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Lenin Prize

Highest Soviet state award

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Through Soviet Union and Vladimir Lenin

History

On June 23, 1925, by decree of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks) and the Council of People's Commissars, the V. I. Lenin Prizes were established. From 1926 to 1935, they were awarded for scientific work "in order to encourage scientific activity in the direction closest to the ideas of V. I. Lenin, namely, in the direction of a close connection between science and life."

In 1935, the Lenin Prizes ceased to be awarded, and in 1940, Stalin Prize began to be awarded (until 1955).

On August 15, 1956, the Central Committee of the CPSU and the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union adopted a joint resolution to reinstate the Lenin Prizes and award them annually on Lenin's birthday, April 22. In 1957, the awarding of Lenin Prizes was reinstated for outstanding scientific works, architectural and technical structures, inventions implemented in the national economy, technological processes, etc.; Lenin Prizes were also established for outstanding works of literature and art. In March 1960, Lenin Prizes in journalism and publicism were established.

Beginning in 1957, Lenin Prizes were awarded annually on Lenin's birthday (with the exception of 1958 and 1966), and from 1967, every two years, in even years. The so-called "closed" or "secret" Lenin Prizes (primarily for work related to national defense; awarding decisions were not published). In these cases, the "once every two years" rule may not apply (see list of laureates).

Originally, 42 prizes were awarded. From 1961, according to regulations, up to 76 prizes could be awarded annually. Of these, up to 60 were awarded by the Committee on Lenin Prizes in Science and Technology and up to 16 by the Committee on Lenin Prizes in Science and Art under the Council of Ministers of the USSR. In 1967, this number of prizes was reduced to 30. Laureates received a diploma, a gold medal, and a cash prize of 7,500 Soviet rubles.

Between 1956 and 1967, the Lenin Prize was the only state prize of the highest level, so the number of laureates was high. In 1967, the USSR State Prize was established, which was considered less prestigious, thereby elevating the status of the Lenin Prize. The Stalin Prize diplomas awarded from 1941 to 1953 were replaced with corresponding USSR State Prize diplomas.

According to the joint resolution of the Central Committee of the CPSU and the Council of Ministers of the USSR of September 9, 1966, 30 Lenin Prizes were awarded biennially (including 25 in science and technology, and 5 in literature, art, and architecture). In 1970, an additional prize for children's works of literature and art was established (Resolution of the Central Committee of the CPSU and the Council of Ministers of the USSR of March 26, 1969[4]).

The regulations governing the Lenin Prizes were approved by the Central Committee of the CPSU and the Council of Ministers of the USSR on February 17, 1967. The Regulation defined the circle of state, public and scientific organizations that were granted the right to nominate works for the Lenin Prize: the Presidium of the USSR Academy of Sciences and the academies of sciences of the union republics, the USSR Academy of Medical Sciences, the All-Union Lenin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the USSR Academy of Pedagogical Sciences, scientific and engineering societies, boards of ministries of the USSR and union republics, state committees of the Council of Ministers of the USSR and union republics, committees under the Council of Ministers of the USSR, the Presidium of the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions, the Central Committee of the All-Union Leninist Young Communist League, the boards of the unions of writers, artists, composers, architects, filmmakers and journalists of the USSR, the Presidium of the Academy of Arts of the USSR, republican theatrical societies, research, design and planning organizations, publishing houses, editorial boards of newspapers and magazines, meetings of the staff of enterprises, institutions and organizations. Scientific works, literary works, works of art and architecture, published (publicly performed, constructed) no later than 1 year before the established deadline for submitting nominations, and works in the field of technology and production - after their introduction into the national economy, could be nominated for the Lenin Prize.

On April 23, 2018, the Governor of Ulyanovsk Oblast, Sergey Morozov, reintroduced the Lenin Prize for achievements in the humanities, literature, and art to coincide with the 150th birthday of Lenin in 2020.

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