Translated material
St. George's Crosses
Kaliningrad governor establishes new orders and titles
The authorities of the westernmost Russian region established the Order of Merit for the Kaliningrad Region, and decided to hang an amber star around their necks and award one million rubles to honorary citizens of the region.All these innovations belong to Governor Georgy Boos, who pays special attention to local symbolism . It was with his active participation that the region acquired its own coat of arms (with the monogram of Elizabeth Petrovna and an amber crown), a tricolor flag (which has nothing in common with the Russian one) and almost received an anthem with a text that caused a lot of controversy (it sings about amber, seagulls, and it all ends with the phrase: “And we have one goal - be happy, country!”). In addition, the Kaliningrad region is trying to position itself as a tourist Mecca - for this purpose, several brands have been developed to promote the region (for example, with the slogan “Amber West of Russia”).
The highest official of the region is not deprived of “symbolic” attention. Since last fall, the Kaliningrad governor has had his own standard and badge. The latter is made in the shape of a sixteen-pointed star with a diameter of 90 mm. The chain is no less massive - 12 more stars, richly inlaid with amber. On each side there is a local symbol (monogram of Empress Elizabeth, sea anchor, Royal Gate, crown), on the other - the name of the governor.
And at a recent government meeting, it was also decided to establish the status of an honorary citizen of the Kaliningrad region, as well as an order of merit for the westernmost region.
The title of honorary citizen is not an innovation of Kaliningrad officials; it has long been used in many regions, encouraging outstanding fellow countrymen or people somehow connected with one or another subject of the Russian Federation. There is such a practice in Kaliningrad itself. This summer, the wife of the President of the Russian Federation, Lyudmila Putina, was made an honorary citizen there (she was born and raised in Kaliningrad, worked in a local aviation squadron). The honorary Kaliningrad resident is awarded a beautiful certificate (it entitles him to a 50 percent discount on utility bills and free travel on municipal transport). In addition, a lifetime monthly payment of 10 thousand rubles is established from the local budget.
The regional government approached the matter on a much larger scale. From now on, honorary citizens of the Kaliningrad region will be paid one million rubles, and in addition, they will hang a beautiful sign on their necks - a silver ten-pointed star with a convex amber overlay, on which is placed a fortress made of silver with blackening, as well as the gold monogram of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. Below are two crossed branches of a gold laurel. The badge is worn on a neck silk moire ribbon in the colors of the flag of the Kaliningrad region (red, yellow and blue). The badge should be worn with a ribbon only on ceremonial occasions. And for every day there is an option for a buttonhole - a smaller copy measuring 25 mm.
There were problems with the smaller copy. Governor Georgy Boos considered it too big and, as a result, not entirely elegant. Since pilot samples had not yet been made, Mr. Boos used the means at hand to experimentally test which size was preferable for the lapel version. Having unscrewed the cap from a bottle of mineral water, the Kaliningrad governor carefully examined it - the size seemed to match, also 25 mm. He placed it on the lapel of his jacket. “I told you it’s too big! Well, how to wear such a badge?” - he made a remark to the developers and instructed them to develop several versions of the sign (25, 20 and 15 mm each).
It is expected that candidates for the title “Honorary Citizen of the Kaliningrad Region” will be discussed publicly, with wide involvement of the media and the public. Then the head of the region will make his decision, send a proposal to the regional Duma, and deputies will vote for the relevant law. No more than one person can be awarded per year (which is very reasonable - if you give a million to all the “honorables”, what will remain “simple”?).
However, for “simpler” people there are also local orders. Thus, the Order “For Merit to the Kaliningrad Region” will be awarded to those who have invested a lot in the development of Russian statehood in the Kaliningrad region, in strengthening peace, friendship and cooperation between peoples, and have achieved something outstanding in economics, science, technology, culture, art , upbringing, education, in protecting the Fatherland, protecting the health, life and rights of citizens. The order is an equilateral silver cross with flared ends, decorated with faceted amber plates. In the corners of the cross are the ubiquitous gold monograms of Empress Elizabeth.
If it weren’t for these great-power “squiggles,” the result would be an exact copy of the St. George Cross (a reward sign for the Order of St. George for the lower ranks of the Russian army from 1807 to 1917 for outstanding courage shown in battle against the enemy). Which, apparently, is no coincidence and, like many things in the Kaliningrad region, symbolic, the governor named George will be presenting almost St. George’s crosses.