A terrible, unexpected and brutal war, called the Great Patriotic War, broke into literally every house, every family. Men and women without a shadow of doubt went to the front, occupying the numerous ranks of the regular army of the Soviet state. But apart from the Red Army soldiers, often at the cost of their lives, the partisans obtained it.
Partisan movement
In the period from 1941 to 1944, 6,200 partisan detachments and similar formations actively opposed in the union territory captured by the Nazis. According to various estimates, the total number of partisans is approaching one million people. The main objective of this resistance movement was the destruction of the main system providing the enemy front. Partisans destroyed headquarters, undermined warehouses, disrupted rail and road communications. In the first year of the war, during the winter period alone, valiant and brave detachments of partisans derailed more than two hundred trains, blew up at least six hundred bridges and about two thousand cars.
The partisan movement became more numerous and stronger every month. The resistance was coordinated with every step of the regular army, thereby increasing resistance to the advancing German invaders. People of almost all ages joined the ranks of resistance, isolated cases of participation of children under ten years of age are known.
The appearance of the medal
The exploits and successful resistance of the partisans, their invaluable contribution to the common victory, pointed to the need to reward especially distinguished fighters. Until there were special instructions, "Medal to the partisan World War II "was handed by local commanders. As a rule, these were home-made copies.
But on February 2, 1943, the situation changed. The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR issued a decree in which the medal "Partisan of the Patriotic War" was established, which was divided into two degrees.
The artist who developed the sketch was Nikolai Ivanovich Moskalev. Further, additions and some changes were sequentially made in June 1943 and February 1947. For the first time, the award ceremony took place in the year the medal was founded on November 18th.
Medal to the partisan of World War 1 degree
The 1st Partisan of the Patriotic War Medal was awarded to both ordinary partisans and those who held senior positions. Movement coordinators were also awarded. Encouragement relied on the most special, extremely important merit, such as courage, valor and courage. Heroic deeds, outstanding breakthroughs in the organization of the partisan movement, and successful operations carried out in the rear of the enemy army were noted. The commissar of the detachment, Moroz Mikhail, received the medal "Partisan of the Patriotic War" of the 1st degree at twenty-two years of age for his dedication and devotion to his homeland.
Among the awarded there were many quite young partisans who were not inferior to adults in patriotism and heroism. Utah Bondarovskaya, who fell in battle under an Estonian farm, Vasya Korobko, who undermined enemy echelons and was killed by a German bullet, Volodya Kaznacheev, who went through the entire war side by side with senior fighters, and many others, still very children who gave their strength and lives, were honored this honorary medal.
Personal Achievement Medal
The 2nd Partisan of the Patriotic War Medal was awarded for personal achievements of partisan resistance participants. It was awarded to the commanders of detachments and units, the organizers of operations and coordinators of the movement, ordinary guerrilla fighters who carried out certain orders and tasks of the military command. Also awards of the second degree were awarded in case of active and important assistance in the fight against the enemy.
Some fighters received the First and Second Degree Partisan of the Patriotic War medal at the same time, among them Kondraty Alimpevich Letyagin. From the first days of the war, Kondraty Letyagin took part in various battles and in one of them fell into fascist captivity. But at some point he managed to escape and join the partisan detachment, with which he was able to go through the whole war, was repeatedly injured and was subsequently awarded.
Appearance of the award
The medal has a regular round shape. It is thirty-two centimeters in diameter and has a tape around the circumference whose width is four millimeters. On the ribbon is an inscription indicating who is awarded the medal: "To the Partisan of World War II." The line is highlighted by two small asterisks, in the lower sector of the circle there is a five-pointed star with a hammer and a sickle, located in the middle of the letters "USSR". Also on the front side are depicted profile images of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin and, at that time, Commander-in-Chief, Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin. On the reverse side there is an inscription: “For our Soviet Motherland”.
For the distinguishing sign of the first degree, silver was used, and the medal itself is attached using a ring and an eyelet to a pentagonal block. The design used moire silk ribbon of light green color, having a width of 24 millimeters. A two-millimeter red stripe runs along the tape.
The second degree award is made of brass, the longitudinal strip is distinguished by blue color.
From the history of awards
Significant and large-scale guerrilla victory can be called Operation Concert. It was held from September 19 to November 1, 1943 and was coordinated with the upcoming Soviet offensive, during which serious battles for the Dnieper were to take place. 193 detachments took part, which included more than one hundred and twenty thousand people.
The "Concert" covered about a thousand kilometers along the front and more than seven hundred and fifty kilometers, going in depth. A powerful blow was inflicted on the railway tracks. About two hundred and fifteen thousand rails were destroyed, seventy-two railway bridges were blown up, and the number of enemy trains that did not reach their destinations exceeded one thousand. The German command was discouraged, this operation caused serious difficulties in the transportation of Nazi troops, and made it very difficult for the German command to maneuver. As a result, the advancing troops of the Red Army received tremendous assistance.
The medal "Partisan of the Great Patriotic War" was received by more than 127 thousand participants, and 248 people were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.