Orders in the Soviet Union were considered the highest state award. Their position was preserved in the modern Russian Federation. However, many people are interested in the distribution of orders and medals of the USSR in importance. We will present the list, supplementing it with interesting facts about the highest Soviet award.
What is this order
An order in the USSR was a state award, which was encouraged by a citizen for special merits and achievements before society and the state: defending the Fatherland, successes in communist labor, and so on.
When distributing the orders of the USSR in importance, it is important to remember that there were 20 such awards approved. Only the highest degrees of difference are more significant:
- Hero of the USSR.
- Hero of Socialist Labor.
- "Hero City" (for settlements).
- "Hero Fortress" (for defensive points).
- "Mother Heroine" - a title conferred on women with many children.
In addition to all of the above, 55 significant medals were approved, as well as 19 honorary titles of the Soviet state.
Some provisions on Soviet orders
Before disassembling the orders of the USSR by importance, we will get acquainted with a number of important and interesting provisions about them:
- Both the Order and the medals were approved only by the Presidium of the Soviet Armed Forces (Supreme Council).
- The award application could only come from government agencies (departments, committees, ministries), public and party associations, military unit commanders, and enterprise managers.
- The award was decided only by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. It was produced on his own behalf and on his behalf (the Presidium). During the Great Patriotic War, such an honorable duty was delegated to the officers - from brigade commander to front commander.
- The rules for the wearing of orders were established by decrees of the Presidium.
- For a number of acts, the Presidium could deprive a person of the state award assigned to him.
- Orders were awarded not only to people, but also to republics, cities, regions. But the medal could be given only to a person.
- If the order had several degrees, then the award necessarily went gradually - from the lowest to the most significant.
- If the order was not divided into degrees, then they could be noted by the same person, city, military unit, etc. repeatedly.
- Orders can be worn both on the block and without it. Also, instead of the award itself, only its bar was allowed to be attached.
Types of Orders
In addition to the separation of orders of the USSR in importance, their gradation was valid for the following groups:
- Awards for labor, revolutionary merit, defense of the Fatherland, the development of international friendship, peace and other merits to the Soviet country.
- Order of Merit.
- Rewards for mothers-heroines - for the birth and upbringing of children.
Order of the USSR in importance
Consider the most relevant in the history of the scheme of seniority of these awards - given for 1988. So, the orders of the USSR in importance (related photos are also given in this article) - from the most honorable to the younger awards:
- Them. Lenin.
- Red October Revolution.
- Red Banner.
- Suvorov 1st degree.
- Ushakova 1st art.
- Kutuzov 1st art.
- Nakhimov 1st art.
- B. Khmelnitsky 1st art.
- Next - Suvorov, Ushakov, Kutuzov, Nakhimov, B. Khmelnitsky, 2nd art.
- Then - Suvorov, Kutuzov, B. Khmelnitsky 3rd art.
- A. Nevsky.
- Great Patriotic War 1st Art.
- Great Patriotic War 2nd Art.
- Labor Red Banner.
- Friendship between nations.
- Red star.
- For service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union, 1st art.
- For service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union, 2nd art.
- For service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union, 3rd art.
- Honor.
- For personal courage.
- Glory 1st Art.
- Glories of the 2nd art.
- Glory 3rd Art.
- Labor Glory 1st Art.
- Labor Glory 2nd Art.
- Labor Glory 3rd Art.
We now know the distribution of orders of the USSR by degree of significance. Next, we suggest that you refer to the chronological order of their institution.
20-30s
The following awards were introduced during this period:
- Red Banner (1924) - more than 581 thousand awarded. The first of these Soviet awards. The order was awarded for special courage, courage of the defender of the state.
- Red Banner of Labor (1928) - more than 1,224 thousand awarded. The Order for Outstanding Labor Merits in Production, Agricultural, Science, Culture, etc.
- Lenin (1930) - more than 431 thousand awarded. For revolutionary achievements, defense of the Fatherland, development of international friendship, labor exploits.
- Red Star (1930) - more than 3 876 thousand awarded. Order for military merit, ensuring state security.
- Honor (1935) - more than 1,580 awarded. For excellent achievements in production, sports, cultural, social activities.
40s
Most of the orders were dedicated to the immortal feat of the Soviet people during the Second World War:
- World War 1-2 degree (1942) - more than 9.175 million awarded. For steadfastness, courage and courage in the fight against the Nazis.
- Suvorov 1-3 degrees (1942) - more than 7 thousand awarded. Outstanding commanders of the army, as well as military units, were honored with it.
- Kutuzov 1-3 degrees (1942-1943) - more than 7.2 thousand awarded. The commanders who became famous for the development of the combat plan, as a result of which it was possible to defeat the enemy with minimal losses on their part, were introduced to the award.
- Alexander Nevsky (1942) - more than 42.1 thousand awarded. The command staff was awarded for organizing and conducting brilliant military operations.
- B. Khmelnitsky 1-3 degrees (1943) - more than 8.4 thousand awarded. The order is for fighters, partisans and command personnel, who have shown special courage and decisiveness in defeating the enemy.
- Victory (1943) - 20 awarded. The highest military award of the Second World War. They were awarded Stalin, Rokossovsky, Zhukov, Konev, Vasilevsky and others.
- Glories 1-3 degrees (1943) - more than 1.046 million awarded. The soldier's order is for rank and file, sergeants and sergeants, who have proved themselves brave and courageous fighters.
- Ushakova 1-2 degrees (1944) - 241 awarded. Soviet naval order.
- Nakhimov 1-2 degrees (1944) - 551 awarded. Order for the award of officers of the navy.
- "Mother Heroine" (for the birth and upbringing of more than 10 children), the Order of Maternal Glory (for the birth and upbringing of 7, 8, 9 children) 1-3 degrees (1944) - about 5.4 million awarded.
60-80s
The last orders approved in the USSR:
- October Revolution (1967) - more than 106 thousand awarded. The second most important after the Order of Lenin for various types of achievements.
- Friendship of Peoples (1972) - more than 72.7 thousand awarded.
- Labor Glory 1-3 degrees (1974) - more than 700 thousand awarded.
- For service to the Motherland in the ranks of the Soviet Armed Forces 1-3 degrees (1974) - more than 70 thousand awarded.
- For personal courage (1988) - more than 600 awarded.
You are now aware of how the military orders of the USSR are distributed by importance. We also traced the history of the establishment of these awards.