From the Victory Anniversaries decorative series
Porcelain, overglaze painting, gilding, patterning
Diam. 24.5 cm
The Order of the Patriotic War is a Soviet military order instituted under the decree of the Presidium of the USSR Supreme Soviet “On the Establishment of the Order of the Patriotic War of the 1 st and 2 nd degrees” of May 20, 1942. That was the first Soviet order to have different degrees. Certain changes were introduced subsequently to the description of the order by the Decree of the Presidium of the USSR Supreme Soviet of June 19, 1943, and to the order statute by the Decree of the Presidium of the USSR Supreme Soviet of December 16, 1947.
The Order of the Patriotic War was the first decoration to appear during the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945. It was awarded to “rank-and-file men and officers of the Red Army, the Navy, the NKVD troops and the partisan units who have displayed courage, fortitude and valor in fighting for the Soviet Homeland, and also to servicemen whose actions have contributed to the successful operations of our troops (from the Order Statute). For 35 years the Order of the Patriotic War was the only Soviet order which the family of the holder was allowed to keep after his/her death in memory of the deceased (any other awards were to be returned to the state). It was not until 1977 that the retention practice was extended to the other orders and medals.