Citizens of the USSR who achieved outstanding creative success in any field of activity were encouraged by the country's main prize. The Stalin Prize was awarded to those who radically improved production methods, as well as to the creators of scientific theories, technologies, and vivid examples of art (literature, theater, cinema, painting, sculpture, architecture).
Joseph Stalin
There was a prize named after the leader for thirteen years - from 1940 to 1953, and was established a little earlier - in December 1939. The Stalin Prize did not have a state fund, the laureates were subsidized from the personal salary of IV Stalin, which was huge according to the status - two of his posts were paid ten thousand rubles each month.
The prize fund also included fees for publishing books by the leader in the USSR and abroad, which were also many, and payments at that time were rather big (Alexey Tolstoy even became the first Soviet millionaire). The Stalin Prize took a lot of money, almost everything. That is why after the death of the leader on his savings book remained a tiny amount - nine hundred rubles, while the average salary of the worker often exceeded seven hundred.
History
In 1939, in December, the sixtieth anniversary of the leader was officially celebrated, and a prize in his name appeared in honor of this event. In February 1940, the Council of People's Commissars had already decided to establish bonuses of one hundred thousand rubles (1 degree), fifty thousand rubles (2 degrees) and twenty five thousand rubles (3 degrees) for the best literary works (prose, poetry, dramaturgy, literary criticism), as well as for achievements in other areas of art. In addition, annually the prize was awarded to figures who made a special contribution to science, culture, technology or the organization of production.
In 1941, the Stalin Prize was awarded to the very first laureates. The record holder for the number of Stalin Prizes awarded was S.V. Ilyushin, a famous aircraft designer, seven times marked by the leader's special attention. The filmmakers Yu.A. Raizman and I. A. Pyryev, writer K. M. Simonov, aircraft designer A. S. Yakovlev, composer S. S. Prokofiev and several others received six awards. Actresses Marina Ladynina and Alla Tarasova became five-time laureates of the Stalin Prize.
Institution
The Stalin Prize of the USSR (originally called the Stalin Prize) was established by two decrees. On December 20, 1939, the Council of People's Commissars decided: to award sixteen annual Stalin Prizes (100 thousand rubles) to scientists and artists for outstanding work in the following fields: technical, physical, mathematical, biological, chemical, medical, agricultural, economic, philosophical, legal and historical and philological sciences, painting, music, sculpture, theatrical art, architecture, cinematography.
Ten prizes of the first degree, twenty - second, thirty - third degrees for the best inventions, plus three prizes of the first degree, five - second and ten - third degrees for special successes in the field of military knowledge were also instituted. A separate resolution on the writers who were awarded the annual Stalin Prize was adopted in February 1940, and it stated that four first-degree prizes were awarded to winners in each type of literary activity: prose, poetry, literary criticism, and dramaturgy.
Changes
The size of the Stalin Prize in rubles and the number of laureates have changed many times, and never downward, on the contrary - instead of one laureate of the first degree, for example, already in 1940 there were three in each nomination. In 1942, the prize (first degree) increased to two hundred thousand rubles. In addition, in 1949 a new one appeared - the International "For the consolidation of peace between peoples." He distributed the prizes directly by the Council of People's Commissars, in which two special committees were created: one worked on awarding prizes in science, military knowledge and invention, and the second was engaged in literature and art.
At first, only new works were noted, which were completed this year. Applicants who finalized their work later than mid-October were on the lists for next year. Then the dates were revised, and people who have earned the award of work over the past six to seven years could become laureates. Thus, those awarded the Stalin Prize found themselves in favorable conditions. Many evidence suggests that Joseph Vissarionovich was directly involved in the distribution of premiums in his own name (and his own finances), sometimes the decision was made almost solely.
Liquidation
After Stalin's death, no testament was found, so publication fees could not be used to encourage laureates. After 1954, the Stalin Prize ceased to exist. Then began the notorious campaign to eradicate the cult of the leader.
In 1956, the Lenin Prize was established, which replaced the Stalin Prize in fact. Laureates of the Stalin Prize after 1966 changed diplomas and honorary signs. Even the name everywhere methodically changed, in encyclopedias and reference books Stalin became known as the USSR State Prize. Information about the winners was mystified and dosed.
Separation rules
There was a special resolution of the Council of People's Commissars on the fair distribution of the prize among several participants in the work for which it was awarded. If two people (co-authors) were awarded one prize, then the amount was divided equally. The distribution was different for three: the manager received half, and the two performers received a quarter of the total amount. If there were a lot of people, then the leader received a third, the rest was equally divided in the team.
The first laureates of the Stalin Prize in Physics were P. L. Kapitsa, in mathematics A. N. Kolmogorov, in biology T. D. Lysenko, in medicine A. A. Bogomolets, V. P. Filatov, N. N. Burdenko, in geology - V. A. Obruchev, was noted for inventions by the famous gunsmith V. A. Degtyarev, in aircraft engineering - S. A. Lavochkin, in painting - A. M. Gerasimov, and in sculpture - V. I. Mukhin.
The designer of the Kievskaya and Komsomolskaya metro stations, the architect D.N. Chechulin, was also awarded the Stalin Prize. A. N. Tolstoy received it for the book "Peter the Great", M. A. Sholokhov - for the novel "Quiet Flows the Don", and the playwright N. F. Pogodin was noted after staging the play "The Man with the Gun."
How were the proceedings considered
The works of the scientific warehouse were considered previously with the involvement of relevant specialties of scientists, expert commissions of practitioners and even entire research institutes. Then the assessment was more complete and comprehensive with the adoption of a special opinion for the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR.
If necessary, representatives of research institutes and scientific organizations attended meetings of the Committee. Decisions were made by voting by ballot.
Badge of honor
After receiving the award, each laureate received the corresponding title and the badge of honor of the Stalin Prize laureate, which should be worn on the right side next to the orders. It was made of silver in the form of a convex oval, covered with white enamel and bordered from below with a laurel wreath of gold. The enamel depicted a sunrise - golden rays, against the background of which a star of red enamel with a gold rim shone above. The inscription in gold letters read: "To the Stalin Prize Laureate."
The top of the oval was framed by a corrugated ribbon of blue enamel with a gold edge, on which was written "USSR". The silver and gilded plate, to which an honorary sign was attached through the ear and the ring, was also inscribed: it marked in Arabic numerals the year the prize was awarded. The publication in the press about the laureates of the current year always appeared on December 21 - the birthday of JV Stalin.
War
In the terrible years of the war, this high award was also distinguished, because the creative intelligentsia worked like never before - in a powerful patriotic impulse and with enduring initiative. Soviet scientists, innovators, inventors were well aware that it was now that their country needed their activities more than during times of peace and quiet. Even 1941 brought the greatest achievements of the intelligentsia in almost all areas of life.
Industry was rebuilt on a war footing, the resources of raw materials expanded, and the production capacity increased. The Stalin Prize of the first degree was awarded to the work of a group of academics under the leadership of the President of the USSR Academy of Sciences V. L. Komarov, who investigated and developed ways to develop the industry of the Urals - ferrous metallurgy, energy, building materials and everything else. The result was a huge expansion of production of all types of industry.
ND Zelinsky did a lot for defense chemistry. He was also awarded this award. Professor M.V. Keldysh and candidate of technical sciences E.P. Grossman worked hard for the Soviet aircraft industry: they developed the theory of elastic vibrations and came up with a method for calculating airplanes for flutter, for which they were awarded the Stalin Prize of the 2nd degree.
Dmitry Shostakovich
An outstanding composer, before evacuation, wrote his famous “Seventh Symphony” in besieged Leningrad. This work immediately entered the treasury of world music art. The all-conquering humanism, the willingness to fight to the death with the black forces, the unshakable truth that sounds in every note, have won worldwide recognition once and for all. In 1942, this work was awarded the Stalin Prize of the first degree.
Dmitry Shostakovich was also the Stalin Prize laureate three times in addition to the first: for the beautiful trio of 1946 - the first degree prize, and then the title of People's Artist of the RSFSR, in 1950 were awarded the Stalin Prize of the second degree by his oratorio "Song of the Forests" to poems by Dolmatovsky and music for the film "The Fall of Berlin". In 1952, he received another Stalin Prize of the second degree for a suite for the choir.
Faina Ranevskaya
For many years, the favorite of the public worked, who did not play a single major role in the movie. This is an exceptionally talented actress. She received the Stalin Prize three times: twice the second degree and once the third.
In 1949, for the role of Losev’s wife in Stein’s Law of Honor (Moscow Drama Theater), in 1951, for the role of Agrippina in Suvorov’s Dawn over Moscow (the same theater), in the same year, for the role of Frau Wurst in the movie "They Have a Homeland." In principle, any role played by Faina Georgievna could have been awarded this honor, since for the most part the classics of Soviet cinema were also created by this actress, laureate of the Stalin Prize. In her time she was great, and now there is probably no person who does not know her name.