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:
“The hero used to be the one in white. Now he is harder to spot.”
—Mason Cooley (b. 1927)
“How soon country people forget. When they fall in love with a city it is forever, and it is like forever. As though there never was a time when they didn’t love it. The minute they arrive at the train station or get off the ferry and glimpse the wide streets and the wasteful lamps lighting them, they know they are born for it. There, in a city, they are not so much new as themselves: their stronger, riskier selves.”
—Toni Morrison (b. 1931)