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The standard winter (all-season) original commander’s budenovka of the earliest type adopted by the Red Army was taken as a model for the production of the presented specimen. The helmet is made of khaki cloth and consists of a cap that tapers upward, and a folding backplate and visor. The cap consists of six identical pieces in the shape of an isosceles spherical triangle, sewn together on the sides so that the vertices of the triangles meet at the top in the center of the cap. On the front of the helmet is sewn a regular five-pointed star made of instrument cloth of the color assigned to the branch of the military: in the presented case, the star is made of orange-colored flannelette fabric (since February 1922, the “orange” color star was replaced by black). The metal star on such helmets was installed of the earliest type adopted by the Red Army (with the image of a crossed plow and hammer) – it is worth noting that most often at that time the budenovka was worn without a metal star. The lining under the helmet is made of cotton fabric.
The history of Budenovka is extremely interesting and confusing. Recently, a version has become widespread according to which the “hero helmet” was invented long before the revolution (namely in 1915) and was intended (along with the famous overcoats with “conversations”) for… The Victory Parade of Russian troops in Berlin and Constantinople. The authors of this version also claim that prototypes in sufficient quantities by the time of the revolution had already been sewn and stored in military warehouses, from where they were taken ready-made. True, they do not provide any documents in their support, other than arguments. They only refer to the research of O.A. Vtorov, who mentions a new uniform sewn “according to the orders of the Court of His Imperial Majesty”(!) (how long ago did the Ministry of the Court start taking orders for sewing military uniforms? Why did he suddenly need to get into the diocese of the Military Department?) . In the archives of the War Ministry, not a single document has been preserved confirming this point (lost? Of course, there will be one – we’re really looking forward to it!). In addition, why, in this case, did the Bolsheviks need to create a Commission to develop a new uniform for the Red Army (Order of the People’s Commissar of Military Affairs L.D. Trotsky No. 326 of 05/07/1918)? In order to appropriate the laurels of innovators in uniform art to yourself? Get rid of the legacy of the damned regime? It is unlikely that they were seriously concerned about the palm in this matter – there were enough other concerns in the country and at the fronts. In addition, they like to mention a certain “metaphysical aspect”: they say that the new form was “too Russian in spirit” and contradicted the concept of the world revolution conceived by the Bolsheviks… Believe me, such questions did not bother the Bolsheviks much: these pragmatists picked up they would have used everything that could benefit the victory of the proletariat, even if it had been invented in the underworld. Again, who was invited to develop a new uniform and hats for it? Famous Russian artists: Vasnetsov, Kustodiev, others… We got a logical result – in the traditions of ancient Russian knights-heroes! They could, of course, have called in Chagall and Malevich, who were closer in class, but (let us remember) the customers were great pragmatists: in the new uniform it was necessary not only to serve, but also to fight. In addition, an attempt to dress the army in a uniform “from Malevich” would clearly threaten a military coup and raising the “reformers” to hostility.
Perhaps this version was created to suit the concept of “continuity” of the Red and Imperial armies? But… This continuity is already obvious: the same people served in the Red Army (as in the White armies) who only yesterday fought in the ranks of the RIA. In addition, a good half of the command corps of the Red Army consisted of former tsarist officers (and if we are talking about the average command staff – the level of platoon commander, company commander, not to mention headquarters – the percentage of “formers” often exceeded half). Not everyone had the desire to join the White Cause; not everyone had the opportunity to go to Paris (those who left honestly worked as taxi drivers and laborers and died a natural death in the 1970s). And the Red Army – here it is, nearby: there are many vacancies, and former comrade-colleagues are already there… True, those who chose this path, for the most part, died relatively young and not a natural death, having not survived the purges of the 1930s, but this is a different question.
The commission was allocated only about a month to work, the new uniform and hats were approved, and already at the end of 1918, a detachment formed from workers of Ivanovo-Voznesensk went to the Eastern Front in a new uniform. The new helmet received the logical name “hero.” In addition, since the army under the command of M.V. Frunze was the first to see the new helmet (and then Budyonny), there is evidence of the common name for the new helmet “Frunzevka” (which was later replaced by “Budenovka”). The new helmet (like the new uniform in general) was quite elegant and was loved by both painters and ordinary soldiers. How widespread was it at first? Photographs of that time (civil war) indicate the widespread use of the “hero”. Is it so? If we are talking, as they would say now, about the “Arbat Military District” – of course, yes. In addition, we always tried to take pictures in our best and smartest clothes. In practice, the majority of the soldiers and commanders of the Red Army fought against all civilians in tsarist-era caps and hats.
The helmet was originally created as a winter helmet, although from April 1919 to February 1922 it was considered all-season. The summer budenovka made of cotton fabric was officially approved on January 31, 1922 – instead of a back plate, it had two small visors, almost identical in front and back (for which the owners in common parlance dubbed it “hello and goodbye”). Some dandies also ordered cloth helmets based on the cotton summer helmets, so that they would better harmonize with the cloth of their uniform. Some researchers point out the obvious similarity of the summer budenovka with the German pickelhaube dressed in a protective cover (of course, they are right). Soon the summer budenovka was canceled and replaced with a cap.
It was possible to completely “change” the army into budenovki only after the end of the civil war. By that time, the fabric stars on budenovkas began to differ in color (depending on the type of troops), in addition to the Red Army soldiers, the wearing of budenovkas was also assigned to security officers… Soon the winter helmet of the 1922 model was replaced by a new modified model, approved in 1927. His cap was made of six wedges, and the shape of the helmet itself changed slightly – it was no longer so pointed. In 1931, the design of the helmet was simplified (the cap began to be made of four wedges instead of six). By the way, the story about a pointed Budenovka as a valve (so that steam can escape when “our indignant mind is boiling”) is quite the everyday humor of civilian times; in the late 30s this would have been the last successful joke for a “humorist.”
Participation in the Soviet-Finnish winter war condemned Budenovka. By order of the People’s Commissar of Defense of the USSR No. 187 of July 5, 1940, it was canceled. However, with the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, stocks of helmets from warehouses were issued for wearing in the active army, which is clearly visible even in memorable footage from the parade in honor of the Great October Socialist Revolution on November 7, 1941. At the front, the budenovka continued to be worn in 1941 and 1942 (and somewhere, perhaps, in 1943). Of course, against the backdrop of hats with ear flaps, it already looked unusual and archaic, but who cared about that – after all, you have to fight in something… Perhaps it was at this time that references to the comic name of budenovka “lightning rod” or “mind rod” date back to .
The last known military photos in budenovkas are dated April-May 1945. A street in a German town, several people in budenovkas and extremely worn overcoats without insignia, on which large letters “OST” are written in white paint. Nearby are young Red Army soldiers in brand new uniforms (probably drafted in 1944). In the eyes of the former prisoners there is fatigue and melancholy (still, when you are asked for the twentieth time: “Is it true that the Germans fed you chocolate in captivity?” – you will think: “Can’t you see it from me, or what?”). Perhaps they were the last who had to wear this legendary headdress with a wonderful and interesting history.
