The Orange and Black of Sparks and Smoke

The Order of St. George was established by Empress Ekaterina II of Russia in 1769 during a war with the Ottoman Empire. Symbolizing the growing might of the Russian Empire in the late 18th century, membership in the Order was awarded to those who showed exceptional valor in battle. Members of the order were given a medal showing St. George defeating the dragon, hung on a vibrant cloth ribbon of bright gold (later changed to orange) striped with black.

In the centuries since, Russia’s military successes have come and gone, but the Order of St. George and its accompanying ribbon have remained largely constant. Today, it is more present than ever before: a sign of patriotic pride to its supporters and military aggression to many outside of Russia. Its history over the past centuries, however, points to both ambiguity and continuity about how these factors have mixed together and led to this modern controversy.