The USSR Marshal’s Star

• Time Period: Interwar Medals
• Year of Institution: 2 September 1940
• Country: Russia & USSR

The Marshal’s Star (or маршальская звезда in Russian) is a badge of rank worn by marshals of the armed forces of the Soviet Union (and then the Russian Federation). Officially their names have changed, depending on what ranks received the right to wear them, and are known as the large marshal’s star and the small marshal’s star.

Marshal’s stars were first awarded to the marshals and admirals of the fleet of the Soviet Union. In time, smaller stars were awarded to “marshals of an arm of service” and “chief marshals of an arm of service”, admirals of the fleet, and later generals of the army of the Soviet armed forces.

On the death of the recipient, the award is returned to the diamond fund for re-use. Approximately 200 of this type of marshal’s star were produced.

The USSR Marshal’s Star Design

The medal is a gold five-pointed star with smooth diagonal rays on the front side. In the center is a platinum, five-pointed star with diamonds. The diameter of the gold star is 44.5 millimeters (1.75 in) and the platinum stars are 23 millimeters (0.91 in) in diameter. The star has a depth of 8 millimeters (0.31 in).

The marshal’s star has a triangular eyelet in the upper beam which is connected to an oval eyelet measuring 14 millimeters (0.55 in). The diamonds in the center have a total weight of 2.62 carats and in the rays, there are 25 diamonds weighing a total of 1.25 carats. Between the edges of rays are 5 diamonds weighing a total of 3.06 carats. 

A Marshal of the Soviet Union’s star used a red satin ribbon suspension; ribbons for marshals of a branch varied accordingly: gold for artillery, light blue for aviation, burgundy for armored troops, crimson for engineers, blue for signals, and turquoise for the navy.

The armed forces of the former Soviet Union and the Russian Federation wear two insignia around neck when in parade uniform. There are two different sizes of stars. In 2013, new shoulder insignias were instituted for generals of the army, fleet admirals, and generals of the army. These insignias have one large marshal’s star on the board similar to the style worn by Soviet generals from the early 1970s through 1997.