Who was the generalissimo in the Soviet Union. Shoulder straps of the Generalissimo of the Russian Federation - Military ranks and shoulder straps of the Russian army. Infographics. Interesting history of a unique title

Generalissimo is one of the oldest highest military ranks, supposedly introduced in the 16th century. According to some historians, one of the first generalissimos was the famous Duke of the Papal States, Cesare Borgia. Until the 21st century, the title of generalissimo was awarded to military rulers (mainly supreme, leaders of states) of dozens of countries around the world. The last time in 2012 it was received by the late leader of the DPRK Kim Jong Il (posthumously). They were going to introduce the title of generalissimo in the Russian self-proclaimed Ichkeria during the First Chechen campaign (1994-1996), but it never came to that.

In different centuries, the highest military rank of generalissimo was given to the commander-in-chief of the armed forces of the state (as well as several states), the outstanding commander of the armies, mainly for the period of the war.

Formally, in June 1945, at the collective request of the “representatives of the proletariat” and a note from the highest officers of the Red Army and the Navy of the USSR, the Politburo of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks decided to assign this title to I.V. Stalin (it was previously legalized by the Decree of the Presidium Supreme Council THE USSR).

Stalin's attitude to this initiative is eloquently indicated by Iosif Vissarionovich's note in red pencil on a typewritten note with an officer's request: "My archive of I. St." (a digitized copy of the document is in the public domain). Although there is not a single piece of evidence or document confirming that Stalin ever expressly forbade calling himself a generalissimo.

In the last century, during the Soviet Union, there was a higher rank of generalissimo. However, this title was not awarded to any person during the entire existence of the Soviet Union, except for Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin.

The proletarian people themselves asked for this man to be awarded the highest military rank for all his services to the Motherland. It happened after the unconditional surrender Nazi Germany in the 45th year. Soon the entire Union learned that the working people asked for such an honor for their leader.

However, there is a very important aspect - during the Soviet Union, Stalin was awarded a title that was considered the highest even under royal power. And this turn of events did not suit all the Bolsheviks, and in most cases most of the party members reacted very unfriendly to this.

Subsequently, this even turned out to be a kind of turning point, since everything related to royal power was unacceptable to them. But Stalin realized that in the situation that prevailed at that moment in the country, only the traditions and spirit of past times could save the Motherland.

For this reason, he introduces into circulation such a distinctive sign as epaulettes. Initially, this element of the appearance of a soldier is a symbol of the "imperial punishers", while this status of a soldier contained an abusive meaning.

The Germans have always understood that Russians become weak the moment they break their connection with their ancestors, and Stalin knew well that they were aware of this. Therefore, he took this action decisively, as he wanted to restore this connection again. And not only he understood the need for such reforms, but also his military environment.

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When a turning point occurs in the country, it was necessary to look for a way out of the situation, and Comrade Stalin found it. Obviously, he tried with all his might to restore the continuity of generations.

How did the concept of generalissimo appear and what does it mean

Generalissimo comes from Latin. The literal translation of this word into Russian is "great and very first." Such a higher rank at one time was not only in the Russian Empire, but in general in all countries of the world. One of the most famous domestic servicemen in this rank is Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov.

On the uniform of the Generalissimo there were elements that betrayed not only his high military rank, but also his civil status in the country as a whole. As a rule, this title could only be achieved by truly heroic deeds. A person had to make a special contribution to the development of the history of his country.

The epaulettes of the generalissimo were insignia of an impressive size, which the person awarded this title wore on his shoulders. In appearance, they very much resembled epaulettes, but at the same time they had stars and several other elements characteristic of this title.

To date, this title has been preserved, but so far there has not been a worthy person who could be honored to wear it.

The last person to receive the title of Generalissimo was the Chinese politician Kim Jong Il. However, he never found out about this, because he was presented for this award only in 2011, when he had already died.

Very rarely did anyone manage to get the title of generalissimo, since the person to whom it was awarded was not just a ruler, but a national symbol. For a long time in different countries there are only a few who have been able to reach such heights. So in different world powers there was the following statistics:

• in France for four hundred years there were only about twenty generalissimos, which, in comparison with other states, is not such a bad result;
• on the territory of Russia over the past three hundred years, only Stalin was the generalissimo, but there were attempts to assign this title to Khrushchev and Brezhnev;
• in China, Kim Jong Il is still revered, and they even keep special calendars.

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Rank insignia

Shoulder straps of Stalin met all the canons of the shoulder straps of the Generalissimo. The development of the features of the appearance of these shoulder straps began almost immediately after the Great Patriotic War ended. All materials related to this case were closed until the end of the last century.

The main parameters of standard shoulder straps still needed to be taken into account, however, those who were involved in the development wanted to create something really special. Shoulder straps included the following elements:

• from the collar, the epaulette began as a standard officer's, rectangular shape;
• the main color was gold, and the edging was red;
• then there was a large star, which with its ends touched the edges of the shoulder strap, its color is silver;
• then there was a narrow stripe, also golden in color and with a red border;
• the generalissimo's shoulder straps ended like epaulettes, which were also of a golden hue;
• in the center, inscribed in the circumference of the epaulette, there was a coat of arms Soviet Union.

The title of Generalissimo was known during the Soviet Union. The rank of generalissimo appeared in 1945; according to the law, a soldier had the right to command all the Armed Forces of the USSR. The Politburo nominated Stalin for this post, explaining this decision by his great merits in the Second World War. The victory of the USSR was hard, but as they say, the winners are not judged, but awarded, so Stalin was also awarded the Order of Victory in addition and was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

According to historians, the rank of Generalissimo was previously discussed by the Politburo several times, but Stalin considered this unnecessary. The Commander-in-Chief changed his mind after the words of Marshal of the USSR Rokossovsky, who did not want to carry out one of Stalin's orders, appealing that they had the same ranks.

Appearance of the Generalissimo

The rear service of the Red Army was engaged in the development of the full dress and everyday uniforms of the highest military rank, but shoulder straps were never introduced during Stalin's lifetime. After the ruler died, there was no longer a need for shoulder straps, and the project was curtailed. The tailors, together with the rear service, suggested several options for shoulder straps and uniforms for the commander in chief:

• a uniform decorated with epaulettes, which depicted the coat of arms of the USSR along with one five-pointed star, decorated in a wreath made of oak leaves;
• shoulder straps were also placed on special winter outerwear;
• a special uniform was designed for riding horses, it looked like a general's uniform of the 19th century.

During his lifetime, Stalin cut off all these proposals, considering the wardrobe too pretentious, catchy, outdated and out of date.

In 2017, the outfits that the Commander-in-Chief could wear are stored in the Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War in the capital of Russia, this museum is located on Poklonnaya Hill.

On the shoulder straps of military officers of other ranks there are several insignia, while it is important that a certain distance is measured between the stars - mainly 25 mm. But since only one star was planned on Stalin's shoulder straps, such nuances were not taken into account.

Eyewitnesses who spoke with Stalin more than once note his unsurpassed strict style of clothing:

1. The generalissimo had shoulder straps of the Marshal of the USSR, the uniform general's tunic of a traditional cut suited him very well. How shoulder straps looked can be seen in the photo.
2. The light gray jacket always had 4 pockets and a turn-down collar.
3. The buttonholes were made according to the general format of the overcoat type - in a red tint with gold borders and buttons.

The described form was considered a parade-out, it was in such a tunic that Stalin was depicted in portraits and posters.

Where did the title of Generalissimo go?

Molotov later claimed that Stalin had repeatedly expressed indignation at his decision to be commander in chief. The ruler complained about the pressure from outside, but could no longer refuse the honorary title he had been awarded. After the death of Stalin, no one else was the Generalissimo, but this rank was preserved in the statutes until 1993.

He acted in a formal form in the Russian Federation until January 1, 1993, after which the charter of the internal service of the RF Armed Forces was introduced on a temporary basis, and the generalissimo sank into oblivion. Sometimes a reminder of an unusual title still flashed, for example, history knows the facts when Khrushchev, and then Brezhnev, claimed this post.

How to become an army general

One of the highest ranks of the military is a general. Of course, only a few become generals, but having a great goal in front of you, even if you don’t achieve what you want, you won’t remain captains either. First determine why you need an army - if such a desire is dictated by total unemployment and good physical shape, it is better not to rush. Moreover, from 2004 to 2020, the Russian government is conducting a total purge among the ranks of the military, not allowing hacks and people who do not understand anything about the military profession.

If you want to rise to the highest ranks in the army, get ready to go through a thorny and long path:

1. It is advisable to enter as a teenager military school. Military education do not give to anyone - admission committee you will have to prove that you are a capable, disciplined and courageous student. To do this, you must pass a series of tests and provide the necessary list of documents, ranging from an autobiography, references from school teachers, ending with a medical certificate of professional suitability.
2. After receiving a red diploma, you will definitely need to enter a university. The average and senior officers of Russia are far from being illiterate; these people draw up combat strategies, are distinguished by ingenuity and a quick mind.
3. Many years of service lie ahead. If you want to become a general, you need to move from rank to rank, not be afraid to be a leader, take responsibility, become an active and loyal comrade for colleagues.

If there is no desire to enter a military school, this item can be skipped. If a young man goes to the army after school on conscription, he has the right to apply to the university later, but by this time he will already know what the army is and what he will have to devote his whole life to. An important nuance - they will not be admitted to a military university if you already have a diploma from another higher education. But this does not mean at all that you will have to give up a military career - many civilian specialties in the army are very valuable.

What you should not do is to be careless, inattentive, undisciplined - any oversight can harm your career. If an outstanding criminal record “hung” on you, one can only dream of military service.

How to get promoted to police general

If you are annoyed by the problems of strangers, then you definitely should not serve in the police. Only with charisma, perseverance, masculinity and assertiveness, a kind but strong heart, one can achieve great ranks and titles. This takes into account several important factors:

• qualification;
• education - higher education is quoted the most;
• attitude to service, activity;
• current position and success in work.

A list of which you will see below, more often received this rank as recognition of military merit. Finding a position was often an episode of a political career and was associated with military victories.

Generalissimo of Russian history

The word generalissimo can be translated from Latin as "the most important" or "the most important." In many countries of Europe and later Asia, this title was used as the highest military rank. The generalissimo was far from always a great commander, and the best of them won their greatest victories before gaining a high-profile position.

In the history of Russia, five commanders were awarded this highest military rank:

• Alexey Semenovich Shein (1696).
• Alexander Danilovich Menshikov (1727).
• Anton Ulrich of Brunswick (1740).
• Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov (1799).
• Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (1945).

Who was first?

Alexey Semenovich Shein historical literature most often called the first generalissimo in the history of our country. This man lived a short life and was one of the associates of Peter I at the beginning of his accomplishments.

Alexey Shein came from a well-born boyar family. His great-grandfather, Mikhail Shein, was a hero of the defense of Smolensk in Time of Troubles, and his father died during the war with Poland in 1657. Alexei Semenovich began his service in the Kremlin. He was a steward under Tsarevich Alexei Alekseevich, then - a sleeping bag of the king himself.

In 1679-1681 A.S. Shein was a governor in Tobolsk. Under his leadership, the city, which burned down in a fire, was restored anew. In 1682, Alexei Semenovich received the boyar rank. In 1687, the boyar took part in the Crimean campaign, and in 1695 - the first campaign against Azov.

In 1696, he led the Russian troops during the second campaign against the fortress of Azov. It was then that A.S. Shein received the title of "generalissimo", unusual for Russia. However, the researchers of his biography N.N. Sakhnovsky and V.N. Tomenko questioned this fact. In their opinion, the tsar ordered that Shein be called generalissimo only during the campaign, and the name indicated only the powers of Alexei Semenovich as commander-in-chief of the ground forces. After the end of the campaign against Azov, A.S. Shein did not retain the title of generalissimo given to him for the duration of the hostilities. If we accept this point of view, A.D. Menshikov.

Alexander Menshikov went down in history as the closest associate of the first emperor of Russia and one of the greatest generals of his time. He was directly involved in the military reforms of Peter I, starting with the amusing troops. And in 1706 he defeated the Swedes in the battle of Kalisz, participated as one commander in the victorious battles of Lesnaya and Poltava. For his military merits, Alexander Menshikov rose to the rank of President of the Military Collegium and Field Marshal.

For the first time, the commander tried to claim the highest military rank in the reign of Catherine I, when he had exclusive power. He was able to receive the rank of generalissimo under her successor Peter II, when he still had influence on the tsar.

The Saxon ambassador Lefort recalled the staging of this action. The young emperor entered the chambers of the Most Serene Prince and with the words "I destroyed the field marshal" handed him a decree on the appointment of a generalissimo. At that time the Russian Empire did not wage wars, and the prince did not have a chance to command armies in a new capacity.

The bestowal of a military rank was one of a whole series of awards that rained down on the Most Serene Prince and his family that year. The most important was the betrothal of his daughter to the emperor. But already in September 1727, Menshikov lost the fight for the location of the monarch and lost all awards and ranks, including the title of generalissimo. The following year, an associate of Peter I was exiled to Berezovo, where he died in November 1729.

Anton Ulrich was the second son of the Duke of Brunswick and nephew of the famous King Frederick II. In 1733 he was summoned to Russia, and a few years later became the husband of Anna Leopoldovna, the niece of the Empress of Russia.

In 1740, after the death of Empress Anna Ioannovna, the young son of Anton Ulrich became emperor. The temporary worker of the last reign, Biron, became regent under the baby ruler, and Anton Ulrich was actually removed from making serious state decisions.

Biron feared for his position and, fearing a conspiracy, subjected the emperor's father to an interrogation in public. Anton Ulrich was forced to admit that he wanted to remove the temporary worker from power. Then Biron defiantly offered the highest dignitaries a choice between the prince and himself, and they preferred the acting regent. Head of the Secret Chancellery A.I. Ushakov threatened the emperor's father that, if necessary, he would treat him like any other subject. After that, Anton Ulrich lost all military positions.

On November 7, 1740, Field Marshal Munnich organized a coup and arrested Biron. Contemporaries wrote that Minich, who had previously supported the regent, hoped to receive the rank of generalissimo. But under the new regime, the best Russian commander of his time again did not receive the highest military rank.

Two days later, on November 9, a new manifesto was issued on behalf of Ivan Antonovich. It reported that Biron was suspended, including for insults and threats that he made to the father of the emperor. The powers of the regent were received by the wife of Anton Ulrich, Anna Leopoldovna, and the German prince himself was declared co-ruler and generalissimo.

Anton Ulrich remained Generalissimo until the next palace coup, which brought Empress Elisabeth to power. During the year of being at the highest rank, the prince did nothing. He only quarreled with Minich, who counted on this rank himself and later retired from business.

After the coup on November 25, 1741, Anton Ulrich lost all his ranks and found himself in the position of a hostage. He lived with his wife and children in the northern provinces of the country. In 1744 he was separated from his son-emperor and transferred to live in Kholmogory. In 1746 his wife died, and he and his remaining children continued to live as an exile. In 1774, the aged and blind former generalissimo died. A few years later, Empress Catherine allowed his children to leave Russia and gave them a financial allowance.

Alexander Vasilievich Suvorov became famous as the greatest Russian commander of his time and one of the greatest in Russian history. During his long military career, he successfully fought against the rebellious Poles, Ottoman Empire, revolutionary France. He received the highest military rank less than a year before his death, after his last military campaign.

In November 1799, after the completion of the difficult Swiss campaign, Alexander Suvorov was awarded the highest military rank by the Emperor of Russia as a reward for his service and military leadership. From now on, the military board was supposed to send the commander not decrees, but messages.

The Generalissimo withdrew troops from Switzerland by order of the emperor and returned with them to Russia. When the army was in Poland, Suvorov went ahead to the capital. On the way, the generalissimo fell ill and went to his estate. His condition changed for the better, then worsened. And in May 1800, Generalissimo Alexander Suvorov died.

The decree on the introduction of the highest military rank of generalissimo into the USSR appeared on June 24, 1945. A day later, at the suggestion of the Politburo, this rank was given to I.V. Stalin. The title of generalissimo was a sign of recognition of the merits of the general secretary during the war years. In addition to the highest military rank, Joseph Vissarionovich received the title of "Hero of the Soviet Union" and the Order of Victory. According to the memoirs of contemporaries of the events, the leader of the USSR several times refused to introduce this rank.

Home front service Soviet army developed uniforms and insignia new position. They were not approved during the lifetime of the Secretary General, who, if necessary, wore the uniform of a general of the USSR with marshal's shoulder straps. One of the options for the dress uniform of the Generalissimo was rejected by Stalin, who considered it too luxurious.

The military charter of the USSR after the death of Joseph Vissarionovich allowed for the possibility of anyone accepting the title of generalissimo, but no one else was honored with this rank. The Charter of 1975 allowed the awarding of the title of Generalissimo for special services to the country related to the leadership of all armed forces in war time. The title of generalissimo was not introduced into the military charter.

The military and ordinary citizens of the USSR have repeatedly made proposals to give the title of generalissimo to the current general secretaries - N.S. Khrushchev and L.I. Brezhnev. But they did not receive an official move.

Not all the generalissimos of Russia and the USSR, the list of which was higher, became famous as major commanders. But for all of them (except Shein), the title of generalissimo was nothing more than an additional award or recognition of military merit.

K.S. Vasiliev

This was done, as it should be, by the rear service of the Red Army. The development was carried out in such a secret that, until recently, it was known only from the memoirs of the former Chief of the General Staff, General of the Army S.M. Shtemenko: "Somehow, having arrived at the Kremlin for a report, A.I. Antonov (Chief of the General Staff. -S.M.) were met in Stalin's reception room by the chief quartermaster of the Red Army, Colonel-General P.I. Drachev. He was dressed in magnificent military uniform cut unknown to us. The uniform was sewn according to the model of the times of Kutuzov, with a high standing collar. The trousers, on the other hand, looked modern, but shone with gilded stripes. When, surprised by such an operetta attire, we stopped and looked at the strange costume, Drachev quietly told us: “ New form for the Generalissimo...” Members of the Politburo were in Stalin's office. The head of the rear, General of the Army A.V. Khrulev. Having finished his report, he asked permission to show the audience a new military uniform. I.V. Stalin was in a great mood and said: "Come on, the General Staff will take a look." They gave a sign to the reception. P.I. entered. Drachev. JV Stalin gave him a cursory glance and grew gloomy. Apparently, he guessed what kind of form it was. - Who are you going to dress like that? he asked A.V. Khruleva, slightly nodding his head in the direction of the chief quartermaster. - This is the proposed form for the Generalissimo, - answered A.V. Khrulev - For whom? Stalin asked. - For you, Comrade Stalin... Supreme Commander ordered Drachev to leave, and he himself, not embarrassed by those present, burst into a long and angry tirade. He protested against the special exaltation of his personality, said that it was stupid, that he did not expect such a thing from the head of the rear. This idea ended with the fact that the form of the Generalissimo was never created. I.V. Stalin until the end of his days wore a marshal's uniform, like all other marshals".
T Only in 1996, a demonstration sample of the Generalissimo's ceremonial uniform was exhibited at the "Confrontation" exhibition at the Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945 on Poklonnaya Hill. And only in the past, in 2001, some sketches of these developments were published in the Rodina magazine. Based on these materials, the following conclusions can be drawn.

Initially, the insignia of the Generalissimo of the Soviet Union was based on the shoulder straps of the Chief Marshals of the armed forces. That is, if the shoulder straps of the Chief Marshals differed from the shoulder straps of the marshals of the armed forces with a wreath of laurel leaves surrounding the star, then the shoulder straps of the Generalissimo should have differed from the shoulder straps of the Marshal of the Soviet Union with a wreath around the star, but not laurel, but oak. This meant that if the basis for decorating the dress uniform of generals and marshals of the military branches was an ornament in the form of laurel leaves, then the uniforms of the Marshals of the Soviet Union were decorated with oak leaf ornaments similar to those with which the general general uniforms of the Russian Imperial Army were embroidered.

Subsequently, it was decided to replace the shoulder straps on the dress uniform with epaulettes. In this regard, the star and the coat of arms of the USSR were reversed. The coat of arms was lowered down onto the wreath, and the star was raised up.

The cut, color schemes and decorations of the Generalissimo's uniforms were developed taking into account the traditions of the old Russian army. True, when considering the sketches of the form, the question involuntarily arises: for whom were these clothes intended? Indeed, the person depicted in the sketches does not in any way resemble I.V. Stalin, but the resemblance to G.K. Zhukov on some of them is very noticeable. In addition, one of the parade uniforms is clearly designed to receive parades on horseback. I.V. Stalin, as you know, did not know how to ride a horse, and G.K. Zhukov was an excellent rider.

When the demonstration sample of the dress uniform-coat was ready, the head of the rear of the Red Army, General of the Army A.V. Khrulev, accompanied by one of the generals of his department, who acted in the unusual role of a fashion model, went to I.V. Stalin.

I.V. Stalin immediately realized that he, with his small stature and shortcomings of the figure, would look simply ridiculous in this richly embroidered uniform. And no smart ruler can allow this. Naturally, he did not say this aloud, but read to the military and political figures present at the same time an instruction on the modesty of the Soviet leader. At the same time, he added that Soviet people they recognize Comrade Stalin even in marshal's uniform.

Indeed, until the end of his life, I.V. Stalin continued to wear the shoulder straps of the Marshal of the Soviet Union. But his clothes were still not the usual marshal's uniform. Until 1943, I.V. Stalin wore the traditional costume of a Soviet party functionary. It is traditional, not formal. Uniforms were never introduced in the Communist Party, but since almost all Soviet party leaders of that time were former commanders or political workers of the Red Army of the times civil war, and also in order to emphasize that all communists are just soldiers of the party, they wore their usual paramilitary clothes - a tunic or tunic. Also, I.V. Stalin dressed in a gray closed tunic and trousers tucked into soft Caucasian boots. In winter, he wore an ordinary soldier's overcoat or bekesha. Headgear in the summer - a cap-tedder with a Red Army star, in winter - a hat with earflaps.

When in 1943 he was awarded the title of Marshal of the Soviet Union, he put on a military uniform: a tunic of the usual military cut with epaulettes and loose trousers with stripes. True, they were light gray, instead of the established protective and dark blue colors.

However, for an elderly person, the standing collar of the tunic presented certain inconveniences. Therefore, I.V. Stalin was sewn a new suit. It was a closed light gray tunic with a turn-down collar and four pockets of the same cut that Soviet generals wore before the introduction of shoulder straps. The same tunic was worn by lower-ranking Soviet civil servants after the war. The tunic was decorated with shoulder straps of the Marshal of the Soviet Union and the general's overcoat buttonholes - red with gold piping and buttons. The collar and cuffs, as usual, were edged with red piping. The loose trousers with red stripes were made of the same fabric as the tunic. In it, I.V. Stalin was depicted on official portraits and posters. In addition to the gray suit, it is possible that JV Stalin wore a suit in the summer of a similar cut, but made of pre-revolutionary cotton "shanzhan" fabric. In the first post-war years, uniforms for the highest generals were often sewn from such fabric (*).

No one else wore such a suit. In it, I.V. Stalin was depicted on official portraits and posters. He became the only uniform of the Generalissimo of the Soviet Union. And a demonstration sample of the dress uniform-coat took its place in the closed museum of military clothing.

(*) The Kostroma Historical Museum-Reserve has a set of uniforms made of "shanzhan" fabric (a tunic with a standing collar and a cap), which belonged to Air Chief Marshal Novikov.

Materials of the magazine "Rodina" and Internet forums were used