a new award was established in the USSR - the Order of Glory. He had three degrees and was issued to soldiers and junior officers. In fact, the concept of this award largely repeated the tsar's St. George Cross. 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 the Second World War, this medal was awarded to about 15 million 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. In addition, after the end of the Second World War, the Guards Ribbon was actively used in the most diverse visual agitation related to the theme of the war.

Modern Russia

In modern Russia, Victory Day is one of the most popular holidays. For state propaganda, the theme of the Second World War 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 at the state level began 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 ribbons began to be distributed free of charge directly on the streets of Russian cities, in shops and government agencies. People hang them on clothes, bags, car antennas. Private companies have begun to frequently (sometimes even too often) use the tape in their product advertisements.

The slogan “I remember, I am proud” became the motto of the action. In recent years, actions 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, actions were carried out in Europe and the USA.

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

The first thing to say: the St. George ribbon has nothing to do with the award system of the Red Army and, in general, the USSR. This is the insignia of pre-revolutionary Russia. If we talk about the period of the Second World War, then the St. George Ribbon is more likely associated with collaborators who fought on the side of Nazi Germany.

In 1992, by decree of the President of Russia, the St.George Cross was restored in the country's award system. The current St. George ribbon in its color scheme and the 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 really a real symbol of Russia, with which the Russian army went through dozens of wars and battles. The debate that Victory Day is celebrated with the wrong ribbon is stupid and insignificant. The differences between the Guards and St. George ribbons are so small that only historians and specialists in heraldry 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 ribbon and politics

In the past few years, this distinction has been actively used in politics, and this is done both within Russia and abroad. This trend was especially aggravated in 2014, after the annexation of Crimea and the outbreak of hostilities in the Donbas. Moreover, the St. George ribbon became one of the main distinguishing marks 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. In the role of Nazis, the Russian media usually portray the modern Ukrainian government.

Therefore, in the past 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 ribbon on vodka, toys or the hoods of Mercedes looks quite an 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 those killed, whose remains are still scattered throughout our forests.

In 1769, Empress Catherine II established an award for officers of the Russian Army, presented for personal bravery shown on the battlefields - the Order of St. George, it was supposed to be worn on "a silk ribbon with three black and two yellow stripes", later the name was stuck with it - St. George Ribbon.

What does black and yellow mean? In Russia, they were the colors of the imperial, state, corresponded to the black two-headed eagle and the yellow field of the state emblem. It was this symbolism, apparently, that Empress Catherine II adhered to, approving the colors of the ribbon. But, since the order was named in honor of St. George the Victorious, the colors of the ribbon may symbolize St. George himself and denote his martyrdom - three black stripes, and the miraculous resurrection - two orange stripes. It is these colors that are now called when denoting colors. St. George ribbon... In addition, a new award was awarded exclusively for military exploits. And the colors of war are the colors of the flame, that is, orange, and of the smoke, black.

One of the first holders of the Order of St. George were participants in the naval battle in the Chesme Bay, which took place in June 1770. In this battle, the Russian squadron, under the general command of Count A.G. Orlov, completely defeated the outnumbered Turkish fleet. For this battle, Count Orlov was awarded the Order of St. George of the first degree and received an honorary prefix to his surname "Chesmensky".

First medals for St. George ribbon were awarded in August 1787, when a small detachment under the command of Suvorov repulsed an attack by an outnumbered Turkish landing striving to capture the fortress of Kinburn. Suvorov, who was in the forefront of the fighting and inspired them by personal example, was wounded twice in this battle, the courage of the Russian soldiers allowed them to defeat the Turkish landing. For the first time in Russian history, the medal was awarded not to all those who participated in the battle, it was awarded only to those who showed the greatest personal courage and heroism. Moreover, it was the soldiers who took a direct part in hostilities to decide who was more worthy of the award. Among the twenty awarded for this battle was the grenadier of the Shlisselburg regiment Stepan Novikov, who personally saved Suvorov from the Janissaries who attacked him. Black - orange ribbons were also given for other medals of this war, which were awarded to the participants in the heroic assault on Ochakov and who distinguished themselves during the capture of Izmail.

St. George ribbon at Russian awards.

The ribbon of the Order of St. George begins to occupy a special position in the design of military awards given for personal bravery. This also affected the collective awards of various military units of the Russian Army. These include the so-called St. George's pipes, introduced in 1805. These pipes were made of silver, the image of the St. George's cross was applied to the body and an inscription indicating why this distinction was given. In addition, a lanyard made of black and orange tape was attached to the pipe. There were two types of pipes - cavalry and infantry. The differences between them were in their form. The infantry was curved, and the cavalry was straight.

Since 1806, St. George's banners appear among the collective incentives. At the top of these banners there was a white order cross, and under the top the St. George ribbon with banner tassels was tied. The Chernigov dragoon regiment, two Don Cossack regiments, the Kiev grenadier and Pavlograd hussar regiments were the first to receive such a banner. They were awarded "For exploits at Schengraben on November 4, 1805 in a battle with an enemy of 30 thousand."

In 1807, Emperor Alexander 1 established a special award for the lower ranks of the Russian Army for personal bravery in battle, which was named - the Insignia of the Military Order. The wearing of the cross was prescribed on a ribbon, the colors of which corresponded to those of the Order of St. George. It was from this period that the popularity St. George Ribbon becomes popular, since the ordinary Russian people saw such awards much more often than the gold orders of the officers of the Russian Army. This sign was later called the soldier's or soldier's George (Yegoriy), as he was popularly called.

Since 1855, officers who received the award gold weapon "For Bravery" were ordered to wear lanyards from the St. George ribbon for a more visible distinction.

In the same year, 1855, the medal "For the Defense of Sevastopol" was instituted. For the first time in the history of the Russian Empire, the medal was awarded not for a heroic victory, but for the defense of a Russian city. This medal was silver, intended both for military officials and for 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.

Military distinctions and clergy were not spared. Back in 1790, a special decree was issued on the award of military priests for exploits in participation in military battles. At the same time, a premium gold pectoral cross on the St.George ribbon was established. Many of the regimental priests of the Russian Army took a direct part in the hostilities of the Russian troops and deserved this high distinction with their heroic deeds. One of the first recipients of the pectoral cross was the regimental priest Trofim Kutsinsky. During the storming of the fortress of Izmail, the commander of the battalion, in which Father Trofim was a priest, died. The soldiers stopped in confusion, not knowing what to do next. Father Trofim, unarmed, with a cross in his hands, was the first to rush at the enemy, dragging along the soldiers and supporting their fighting spirit. In total, during the period from the establishment of the golden pectoral cross to the Russo-Japanese War, one hundred and eleven people were awarded it. And behind each such award was a specific feat of the regimental priests of the Russian Army.

The medal "For Courage", approved back in 1807, was also worn on a black and orange ribbon, in 1913 it was ranked with the Order of St. George and, along with the St. George Cross, became the most massive soldier's medal awarded for personal bravery.

During the existence of the black and orange ribbon of St. George, from the moment of its appearance in 1769 and until 1917, it was an indispensable attribute of various awards of the Russian Empire for military courage. Gold officer crosses, lanyards of gold weapons, insignia, medals, as well as collective - silver trumpets, banners, standards. So in the award system of Russia, a whole system of military incentives was formed, among which the St.George ribbon was a kind of connecting link of all of them into a single whole, being a symbol of military valor and glory.

The day of the establishment of the Order of the Holy Great Martyr and Victorious George on November 26, 1769 in the history of Russia was considered the Day of the Knights of St. George. This day was celebrated annually. On this day, not only in the capital of the empire, but also in almost all corners of the Russian land, the knights of St. George's distinctions were honored. They honored everyone, regardless of ranks and titles, since the deeds that these people performed were not performed in the name of awards, but in the name of their Fatherland.

Not only in Wikipedia, you can find out what the St. George ribbon means, on the site you are looking at now detailed information and images of most of the awards worn on this glorious ribbon are selected: more than a hundred images of various designs. A large selection of genuine.

I recommend to watch the video a plot created in the form video for Igor Rasteryaev's song "St. George Ribbon", pictures, photos of the war years are interspersed with video sketches from the expedition of the search club "Rubezh" engaged in finding and burying the remains of Soviet soldiers who died during the Great Patriotic War. As a result, we got very emotional and most importantly lively, real pictures illustrating the words of a popular song, as in the place of battles ... "soldiers lie and sprout with new forests", "three per square meter" that finally they came to them, to the place of the last battle:

Dig me up brother
I am Vershinin Sanya.
5th mortar regiment,
I myself am from Ryazan

To see how from the sealed cartridge case, which hung like a medallion around the neck of the deceased Red Army soldier, his suicide note gets. How carefully they unfold a piece of paper that has decayed from time to time, with the hope that the name and surname of the deceased soldier could be preserved there. This is a great success, it will allow writing the names of the heroes on the grave being created and reducing the number of unnamed soldiers who went missing during the last war, transmitting the news about the created burial of their father or grandfather to relatives.

You will not feel all this when rereading the articles on Wikipedia, but you can see and really feel it by watching the video sketches created by the guys by search engines in the format of a video for the song by Igor Rasteryaev. It is from them that one can understand what the St. George ribbon means, what significance it has acquired in our peacetime, as a black - orange ribbon, has become a symbol of memory of the fallen defenders of the Motherland.

May 2018 is approaching and the next anniversary of the Victory - the great holiday "with tears in our eyes." Military parade, the passage of the participants 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 opponents of the ribbon is very motley. From a fiery fighter against privileges in the era of perestroika, A. G. Nevzorov, to implacable supporters of the cause of Lenin and Stalin. From the half-educated representatives of the “Pepsi generation” to the terry nationalists from some of the former Soviet republics. Surprisingly, expressing, at times, opposite things, they come to the same conclusion that St. George's ribbon is evil.

From the history of the symbol of victory

One of the main arguments of the 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 it was in this color scheme - three black and two orange (yellow, gold) stripes. Only officers and generals were awarded this order (it had 4 degrees).

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

The recipient received various benefits and privileges.

In 1807 the lower ranks were established. He also had 4 degrees. Among the Knights of St. George, there were also officers who were awarded the "Golden" St. George weapon. In 1805, St. George's 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, our great commanders - A.V. Suvorov, M.I. Kutuzov, M.B. Barclay de Tolly, I.I.Dibich. Someone considers it unworthy to put on the St. George's ribbon and, at least purely symbolically, join the greatness of the country?

St. George 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 importance of the attributes of the Order of St. George for the country and the army. The harsh 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. Krasnova and A.I. Denikin.

If the former greeted Hitler's attack on the USSR with enthusiasm, appealed to the Russian emigres with an appeal to support the war against Stalin and actively cooperated with the invaders, the latter refused all offers to work with the Germans, called on his compatriots to support Russia, at his own expense sent a wagon of medicines to the Red Army ... Was it really a war veteran or his great-grandson who received a St. George ribbon from Krasnov's reserves?

St. George ribbon and Vlasovites

Amazing situation. Orthodox Stalinists refuse to recognize any symbolism of the Victory, except for the red banner (as if someone were arguing with this). And the fighters for liberal values, with their loyal attitude to the Vlasovites, attribute the St. George ribbon to the symbols of the ROA.

As a result, both of them misinform people.

Firstly, on the collar tabs, chevrons, shoulder straps, armbands, flags of the Vlasov army, the tricolor was used - white-blue-red. No comments. And secondly, on the banners that were handed over to the guards units and formations, a bow tied, and very similar to St. George's, was attached to the shaft. Both in terms of status and colors.
Unknown and unpopular ...

A common belief among revisionists is the history of the war. It is they about the ribbon, and again they are dissembling. What kind of popularity of "attributes of the past power" could we talk about in a country that has abandoned a significant part of its history?

And it's great that from the very first days of the war, the leaders of the state launched work, figuratively speaking, to popularize the St.George 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 raising the morale of soldiers and officers. An appeal to the great history of a great country, even to the detriment of ideology, is one of these areas.

in September 1941, it was decided to assign the rank of guards units, formations and formations that distinguished themselves in battles with the enemy. For heroism, courage and military skill, it was said in the regulation on the guards;
During the war years in the USSR, orders were established in the name of prominent Russian commanders and naval commanders: Suvorov and Kutuzov, Bogdan Khmelnitsky and Alexander Nevsky, Nakhimov and Ushakov. These orders were awarded to officers and generals for successes in command and control of troops and for excellent organization and conduct of a combat 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. One and the other have the same black and orange ribbon. According to the statute, both orders were intended to award only privates and non-commissioned officers. Only a person who, having shown courage and heroism, personally performed a feat, could become a knight of the order (cross). The Order of Glory, the only one that was not awarded to any unit or unit.
On May 9, 1945, on the 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 could have been anything - a soldier's medallion, which was called mortal, a cap, a three-ruler cartridge, a red carnation, a ribbon with a star.

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

Special offer St. George Ribbon

The St. George ribbon on the chest of representatives of different generations is great. But the trouble in our country is campaigning. She can ruin all good undertakings. A few days before the holiday, the media will enthusiastically report that more ribbons have been handed out this year than last. And logically, there should be less of them. Where did last year go?

The Internet is replete with announcements of the following content: “St. George ribbons in bulk - 0.91 rubles. Delivery in Moscow or self-pickup ". And distribution of ribbons near metro stations along with advertising leaflets. Has anyone wondered what the fate of both those and others? 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.

Anyone who cares about a ribbon will go, buy it and will not throw it into the trash can. Let not 100 ... 200 thousand, but much less ribbons will be distributed to residents of the city N-sk. But, these will be people who really cherish the memory of the victims and respect living veterans, 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 fasten the ribbon in any convenient way - with a pin, some kind of brooch, it can be sewn on or tied to a jacket button;
the placement of the ribbon is limited by common sense and the level of upbringing - if it looks decent on a headdress, on the chest, in extreme cases, on the forearm, then attaching it to the back pocket of jeans is disgusting;
the same is true for bags, handbags, backpacks - if there is such a need, you need to strengthen the ribbon as high as possible, but not in the area of the bottom of the bag;
it is better for motorists to place this piece of fabric inside the cabin, in extreme cases, tie it to the antenna, but certainly not in places where road dirt gets into in the first place;
the ribbon on the collar or leash of even the most thoroughbred dog looks quite wild.

State flags on administrative buildings and residential buildings are hung out a few days before the holiday and a day or two after, they are removed. The same should be applied to wearing a ribbon, without waiting for it to turn into a piece of dirty rag.

Simple but tasteful

And finally, quite difficult, especially for men, the question of creating something non-standard, festive from the 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 hope that every normal citizen, removing the ribbon from his jacket on May 10, will neatly fold it and remove it until next year.

Video

On the day of the celebration of the Victory Day holiday throughout the Russian Federation, citizens tie certain symbols to their outfits. Very often you can observe how the St. George ribbon proudly develops on the chest in people. Most young people know that such a ribbon is a symbol of the holiday, but few know what is hidden behind the symbolism. Let's see what the St. George ribbon means.

Colors of the St.George ribbon

The St. George ribbon has always been associated with Victory and here's why. The colors of this tape, orange and black, represent the following:

orange - symbolizes the eternal flame of fire;
black is the smoke of burnt Russian cities.

Orders with such colors were considered exclusively military awards.

History of the St.George ribbon

In the 18th century, Catherine II, by her order dated November 26, 1769, founded the Order of St. George the Victorious, they were awarded to distinguished soldiers. A ribbon of the same color was attached to this order and because of this it was called St. George's.
Most likely, based on the foregoing, historically it so happened that in the USSR they began to award the military with the "Guards Ribbon", which, like two drops of water, was similar to the ribbon of the Order of St. George the Victorious. True, the then government of the USSR made its own minor additions.
Soldiers who had special differences in front of the Motherland were awarded with such a ribbon.

What does the St.George ribbon mean today

Today the St. George ribbon is a sign of memory, about the feat accomplished by our people. Walking down the street with such a ribbon means expressing your respect and solidarity to the soldiers who laid down their lives for the possibility of our birth. Before May 9, young people tie such ribbons on garments and distribute them to passers-by on the street.

How the St. George ribbon became a symbol of victory

In 2005, the employees of the Ria Novosti news agency held the St. George Ribbon campaign. It was then that the newspapers renamed it from "guards" to "St. George". As the workers themselves say, the initial task of this action was to pay tribute to the veterans who survived the battles, and not to forget about those who died on the battlefield. The ingenious idea was to create symbols that will emphasize the depth of the legacy of the Second World War. The scale of the action was gaining and gaining momentum every year, and the number of ribbons distributed on the eve of the holiday is growing from year to year.
Today the St. George ribbon is distributed to everyone and it means "I remember and I am proud."

A completely insignificant element like a ribbon can become a symbol of Victory, but the strength, depth and spiritual energy that it carries can become an asset, and not just an attribute of a holiday.
The meaning of the St. George ribbon should be known by every inhabitant of our native country, who is proud of the exploits of his ancestors.

The history of the appearance of the St.George ribbon

On November 26 (December 7), 1769, Empress Catherine II established an award for the officers of the Russian Army, awarded for personal bravery shown on the battlefields - the Order of St. George, it was supposed to be worn on "a silk ribbon with three black and two yellow stripes" and the name was fixed - St.George ribbon.

Order of Saint George, approved by Catherine II

The order was divided into 4 classes. The first degree of the order had three signs: a cross, a star and a ribbon consisting of three black and two orange stripes, which was worn over the right shoulder under the uniform. The second degree of the order also had a star and a large cross, which was worn around the neck on a narrower ribbon. The third degree is a small cross on the neck, the fourth is a small cross in the buttonhole.

Star and signs to the Order of St. George

The first medals on the St. George Ribbon were awarded in August 1787, when a small detachment under the command of Suvorov repulsed an attack by an outnumbered Turkish landing striving to capture the fortress of Kinburn. Suvorov, who was in the forefront of the fighting and inspired them by personal example, was wounded twice in this battle, the courage of the Russian soldiers allowed them to defeat the Turkish landing.

For the first time in Russian history, the medal was awarded not to all those who participated in the battle, it was awarded only to those who showed the greatest personal courage and heroism. Moreover, it was the soldiers who took a direct part in hostilities to decide who was more worthy of the award. Among the twenty awarded for this battle was the grenadier of the Shlisselburg regiment Stepan Novikov, who personally saved Suvorov from the Janissaries who attacked him. Black and orange ribbons were also awarded for other medals of this war, which were awarded to the participants in the heroic assault on Ochakov and those who distinguished themselves during the capture of Izmail.

St. George ribbon at the collective awards.

The ribbon of the Order of St. George begins to occupy a particularly revered position during the collective awards of various military units of the Russian Army. These include the so-called St. George's pipes, introduced in 1805. These pipes were made of silver, the image of the St. George's cross was applied to the body and an inscription indicating why this distinction was given. In addition, a lanyard made of black and orange tape was attached to the pipe.

George Trumpet

There were two types of pipes - cavalry and infantry. The differences between them were in their form. The infantry was curved, and the cavalry was straight.

In 1807, Emperor Alexander 1 established a special award for the lower ranks of the Russian Army for personal bravery in battle, which was called the Insignia of the Military Order. The wearing of the cross was prescribed on a ribbon, the colors of which corresponded to those of the Order of St. George. It was from this period that the popularity of the St.George ribbon became nationwide, since the ordinary Russian people saw such awards much more often than the gold orders of the officers of the Russian Army. This sign was later called the soldier's St.George's cross or the soldier's George (Egoriy), as it was popularly called.

Since 1855, officers who received the award gold weapon "For Bravery" were ordered to wear lanyards from the St. George ribbon for a more visible distinction. In the same year, 1855, the medal "For the Defense of Sevastopol" was instituted. For the first time in the history of the Russian Empire, the medal was awarded not for a heroic victory, but for the defense of a Russian city. This medal was silver, intended both for military officials and for 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.

In total, during the period from the establishment of the golden pectoral cross to the Russo-Japanese War, one hundred and eleven people were awarded it. And behind each such award was a specific feat of the regimental priests of the Russian Army.

During the Great Patriotic War, continuing the military traditions of the Russian army, on November 8, 1943, the Order of Glory of three degrees was established. His status, as well as the yellow-black color of the ribbon, reminded of the St. George's Cross. Then the St. George Ribbon, confirming the traditional colors of Russian military valor, adorned many soldier's and modern Russian award medals and badges.

Order of Glory 3 degrees

On March 2, 1992, by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of Russia "On State Awards of the Russian Federation", it was decided to restore the Russian Order of St. George and the insignia "St. George's Cross".

And in the spring of 2005, the St. George Ribbon first appeared on the streets of Russian cities. This action was born spontaneously, it grew out of the Internet project "Our Victory", the main goal of which was the publication of stories and photographs of the times of the Great Patriotic War. The ribbon has become a kind of attribute of solemn events, traditional meetings with veterans, festivities in many cities of the Russian Federation.

Code of the action "St. George Ribbon"

The action "St. George's Ribbon" is not a commercial or political one.
The purpose of the action is to create a symbol of the holiday - Victory Day.
This symbol is an expression of our respect for the 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.
"St. George's Ribbon" is not a heraldic symbol. This is a symbolic ribbon, a replica of the traditional bicolor of the St. George ribbon.
It is not allowed to use the original award St. George or Guards ribbons in the action. "St. George's Ribbon" is a symbol, not a reward.
"St. George's Ribbon" cannot be an object of purchase and sale.
"St. George's Ribbon" cannot be used to promote goods and services. It is not allowed to use the tape as an accompanying product or as an element of the product packaging.
"St. George's Ribbon" is distributed free of charge. It is not allowed to issue a ribbon to a visitor of a trading establishment in exchange for a purchase.
It is not allowed to use "St. George's Ribbon" for political purposes by any parties or movements.
"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 a nation not broken by the spirit who fought and defeated fascism in the Great Patriotic War.

What does black and orange mean?

In Russia, they were the colors of the imperial, state, corresponded to the black two-headed eagle and the yellow field of the state emblem. It was this symbolism, apparently, that Empress Catherine II adhered to, approving the colors of the ribbon. But, since the order was named after, the colors of the ribbon probably symbolize St. George himself and denote his martyrdom - three black stripes, and the miraculous resurrection - two orange stripes. It is these colors that are now called when denoting the colors of the St.George ribbon. In addition, a new award was awarded exclusively for military exploits. And the colors of war are the colors of the flame, that is, orange, and of the smoke, black.

How to wear the St.George ribbon correctly

There are no official rules for wearing the St.George ribbon. However, it should be understood that this is not a fashionable accessory, but a sign of memory, respect, sorrow and gratitude to the participants of the Great Patriotic War. Therefore, it is worth treating the ribbon with care and respect.

Basic ways

It is customary to wear the St.George ribbon on the chest on the left as a sign that the feat of Soviet soldiers will forever remain in the hearts of descendants. Do not wear the tape on your head, below the waist, on your bag, or on the body of your car (including the antenna of your car). Also, you do not need to use it as laces or lacing on a corset (there have been such cases too). In addition, it is not allowed to wear a damaged St.George ribbon.

Loop

A simple and common option is to attach the St.George ribbon in the form of a loop. To do this, cut off 10-15 centimeters of the tape, cross the ends in the form of the letter "X" and stab the middle with a brooch, pin or badge. Wear on the left side of the chest.

You can attach the St.George ribbon in the form of a simple bow. It can be tied in any usual way, the main thing is then to straighten the knot, "ears" and the ends of the ribbon. You can also not tie the ribbon, but simply form two loops from it and secure them in the middle with a pin or badge.

Bow eight

Take about 30 centimeters of tape, fold in eight, fasten in the middle. Take a shorter ribbon and also fold it into a figure eight, fasten it. Next, you need to take two more tapes, each smaller than the previous one. You will get four ribbons of different lengths, folded in eights. Fold them on top of each other and fasten them with another tape. You will get a large, but discreet bow, which should be fixed on the left side of the chest.

The St. George ribbon can be attached to clothes in the form of a zipper or a zigzag. To do this, fold the tape in an accordion three times and pull the ends a little to make the letter "N". Pin or sew. Attach to clothing with a pin, brooch or badge.

To tie a St.George ribbon in the form of a tie, you need a long ribbon. You can use any familiar method of tying a tie. For example, wrap the tape in a circle so that the left end is longer. Place the right end on the left and pass it crosswise under it. Then wrap the ends again, forming a loop into which to thread the left edge from the bottom up and pull it out of the loop, thread it into the eyelet and tighten.

Wear the St.George Ribbon Correctly

When the celebration of Victory Day is over, do not throw out the St. George ribbon. Left on the streets, thrown into the mud, thrown into the trash cans, the ribbons leave a painful impression and upset the veterans, and the action is aimed at ensuring that their feat is not forgotten.

It is best to remove the St. George ribbon until next year or wear it on special dates - for example, on the day of the beginning of the Great Patriotic War or on the day of the end of the Battle of Stalingrad.