The Medal "For the Victory Over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" (Russian: Медаль «За победу над Германией в Великой Отечественной войне 1941—1945 гг.», romanized: Medal' «Za pobedu nad Germaniyey v Velikoy Otechestvennoy voyne 1941—1945 gg.») was a military decoration of the Soviet Union established on May 9, 1945, by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR[1] to denote military participation in the victory of the Soviet armed forces over Nazi Germany in the Great Patriotic War.
The Medal "For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" was awarded to all military and civilian personnel of the Red Army, of the Navy and of the troops of the NKVD who were directly involved on the different fronts of World War II and ensured victory through their work in the various military districts; to all military and civilian personnel who served during the Great Patriotic War in the ranks of the Red Army, of the Navy or of the NKVD destruction battalions, but who were released from military service due to injury or illness, as well as those transferred by decision of the state or Party organizations to tasks outside of the armed forces.
[1] Award of the medal was made on behalf of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on the basis of documents attesting to actual participation in the Great Patriotic War issued by unit commanders, the chiefs of military medical establishments or the executive committees of regional or city Soviets.
On its obverse, the left profile bust of Joseph Stalin in the uniform of a Marshal of the Soviet Union, along the upper circumference of the medal, the relief inscription "OUR CAUSE IS RIGHTEOUS" (Russian: НАШЕ ДЕЛО ПРАВОЕ; NASHE DELO PRAVOE), along the lower circumference of the medal, the relief inscription "WE ARE VICTORIOUS" (Russian: МЫ ПОБЕДИЛИ; MI POBEDILI).
On the reverse, at the bottom, a small five pointed star, along the medal circumference, the relief inscription "FOR VICTORY OVER GERMANY" (Russian: «ЗА ПОБЕДУ НАД ГЕРМАНИЕЙ»; «ZA POBEDU NAD GERMANIEY»), in the center, the relief inscription on three rows "IN THE GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR OF 1941–45 (Russian: «В ВЕЛИКОЙ ОТЕЧЕСТВЕННОЙ ВОЙНЕ 1941—1945 ГГ.»; «V VELIKOY OTECHESTVENNOY VOYNE 1941-1945 GG.»).