Orders and Medals of the
Soviet Union
 (1922-1929)

   

Early Soviet Awards

In this section the orders and medals of the early Soviet Union will be described. Documentation, when available, will be pictured along with the medals themselves. Currently we only have a two orders of this time period for you to see, but more will be displayed as they are acquired.

To the right you can see a photograph of Marshal Blucher wearing several early versions of the Order of the Red Banner.


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The Collectivist Era

 

New Medals

Older Medals

 
  • (Regional) Order of the Red Banner (RSFSR)

 

 

Order of the Red Banner

Established -

August 1, 1924

Composition -

Silver, Enamel, and Gold Plating

Number Awarded -

About 600,000

Designer -

V. Denisov

The Order of the Red Banner was the first order to be established by the Soviet Union.  It replaced the many regional Orders of the Red Banner that had been awarded by the various Soviet Republics since 1917.  It was also the ONLY Soviet decoration until the establishment of the Order of the Red Banner of Labor in 1928.  In 1922 the Soviet Union decided to honor the Red Banner Orders of the various republics because of their great historical significance.

This award was earned by showing extreme courage in combat and in the defense of the Soviet Union.  When bestowed on someone more than once a small number was placed in the bottom center to denote how many times the award had been conferred upon the recipient. 

The Order of the Red Banner was awarded to the Baltic Fleet for its performance in the Revolution, and to all four fleets (Baltic, Black Sea, Pacific, and Northern) during the Great Patriotic War.  The Caspian Flotilla also received the Order during the war.  The Baltic Fleet is often called the 'Twice Red Banner Fleet' due to its earning two Orders of the Red Banner.

Ribbon for the Order of the Red

The ribbon for the Order was established in 1955.  Prior to this time, the USSR did not use ribbon bars.

About this medal

The Order we have was awarded in 1948, but has yet to be fully researched.

 

 

Order of the Red Banner of Labor

Established -

September 7, 1928

Composition -

Silver, Enamel, and Gold

Number Awarded -

Over 800,000

Designer -

V. Golenetsky

The Order of the Red Banner of Labor was awarded for outstanding services in labor to the Soviet state and society in the spheres of production, science, culture, literature, art, education, health care, and for outstanding state, public, and other activity. This order may be bestowed on foreign nationals as well.

The order was first established by the RSFSR in December 28, 1920. The first person to be awarded it was a peasant named Nikita Menchukov for saving an economically important bridge from being destroyed by ice flows.

This order was awarded on several occasions before its statutes were even approved. Oil company executives received it back in 1925. Award number 1, was given to the Putilov (Kirov) Works in Leningrad on its 125th anniversary. The first individuals to recieve it after it was approved were V. Fedotov, A. Shelagin, and M. Kvyatkovsky who all helped to rescue an Italian polar expedition.

 

Ribbon for the Order of the Red Banner of Labor

The ribbon for the Order was established in 1955.  Prior to this time, the USSR did not use ribbon bars.

About This Order

This particular piece is an earlier "flatback" reverse variation with a low serial number of 330673. Awarded to Yakutite Aldona Petrovna on April 5, 1958.

 

 

Earlier Period Medals
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The Collectivist Era
 Later Period Medals