Hero City (Russian: город-герой, gorod-geroy, Ukrainian: місто-герой, misto-heroy, Belarusian: горад-герой, horad-heroy) is a Soviet honorary title awarded for outstanding heroism during World War II (known in the Soviet Union as The Great Patriotic War). It was awarded to twelve cities of the Soviet Union. In addition the Brest Fortress was awarded an equivalent title of Hero Fortress. This symbolic distinction for a city corresponds to the individual distinction Hero of the Soviet Union.
According to the statute, the hero city is issued the Order of Lenin, the Gold Star medal, and the certificate of the heroic deed (gramota) from the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. Also, the corresponding obelisk is installed in the city.
Read more about Hero City: History, Brest Fortress, Leningrad (Saint Petersburg), Stalingrad (Volgograd), Оdessa, Sevastopol, Moscow, Kiev, Novorossiysk, Kerch, Minsk, Tula, Murmansk, Smolensk, Gallery, Similar Awards in Other Countries
Famous quotes containing the words hero and/or city:
“Like to the tree of Tantalus she fled,
And seeming lavish, sav’de her maydenhead.
Ne’re king more sought to keepe his diademe;
Than Hero this inestimable gemme.”
—Christopher Marlowe (1564–1593)
“I counted two and seventy stenches,
All well defined and several stinks!
Ye Nymphs that reign o’er sewers and sinks,
The river Rhine, it is well known,
Doth wash your city of Cologne;
But tell me, Nymphs! what power divine
Shall henceforth wash the river Rhine?”
—Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772–1834)