Cross of the Order of St. George First Degree (current): cross, star and ribbon
The
Military Order of the Saint Grand Martyr and the Triumphant George (also known as
Order of St. George the Triumphant,
Russian: Военный Орден Св. Великомученика и Победоносца Георгия,
Voyenny Orden Sviatogo Velikomuchenika i Pobedonostsa Georgia) is an Imperial Russian and current Russian
order of chivalry, originally established in 1769 by
Catherine the Great, and revived in
1994 by the
Russian Federation. It is awarded in four classes, from the First Degree to the Fourth Degree. The highest degree is the First Degree. There also is an affiliated cross, the
Cross of St. George and a medal which is a level lower than the cross.
Insignia
The decoration of the Order of St. George has to be worn according to its precedence (i.e. higher than any other decoration other than the
Order of St. Andrew). The Order is composed of three insignia:
Cross ("Sign"): A white enamelled cross pattée with a central disc bearing the image of
St. George on horseback slaying the
dragon. Worn on a sash by the first degree, on a necklet by the second and third degrees, and on a chest ribbon by the fourth degree.
Star: A four-pointed gold star with the crowned
cipher of St. George at the centre surrounded by the motto of the order "For Service and Bravery" ("
Za Sluzhbu i Khrabrost"). Worn on the left chest by the first and second degrees.
Ribbon: orange with three black stripes, commonly called "
George's Ribbon". It symbolises fire and gunpowder: the Russian "colors of military glory", and is also thought to be derived from the colours of the original
Russian imperial coat of arms (black eagle on a golden background). It was subsequently associated to the colors of the
Russian Guard units. The
ribbon bar repeats the pattern of the grand ribbon, with a miniature cross on the middle black stripe for the first three degrees (white enamelled for the 3rd, silver for the 2nd and gold for the 1st).
History
This order was established in
Russian Empire on
November 26,
1769 by
Catherine the Great and had four degrees. It was abolished after the
Russian Revolution of 1917, but was re-established on
March 2,
1994 by the government of the
Russian Federation. During the
Great Patriotic War, the
Order of Glory, modeled after the Order of St. George, was awarded to the Soviet military. Similar insignia was born by the Soviet
medal For the Victory Over Germany.
Precedence
The modern order
It is the highest military award of the
Russian Federation, the highest decoration of all (military
and civilian) being the
Order of St. Andrew. "
Hero of the Russian Federation" is on the other hand the highest
title, marked by the award of a corresponding
medal. However, the Order of St. George remains the most exclusive: only 25 people have been awarded the 1st rank of the Order (
see list below). Of these, there were only four Full Cavaliers.
Eligibility: military officers and generals only, for the display of highest valour and skills in the face of an
exterior enemy.
Non-commissioned officers and rank-and-file may receive the
Cross of St. George, also in four degrees worn on a chest ribbon. Normally a person initially received the fourth degree, and would gradually be promoted to higher degrees for subsequent acts of bravery.
List of recipients (1st degree)
- General Field Marshal (Austria) Prince Charles Philip of Schwarzenberg on October 8, 1813 (Battle of Leipzig; Schwarzenberg and Blücher were the first foreigners to be awarded the Order while not holding rank or command in the Russian service)
NOTE: all dates are
Old Style.
See also
