What was the name of Budenovka in 1917. Interesting facts about “Budenovka”

Historical processes of public and social development have always been accompanied by “revolutionary changes” in the space of everyday life. First of all, this concerns fashion, in the context of “how”, and most importantly, “what” and “who” was worn. The reason is simple - a change in the external appearance of people of a particular “era”, spiritual, moral and moral values ​​as a result of historical transformations of existence. At the same time, acting as an integral part of the historical process of human development, fashion has always become a kind of specific “symbol” of a particular era, thus characterizing “its time.” The image of Russia during the revolutionary turning point of the early twentieth century through the practice of everyday life is curious not only to the average person, but also to the modern generation of researchers of Russian history.

The fashion for revolution at the beginning of the twentieth century in Russia logically leads to a “revolution” in fashion itself. The result will be new elements of clothing and the practice of wearing it, which in turn will act as iconic symbols of the changes that took place in 1917 in the history of Russia. At the same time, if in pre-revolutionary times the main fashion trends were reflected in especially wealthy layers of society - the top of the nobility and merchants, then after the events of October 1917 they can be successfully traced in the clothing of the highest party circles and the clothing of the proletariat. The main iconic symbols of the space of everyday life and fashion of the first post-revolutionary years in Russia were: a leather jacket - “kozhanka”, “Budenovka”, Lenin’s cap, red women’s scarves. The main person of the October Revolution of 1917, Bolshevik leader V.I. Lenin, despite his noble origins, dressed like a proletarian.

An ordinary three-piece suit, tie, double-breasted coat, cap with a visor of the French type, which undoubtedly became one of the symbols of the era of revolutionary changes in Russia. We emphasize that the “Lenin cap” was extremely popular in party circles of that time and gradually went out of fashion only after the death of the leader. was simple and unpretentious in his life and clothing; his style was most likely followed by his sister Maria. In 1920, K. Zetkin writes that “...Lenin seemed to me unchanged, almost unchanged, I could have sworn that he was wearing the same modest, carefully cleaned jacket that I saw on him when we first met in 1907 ." . In light of this, let us pay attention to the image of V.I.’s wife. Lenina N.K. Krupskaya. In our opinion, she was not interested in fashion and, like Lenin, did not care at all about her appearance.

She usually wore baggy coats, dark, tightly buttoned dresses, usually cut at the waist, with a stand-up collar or a placket at the chest. According to the memoirs of Clara Zetkin, her hair was combed smoothly back and gathered at the back of her head. The contrasting opposite of N.K. Krupskaya performs Inessa Armand. She prefers clothes that are elegant, discreet, very expensive, with beautiful details. So in a letter to Clara Zetkin, she writes: “Today I washed my frills and lace collars myself. You will scold me for my frivolity, but laundresses spoil things so much, and I have beautiful lace that I would not like to see torn. I washed it all this morning, and now I need to iron them.” The main fashion markers of the period under review were the leather jacket and the “Budenovka”. The leather jackets of the Red Commissars are not just a symbol of the “new power”, but also a certain marker of the privileged position of their “owner”. The main peak of their popularity occurred in 1917 - the first half of the 1920s. At the same time, we note that leather uniforms appeared in Russia at the very beginning of the twentieth century, the cut of which was based on the French double-breasted jacket. In Imperial Russia, this uniform was mainly worn by drivers and pilots.

Historians are of the opinion that the leather jackets issued to the security officers as a uniform were sewn during the First World War and accidentally discovered in the tsarist warehouses after the revolution. Later, Soviet employees and Komsomol activists tried to get their hands on such jackets in order to outwardly indicate their involvement in the new government. The leather jacket rightfully became a symbol of the new power and the unbending will of the leaders of the revolution, security officers and party members. The suit was complemented by riding breeches, high boots, a belt, a cap, a cap or a “Budenovka”. There are several versions about the origin of “Budenovka”. “Budenovka” was approved either in 1918 on the basis of a competition held by the new Soviet government, or it appeared in Tsarist Russia and was developed for the parade of the imperial army. Many researchers adhere to the middle position - the idea of ​​the “budyonovka” (then called the “bogatyrka”) actually appeared before the revolution, but was approved as a military headdress and became widespread only after 1918.

Proof of this is the absence of historical documents from the imperial period on the “Budenovka”, and their presence in the post-revolutionary period. Thus, there is a resolution of the Revolutionary Military Council, which describes the new headdress: “The headdress consists of a cap in the shape of the head, tapering towards the top and having the appearance of a helmet, and a folding back plate and visor. The cap consists of six equal-sized pieces of uniform cloth of a protective color in the shape of an isosceles spherical triangle, sewn together on the sides so that the vertices of the triangle converge at the top in the center of the cap, and the top of the cap is made blunt.

A round plate covered with cloth, about 2 centimeters in diameter, is sewn inside the top of the cap. At the front of the headdress, symmetrically with respect to the visor, is sewn a five-pointed star made of colored cloth, with its sharp end facing up. In the center of the star is a standard cockade badge with cherry-colored enamel.”

The first to wear the “bogatyrka” were the Red Army soldiers who joined M.V.’s detachment. Frunze, which is why it is often called “Frunze” (see figure at the beginning of the article). Let us note that later a winter version of the “bogatyrka” appeared, which received the nickname “Budenovka” - after the division of S.M. Budyonny, in which he first appeared.

Of great importance in the color scheme of revolutionary everyday clothing of the period 1917–1920s. acquired the color of the revolution banner - red. Men wore soldier's tunics with wide leather belts (if available), French jackets, and dark satin blouses with city jackets. Women wore dresses made of soldier's cloth or canvas, straight skirts, riding breeches, calico blouses and jackets, red scarves and scarves, with a knot at the back of the head. The floral pattern of factory fabric was replaced by a proletarian one - geometric figures, gears, tractors, “hammer and sickle”. Thus, the revolutionary events in Russia in 1917 were directly embodied in the clothing of representatives of the “new government” that replaced the monarchical system. Having completed the transition “from Tsarist to Soviet”, it created the unique charm of the “new” political force – the “Reds”, distinguishing it from the crowd. At the same time, the fashion of 1917 is also a “calling card” that gave a clear idea to the people of the “old regime” and the enemies of the revolution about “what kind of person” is standing in front of you and whose time has come.

Literature 1. “Bogatyrka”, “Frunzevka”, “Budenovka”. URL: http://www.istpravda.ru/artifacts/ (access date: 02/27/2018). 2. Zakharzhevskaya R.V. History of costume: From antiquity to modern times. M.: RIPOL classic, 2005. 288 p. 3. Costume of the Soviet period (1917-1980). URL: http://afield.org.ua/mod3/mod83_1.html (access date: 02/27/2018). 4. Khoroshilova O. Young and beautiful: Fashion of the twenties. URL: https://fictionbook.ru/author/olga_horoshilova/_html (date of access: 02/27/2018). 5. Tsetkin K. Memories of Lenin. URL: http://e-libra.ru/read/247749-vospominaniya-o-lenine.html (access date: 02/27/2018).

O.A. Ermolova

Let us immediately make a reservation that the question of the origin of the headdress, later known as budenovka, and the rest of the uniform corresponding to it, is ambiguous and there are several points of view on it. The official position has taken root in Soviet military and historical literature, stating that the budenovka (as well as an overcoat, tunic, etc., discussed below) appeared in 1918 and was created specifically for the emerging Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army (RKKA). However, in modern historical, and especially popular scientific literature, there is virtually no doubt about the version that this uniform appeared around 1915 and was developed for the Victory Parade of the Russian Imperial Army in Berlin and Constantinople. Let's try to understand this incident.

The main argument of Soviet historians is the lack of documents clearly indicating the creation of a new form under the tsarist government. And indeed it is. Such papers have not yet been found either in military or civilian archives. At the same time, historians had at their disposal a complete set of documentation from 1918, which allowed them to draw seemingly completely reliable conclusions. First of all, this is the order of the People's Commissar for Military Affairs No. 326 of May 7, which spoke of the creation of a commission to develop a new uniform. Its members included famous Russian artists V.M. Vasnetsov, B.M. Kustodiev, M.D. Ezuchevsky, S. Arkadyevsky and others.

Sketches were accepted until June 10 of the same year, therefore, less than a month was allotted for everything. The same order indicated in some detail how the People's Commissariat saw the new uniform. This is important, especially when coupled with extremely tight deadlines. It is also documented that already at the end of 1918 the first combat unit received a new uniform. This was a Red Guard detachment formed in Ivanovo-Voznesensk, which went to the Eastern Front to join the troops of Mikhail Frunze. And, by the way, they called the new headdress “Frunzevka” or “Bogatyrka”. The first cavalry army of Semyon Budyonny did not yet have a new form.

It would seem that everything is clear, but only at first glance. There is indirect, but quite documentary evidence. Thus, in the study by O.A. Vtorov “The beginning of the continuation. Russian entrepreneurship and Russian social democracy” we read: “...In the quartermaster warehouses there was already a new uniform, sewn by the N.A. concern. Vtorov based on sketches by Vasily Vasnetsov. The uniform was sewn according to orders from the Court of His Imperial Majesty and was intended for the troops of the Russian army, in which it was to be worn at the Victory Parade in Berlin. These were long-brimmed overcoats with “conversations”, cloth helmets, stylized as old Russian helmets, later known as “Budenovki”, as well as sets of leather jackets with trousers, leggings and caps, intended for mechanized troops, aviation, crews of armored cars, armored trains and scooters. During the organization of the Cheka, this uniform was handed over to the employees of this structure - the armed detachment of the party."

So, the first evidence has been found. Let us immediately note that this is not the only confirmation of the “imperial” version; it was also found in the emigrant memoirist, but in Soviet Russia this source was neglected.

The second argument is metaphysical, which does not deprive it of its weight. The fact is that the style of the new form did not fit into the ideology of the revolutionary republic at all. Old Russian motifs, obviously visible in helmets or “heroic” hats, loose tunic shirts and long overcoats with “conversations” (transverse arrow fasteners), emphasized the national identity of the soldiers, which did not fit into the cosmopolitan concept of the world revolution. All the above documents are signed by L.D. Trotsky, who could not miss such a blatant discrepancy. By the way, the stars on Budenovkas were originally blue, but they had a red liner with a plow and a hammer sewn on them. The hammer and sickle, as well as multi-colored (by branch of service) stars appeared only in subsequent modifications of the form.

At the same time, the new form fits perfectly into the style of Vasily Vasnetsov’s works. The singer of the ancient Russian knights was, in fact, the creator of the heroic image, which is used in the concept of the new patriotic uniform. And there is enough evidence that the artist was designing military uniforms. Let us note that Soviet military historians do not reject the authorship of V. Vasnetsov; they only postpone the moment of creation of the form to a later time.

There is also a purely economic aspect. Was it realistic to sew a sufficient number of new uniforms in a country devastated by war and disorganized by the revolution in just a few months? This looks like a utopia. As well as the fact that in a month it was possible to develop a uniform concept and almost immediately bring the idea to industrial production. You need to understand what the technical conditions and speed of information transfer were like in 1918.

Most likely, the form actually already existed, and the commission only approved it and finalized it. Apparently, this had more to do with symbolism rather than an ideological concept. Trotsky chose the lesser evil - he, in fact, had no other option. Either use what was in warehouses, or do without new uniforms at all, as the People’s Commissar himself initially proposed to do. And the story with the commission and the competition was invented in order to break the chain of historical continuity, because it was inappropriate for the soldiers and commanders of the Red Army to flaunt in overcoats sewn for the triumph of the imperial troops. And the lack of documents is probably due to this. Mentions could have been destroyed so as not to discredit the new revolutionary mythology, of which the legendary Budenovki became a part. By the way, the name of Trotsky himself was also almost completely erased from the archives of the Red Army.

So, apparently, the uniform designed for the Great War Victory Parade actually existed. It was created by order of the Court of His Imperial Majesty around 1915-1916. The ideological concept was developed by the artist Vasily Vasnetsov; perhaps someone else helped him in technical matters. The uniform was sewn by M.A. Vtorov in Siberian factories and was stored in army warehouses. It seems that the number of sets of the new uniform was not large, which could indicate its ceremonial character. Indirectly, this is evidenced by the fact that in practice the new form did not perform well and after 20 years it completely fell out of use.

The last episode was the Finnish war, after which budenovkas were finally replaced with fur hats with earflaps, and overcoats with quilted jackets and short fur coats.

The fate of the form turned out to be unenviable, although it could have been glorious. And, you see, this is very symbolic. Vasnetsov’s form repeated the history of the entire country reshaped by the revolution: instead of a quick victory and peace, we got a long-term civil war with millions of new victims. And the triumphant “hero” of Russian soldiers remained in the people’s memory as the Red Banner “Budenovka”.

It is believed that the budenovka was developed back in tsarist times - during the First World War. However, this opinion today is recognized as only one of the versions of the origin of the universally recognizable headdress. When did the idea of ​​sewing budenovka actually appear?

"Royal" version

This version is supported by modern historical literature. According to this hypothesis, to participate in the Victory Parade in Berlin in 1915, a headdress was developed for the Russian Imperial Army that was reminiscent in shape of the Budenovka that was subsequently worn by the Red Army. But because of the war, the headdress remained in warehouses. And only after the October Revolution in 1918 it came into the possession of the Bolsheviks.
The version turned out to be quite slender. However, according to journalist and writer Boris Sopelnyak, this theory is just “one of the most common, but there is not a word of truth in it.” And he emphasizes that the USSR also partly supported this version of the origin of Budenovka. Documentation containing orders and reports on the development of new uniforms for the Red Army and signed by the Chairman of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Soviet Republic, Leon Trotsky, was always cited as evidence. The uniform approved for the Red Army soldiers included Budenovka, which at that time was lying in the former tsarist army warehouses. But in the version in which this headdress was being preserved, it could not be used. The coat of arms of the Russian Empire and the double-headed eagle, which were present on the cap, could not serve as symbols of the Red Army. And they were covered with a large five-pointed star. Moreover, it was originally blue.
By the way, the documents cited as evidence, dating from the post-revolutionary years, were used by many Soviet historians as a counter-argument against the “tsarist version” of the origin of Budenovka. Moreover, neither the military nor the civil archives inherited from the Russian Empire contain any papers that would indicate the development of new uniforms for the tsarist army.

In February 1918, the Red Army was created, which required its own uniform, different from the uniform previously adopted in tsarist times. To this end, on May 7, 1918, by order of the People's Commissariat for Military Affairs of the Republic, a competition was announced to develop a new uniform. Even world-famous artists took part in this competition - V.M. Vasnetsov, B.M. Kustodiev, S.T. Arkadyevsky and the master of the historical genre M.D. Ezuchevsky.
Sketches of the new uniform were accepted for a whole month - until June 10, 1918. Moreover, the headdress, overcoat, and other parts of the uniform were described in detail in the order itself. All artists had to adhere to these criteria. On December 18, 1918, the winter version of the budenovka was approved. And already at the very end of that year, the first combat unit of the Red Army - a detachment formed in Ivanovo-Voznesensk - received a new uniform and went to the Eastern Front at the disposal of Mikhail Frunze. That is why Budenovka was first called “Frunzevka”. By the way, this hat also had another name - “heroka”, due to the similarity of its shape with the ancient Russian helmet.
Opponents of the Red Army origin of the budenovka pointed out in their research that at the time of the October Revolution, a new uniform was already lying in the quartermaster warehouses, developed, by the way, according to the sketches of Vasily Vasnetsov, who subsequently participated in the May 1918 competition. The royal uniform consisted of long overcoats with arrow fasteners and cloth helmets, which were a stylization of the Old Russian heroic helmets. Evidence of this form also appeared in emigrant memoirs. However, all this can be questioned. Moreover, the sketch of a new uniform presented in 1918 by Vasnetsov, which repeated (and only!) the uniform of the tsarist army for the parade, apparently, also pleased the Bolsheviks. But the uniform lying in the warehouse was a dress uniform, not a military one! Therefore, most likely, Vasnetsov made adjustments to his previous version.
However, there is one “but” that leads to slight confusion from the “Soviet” origin of the budenovka. The country was financially ruined after the revolution and the First World War. And where were the Bolsheviks able to get so much money to provide the new Army with uniforms? But here it is worth remembering that the royal uniform was made for the parade, which means that there were not so many sets of it. In other words, the Bolsheviks still had to sew it, and not right away. Therefore, during the Civil War (1918-1922), instead of budenovka, many Red Army soldiers wore hats and caps from the tsarist army on their heads.

From blue to orange

The star on Budenovka was not originally red. At first it was made in a blue version, and then it was assigned its own color depending on the type of troops. For the infantry they sewed a crimson star, for the cavalry they left a blue one, for the artillery it was made orange (and in 1922 it became black). The engineering troops were assigned a black star, the armor forces (future armored forces) received a red star, and the aviators a blue star, etc. A copper red star was also attached on top of the cloth star.
The Chekists received the Budenovka only in June 1922. Moreover, they had it in a dark blue color, and the star was made of dark green cloth. In 1923, their Budenovka was “repainted” black, and the star – crimson. In 1924, their helmet became dark gray and the star became maroon.

From summer helmet to winter version

Budenovka model 1918 was intended for the cold season. She had a long backplate, which was folded in half and fastened on the sides with 2 buttons. If necessary, it was unfolded to cover the ears and neck.
From April 1919 to February 1922, budenovka became an all-season dress. And on January 31, 1922, a linen Budenovka was introduced without a backplate and with two visors, which were located at the back and front of the helmet. For this reason, people nicknamed the headdress “Hello and Farewell.” In addition, it very much resembled a German helmet due to its sharp tip. This often led to confusion among the White Guards. For example, in the summer of 1920 there was a case in Northern Tavria (in Crimea), when a white officer, who had fought in the First World War, mistook Red Army soldiers for Germans.
Therefore, the helmet, which resembled a German helmet, was replaced with a cap in May 1924. As for the budenovka, approved back in 1918, it returned to the Army again in February 1922, becoming a winter headdress. At the same time, its shape acquired roundness, and the pommel ceased to be so sharp and very prominent. In this version, the budenovka existed until 1927. True, from the summer of 1926 to the spring of 1927, this Budenovka was “deprived” of a star, because it was not possible to attach it.
During the war with Finland, the helmet did not perform well. Therefore, it was abolished in July 1940, replacing it with a simple earflap hat. But since a huge number of earflaps were required, Budenovka had to be worn until 1942. And in some cases, Budenovka was issued to soldiers even until March 1943.

From “lightning rod” to symbol

Budenovka had many names, including “lightning rod” or “mind rod”. It received such an offensive name because of its sharp pommel. There is even a legend about this: the Red commander, who served in the Far East in 1936, liked to ask his subordinates what the “spire” on Budenovka meant. And then he himself answered: “This is for when they sing “The Internationale,” so that with the words “Our indignant mind is seething,” steam can escape through this spire...”
However, artists, directors and writers managed to change the offensive and mocking attitude towards this helmet. True, the romantic image of budenovka appeared only in the 1950s. And from that moment on, she was actively depicted on posters and postcards, since she was recognizable. By the way, thanks to the efforts of these people, Budenovka remains a firm symbol of Russia for foreigners to this day.

Author Belle Sackett asked a question in the section Society, Politics, Media

What was the name of Budennovka before they sewed a red star on it? and got the best answer

Answer from Elena[guru]

BUDENOVKA (BOGATYRKA, FRUNZEVKA) - a Red Army cloth headdress, made according to the type of an ancient Russian heroic helmet. In 1918, a temporary commission was established in Russia to develop uniforms for the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (RKKA), and the People's Commissariat for Military Affairs announced a competition for the best examples of new military uniforms. “The uniforms,” it was said in the terms of the competition, “quite different from the old ones, should be sporty and strict, but elegant in their democratic simplicity and corresponding in style to the spirit of folk art,” artists V. Vasnetsov and B. Kustodiev from the beginning of the First World War revolutions were developing uniforms for the Russian army. The idea was to give the appearance of a Russian soldier the features of an ancient Russian warrior. For this purpose, they studied authentic samples of ancient Russian military equipment from the Armory Chamber and other museums.
Nothing was simpler than to adopt an already developed and manufactured uniform, especially since its reserves were stored in warehouses, and at the end of 1918, the Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic approved a new type of military headdress - a cloth helmet with a cone, an overcoat with “conversations” (breastplates) straps), a shirt and leather bast shoes (boots were unavailable for Red Army soldiers in the devastated country). The headdress of the Red Army soldier was called the hero. The Red Army soldiers of Ivanovo-Voznesensk were the first to wear the heroic figure. But already in 1920, having entered the uniform of the First Cavalry Army, commanded by S. M. Budyonny, the hero became a budenovka. This helmet was also called Frunze (1920), since M. V. Frunze at that time commanded the army in Turkestan. Budenovkas were made from cloth. Special cuffs made them comfortable and warm. The color of the star on the helmet (also cloth) distinguished the branch of the army. Budenovka remained in the Red Army until the start of the Great Patriotic War.
You can also read it on Wikipedia.

Answer from Unixaix CATIA[guru]
the most interesting thing is that when they sewed it up, it wasn’t called that either

How the “heroic helmet”, sewn for the imperial Victory Parade in Constantinople, became a symbol of the Red Army.

Let us immediately make a reservation that the question of the origin of the headdress, later known as the “Budenovka” and the rest of the uniform corresponding to it, is ambiguous and there are several points of view on it. The official position has taken root in Soviet military and historical literature, stating that the budenovka (as well as an overcoat, tunic, etc., discussed below) appeared in 1918 and was created specifically for the emerging Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army (RKKA). However, in modern historical, and especially popular scientific literature, there is virtually no doubt about the version that this uniform appeared around 1915 and was developed for the Victory Parade of the Russian Imperial Army in Berlin and Constantinople. Let's try to understand this incident.

The main argument of Soviet historians is the lack of documents clearly indicating the creation of a new form under the tsarist government. And indeed it is. Such papers have not yet been found either in military or civilian archives. At the same time, historians had at their disposal a complete set of documentation from 1918, which allowed them to draw seemingly completely reliable conclusions. First of all, this is the order of the People's Commissar for Military Affairs No. 326 of May 7, which spoke of the creation of a commission to develop a new uniform. Its members included famous Russian artists V. M. Vasnetsov, B. M. Kustodiev, M. D. Ezuchevsky, S. Arkadyevsky and others.

Sketches were accepted until June 10 of the same year, therefore, less than a month was allotted for everything. The same order indicated in some detail how the People's Commissariat saw the new uniform. This is important, especially when coupled with extremely tight deadlines. It is also documented that already at the end of 1918 the first combat unit received a new uniform. This was a Red Guard detachment formed in Ivanovo-Voznesensk, which went to the Eastern Front to join the troops of Mikhail Frunze. And, by the way, they called the new headdress “Frunzevka” or “Bogatyrka”. The first cavalry army of Semyon Budyonny did not yet have a new form.
It would seem that everything is clear, but only at first glance. There is indirect, but quite documentary evidence.

Thus, in the study by O. A. Vtorov “The Beginning of the Continuation. Russian entrepreneurship and Russian social democracy” we read:
“...In the quartermaster warehouses there was already a new uniform, sewn by the concern of N. A. Vtorov according to the sketches of Vasily Vasnetsov. The uniform was sewn according to orders from the Court of His Imperial Majesty and was intended for the troops of the Russian army, in which it was to be worn at the Victory Parade in Berlin. These were long-brimmed overcoats with “conversations”, cloth helmets, stylized as old Russian helmets, later known as “Budenovki”, as well as sets of leather jackets with trousers, leggings and caps, intended for mechanized troops, aviation, crews of armored cars, armored trains and scooters. During the organization of the Cheka, this uniform was handed over to the employees of this structure - the armed detachment of the party."
So, the first evidence has been found. Let us immediately note that this is not the only confirmation of the “imperial” version; it was also found in the emigrant memoirist, but in Soviet Russia this source was neglected.

From the description of the “hero”: “The top of the cap is blunted. A round plate-button with a diameter of about 2 cm, covered with cloth, is sewn into its top. A cap of the same shape made of calico with a quilted cotton lining is sewn to the cloth cap from the inside. A two-layer cap is sewn in front to the lower edge of the cap a cloth visor with six rows of stitching, and a backplate, also sewn from two layers of cloth, is attached to the back. The backplate has a triangular cutout in the middle part and elongated tapering ends. There are two perforated overlocked loops on the left end, and two buttons on the right. To fold the backplate, it is bent in width at the top point of the triangular cutout, and its free ends are bent inward along the fold. The corners of the folded backplate are fastened with leather straps to buttons with a diameter of 1.5 cm, covered with instrument cloth...."

"...In front of the headdress, symmetrically with respect to the visor and the front seam, a regular five-pointed star is sewn from instrument cloth with a diameter of 8.8 cm, and the internal corners on a circle with a diameter of 4.3 cm. The star should have an edge 5-6 cm wide mm, applied with black paint, retreating 3 mm from the edge. A “cockade badge” of the established pattern is attached in the center of the star.”

The second argument is metaphysical, which does not deprive it of its weight. The fact is that the style of the new form did not fit into the ideology of the revolutionary republic at all. Old Russian motifs, obviously visible in helmets or “heroic” hats, loose tunic shirts and long overcoats with “conversations” (transverse arrow fasteners), emphasized the national identity of the soldiers, which did not fit into the cosmopolitan concept of the world revolution. All the above documents bear the signature of L. D. Trotsky, who could not have missed such a blatant discrepancy. By the way, the stars on Budenovkas were originally blue, but they had a red liner with a plow and a hammer sewn on them. The hammer and sickle, as well as multi-colored (by branch of service) stars appeared only in subsequent modifications of the form.

At the same time, the new form fits perfectly into the style of Vasily Vasnetsov’s works. The singer of the ancient Russian knights was, in fact, the creator of the heroic image, which is used in the concept of the new patriotic uniform. And there is enough evidence that the artist was designing military uniforms. Let us note that Soviet military historians do not reject the authorship of V. Vasnetsov; they only postpone the moment of creation of the form to a later time.

There is also a purely economic aspect. Was it realistic to sew a sufficient number of new uniforms in a country devastated by war and disorganized by the revolution in just a few months? This looks like a utopia. As well as the fact that in a month it was possible to develop a uniform concept and almost immediately bring the idea to industrial production. You need to understand what the technical conditions and speed of information transfer were like in 1918.

Most likely, the form actually already existed, and the commission only approved it and finalized it. Apparently, this had more to do with symbolism rather than an ideological concept. Trotsky chose the lesser evil - he, in fact, had no other option. Either use what was in warehouses, or do without new uniforms at all, as the People’s Commissar himself initially proposed to do. And the story with the commission and the competition was invented in order to break the chain of historical continuity, because it was inappropriate for the soldiers and commanders of the Red Army to flaunt in overcoats sewn for the triumph of the imperial troops. And the lack of documents is probably due to this. Mentions could have been destroyed so as not to discredit the new revolutionary mythology, of which the legendary Budenovki became a part. By the way, the name of Trotsky himself was also almost completely erased from the archives of the Red Army.
So, apparently, the uniform designed for the Great War Victory Parade actually existed. It was created by order of the Court of His Imperial Majesty around 1915-1916.

The ideological concept was developed by the artist Vasily Vasnetsov; perhaps someone else helped him in technical matters. The uniform was sewn by M.A. Vtorov's concern at Siberian factories and stored in army warehouses. It seems that the number of sets of the new uniform was not large, which could indicate its ceremonial character. Indirectly, this is evidenced by the fact that in practice the new form did not perform well and after 20 years it completely fell out of use.

The last episode was the Finnish war, after which budenovkas were finally replaced with fur hats with earflaps, and overcoats with quilted jackets and short fur coats.

Article from the site "Sedition"



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