The Collector’s Encyclopaedia · Decorations · Soviet orders

Order of Glory: History, Grades and Collector’s Guide

Established 8 November 1943, by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet
Classes Three, awarded in sequence: third, second, first
Awarded to Soldiers and NCOs only
Wartime awards About 46,000 second class; 2,656 first class (Museum Berlin-Karlshorst)
In the collection No pieces currently available

The Order of Glory was reserved for private soldiers and non-commissioned officers. Its three classes had to be earned in turn, so a holder of all three, a “full cavalier”, was treated almost like a Hero of the Soviet Union. Its orange-and-black ribbon recalls the imperial Order of St George.

What Was the Order of Glory?

The order was established on 8 November 1943. Recipients received the third class first, then the second, and finally the first. According to Museum Berlin-Karlshorst, the second class was awarded about 46,000 times and the first class 2,656 times during the war.

Who Awarded It, and Which Documents Go With It?

Awards were recorded in the soldier’s order book and in award lists. A group showing the progression through the classes is especially valuable.

What Should Collectors Watch For?

  • Serial numbers on Soviet orders can be checked against the award record and the recipient’s order book; a missing or altered number is a warning sign.
  • First class orders are rare and heavily copied.
  • Class sequence in documents must be consistent.

Legal note. Trade in Soviet state awards is restricted in the Russian Federation, where buying and selling state decorations is a criminal offence, and export of historical items from Russia and other former Soviet states is controlled. Rules elsewhere differ; check the law in your country and in the country of origin before buying or shipping.

Collector’s Note

The Order of Glory is the soldier’s order. I find the documents of the men who earned it among the most moving of the Soviet material.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who could receive the Order of Glory?

Only soldiers and NCOs.

In what order were the classes awarded?

Third, then second, then first.

How many first-class awards were made during the war?

2,656, according to Museum Berlin-Karlshorst.

Historical Responsibility Notice: this entry documents historical figures and artefacts of the Soviet period for collecting, preservation, education and research. It does not endorse or glorify any ideology, and it is written in memory of the victims of political repression and war.

References & Further Reading