What Cherchill Stalin presented after the Battle of Stalingrad. Stalingrad battle and sword of Stalingrad. The fate of Britain was solved on the banks of the Volga

72 years ago (namely, December 1, 1943) in Tehran, the conference "Big Troika" was completed. In addition to the discussion of strategic issues, such as the opening of the "second front" at the conference were other events.

For example, Churchill's birthday noted, which solemn opening I handed Stalin Stalingrad, a premium (ceremonial) sword, decorated with precious metals and stones, a story about which is lower.

The sword was founded by the Special Decree of the King of Great Britain George VI as a sign of admiration for the British people by courage, manifested by the Soviet defenders of Stalingrad.

November 29, 1943, after a three-hour delay, head of government and accompanying their delegations gathered in the conference hall of the embassy. Along the walls of the hall lined up Honor Soviet-British guard. When Winston Churchill appears in the blue form of the Commodore of the Royal UK UK, the Soviet military orchestra performed the British and Soviet state hymns - "God, King's GRAND" and "INTERNATIONAL".

Taking a sword from the hands of British lieutenant, Churchill turned to Stalin with the words: "I was entrusted to present you this honorable sword in the sign of deep admiration for the British people" (English I am Commanded to Present This Sword of Honor As A Token of Homage of the British People ).

Stalin, kissing the sheath and in a low-voice thanked the British, handed over the sword for inspecting Sitting near Franklin Roosevelt. The President of the United States extract the sword from the sheath, held it vertically on weight and said: "Vertine, they had hearts from steel" (English Truly The Had Hearts of Steel). Then the sword was embedded back into the sheath of Churchill or Stalin.

There is a bike that at the end of the ceremony Stalin unexpectedly sharp movement extended the sword by the sword to Voroshilov. Castled by the surprise, Voroshilov took the sword down to handle, and he slipped out of herbal - after which, in various testimonies, hit the march on his leg, fell on the floor or was picked up on the fly and watershed to the place.

Commander of the Cavalry of the Red Army Marshal of the Soviet Union Semen Mikhailovich Budyanny (1883-1973) at the USSR Embassy in Tehran after the delivery of "Mike of Stalingrad".

A little about the sword itself:

The sword blade is a double-edged, pointed, convex, without share, the "Crusader" model, is manually manually translated from the first-class shefld steel. The length of the blade is 36 inches (about 91.4 cm). In the blade with acid, the inscriptions in Russian and english:

Citizens Stalingrad strong as steel from King George VI in the sign of deep admiration of the British people
To the Steel-Hearted Citizens of Stalingrad The Gift of King George VI in Token of the Homage of the British People

The handle is covered with an 18-carat gold wire lamp. In the end of the head of the mountain crystal - the Golden Rose of Tudor. Garda is made of pure silver. Gold-plated gards, bent towards the blade, are made in the form of stylized leopard heads. The scope of the mead - 10 inches (about 25.4 cm). The total length of the sword is about 4 feet (122 cm). Sheathing - raspberry, from painted doodle (according to some sources - from saffiano skin) - decorated with silver plated royal coat of arms, crown and monogram, five silver linings and three five-pointed ruby \u200b\u200bstars in the gold frame.

Sketch of the sword is made by Oxford Professor (Graceful Arts R. M. Y. Gldowe (English RMY Gleadowe) and approved by King Georg VI personally. The commission of the work of the sword was observed by the Commission from nine experts from the Golden Masters Guild of Masters of the UK. Russian edition of the granting Completed a specialist in Slavic Iconography, President of Cambridge Pembroke College Sir Ellis Hovell Minnz.

The sword is made at the Wilkinson Sword Plant Tom Bizley (Eng. Tom Beasley) and Sid Rose (English Sid Rouse), Calligrapher Mervin S. Oliver and Silver Affairs Mastery Capral of the Royal UK UK Leslie G. Darbin (English Leslie G . Durbin). Steel for Blade is supplied by Sheffield Sanderson Brothers and Newbould.

Tom bisley with a sword blade

Working with scabbers

Wilkinson Sword management examines the sword before the transfer of it to the Buckingham Palace.

The full implementation of the project took about three months.

Before transferring to the Soviet Union, the sword was exhibited with religious honors in several UK temples, including Westminster Abbey (a ceremony that became a key scene in the Military trilogy of Ivlin in the Warm of Honor).

More than 15,000 people came to look at the sword of Stalingrad, located at the Tower of the Cathedral in Coventry on November 9, 1943.

The name of the Soviet city forever remained in the memory of grateful British

The British, as you know, great admirers of national traditions. And the monarchical board, the Royal Family And the royal courtyard in the UK is more than a thousand-year tradition and a symbol of statehood, the inviolability of the United Kingdom. Last year's celebrations on the banks of the Thames on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Board of the current Queen Elizabeth II almost coincided with the next anniversary of the victory of Soviet troops near Stalingrad. Moreover, it makes sense to recall several strange for the uninitiated relationships between the British throne and the greatest battle on the Volga in the year of the 70th anniversary of her victorious completion on February 2, 1943.

A special respect in the residents of Misty Albion enjoyed the Queen-mother - Elizaveta Windsor (his daughter, now the reign Queen Elizabeth II, she gave way to the throne in 1952). The queen mother was adored with the whole nation. It was not by chance that her century in 2000 celebrated in England, and indeed in the Commonwealth (which includes 54 countries - former British colonies and dominions), and old and young. On March 30, 2002, she left his life in 101 year. According to the Iron Lady of the Ex-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, the concent Elizabeth became irrelevant loss for the whole nation.

The fate of Britain was solved on the banks of the Volga

Nationally love came to Elizabet Windsor during World War II. Then the British had to fall out. British Islands were subjected to barbaric bombings of German. One of the bombs in 1940 landed in the Buckingham Palace, he received significant damage.

But the royal couple did not leave London. The Queen itself climbed the ruins of one of the destroyed wings of the palace, assessing the damage caused. She often went to the districts of London, victims of bombing, met with ordinary people who experienced this horror to support their morally. From Elizabeth and material assistance to clothing and food. She more than once fell behind the wheel of a truck with humanitarian cargo to deliver them to their intended purpose.

It is necessary to say, which invaluable moral support of Elizabeth thus provided not only to the civilian population, but also by fought by British soldiers. If the queen with the people, if the royal family did not leave London, then she believes in victory. It is not by chance that Hitler, when he was reported on the mobility of the British queen, called it "the most dangerous woman in Europe for the Third Reich."

The example of the queen-mother followed her daughter. They also took medicine to hospitals, duty as simple nurses. The future Queen of Elizabeth II voluntarily served to serve in the army with a simple driver of a military truck when she was barely 19 years old.

With the great attention of Elizabeth and her spouse, George VI, followed the course of events on the Eastern Front. They could not not understand: the fate of England largely depended on the success of the Soviet troops in the endless spaces of distant Russia. So you can understand the sincere interest of the royal couple in the outcome the greatest battle World War II - Stalingrad Battle.

The Great Victory on the Volga has caused a tide of enthusiasm from the people of the British Empire. "Stalingrad became a symbol of courage, the persistence of the Russian people and at the same time the symbol of the greatest human suffering. This symbol will be preserved in the centuries, "said British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Such feelings were also tested by members of the royal family. But they were amazed by the scale of destruction in the city. Elizabeth-senior, to the heart of perceiving the problems of the destroyed city and the care of its inhabitants, who immediately began to restore Stalingrad, at the end of 1943 organized fundraising for the distant city. From England where people themselves in war time They lived well, six hospitals were delivered through Stalingrad's Society. In the mass number began to flow and warm things. And the money collected on the initiative of the queen was acquired medicines and equipment for the whole hospital.

But Elizabeth Windsor and her spouse, as well as the two of their daughters - the eldest, Elizabeth, the current reigning queen, and the youngest, Princess Margaret - on the family council decided to send the residents of the distant Russian city to the name of Stalin, original gifts from themselves. The idea, by the way, suggested by the Queen itself. They began to decide what to give, and Princess Elizabeth expressed an unusual proposal that the whole royal family supported.

As a result, the King of Great Britain decided to transfer a large knightly sword as a gift. No sooner said than done. Professor of Fine Arts R.M. Glidou made a sketch of a sword. Georgi Vi liked him. For the manufacture of sword it took almost three months. And all this time the process was controlled by the Commission from nine experts. Over the project worked directly forms of gunsmiths Tom Bizli and LED Rose, Silver Affairs Master Capral Royal UK UK Leslie J. Derbin.

Sword of Stalingrad. Photos from the official website of the Museum-Reserve "Stalingrad Battle"

Sword of the city

The sword is considered a masterpiece of a modern blacksmith weapon craft. In fact, the handle is covered with a braid of golden wire. Garda - from pure silver. In the end of the head of the mountain crystal - the Golden Rose of Tudor. Raspberry sheath are decorated with silverly royal coat of arms, crown and monogram, five silver lining. Plus, the three five-pointed rubble stars are framed by gold.

The length of the blade is about 91.4 cm, and the whole sword is 122 cm. On the blade - the inscriptions in two languages. In Russian: "Citizens of Stalingrad * strong as steel * from King George VI * as a sign of deep admiration for the British people." And in English: To the Steel-Hearted Citizens of Stalingrad * The Gift of King George VI * In Token of Homage of the British People.

"Sword of Stalingrad" is artfully formed by hand from high-quality Sheffield became masters from Coventry. This English city was very destroyed by German aviation. Later he became twinned by Stalingrad.

The official ceremony of awarding a sword took place on November 29, 1943 in the Soviet embassy in Tehran during the meeting of the leaders of the countries antihytler coalition. The Soviet Military Orchestra performed the British and Soviet state hymns. Taking into the hands of the sword, Churchill turned to Stalin: "I was instructed to present you this honorary sword as a sign of deep admiration for the British people." Stalin, taking a sword, kissed the sheath and thanked Churchill. Then he made a gift to the US President Franklin Roosevelt. He removed the sword from the sheath, held it and said: "They were truly hearts from steel!"

Honorary Royal Gift was accompanied by a diploma. Now these exhibits are stored in the Panorama Museum of the Stalingrad Battle, located on the Volga Embankment in the central part of the Hero city. They enjoy great success in the visitors of the museum, especially the guests from the shores of Thames.

Many people know about this gift of the king and abroad. But here about the special gift of the British Queen, made at the same time, during the war years, is known not to all professional historians. This is a telephone station for 10 thousand rooms - the container for that time is very impressive, sent from England and installed in the city. It was actually a telephone recovery in Stalingrad began. Obviously, the queen remembered that day of the fortieth year, when, as a result of the Luftwaffa airway, the Buckingham Palace in London remained without a connection.

True, the tank "royal station" then mainly went to the recovered administrative and national economic objects. But several rooms were highlighted and the first residential building rebuilt in the city. This is the famous House of Pavlova, where in the autumn of 1941 fighters, among whom were Sergeant Yakov Pavlov, courageously held the defense, without missing the enemy to the Volga. From home to the river, nothing here: meters 400. But the enemy in two months of fierce fights to the Volga did not pass.

Symbol of courage and glory

The messengers of Volgograd were repeated about the royal gifts during official visits to London and in the British twin Hero city - Coventry. The fact that in April 2000 Elizabeth Windsor was awarded the title of Honorary Citizen Volgograd - "For special merits in organizing the help of Stalingrad by residents of Great Britain during the Second World War." But now in the British Islands, the fact of assigning the honorary title of the Kingdom of Mother is almost forgotten. The fact that in the mass consciousness of the population of the British Commonwealth in the mass consciousness of the population of the British Commonwealth, and in general, the city was imprisoned in World War II, in which our countries were allies, and to this day is perceived as Stalingrad. By the way, the authorities, and hundreds of thousands of inhabitants, especially veterans, have repeatedly raised the issue of returning the city name with which he entered the world. This name, without consulting with anyone, cheerfully deprived in November 1961 soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev.

This question is, of course, difficult. After all, there is a different opinion: Return Volgograd his initial historical name Tsaritsyn (it was founded in the 80s of the XVI century). For such a decision, in particular, the Cossacks are. Estimation of the century they guarded here the southern frontiers of the Fatherland. But all this, as they say, our internal affairs. And for foggy albion, his ruling dynasty, for ordinary people Countries and the world the city was and remains Stalingrad.

In the Sword of Stalingrad. Various blade.

Today I will tell about the blade, which was repaid in the midst of the Second World War. Nevertheless, for Russia and all nations former USSR It means much more than most medieval swords.

This sword is called "Sword of Stalingrad." He is a certificate of military valiation of our people and a sign of respect for the British Crown. But first things first. The victory in the Battle of Stalingrad broke the Ridge by German invasion - and reheated him in sight of the whole world. Our enemy lost more than a quarter of all his strength on the Soviet-German front. It became clear: Hitler and the Third Reich can be defeated.

The victory impressed all the inhabitants of Misty Albion. Among those who admired Russian warriors was the King Georg VI. And in order to express your admiration by the inhabitants of Stalingrad, and Russian soldiers, he ordered to turn the Sword as the Soviet Union. All work on the development of his design was conducted by the best specialists in the immediate participation of the monarch. King George VI personally approved the sketch drawn by Professor from Oxford on the name Glidou, a famous connoisseur of fine arts. Nine experts from the Golden Affairs Guild of the UK masters followed how his drawing was embodied in the metal. Koval blade is one of the most famous Kuznetsov of the UK Tom Basey. The sword of Stalingrad is one and a half-manual weapons, its length is about 122 cm, while the blade accounts for about 91.4 cm. The blade does not have a share that is sometimes mistakenly called blood flow, nor the rib that gives the blade in cross section of the rhombus, but reminds Rather, the biconimous lens. Along the blade there are inscriptions in Russian and English, etched by acid:
Citizens Stalingrad strong as steel from King George VI in the sign of deep admiration of the British people

To the Steel-Hearted Citizens of Stalingrad The Gift of King George VI in Token of the Homage of the British People

Of course, the weapon is richly decorated. It is handled with a golden wire in 18 carats.

Crystal sword and is crowned with a golden rose - a symbol of the royal surname of the tudors. Garda is made of gilded silver, its tips are made in the form of stylized leopard heads. The sword itself is decorated in a traditional style. He was quite a combat weapon, characteristic of 15-16 centuries.

Wilkinson Sword management examines the sword of Stalingrad before conveying it in the Buckingham yard

To create a sword - from the sketch before it first took the King of Georg VI to the hands, went about three months. On November 29, 1943, a terrible meeting of the big three - Stalin, Churchill, Roosevelt took place in Tehran. During the solemn ceremony, which preceded the meeting, Churchill presented weapons to Stalin.

Stalin took a weapon with unprecedented chickness in knightly traditions with a kiss of the blade sheath. And when the sword was transferred to Roosevelt, sitting nearby, in order american president I could also see him, he exclaimed: "Truly, they had hearts from steel!" Now this sword is exhibited in the Museum of the Stalingrad Battle of Volgograd.

According to the site

She walked 1943. The victory in the Battle of Stalingrad broke the Ridge by German invasion - and reheated him in sight of the whole world. Our enemy lost more than a quarter of all his strength on the Soviet-German front. It became clear: Hitler can be driven back to Berlin.

The victory impressed all the inhabitants of Misty Albion. Among those who admired Russians was the King Georg VI. And in order to express your delight in the inhabitants of Stalingrad, he ordered a sword as a gift to the Soviet Union. "Stalingrad became a symbol of courage, the persistence of the Russian people and at the same time the symbol of the greatest human suffering. This symbol will be preserved in the centuries, "said British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Such feelings were also tested by members of the royal family. But they were amazed by the scale of destruction in the city.

Elizabeth-senior, to the heart of perceiving the problems of the destroyed city and the care of its inhabitants, who immediately began to restore Stalingrad, at the end of 1943 organized fundraising for the distant city. From England, where people themselves lived in wartime, six hospitals were delivered through the Society of Assistance to Stalingrad. In the mass number began to flow and warm things. And the money collected on the initiative of the queen was acquired medicines and equipment for the whole hospital.

But Elizabeth Windsor and her spouse, as well as the two of their daughters - the eldest, Elizabeth, the current reigning queen, and the youngest, Princess Margaret - on the family council decided to send the residents of the distant Russian city to the name of Stalin, original gifts from themselves. The idea, by the way, suggested by the Queen itself. They began to decide what to give, and Princess Elizabeth expressed an unusual proposal that the whole royal family supported.

As a result, the King of Great Britain decided to transfer a large knightly sword as a gift. On the blade itself there is an inscription in Russian and English, stating: "Citizens of Stalingrad, strong, like steel. From King George VI, as a sign of deep admiration by the British people. " The sword itself is decorated with precious stones and metals. The head of the handle is made of mountain crystal in the form of roses of tyudors.

The sword was made for three months under the personal control of the British monarch. Each stage of work from design before making was performed by the best masters of their business. So, for example, the president of the Cambridge College was written in Russian itself - Professor in Slavic Iconography - Sir Ellis Minnz.

The sword was handed November 29, 1943.of the year (exactly 73 years ago) at the Embassy of the USSR in Iran personally to Stalin. Handed Prime Minister Winston Churchill. At the same time, the US President Franklin Roosevelt also attended the ceremony. The fact is that at this point the leaders of the three countries gathered to discuss the Norman operation for which the allies still decided to make sure that Russian weapons under Stalingrad.

Churchill turned to Stalin with the words: "I was instructed to present you this honorable sword as a sign of deep admiration for the British people" (English. I am Commanded to Present This Sword of Honor As A Taken of Homage of the British People). While his words translated the translator, Churchill took off his glasses; At this time, the British employee guard officer went to Churchill, lowering the sword horizontally, and stretched his prime minister. Churchill knew slightly, because in his left hand was still holding the paper, but, putting the paper to the table that standing next to the table, took the sword and immediately, smiling, handed it to Stalin.

If - yes, it is strange, because the head of one country should not kiss the coat of arms of someone else's country or dynasty. The kiss of the flag or coat of arms is part of the oath ritual. Maybe he did not want, but inadvertently missed. And so Churchill had to start writing a fullton speech ... (joking)

Whether Stalin was too excited by the results of future negotiations and the discovery of the second front of the second front, or the impression of the phrase said by Roosevelt about the fact that the Soviet people really had hearts from steel, but Stalin was very sharply handed over to the sword of Stalingrad nearby Marshal Voroshilov that the latter, which did not expect such a sharp turn of events, took the sword upside down. As a result, the sword simply fell out of the sheath, and a minute pause and confusion returned in the room. (see at 1:08 it is clearly seen by a falling knight's sword)

The initiation failed?! ..The incident was that after Kiss Stalin, the sword slipped out of the sheath and fell to the ground. This moment was carefully carved from the Soviet newsreel.

After the incident, the sword was returned to the sheath and passed Voroshilov, then Stalin and Churchill were secondary exchanged handshakes. Churchill also shook the hand of Voroshilov.

Voroshilov invited an officer of the Soviet operating guard and handed him a gift to King George. The officer took the sword on the guard with the edge down, slightly taped at the same time the table was turned "around" and, having made several steps with a raised step, took his place in Horoda Karaula's rank. After conducting his views, Stalin and Churchill, accompanied by other members of the Allied delegations, followed the end of the hall to the opposite entrance, where Roosevelt were located and members of the American delegation.

Roosevelt, sitting in the chair on the wheels, examined the sword made of the sheath, read the inscription and said: " Truly, they had hearts from steel"Truly They Had Hearts of Steel). The sword at that time was the edge of the right of Roosevelt, while Churchill standing with the knives stood from Roosevelt to the left. Roosevelt, continuing to say something, turned the sword in the air and put into the sheath, substituted with Churchill. The approached Voroshilov helped to drive the sheath on the sword and, having accepted him from the hands of Roosevelt, handed over to the officer of the Soviet pay guard.

Everyone came out to be photographed on the terrace. It was warm and windless. The sun illuminated the gold-plated foliage. Stalin and Churchill stopped in the center of the terrace, where they were brought in the wheelchair and Roosevelt. This was also brought three chairs for the "big triple". Behind the chair, ministers, marshals, generals, admirals, ambassadors were lined up. Around the photographers and cameramen, trying to find the position better. Then the retinue went aside, and the "big three" remained alone on the background high doorswho led from the terrace to the meeting room. This snapshot became historical and bypassed the whole world.

Honorary Royal Gift was accompanied by a diploma. Now these exhibits are stored in the Panorama Museum of the Stalingrad Battle, located on the Volga Embankment in the central part of the Hero city. They enjoy great success in the visitors of the museum, especially the guests from the shores of Thames.

One day, Churchill presented Stalin Sable. There is a British newsreel, imprinted this solemn moment. It seems the prime minister of Great Britain in his youth was a cavalidist, so you will present a saber to the Allied Power Comer - it was a pretty natural gesture for him. But Stalin Cavalist was not. During the expropriations, which Joseph Jugashvili was engaged before the revolution, the sabers were not used, and more and more Mausers. In addition, Stalin was Sukhuk. He clumsily took a saber for the sheath from the hands of Churchill and turned her down. The scabed blade slipped out, jumped on the floor, and Stalin still ridiculously bounced aside, frightened that the saber would destroy him through his boot sixpath, they say leg. And this is the only case known to me in history when Stalin looked ridiculous. The tyrant should not be funny. Grozny, wise, cruel, gracious, kind, evil, insidious - how much is not ridiculous. This newsreel with a falling saber, of course, was not shown in the Soviet Union. The peoples of the world's first proletarian state were ridiculous to their ruler before his death. And Churchill saw. And the British saw. And the Americans. And citizens of all the Dominion countries saw this funny embarrassment in Stalin. And it seems to me, it was from this moment that Stalin stopped being afraid of Stalin, and not at all from the day of bombardments of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Tiran can not be funny. But each tyrant necessarily happens to rid. Moreover, a ridiculous tyrant happens in the sphere of human activity, which it considers the most important. As far as I understand, by the end of World War II, Stalin considered himself primarily a commander, military. And it was as a military committee made this funny lack of a saber. And Khrushchev considered himself primarily the people's breadwinner. And it was above his experiments with corn all the people laughed. And Brezhnev was important to consider himself not just a front-line, but the hero. And all the people laughed at the iconostasis of his heroic stars. And Putin ... Putin does not manage to be ridiculous in any economic affairs, nor in political or in the military. Even when he flies on something or heated into some depths, it turns out not ridiculous. But for some reason, the economic, political and military success of Putin is small. He seems to need a mystical some success. He seems to want to be not just the ruler, but anointed. Certains the personal blessing of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In order to go to Athos, it is likely that in the hope of obtaining a distinct sign from the Virgin. And the Mother of God, I must say, I will not miss the signs. Every time on Athos, the courageous, wise, Grozny, the cunning Russian ruler looks ridiculous. That donkey is running before Putin, the weather prevents a pompous visit, the photographer from the pool takes a funny photo with a funny Putin on the throne. Nothing catastrophic does not happen, nothing shameful, nothing dangerous - just ridiculous. And Tiran can not be funny. Laughter is molded over fear. Laughter is contraindicated by worship. Therefore, because of their Afonov trips, Putin never will not become a real folk worship. You may not believe in the Virgin. But another couple of such signs with a mischievous smile, and the President of Russia will become the object of ridicule - nothing else.

The history of the gifts of King George VI from the British to the Russian people of Stalingrad.
Images and links are presented due to the courtesy of Robert Vilkinson Latama.
Text Olof Janson, photos provided by Robert Wilkinson Latam

Magnificent Sword

One of the most famous swords of modern time is Stalingrad Sword.
He was made in memory of the tremendous victims of the Russian people in Stalingrad.

Battle for Stalingrad

Stalingrad battle was one of the biggest battles in the world. It continued in the period from October 21st, 1942 and on February 2, 1943. It was also one of the most bloody - the struggle took place within 200 days.

The Red Army and the civilian population of Russia have suffered huge losses, nevertheless the Red Army managed to surround the German group in Stalingrad, with approximately 750, 000 people were killed or captured. Six German divisions were destroyed.

The losses of the Red Army amounted to more than 400,000 killed, and more than 40,000 people died of civilians.

This battle was a turning point for the victorious onset of the Red Army and the beginning of the terror of Nazism.

About the idea of \u200b\u200bthe king and prime minister

Prime Minister Winston Churchill knew very well about the importance of this battle. Although he was not a friend of Stalin, he was a smart politician, and he wanted to emphasize the meaning of the battle. This sword was the provision of honor to people of Russia from King George VI and the people of Great Britain. The king and the Prime Minister approved the idea of \u200b\u200bmaking a unique sword in the form of a gift. He was represented by Field Marshal Joseph Stalin as a gift to the Russian people.

The task to design the sword received Wilkinson Sword Company. For the manufacture of sword was allocated for three months. This sword was a sample of the best British skill. As a basis, a model of a double-edged two-handed sword of participants crusades (Crusader's).
It took three months from the first projects to the manufacture of the final weapon option.

The length of the sword was 4 feet (1.25 meters).

Photo 2. Famous blacksmith Swords Tom Besle with a blade for Stalingrad Sword.

Photo 3. The handle was a retinue from a 18-carat golden wire, and the Ephesus was made of a mountain crystal.

Conducting Garda is abolished from silver with tips, made in the form of leopard heads ...

Photo 4. ... with finishing coated gilding.

Photo 5. The blade was convex and made of better steel. On each side there was a engraved inscription:
To The Steel Hearted Citizen of Stalingrad - The Gift of King George VI -
in Token of Homage of the British People

The reverse side of the blade contained the Russian translation of the same text:
Steel courage of Stalingrad citizens - the gift of King George VI -
as a sign of appreciation to the British people

Photo 6. Sheaths were made of the skin of the Persian lamb painted in a dark red color. They were decorated with silver royal coat of arms, crown and initials, gold-plated silver fasteners in the form five-pointed stars and installed in them three rubies

The original is taken by W. maximus67. In the 70th anniversary of the victory near Stalingrad. Dar of the admiring king

This sword is called "Sword of Stalingrad."

He is a certificate of military valiation of our people and a sign of respect for the British Crown.

But first things first.

The victory in the Battle of Stalingrad broke the Ridge by German invasion - and reheated him in sight of the whole world. Our enemy lost more than a quarter of all his strength on the Soviet-German front. It became clear: Hitler can be driven back to Berlin.

English Kuznets Tom Bacy Buchew Blade for Mike Stalingrad

The victory produced on the British king George VI such an impression that he ordered to turn the Sword to the Soviet Union as a gift.

All work on the development of his design was conducted by the best experts with the direct participation of the king.

He personally approved the sketch, drawn by a professor from Oxford on the name Glidou, a famous connoisseur of graceful arts.

Nine experts from the Golden Affairs Guild of the UK masters followed how his drawing was embodied in the metal.

Sword of Stalingrad - one and a half or even two-handed weapons, its length is about 122 cm, while the blade accounts for about 91.4 cm.

The blade does not have a doom, which is sometimes mistakenly called blood flow, nor the rib that gives the blade in the section shape of the rhombus, and resembles, rather, a bico lens.

Along the blade there are inscriptions in Russian and English, etched by acid:

Citizens Stalingrad. Strong as steel. From King George VI. In the sign of deep admiration of the British people

To the Steel-Hearted Citizens of Stalingrad. The Gift of King George VI. In Token of the Homage of the British People

Of course, weapons are richly decorated.
His handle is braided with golden wire in 18 carats.

Crystal sword and is crowned with a golden rose - a symbol of the royal surname of the tudors.

Garda is made of gilded silver, its tips are made in the form of stylized leopard heads.

Such decorations on weapons, they are also called "zoomorphic", go from the depths of centuries, and the sword itself is very traditional. Such a sword could well be mastered by the Middle Ages.

But he has more modern sheath.
Still, five-pointed ruby \u200b\u200bstars clearly hint at Soviet Union. The stars were excluded in gold, all other decorations are the royal coat of arms, the monogram and the crown, as well as the lining - or are made of silver entirely, or silver placed.

But it is understandable: new times - new heroes.

Wilkinson Sword management examines the sword of Stalingrad before conveying it to the Buckingham Palace

To create a sword - from the sketch to the transfer of the king, went about three months.

On November 29, 1943, a terrible meeting of the big three - Stalin, Churchill, Roosevelt took place in Tehran.

During the solemn ceremony, which preceded the meeting, Churchill presented weapons to Stalin.

The Father of Peoples accepted the weapon as it should and kissed the sheath.

And when I handed over the sword Roosevelt, who was standing next to, so that the American president was also able to see him, he exclaimed: "Truly, they had hearts from steel!"

Now this sword is exhibited in the Museum of the Stalingrad Battle of Volgograd.

The victory in the Battle of Stalingrad broke the Ridge by German invasion - and reheated him in sight of the whole world. Our enemy lost more than a quarter of all his strength on the Soviet-German front. It became clear: Hitler can be driven back to Berlin.

The victory produced on the British king George VI such an impression that he ordered to turn the Sword to the Soviet Union as a gift.

All work on the development of his design was conducted by the best experts with the direct participation of the king.

He personally approved the sketch, drawn by a professor from Oxford on the name Glidou, a famous connoisseur of graceful arts.

Nine experts from the Golden Affairs Guild of the UK masters followed how his drawing was embodied in the metal.

Sword of Stalingrad - one and a half or even two-handed weapons, its length is about 122 cm, while the blade accounts for about 91.4 cm.

The blade does not have a doom, which is sometimes mistakenly called blood flow, nor the rib that gives the blade in the section shape of the rhombus, and resembles, rather, a bico lens.

Along the blade there are inscriptions in Russian and English, etched by acid:

Citizens Stalingrad strong as steel from King George VI in the sign of deep admiration of the British people

To the Steel-Hearted Citizens of Stalingrad The Gift of King George VI in Token of the Homage of the British People

Of course, weapons are richly decorated. His handle is braided with golden wire in 18 carats.

Crystal sword and is crowned with a golden rose - a symbol of the royal surname of the tudors.

Such decorations on weapons, they are also called "zoomorphic", go from the depths of centuries, and the sword itself is very traditional. Those sword could well be the medieval knights.

Still, five-pointed ruby \u200b\u200bstars clearly hint at the Soviet Union. The stars were excluded in gold, all other decorations are the royal coat of arms, the monogram and the crown, as well as the lining - or are made of silver entirely, or silver placed. But it is understandable: new times - new heroes.

To create a sword - from the sketch to the transfer of the king, went about three months. On November 29, 1943, a terrible meeting of the big three - Stalin, Churchill, Roosevelt took place in Tehran. During the solemn ceremony, which preceded the meeting, Churchill presented weapons to Stalin.

And when I handed over the sword Roosevelt, who was standing next to, so that the American president was also able to see him, he exclaimed: "Truly, they had hearts from steel!"

Now this sword is exhibited in the Museum of the Stalingrad Battle of Volgograd.

The idea of \u200b\u200brestoring Stalingrad was discussed at the Tehran Conference in 1943. It is known that the Prime Minister of Britain Winston Churchill suggested to leave the city in ruins.

"It would be nice to leave terrible ruins, and nearby build a new, modern city. They would attract pilgrims from all over the Earth and would serve the warning of future generations ... "said Churchill. But Stalin replied that the city would be rebuilt again.

"Maybe we will preserve the untouched some part of it. All the city, like Phoenix, is revived from the ashes ... "said Stalin.

The sword of Stalingrad is a premium weapon made on the personal disposal of the King of Great Britain George VI and was presented on behalf of the British to the Soviet people as a sign of the recognition of courage and heroism. The sword is considered one of the samples of modern blacksmithing weapons.

Let's learn about it more ...

The Great Victory on the Volga has caused a tide of enthusiasm from the people of the British Empire. "Stalingrad became a symbol of courage, the persistence of the Russian people and at the same time the symbol of the greatest human suffering. This symbol will be preserved in the centuries, "said British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Such feelings were also tested by members of the royal family. But they were amazed by the scale of destruction in the city. Elizabeth-Elder, to the heart of perceiving the problems of the destroyed city and the care of his inhabitants, immediately began to restore Stalingrad, at the end of 1943 organized fundraising for the distant city. From England, where people themselves lived in wartime, six hospitals were delivered through the Society of Assistance to Stalingrad. In the mass number began to flow and warm things. And the money collected on the initiative of the queen was acquired medicines and equipment for the whole hospital. But Elizabeth Windsor and her spouse, as well as the two of their daughters - the eldest, Elizabeth, the current reigning queen, and the youngest, Princess Margaret - on the Family Council decided to send the residents of the distant Russian city, who serves Stalin's name, original gifts from themselves. The idea, by the way, suggested by the Queen itself. They began to decide what to give, and Princess Elizabeth expressed an unusual proposal that the whole royal family supported. As a result, the King of Great Britain decided to transfer a large knightly sword as a gift. No sooner said than done.

As a basis, a model of a double-edged two-handed sword of the Crusaders was taken. Sketch of him developed a professor of arts R.M. Glidou in Oxford, who received the personal approval of George VI. Which manufacturing was going on, the Commission from nine experts from the Golden Masters of the UK was observed from the Golden Affairs Guild. The Russian edition of the gift inscription was performed by a specialist in Slavic iconography, President of Cambridge Pembroke College Sir Ellis Hovll Minnz. On the blade - the inscriptions in two languages. In Russian: citizens of Stalingrad. Strong as steel. From King George VI. In the deep admiration of the British people. And in English: To the Steel-Hearted Citizens of Stalingrad. The Gift of King George VI. In Token of the Homage of the British People.

Honor of manufacturing "Mike Stalingrad" was provided by the world-famous weapon company Wilkinson. The blade was formed by the arms forces Tom Bizley and LED Rose, Calligrap Mervin S. Oliver and Silver Affairs Master Capral of the Royal UK UK Leslie J. Darbin. The convex blade of the double-edged two-handed sword is manually manually extinguished from first-class shefld steel. The total length of it is about 4 feet (122 cm).

Garda - from pure silver, her gold-plated arms, bent towards the blade, are made in the form of leopard heads. The two-handed handle is wrapped 18-carat golden wire. A huge crystal of a purest mountain crystal is mounted in the handle, in the end of the head of which - the golden rose of the tudors. Dark-red sheaths, from the skin of the Persian lamb, are decorated with silver-terrible royal coat of arms, crown and monogram, as well as five silver lining and three five-pointed ruby \u200b\u200bstars in the gold frame.

According to the experts of the weapon craft, the sword of Stalingrad can be considered one of the masterpieces of the weapons art of the modern era. The manufacture of sword took the British arms for 3 months. What is characteristic of the British company Wilkinson Sword, several copies of the Mike of Stalingrad were released, one of which is stored in National Museum military history SOUTH AFRICA.

The official ceremony of awarding Mike Stalingrad on November 29, 1943 in the Soviet Embassy in Tehran

The official ceremony of presenting a sword was held on November 29, 1943 in the Soviet Embassy in Tehran during the meeting of the leaders of the Anti-Hitler Coalition countries. The presentation on behalf of King George VI and the English people specially made by the sword residents of Stalingrad were furnished with an underlined pomp. A large shiny sword with two-handed ephhes and inlaid scabbeds, stitched by the experienced hereditary gunsmiths of England, symbolized tribute to the heroes of Stalingrad - cities where the ridge of the fascist beast was broken.
The hall was filled with long before the ceremony. There were already all members of delegations, as well as the leaders of the armies, fleets and aviation of the powers - participants of the anti-Hitler coalition, when the "big triple" appeared.

Stalin was in a light gray twig with Marshallseeds. Churchill this time also appeared in military form. From that day of his form, the English prime minister did not shoot in Tehran, and everyone believed that this was his peculiar reaction to Stalin's marshy clothing. At first Churchill wore a blue-striped suit, but seeing Stalin in the form, he immediately requested a gray-bluish uniform of the highest officer of the Royal air force. This form just arrived at the sneezing ceremony. Roosevelt, as usual, was in civilian clothes.

Honorary guard consisted of officers of the Red Army and British armed Forces. The orchestra performed the Soviet and English government hymns. Everyone stood an empty. Orchestra Smalk, and a solemn silence has come. Churchill slowly approached the large black box lying on the table and opened it. The sword hidden in the sheath rests on a burgundy velvet pillow. Churchill took him with both hands and, holding a weight, appealing to Stalin: "His Majesty King Georg VI commanded me to give you to the city of Stalingrad this honorable sword made by the sketch, chosen and approved by His Majesty. This honorable sword is manufactured by English masters, the ancestors of which for many generations were engaged in the manufacture of swords. The inscription engraved on the blade: "The gift of King George VI people with steel hearts - citizens of Stalingrad, as a sign of respect for them of the English people." Having made a few steps forward, Churchill handed over the sword to Stalin, behind which the Soviet honor guard stood with the verges of versators. Having accepted the sword, Stalin took the blade of the sheath. The blade flashed with cold glitter. Stalin drives him to her lips and kissed. Then, holding a sword in his hands, quietly said: "On behalf of the citizens of Stalingrad, I want to express my deep appreciation for the gift of King George VI. Stalingrad citizens will highly appreciate this gift, and I ask you, Mr. Prime Minister, convey their gratitude to His Majesty King ... "Pause came. Stalin slowly bypassed the table and, approach Roosevelt, showed him a sword. Churchill supported the sheath, and Roosevelt carefully looked at a huge blade. After reading the inscription out loud on the blade, the president said: "Indeed, the citizens of Stalingrad steel hearts ..." And he returned the sword to Stalin, who came up to the table, where the case lay, carefully laid the sword hidden into it and closed the cover. Then he handed over the case of Voroshilov, who, accompanied by the employee guard, move the sword to the next room ...

Leaders of the Anti-Hitler Coalition Countries Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin, Franklin Delaware Roosevelt, Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill, Tehran Conference 1943

Everyone came out to be photographed on the terrace. It was warm and windless. The sun illuminated the gold-plated foliage. Stalin and Churchill stopped in the center of the terrace, where they were brought in the wheelchair and Roosevelt. This was also brought three chairs for the "big triple". Behind the chair, ministers, marshals, generals, admirals, ambassadors were lined up. Around the photographer and film operators, trying to find the position better. Then the retinue went to the side, and the "big three" remained alone against the background of high doors, which led from the terrace to the meeting room. This snapshot became historical and walked around the whole world.

Honorary Royal Gift was accompanied by a diploma. Now these exhibits are stored in the Panorama Museum of the Stalingrad Battle, located on the Volga embankment in the central part of the Hero of Volgograd. They enjoy great success in the visitors of the museum, especially the guests from the shores of Thames.

Exposition "Honorary Sword" Museum-Panorama of the Stalingrad Battle of the City Hero Volgograd