The translation of the Italian word "guard" literally means "defense". The first wars are historically considered to be the period when the guard appeared. During the time of ancient Sparta, athletes who won competitions were enrolled in the guard. The Greeks called the guards “sacred warriors”, the Romans called them “praetorians”. In Prussia, warriors gathered in a special corps called the “corps of immortals.”

Story

The Day of the Russian Guardsman or Guard was officially established on December 22, 2000. The corresponding document was signed then by Vladimir Putin. The establishment of the holiday had a worthy reason - the three hundredth anniversary of the Russian Guard. The first guards appeared during the reign of Peter the Great, and the guard had the status of “imperial”. Initially it included the Semenovsky and Preobrazhensky regiments. Warrior guards often became the personal guard of the reigning persons. A warrior’s appearance was a kind of “ticket” for enlisting in the guard. Thus, only fair-haired men were enrolled in the Preobrazhentsy, blonde men became Semyonovtsy, and only red-haired men became cuirassiers. But every guardsman always had to have impressive height, unconditional courage, and excellent health.

In 1918, the guard was officially disbanded. Only the period of the war of 1941-1945 became the impetus for its new formation. Any military unit, armed formation, or ship that particularly distinguished itself in combat operations of that time received the title “Guards.”

Today the Russian Guard is:

1. Kantemirovskaya division (tank).
2. Taman division (motorized rifle).
3. Sevastopol brigade (separate motorized rifle), other units of the Armed Forces.

Traditions

Bearing the title of “guardsman” has always been honorable, since the distinctive qualities of a soldier of a guards regiment are absolute honor, courage, a heightened sense of patriotism, and constant readiness to fulfill his combat duty. Currently, the traditions of celebrating Guard Day are gradually being restored. On September 2, every year in regiments, divisions, formations, and units that have the status of “guards,” festive formations are held, festive dinners are prepared, and especially distinguished soldiers receive well-deserved awards. All these events are aimed at emphasizing the special status of the “guardsman,” raising morale and strengthening the patriotism of Russian soldiers.

The Day of the Russian Guard is usually celebrated on September 2. The reason for the official recognition of this holiday was the 300th anniversary of the Russian Guard. The decree “On the establishment of the Day of the Russian Guard” was signed by Vladimir Putin on December 22, 2000.

The Imperial Guard, consisting of the Semenovsky and Preobrazhensky regiments, appeared in Russia during the reign of Peter I. In 1918, it was disbanded and created again only during the Patriotic War. Military units, formations of the Armed Forces and ships that distinguished themselves in battle were awarded the title “Guards”.

The modern Russian guard includes the Kantemirovskaya tank division, the motorized rifle Taman division, the separate motorized rifle Sevastopol brigade, the motorized rifle Carpathian-Berlin division, line formations of the Airborne Forces, units and ships of the Navy, units of the air force and ground forces.

You defend your Motherland with dignity,
You always move forward everywhere.
Sometimes you are not at home for a long time,
You protect your people.

After all, somewhere your wife and children are waiting for you,
While you are going on the attack and into battle.
For them, you are the best in the world,
You are the strongest, you are a hero.

I want to congratulate you on Guards Day,
May all your dreams come true today,
And I hasten to add to congratulations -
After all, the hope for the country is you!

Happy Russian Guard Day
Congratulations to the guardsmen,
The elite of our army,
You are her honor and glory.

You dedicated yourself
Serving the Fatherland,
Ready for the Motherland
You give your lives.

I wish the guardsmen
I am the glory of battle,
Let the country sleep peacefully
Behind your back.

Your life goes by command,
The word “must!” - the main thing now is
Thoughts about home wander in my head,
You think about us all the time.

We miss you, son,
We are waiting for calls and looking forward to meeting you,
Every evening we remember something,
Sitting next to my dad.

We congratulate you today
Happy Russian Guard Day, dear,
We wish you joy and good luck,
And the only love, earthly.

Today is the Day of the Russian Guard,
I want to wish each guardsman.
So that he is happy in this life,
I send success and joy to all of you.

Let everything be calm at home,
Strong to have a family.
So that your efforts are not in vain,
Fate has been kind to you.

It’s not in vain that we celebrate the holiday of the Russian Guard,
You chose the path of a guardsman, my best friend, for yourself.
You are a brave warrior of the country, you can handle all tasks,
Congratulations! I want to wish you a lot of happiness!

Russian Guard Day
Let's celebrate widely!
Parade, concert, fireworks -
It's fun and easy for us!

We wish you bright days,
Goodness, smiles, happiness!
So that life bubbles with joy,
Maneuvering past misfortunes!

Sometime in the time of Peter
Date established in Russia.
The day of the guard has come now,
I congratulate you from the bottom of my heart.

Let what is planned happen,
Separation will follow the misfortune,
Let all sorrows become a dream,
Good luck, happiness, peace in your home!

Pride for the native Fatherland,
Model for the army and navy,
You always strictly follow your oath,
You can handle dangerous work.

Glory to our guard for their vigilant service,
For military training, for glory and for honor.
Young men today need to take an example from you,
The guards have an indestructible spirit!

The Day of the Russian Guard was established on December 22, 2000 by decree of President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin No. 2032 “On the establishment of the Day of the Russian Guard” in connection with the tricentenary of the Russian Guard in order to revive and develop domestic military traditions and increase the authority of military service.

Guards regiments, brigades, divisions, crews and battalions are the pride of the Russian Armed Forces, a model for the entire army and navy. A guardsman is a brave warrior with an indomitable fighting spirit and an indestructible will to win.

The emergence and development of the Guard

The Russian Guard was created by Peter I in 1700, and it received its baptism of fire at the beginning of the Northern War, in the Battle of Narva on November 19, 1700. Then Peter's Guard distinguished itself in 1702 and 1704, as well as near Poltava in 1709.

Before the advent of military educational institutions, the guard was the only school for officer cadres. But not only those who underwent this combat training were called guardsmen: for special merits, distinguished generals received the honorary title of lieutenant colonel of the Preobrazhensky Regiment. Thanks to the special trust of the most influential persons of the state, the guards were a significant political force. According to the Table of Ranks, its officers had an advantage over the army by two ranks.

During the reign of Paul I, the number of the guard increased significantly: five new battalions were formed. Then in 1813, along with the Old Guard, the Young Guard was formed - a cuirassier and two grenadier regiments, which distinguished themselves in the War of 1812. Subsequently, the number of the guard continued to grow. At the beginning of the 20th century, it included 12 infantry, 13 cavalry and 4 rifle regiments, 3 artillery brigades, a naval crew and a sapper battalion.

Guardsmen were involved in almost all wars in which Russia took part. Since the formation of the guard, its military uniform has been considered a symbol of honor and discipline. Every detail of this uniform was reminiscent of the victories won, and the regiments received their names in memory of military merits and were proudly worn on military banners, the protection of which was the primary duty of every guardsman.

The Soviet and current Russian Guard became a worthy successor to the traditions of the Russian Guard.

Russian and Soviet Guards

The Soviet Guard was created during the Great Patriotic War. Four motorized rifle divisions that distinguished themselves during the Smolensk battle near Yelnya, September 18, 1941, were called guards for their military exploits. At the same time, the Supreme Command Headquarters decided to organize guards mortar units.

The Guard of the Great Patriotic War are heroes whose names will never be forgotten: V.S. Petrov, A.I. Pokryshkin, I.N. Kozhedub, A.P. Maresyev, A.M. Sailors. Finding examples of fearlessness, perseverance and loyalty to the Motherland in the famous exploits of their ancestors, they multiplied the military merits of previous generations of guardsmen.

During the years of the Great Patriotic War, more than 4.5 thousand units, formations, associations and ships received the Guards name and special Guards banners. In May 1942, a badge was introduced for military personnel of the guards units.

Classes with young recruits in the 4th Guards Mechanized Corps on the eve of the Belgrade operation. In the background is a T-34-85 tank. Romanian-Yugoslav border

Soldiers of the 13th Guards Rifle Division in Stalingrad during rest hours

The command and technical personnel of the 20th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment at the Yak-9 fighter. Summer 1945. Third from left in the third row is the regiment commander, Hero of the Soviet Union, Lieutenant Colonel P.S. Kutakhov

After the end of the war, the Soviet Guard maintained the historical traditions of the Russian Guard. In peacetime, the formations were not transformed into guards, but with continuity in personnel, this rank was transferred to new military formations to preserve traditions. Guards formations and units, as a rule, were located at the forefront in border districts and groups of troops, and ships and divisions that performed especially recognized feats were located in the capitals of the union republics or in large cities. Each recruit who began serving in the Guards unit received the “Guard” badge and took an oath that he would not disgrace the memory of his fathers and grandfathers.

At the end of the 20th - beginning of the 21st century, the guard is still faithful to its laws, developed and consolidated by past generations of guardsmen. The modern guard has retained the previous awards and honorary titles. Its further development is professionalization, new principles of manning, improvement of the organizational structure, equipping with the most modern types of military equipment and weapons. Much attention is paid to combat training, and the life of military personnel is being improved. Patriotism, ideological conviction and loyalty to the oath are traits that are inherent in every guardsman.

The great glory of the Guard is the inheritance and heritage of all of Russia. To be a guardsman today means to have the highest combat qualifications, masterfully wield

Rulers have always surrounded themselves with guards, and states have always had special elite troops. "Guard" is translated from Italian and Scandinavian as "protection". These are the most privileged trained and technically equipped troops. It is the basis of the army, but nowadays it is also an honorary title that must be earned. A holiday is dedicated to this part of the troops in Russia.

When is it celebrated?

On December 22, 2000, Russian President V. Putin ratified Decree No. 2032 “On the establishment of the Day of the Russian Guard,” deciding to celebrate it on September 2. The document was published in honor of the 300th anniversary of this privileged part of the troops. In 2020 it will be celebrated for the 20th time.

Who's celebrating

Russian Guard Day is celebrated by military personnel of divisions, brigades, units, ships and formations who have been awarded this honorary title.

history of the holiday

The first guard was created during the reign of Peter I. These were soldiers from 2 regiments: Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky. The Emperor used them for his own protection and for conducting investigations in the field of legal proceedings and military contracts.

In 1918, army reform was carried out and the guards were disbanded. They were created again in 1941. September 1941 was marked by the introduction of the concept of “Guards Unit”. It was during the war years that heroes who particularly distinguished themselves in battle were awarded breastplates and guards ranks, and their formations were awarded the guards banner. At the end of the Second World War, more than 400 formations had them.

The collapse of the USSR led to the cessation of this glorious tradition, but in 2000, by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 2032, it was restored. Later, on May 31, 2006, the current document was confirmed by new Decree No. 549 “On the establishment of professional holidays and memorable days in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.” This day was marked as intended to develop traditions, increase the prestige of the army and as a sign of gratitude for solving defense problems and ensuring the security of the state.

The harbinger of the guard during the reign of Peter I were the amusing troops. The first guardsman is considered to be S. L. Bukhvostov, who in 1683 enlisted in these military units.

The soldier’s appearance served as a “pass ticket” to the Guards troops. The Izmailovsky Regiment took brunettes, the Preobrazhensky Regiment - fair-haired and tall, the Semenovsky Regiment - blondes, His Majesty's Cuirassier - red-haired on red horses, and Her Majesty's Cuirassier - blondes on Karak horses, the Pavlovsky - red-haired and snub-nosed, etc.

Holidays are constant companions of people's life. Holidays for us are an opportunity to bring joy to loved ones! And of course, a holiday is not a calendar concept, it happens where it is felt, where it is expected. A lot has changed in our lives in recent years, but people's craving for holidays remains an important phenomenon for any person.

On September 2, the Day of the Russian Guard is celebrated throughout Russia. This holiday was established on December 22, 2000 by decree of President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin No. 2032 “On the establishment of the Day of the Russian Guard” in connection with the tercentenary of the Russian Guard in order to revive and develop domestic military traditions and increase the authority of military service.

Russian Imperial Guard: history

The Day of the Russian Guard is a great occasion to look at a page of history. How it all began?

The Russian Imperial Guard was established at the beginning of the reign of Peter I from the Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky regiments in 1687. In 1918 it was dissolved. And only during the Great Patriotic War it was recreated again.
The title “Guards” was awarded to military units, ships, formations and associations of the Soviet Armed Forces that distinguished themselves in battles during the Great Patriotic War. The military formation received the Guards banner, and the personnel received the Guards rank and breastplate.

The Guard was a selected, privileged, best trained and equipped part of the troops. The Guard was the core of the army. Armed detachments that were directly attached to the monarch often served as his personal guard.

The first mention of Russian guards units is given in the historical chronicle of the Russian army, in connection with the military campaigns of Peter’s troops near Azov and Narva. Based on the “Chronicle of the Russian Imperial Army,” which was compiled at the behest of Emperor Nicholas I, it was officially established to call the Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky regiments the Life Guards from September 2 (August 22, old style) 1700. The very name “Life Guards” was taken from Europe. It consists of two words: the German “leib” - body and the Old German “guard” - security. Life Guards - the royal bodyguards or royal guards.

Guards regiments took part in the battles of the Northern War of 1700 - 1721, in the Persian Campaign of 1722 - 1723, in the Russian-Turkish Wars of 1735 - 1739. and 1877 - 1879, in the wars with France led by Napoleon and the First World War.

Created by Peter, the Russian Guard went through a glorious military path, becoming a reliable stronghold of the state.

In 1918, along with the disbandment of the tsarist army, the guards units were also destroyed.

The guard experienced its second birth during the Great Patriotic War. In the fall of 1941, for mass heroism, courage of personnel, high military skill demonstrated during the bloody battles of the Smolensk Battle, by decision of the Supreme Command Headquarters by order of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR of September 18, 1941 No. 308, four rifle divisions 100th, 127th , the 153rd and 161st were renamed the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Guards Divisions. By the end of the Second World War, the Soviet Guard consisted of 11 combined arms and 6 tank armies, 39 rifle, 7 cavalry, 12 tank, 9 mechanized and 13 aviation corps, 128 rifle, 17 cavalry, 47 aviation, 6 anti-aircraft artillery divisions.

Guards banners and breastplates of the Guard: rectangular plates with an orange moire ribbon, with black longitudinal stripes - the first Guards units were awarded on June 19, 1942. Since 1943, the rectangular sign has been replaced by a flag with the inscription "Guard".

The Russian army retains the high and honorable rank of guards. Guardsmen of the late 20th century. are faithful to the laws of the guard, developed and enshrined by their predecessors. A bright page in the recent history of Russian guards units was the feat of the 6th company of the 104th Guards Parachute Regiment near Ulus-Kert. On February 29, 2000, an event occurred that can easily be called decisive for the entire post-Soviet history of our country. On this day, the 6th company of the 104th parachute regiment of the 76th (Pskov) airborne division entered into mortal combat with a twenty-fold superior enemy at an altitude of 776.0 in the area of ​​the Chechen village of Ulus-Kert. Almost all of them died, but did not retreat, destroying half of the militants who were trying to break through.
The Russian Federation also had the experience of creating its own national guard, and this event turned fifteen years old this year.

At a rally near the White House on August 20, 1991, Russian citizens spontaneously began to enroll in detachments and units of the Russian Guard. Guided by paragraph 11 of Article 121-5 of the Constitution of the RSFSR, the Decisions of the Extraordinary Session of the Supreme Council of the RSFSR on August 21-23, President of the RSFSR Boris Yeltsin instructed Vice-President of the RSFSR Alexander Rutskoi to begin forming the Russian Guard to strengthen the protection of the constitutional system and democratic gains, and create additional guarantees law and order in the country.

In accordance with the instructions of the President, a working group was created in the secretariat of Alexander Rutsky to develop regulatory documents for the creation of the Russian Guard, then a Commission was organized to develop the Concept of the bill on the Russian Guard. The commission, having analyzed the situation in the country after the events of August 19-21, having studied the world and Russian practice of creating and functioning of units and units of the national guard, determined that the state mechanism existing at that time was clearly insufficient to ensure the normal functioning of public authorities and their protection and requires significant improvement. One of the types of work in this direction would be the creation of a RG, directly subordinate to the highest official and head of the executive branch - the President of the RSFSR.

Today, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation include the Guards Tank Kantemirovskaya Division, the Guards Motorized Rifle Taman Division, the Guards Motorized Rifle Carpathian-Berlin Division; Guards Separate Motorized Rifle Sevastopol Brigade; Guards Airborne Forces, other Guards units and Navy ships.

The high and honorable rank of guards has been retained in the army of new Russia. And today the guard is a symbol of honor, courage, valor, loyalty and heroism. The guardsmen of the late twentieth century are faithful to the laws of the guard, developed and enshrined by their predecessors.

The guardsmen of the Russian army proudly bear honorary titles on their banners, reminding us of the glorious days of the past.

We congratulate Russia on the holiday, Happy Russian Guard Day!