Victory Parade Fronts Banners.

[Tal Inbar]

We all seen the flags with the names of different fronts, in the victory parade in Moscow, 1945.

Was those flags made for the parade? Where are they today?

[slava1stclass]

Tal,

One correction and one thing to note for our sharp-eyed forum participants. The Victory Parade in Moscow was held on 24 June 1945 not on 9 May 1945. There was at least one additional "Victory Parade" held in early September 1945, but it took place in Berlin, Germany. The September parade proceeded along what is today known as "Strasse der 17. Juni." GEN Patton and MSU Zhukov were the reviewing officers (this is the parade which gave us the famous photo of the grinning Zhukov in his M1945 VP Marshal's uniform standing to the left of GEN Patton). Patton can be seen wearing his Kutusov 1st in this picture.
Now for our keen-eyed forum members. Please note the medal on the extreme right (as you look at the picture) of Col Pokryshkin's second row of medals - the medal right after his "Victory over Germany" medal. It's the U.S. Army Distinguished Service Medal (the third highest U.S. Army decoration in terms of overall precedence). The DSM is not a valor award, but rather an award for outstanding service/achievement. In addition to being a Triple HSU and the top Soviet ace during WW II, Pokryshkin was also one of only 20 Red Army personnel to receive the U.S. Army DSM during the war as authorized by WD GO 3/44. Thanks for letting me clarify/point out these facts.

Regards,

slava1stclass

[DougD]

Hi Tal,

All of these front Banners are in the Central Armed Forces Museum in Moscow, along with most of the main relics of the parade.

There are copies of these front standards in the minsk war museum, kiev war museum, and the Zhukov museum in moscow. I have seen them and they are smaller then the regular ones.

They are made of velvet. Most soviet standards are silk, but these were a dfarker red velvet. Some unit flags in 1945, made for the parade if the real standard was in bad shape, were also made of this same velvet. I have one for the 180th Red Banner Rifle Division.

I'll try to dig up some photos of these front banners on display from my last trip. The Moscow Central Armed Forces Musuem has an entore room dedicated to the parade. Its my favorite room in Russia!

DD