Lenin Prize facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lenin Prize
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Country	Soviet Union, Russia

The Lenin Prize was a very important award in the Soviet Union. It was given to people who did amazing things in science, literature, arts, architecture, and technology. Think of it like a big "thank you" from the country for their hard work and brilliant ideas!

What Was the Lenin Prize?

A Special Award in the Soviet Union

The Lenin Prize was one of the highest honors in the Soviet Union. It celebrated people who made big breakthroughs or created wonderful works. These awards were a way to encourage new discoveries and great art.

When Was It Given?

The prize was first created on June 23, 1925. It was given out for a few years until 1934. Then, for a while, it wasn't awarded. Another prize, called the Stalin Prize, took its place.

But don't worry, the Lenin Prize came back! On August 15, 1956, it was started again. After that, it was given out every two years until 1990. The awards ceremony usually happened on April 22, which was Vladimir Lenin's birthday.

How Was It Different?

It's easy to get the Lenin Prize mixed up with other awards. But it was special! It was different from the Lenin Peace Prize, which was given to people from other countries who worked for peace. The Lenin Prize was mainly for citizens of the Soviet Union. It was also different from the Stalin Prize or the later USSR State Prize. Some people even won both the Lenin Prize and the USSR State Prize!

Who Received the Lenin Prize?

Famous Winners

Many talented people received the Lenin Prize for their great achievements. Here are just a few examples:

• Andrei Sakharov won in 1956 for his work in physics. He was a very important scientist.
• Dmitri Shostakovich received the prize in 1958 for his amazing music compositions.
• Mikhail Sholokhov won in 1960 for his literature, specifically for his famous book And Quiet Flows the Don.
• Mikhail Kalashnikov was awarded in 1964 for his work on farm machinery. He was also known for designing the AK-47 assault rifle.
• Igor Moiseyev received the prize in 1967 for his incredible work in dance.
• Gavriil Ilizarov won in 1979 for his contributions to medicine.
• Boris Babaian was honored in 1987 for his work on the Elbrus-2 supercomputer.

These winners show how the Lenin Prize recognized excellence in many different fields, from science to art and technology.

The Prize Today

The Lenin Prize was brought back on April 23, 2018. The head of the Ulyanovsk Oblast, Sergey Morozov, decided to reintroduce it. Now, it's given for achievements in subjects like humanities, literature, and art. This was done to celebrate Lenin's 150th birthday in 2020.

Images for kids

• Nikolai Kravkov.jpg

  Nikolai Kravkov, a winner in Medicine (1926)

• Andrei Sakharov.jpg

  Andrei Sakharov, a physicist who won in 1956

• Dmitri Shostakovich.jpg

  Dmitri Shostakovich, a music composer (1958)

• Mikhail Sholokhov.jpg

  Mikhail Sholokhov, a writer (1960)

• Mikhail Kalashnikov.jpg

  Mikhail Kalashnikov, known for farm machinery (1964)

• Igor Moiseyev.jpg

  Igor Moiseyev, a dance winner (1967)

• Gavriil Ilizarov.jpg

  Gavriil Ilizarov, a medicine winner (1979)

See also

• List of general science and technology awards