Medal "Victory over Germany"
The medal "For the victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945" ( Russian медаль "За Победу над Германией в Великой Отечественной войне 1941-1945 гг.» / Medal "Sa Pobedu nad Germanijei w Welikoi Otetschestwennoi woine 1941-1945 gg. " ) was one of the most frequently given awards in the Soviet Union .
About 15 million Soviet citizens were awarded this medal. It was given to all soldiers , officers and partisans who had directly taken part in combat operations against the German Reich during the Second World War .
history
The official status of the medal was established on May 9, 1945, the holiday celebrated in Russia and Eastern Europe as Victory Day. The plans for the prototype were started at the end of 1944, in anticipation of the foreseeable victory. Most of the awards were given right after the war ended. A certificate of attendance for military operations was usually required.
After the war, the medal, along with its less widely used equivalent, For Victory Over Japan , was commonly used to distinguish between actual World War II veterans and all non-combatants.
layout
The medal is made of brass and bears the profile of Stalin on the front, as well as the text "For the victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" on the back. The medal is attached to the Saint George ribbon , which from 2005 onwards has become a popular symbol in Russia to commemorate the end of the war.
Web links
- mondvor.narod.ru (Russian)