Moscow Kremlin museums present the exhibition «Valour, feats, glory …» dedicated to the hundredth anniversary of the beginning of the World War I founded on own collections. The exhibit running from September, 24th to November, 5th includes more than 50 rare objects and photo documents which remind of military and civil valour shown during the war by the best representatives from all levels of the Russian society.
«World War I became a crucial point of the Russian history. The direct result of the Great war became the revolution and as a continuation, the fratricidal Civil war, the establishment of the Soviet power, change of ideology – the Russian empire ceased to be. During the Soviet period this war was struck out of the history. Heroes of the war and their feats have been forgotten, the war memory - deleted even from the private life of families. Jubilees always permit to acquaint the most large circles of public with characteristic events of the Russian history. We do hope that our exhibition will contribute to the revival of historical memory», - Elena Gagarina, Moscow Kremlin museums General Director declared.
«At the end of the World War I, when in 1917 Petrograd was threatened with German invasion, treasures which belonged to the imperial family, as well as rewards and order relics from the Russian Orders’ Chapter were moved to the Armoury. Unique historical monuments and pieces of art have been saved by the Armoury Chamber first in 1918, during fighting for Kremlin and later, in the hard period of 1920s – 1930s», - Vassiliy Novosiolov, exhibition curator mentioned.
First of all on the display are exhibited military awards, among them are soldiers’ St. George crosses, superior orders of the Russian empire which were given to Russian officers and generals, including the superior award for military valour – the St. George order, arms as well.
Some of the objects on the display are directly connected with the history of the imperial family. Visitors may see the famous Faberge Easter egg made in 1916 and presented by the emperor Nickolas II to his wife, empress Alexandra Fyodorovna. Inside the steel egg the miniature watercolour painted on bone is inserted. The depicted scene represents the emperor Nickolas II together with his son Alexey, heir to the throne, visiting Russian troops at the front.
The empress Maria Fyodorovna, Nickolas II’s mother, was in charge of the Russian society of the Red Cross, taking care of the wounded by organization of hospitals, sanitary trains, as well as sanatoria. Elder emperor’s daughters Olga and Tatiana became medical nurses, younger, Maria and Anastasia, visited the wounded in hospitals and took part in public actions supporting the disabled veterans. On the display one may see awards with which doctors, orderlies, medical nurses were honoured – the Red Cross decorations.