Memory of Russia: Exhibition “Tempered in Unprecedented Fire…” marking the 80th anniversary of the Decree on the Establishment of the Medal “For the Defence of Leningrad”

The exhibition project Tempered in Unprecedented Fire… marking the 80th anniversary of the Decree on the Establishment of the Medal “For the Defence of Leningrad” has opened in the State Memorial Museum of the Defence and Siege of Leningrad.

The medal for the defence of Leninrag was established by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of December 22, 1942. The medal “For the Defence of Leningrad” was awarded not only to servicemen of the Red Army and Navy, but also to civilians who took a direct part in the defence of the city.

The exhibition reveals the history of the creation of the first Soviet medals of the Great Patriotic War. Sketches of the medal were proposed by several artists. There were seven options in total, but eventually the sketch by the artist Nikolai Ivanovich Moskalyov was chosen.

Visitors will have an opportunity to see the ideas of the best artists-medalists of the country for the medal “For the Defence of Leningrad”, and to learn why the red ribbon on its pad was replaced by a green one.

The first recipient of the medal “For the Defence of Leningrad” was a member of the Military Council of the Leningrad Front, first secretary of the Regional Committee and the City Committee of CPSU(b) A. A. Zhdanov. Among the first recipients were L. A. Govorov, A. A. Kuznetsov, O. F. Bergholz. Until 1945, about 600 thousand people were awarded the medal “For the Defense of Leningrad”. In 1985, the number of awardees reached 1,470,000 people, including 15 thousand siege children and teenagers.

The All-Russian Campaign Medal of My Memory began on January 27, 2021 with the support of Governor of St. Petersburg A. D. Beglov. Its main goal is to preserve and perpetuate the memory of the heroic deed of the civilian population of Leningrad during the war. Stories about the residents of the besieged city were published on specially created resources in social networks. To date, over 350 personal stories have been collected, which have filled the museum’s media library. 80 stories have also been included in the book published by the Committee for Informatization and Communications together with the Smolny Archive Department. The project Medal of My Memory united not only residents of Russia: our compatriots living abroad also sent their stories about relatives who found themselves in besieged Leningrad.

The exhibition will run until January 30, 2023.