Hero of Belarus
Encyclopedia
Hero of Belarus is the highest title
that can be bestowed on a citizen of Belarus
. The title is awarded to those "who perform great deeds in the name of freedom, independence and prosperity of the Republic of Belarus". The deed can be for military performance, economic
performance or great service to the State and society. The design of the medal is similar to that of its predecessor, Hero of the Soviet Union
. Similar titles to the Hero of Belarus include the Russia
n Hero of the Russian Federation
and the Ukrainian
Hero of Ukraine
. Since its creation, the title has been awarded to twelve people.
The title was created by the Belarus Supreme Soviet
on April 13, 1995, with the passage of Resolution
N 3726-XII, titled "System of State Awards for the Republic of Belarus". Alongside the Hero of Belarus title, the resolution authorized the creation of medal
s, orders
, and titles that can be presented by the Belarusian government. The creation of the awards was a way to honor those who have made valuable contributions to Belarus, irrespective of whether they were performed by a citizen or a foreigner.
This resolution was outlawed and replaced by Law N 288-З on May 18, 2004.
Under the Belarus Constitution
(Part 4, Chapter 3, Article 84), the President of the Republic has the power to bestow state awards. To announce an award, the President issues a decree
conferring the title to a person. Within two months, the title will be presented by the President in a formal setting, usually at the Presidential Palace in the capital city of Minsk
. A certificate (gramota) will also be presented to the recipient, signed by the President of the Republic.
or Order of Labor Glory
was given. These privileges are regulated by Resolution of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Belarus under February 21, 1995 N 3599-XII.
Now this question is regulated by Law of the Republic of Belarus under June, 14 2007 N 239-З "About social privileges, rights and guarantees to a definite category of citizens".
According to it, Heroes of Belarus have rights:
The consumptions, connected with these privileges, are financed from means of republican and local budgets and of governmental social insurance.
The recipient of the title is given a medal called the Medal of the Hero of Belarus (Belarusian: медаль Героя Беларусі, Russian: медаль Героя Беларуси). The star
and suspension are made of gold
, and thus it is nicknamed "Gold Star", as was its predecessor, the Hero of the Soviet Union
. The star has a total diameter
of 33 millimeters, and is attached to a rectangular suspension device (boot tree). In the center of the rectangle is a ribbon of two sections of red and one section of green. The red and green bars on the ribbon evoke the design and colors of the national flag
. The amount of gold is set at 585-1 Test, with the total weight
of the medal being 19 grams. The present design was enacted into law by Presidential Decree Number 516 on September 6, 1999.
The design of the medal is modeled after one used for the Hero of the Soviet Union. Unlike the Hero of the Soviet Union, Hero of Socialist Labor
and the Hero of the Russian Federation
titles, there is no engraving on the reverse of the star. The ribbon also copies the Soviet Hero medal's ribbon, since a flag design was also used to make the ribbon of that medal. The medal is always worn in full on the left side of the breast above all other medals and orders. Chapter 4, Article 69 of Law N 288-З states that any awards and titles presented by the Soviet Union and the Byelorussian SSR
must be placed after awards from the Republic of Belarus. The same one can reed in the Presidential decree N 168 on April 8, 2005.
. The suspension was made from gold-plated silver, while the suspension of the current medal is made from gold, as the medal. The design of the star evokes the Marshal's Star
, which Soviet Marshals
wore around their necks. This medal was adopted by Presidential Decree Number 26 on May 15, 1996.
and Alaksandar Dubko
(posthumous), while Kirill Vakhromeev
, Mikhail Savicki
, Mikhail Vysotsky, Piotr Prokopovich and Vasily Revyako were presented their titles on March 1, 2006.
Uładzimir Karvat, a military pilot, was flying his training aircraft Sukhoi Su-27
p on May 23, 1996. The plane caught fire and Karvat was ordered to eject to safety. Unknown to the ground crew, the plane would have crashed in an area full of civilians. Seeing the civilians on the ground, Karvat steered the plane away until it crashed one kilometer from the Brest Voblast
settlements of Arabawshchyna and Vyalikaye Hatsishcha, killing him instanly. President Alexander Lukashenko
issued Decree Number 484 on November 21, 1996, which posthumously awarded Karvat the title Hero of Belarus. The crash site has been converted to a memorial for Karvat, where a copy of Lukashenko's decree is on the tail fin of the Sukhoi Su-27p.
Pavieł Maryjaŭ was awarded the title for his work in the automobile industry as manager of Belarusian Auto Works, a leading producer of Belarusian automobiles.
Vital Kramko and Michaił Karčmit were awarded for their work in the agriculture industry. Kramko is the chairman of the Hrodna Voblast
agricultural collective "October", while Karčmit was the director of the Minsk Voblast cooperative "Snov" until his death in 2004.
Alaksandar Dubko was posthumously awarded the hero title for his long service to the Belarusian and Soviet governments.
Kirill Vakhromeev, the current Metropolitan of Minsk and Slutsk, the Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus, was awarded the hero title for his work to restore spirituality among the Belarusian population.
Mikhail Savicki was awarded the hero title for his long contributions to the Belarusian arts and for helping to set up art academies in the republic.
Mikhail Vysotsky was awarded for running the research enterprise "Belavtotraktorostroyeniye", a part of the National Academy of Sciences.
Piotr Prokopovich was awarded for his work as the chairman of the National Bank of Belarus.
Vasily Revyako was awarded for his work at the Hrodna Voblast agricultural co-op "Progress-Vertelishki".
The hero title was also featured in a set of stamps released by BELPOST in December 2006, depicting the state awards of Belarus. On the first issue card, the medal is displayed in full color next to drawings of the state emblem, state flag and the Presidential Palace. A first day postal marking from Minsk also uses an outline of the medal, which is adorned with wreathes and the text "National Decorations of the Republic of Belarus" written in the Belarusian language.
Another set of stamps, devoted to orders and medals of Belarus, was put into circulation by Ministry of communication and informatization of Belarus in August 2008. The designers are Ivan Lukin and Oleg Gaiko. The printing is offset and full-color. Paper is chalk-overly and rubberized. The size of stamps are 29,6х52 mm.
Television channel "CTV (Minsk)" released a film, devoted to the Heroes of Belarus.
Hero (Title)
The title of Hero is presented by various governments in recognition of acts of self-sacrifice to the state, and great achievements in combat or labor. It is originally a Soviet-type honor, and is continued by several nations including Belarus, Russia and Ukraine. It was also awarded to cities and...
that can be bestowed on a citizen of Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
. The title is awarded to those "who perform great deeds in the name of freedom, independence and prosperity of the Republic of Belarus". The deed can be for military performance, economic
Economy of Belarus
Recently, the Belarusian economy has shifted into sustained high gear, along with Ukraine, Russia, and many other Commonwealth of Independent States economies. The economic boom provided by mineral wealth of Russia and other CIS nations and its key location as a transit route between the EU and...
performance or great service to the State and society. The design of the medal is similar to that of its predecessor, Hero of the Soviet Union
Hero of the Soviet Union
The title Hero of the Soviet Union was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded personally or collectively for heroic feats in service to the Soviet state and society.-Overview:...
. Similar titles to the Hero of Belarus include the Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n Hero of the Russian Federation
Hero of the Russian Federation
Hero of the Russian Federation is a Russian decoration and the highest honorary title that can be bestowed on a citizen by the Russian Federation. The President of the Russian Federation is the main conferring authority of the medal, which is bestowed on those committing actions or deeds that...
and the Ukrainian
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
Hero of Ukraine
Hero of Ukraine
Hero of Ukraine is the highest state decoration that can be conferred upon an individual citizen by the Government of Ukraine. The title was created in 1998 by President Leonid Kuchma and as of August 25 2011 the total number of awards is 265. The award is divided into two classes of distinction:...
. Since its creation, the title has been awarded to twelve people.
Legislation
The title and other Belarusian state awards, their creation, nomination and awarding, are regulated by a set of legal documents: Belarusian Constitution, Law N 288-З "About state awards of the Republic of Belarus" and presidential decrees.The title was created by the Belarus Supreme Soviet
Supreme Soviet
The Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union was the Supreme Soviet in the Soviet Union and the only one with the power to pass constitutional amendments...
on April 13, 1995, with the passage of Resolution
Resolution (law)
A resolution is a written motion adopted by a deliberative body. The substance of the resolution can be anything that can normally be proposed as a motion. For long or important motions, though, it is often better to have them written out so that discussion is easier or so that it can be...
N 3726-XII, titled "System of State Awards for the Republic of Belarus". Alongside the Hero of Belarus title, the resolution authorized the creation of medal
Medal
A medal, or medallion, is generally a circular object that has been sculpted, molded, cast, struck, stamped, or some way rendered with an insignia, portrait, or other artistic rendering. A medal may be awarded to a person or organization as a form of recognition for athletic, military, scientific,...
s, orders
Order (decoration)
An order or order of merit is a visible honour, awarded by a government, dynastic house or international organization to an individual, usually in recognition of distinguished service to a nation or to humanity. The distinction between orders and decorations is somewhat vague, except that most...
, and titles that can be presented by the Belarusian government. The creation of the awards was a way to honor those who have made valuable contributions to Belarus, irrespective of whether they were performed by a citizen or a foreigner.
This resolution was outlawed and replaced by Law N 288-З on May 18, 2004.
Recommendation process and awarding
To be considered for title, a person must perform a deed that greatly benefits the state and Belarusian society at large. The title can be awarded to those serving in the military, public service or private enterprise. It can only be awarded once to an individual, and can be awarded posthumously. The official criteria are stated in Chapter 2, Article 5 of Law N 288-З. Chapter 3, Article 60 of Law N 288-З allows any group (association) of workers to submit a recommendation (petition) for an individual to be awarded the title. Governmental bodies, the National Assembly, the Council of Ministers, cabinet officials and public unions, among others, are also eligible to submit nominations for the title. The candidate is evaluated, and if deemed worthy, the nomination is forwarded to the Council of Ministers and then, after have being allowed by the Governmental Secretariat of the Belarusian Security Council, to the President of the Republic.Under the Belarus Constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
(Part 4, Chapter 3, Article 84), the President of the Republic has the power to bestow state awards. To announce an award, the President issues a decree
Decree
A decree is a rule of law issued by a head of state , according to certain procedures . It has the force of law...
conferring the title to a person. Within two months, the title will be presented by the President in a formal setting, usually at the Presidential Palace in the capital city of Minsk
Minsk
- Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened...
. A certificate (gramota) will also be presented to the recipient, signed by the President of the Republic.
Privileges
Initially, social privileges for those, who achieved Hero of Belarus, according to the Resolution of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Belarus under April 13, 1995 N 3727-XII, were equal to the privileges for people, whom Hero of Soviet Union, Hero of Socialist Labour, Order of GloryOrder of Glory
Established on 8 November 1943, the Order of Glory was an Order of the Soviet Union. It was awarded to non-commissioned officers and rank-and-file of the armed forces, as well as junior lieutenants of the air force, for bravery in the face of the enemy.The Order of Glory, which was modelled...
or Order of Labor Glory
Order of Labor Glory
The Order of Labour Glory was a Soviet civilian award created on 18 January 1974 by the decision of the Praesidium of Supreme Soviet of the USSR. Closely modeled on the Order of Glory, it was meant to be its civilian counterpart, awarded for exceptional labour achievements...
was given. These privileges are regulated by Resolution of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Belarus under February 21, 1995 N 3599-XII.
Now this question is regulated by Law of the Republic of Belarus under June, 14 2007 N 239-З "About social privileges, rights and guarantees to a definite category of citizens".
According to it, Heroes of Belarus have rights:
- of free supplying with medicines in the list of main medicines, which are given under recipes in hospitals;
- of free production and repairing of dentures in governmental organizations domiciliary and of free supplying with other technical means of rehabilitation in accordance with the Governmental register of technical means of social rehabilitation;
- of pecuniary aid for recovery or, instead of pecuniary aid, of free out-of-turn sanitary-resort recovery;
- of free trip on all kinds of urban transport (except taxi) irrespective of domicile;
- of free trip on the transport (railway, water, auto, but not taxi) of suburban traffic;
- of one free roundtrip by rail, airplane, or truck per year of interurban traffic;
- rent-free housing, utilities, and services within 20 square meters of living space;
- of free home phone installation if the extension of the subscriber line is less than 500 meters;
- of free usage of the home phone (except interurban and international talks).
The consumptions, connected with these privileges, are financed from means of republican and local budgets and of governmental social insurance.
Construction and display
Star
A star is a massive, luminous sphere of plasma held together by gravity. At the end of its lifetime, a star can also contain a proportion of degenerate matter. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun, which is the source of most of the energy on Earth...
and suspension are made of gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
, and thus it is nicknamed "Gold Star", as was its predecessor, the Hero of the Soviet Union
Hero of the Soviet Union
The title Hero of the Soviet Union was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded personally or collectively for heroic feats in service to the Soviet state and society.-Overview:...
. The star has a total diameter
Diameter
In geometry, a diameter of a circle is any straight line segment that passes through the center of the circle and whose endpoints are on the circle. The diameters are the longest chords of the circle...
of 33 millimeters, and is attached to a rectangular suspension device (boot tree). In the center of the rectangle is a ribbon of two sections of red and one section of green. The red and green bars on the ribbon evoke the design and colors of the national flag
Flag of Belarus
The current national flag of Belarus was formally adopted on June 7, 1995, following the result of a referendum voted on by the Belarusian people in the previous month. This new design replaced a historical flag used by the Belarusian People's Republic of 1918, before Belarus became a Soviet...
. The amount of gold is set at 585-1 Test, with the total weight
Weight
In science and engineering, the weight of an object is the force on the object due to gravity. Its magnitude , often denoted by an italic letter W, is the product of the mass m of the object and the magnitude of the local gravitational acceleration g; thus:...
of the medal being 19 grams. The present design was enacted into law by Presidential Decree Number 516 on September 6, 1999.
The design of the medal is modeled after one used for the Hero of the Soviet Union. Unlike the Hero of the Soviet Union, Hero of Socialist Labor
Hero of Socialist Labor
Hero of Socialist Labour was an honorary title in the Soviet Union and other Warsaw Pact countries. It was the highest degree of distinction for exceptional achievements in national economy and culture...
and the Hero of the Russian Federation
Hero of the Russian Federation
Hero of the Russian Federation is a Russian decoration and the highest honorary title that can be bestowed on a citizen by the Russian Federation. The President of the Russian Federation is the main conferring authority of the medal, which is bestowed on those committing actions or deeds that...
titles, there is no engraving on the reverse of the star. The ribbon also copies the Soviet Hero medal's ribbon, since a flag design was also used to make the ribbon of that medal. The medal is always worn in full on the left side of the breast above all other medals and orders. Chapter 4, Article 69 of Law N 288-З states that any awards and titles presented by the Soviet Union and the Byelorussian SSR
Byelorussian SSR
The Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic was one of fifteen constituent republics of the Soviet Union. It was one of the four original founding members of the Soviet Union in 1922, together with the Ukrainian SSR, the Transcaucasian SFSR and the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic...
must be placed after awards from the Republic of Belarus. The same one can reed in the Presidential decree N 168 on April 8, 2005.
1996 medal
When the title was created, a suggested medal was drafted and designed by the government. The major difference between this medal and the current medal is the design of the suspension and the star medallion at the bottom: the top suspension is longer than the bottom, and the bottom star is outlined differently and is adorned with rubiesRuby
A ruby is a pink to blood-red colored gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum . The red color is caused mainly by the presence of the element chromium. Its name comes from ruber, Latin for red. Other varieties of gem-quality corundum are called sapphires...
. The suspension was made from gold-plated silver, while the suspension of the current medal is made from gold, as the medal. The design of the star evokes the Marshal's Star
Marshal's Star
The marshal's star is an additional badge of rank worn by marshals of the armed forces of the USSR, and subsequently the Russian Federation. The armed forces of the former USSR and the Russian Federation have two such insignia for higher military ranks, both in the form of a five-pointed star of...
, which Soviet Marshals
Marshal of the Soviet Union
Marshal of the Soviet Union was the de facto highest military rank of the Soviet Union. ....
wore around their necks. This medal was adopted by Presidential Decree Number 26 on May 15, 1996.
Recipients
The first award in history was given to Uładzimir Karvat (posthumous) in 1996. The first "group awarding" took place on June 30, 2001 to Pavieł Maryjaŭ, Michaił Karčmit, Vital KramkoVital Kramko
Vital Kramko is the chairman of "October" , an agricultural collective located in the Hrodna region. Kramko was awarded the title Hero of Belarus title "for selfless work and valiant efforts in the development of agricultural production." Kramko was awarded the title on 30 June 2001 from a decree...
and Alaksandar Dubko
Alaksandar Dubko
Alaksandar Dubko was the former chairman of the Hrodna Regional Executive Committee. In 1994, he was a candidate for President of Belarus. He also served in the Belarus SSR Supreme Soviet and the USSR Supreme Soviet...
(posthumous), while Kirill Vakhromeev
Kirill Vakhromeev
Metropolitan Filaret is the current Metropolitan of Minsk and Slutsk, the Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus and the leader of the Belarusian Orthodox Church that is an autonomous part of the Russian Orthodox Church....
, Mikhail Savicki
Mikhail Savicki
Mikhail Savitsky was a Belarusian painter. Born in 1922, he served on the Eastern front in World War II from 1941, but was captured and wasn't released until the end of the war...
, Mikhail Vysotsky, Piotr Prokopovich and Vasily Revyako were presented their titles on March 1, 2006.
Uładzimir Karvat, a military pilot, was flying his training aircraft Sukhoi Su-27
Sukhoi Su-27
The Sukhoi Su-27 is a twin-engine supermanoeuverable fighter aircraft designed by Sukhoi. It was intended as a direct competitor for the large United States fourth generation fighters, with range, heavy armament, sophisticated avionics and high manoeuvrability...
p on May 23, 1996. The plane caught fire and Karvat was ordered to eject to safety. Unknown to the ground crew, the plane would have crashed in an area full of civilians. Seeing the civilians on the ground, Karvat steered the plane away until it crashed one kilometer from the Brest Voblast
Brest Voblast
Brest Voblast or Brest Oblast is a province of Belarus with its administrative center being Brest.Important cities within the voblast' include: Baranovichi, Brest, and Pinsk.-Geography:...
settlements of Arabawshchyna and Vyalikaye Hatsishcha, killing him instanly. President Alexander Lukashenko
Alexander Lukashenko
Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko has been serving as the President of Belarus since 20 July 1994. Before his career as a politician, Lukashenko worked as director of a state-owned agricultural farm. Under Lukashenko's rule, Belarus has come to be viewed as a state whose conduct is out of line...
issued Decree Number 484 on November 21, 1996, which posthumously awarded Karvat the title Hero of Belarus. The crash site has been converted to a memorial for Karvat, where a copy of Lukashenko's decree is on the tail fin of the Sukhoi Su-27p.
Pavieł Maryjaŭ was awarded the title for his work in the automobile industry as manager of Belarusian Auto Works, a leading producer of Belarusian automobiles.
Vital Kramko and Michaił Karčmit were awarded for their work in the agriculture industry. Kramko is the chairman of the Hrodna Voblast
Hrodna Voblast
Hrodna Voblast or Grodno Oblast is a voblast in northwestern Belarus.The capital - Grodno is the biggest city of the province. It lies on the Neman River. Grodno's existence is attested to from 1127. Two castles dating from the 14th - 18th centuries are located here on the steep right bank of...
agricultural collective "October", while Karčmit was the director of the Minsk Voblast cooperative "Snov" until his death in 2004.
Alaksandar Dubko was posthumously awarded the hero title for his long service to the Belarusian and Soviet governments.
Kirill Vakhromeev, the current Metropolitan of Minsk and Slutsk, the Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus, was awarded the hero title for his work to restore spirituality among the Belarusian population.
Mikhail Savicki was awarded the hero title for his long contributions to the Belarusian arts and for helping to set up art academies in the republic.
Mikhail Vysotsky was awarded for running the research enterprise "Belavtotraktorostroyeniye", a part of the National Academy of Sciences.
Piotr Prokopovich was awarded for his work as the chairman of the National Bank of Belarus.
Vasily Revyako was awarded for his work at the Hrodna Voblast agricultural co-op "Progress-Vertelishki".
In culture
The medal was featured on a stamp, releazed by BELPOST, commemorating the 3rd year of Karvat's death. Designed by V. Volynets, the 25,000 rouble stamp featured the medal on the left and Karvat's photo on the right in full color. In the white text below the medal, it says "Hero of Belarus, Uładzimir Mikalaevič Karvat, (28.11.1958 – 23.05.1996)". It was issued on August 12, 1999, and had a print run of 90,000.The hero title was also featured in a set of stamps released by BELPOST in December 2006, depicting the state awards of Belarus. On the first issue card, the medal is displayed in full color next to drawings of the state emblem, state flag and the Presidential Palace. A first day postal marking from Minsk also uses an outline of the medal, which is adorned with wreathes and the text "National Decorations of the Republic of Belarus" written in the Belarusian language.
Another set of stamps, devoted to orders and medals of Belarus, was put into circulation by Ministry of communication and informatization of Belarus in August 2008. The designers are Ivan Lukin and Oleg Gaiko. The printing is offset and full-color. Paper is chalk-overly and rubberized. The size of stamps are 29,6х52 mm.
Television channel "CTV (Minsk)" released a film, devoted to the Heroes of Belarus.
See also
- Orders, decorations, and medals of Belarus
- Gold starGold StarThe Gold Star medal is a special insignia that identifies recipients of the title "Hero" in the Soviet Union and its communist allies, and several post-Soviet states.-Soviet origin:...
- Hero (Title)Hero (Title)The title of Hero is presented by various governments in recognition of acts of self-sacrifice to the state, and great achievements in combat or labor. It is originally a Soviet-type honor, and is continued by several nations including Belarus, Russia and Ukraine. It was also awarded to cities and...
- Hero of the Russian FederationHero of the Russian FederationHero of the Russian Federation is a Russian decoration and the highest honorary title that can be bestowed on a citizen by the Russian Federation. The President of the Russian Federation is the main conferring authority of the medal, which is bestowed on those committing actions or deeds that...
- Hero of UkraineHero of UkraineHero of Ukraine is the highest state decoration that can be conferred upon an individual citizen by the Government of Ukraine. The title was created in 1998 by President Leonid Kuchma and as of August 25 2011 the total number of awards is 265. The award is divided into two classes of distinction:...
- State decorationState decorationState decorations are orders, medals and other decorations granted by a state. International decorations are similar, but are not granted by a specific nation but rather an international organization....
External links
- Belawards.com History and Facts about the title Hero of Belarus
- Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Belarus Orders and Medals of the Republic of Belarus
- National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus Biography of Maryjaŭ (with a photo wearing his medal)
- Marat Kazey secondary school of general education (Stankof) Biographies of all Heroes of Belarus
- ODM of Belarus - Hero of the Republic of Belarus