Belarusian history is full of a difficult struggle for independence. The state officially acquired its symbols quite recently, during the period of gaining sovereignty after the collapse of the USSR. Prior to this, the Soviet flag was considered the main one. At the moment, a standard with more than sixty years of history is used, and there is also an unofficial version with a white-red-white banner, which is used by the opposition and nationalists.
Modern state flag
The cloth, which is a symbol of the sovereignty of the republic, has a rectangular shape and consists of two rectangular stripes. The colors that include the Belarusian flag are red and green. The upper strip is red and occupies two-thirds of the width of the panel, and the lower, green, is one third. Near the shaft there is a vertical strip with a national red-white ornament, it occupies 1/9 of the length. The width refers to the length in the same way as 1 to 2. The flagpole is painted in golden color. For ceremonial processions or solemn dates, a diamond-shaped tip with a five-pointed star made of yellow metal is also used for it. Exactly the same star is depicted on the national emblem of the Republic of Belarus.
When is national symbolism used?
The use of the flag is regulated by a set of rules. So, at the president’s residence, at the administrative buildings of ministries and national assemblies, as well as state committees, the standard should be constantly located. This also applies to courthouses and local executive bodies. The buildings of diplomatic and consular missions in other countries determine the rules for using the national symbol individually. In addition, the flag should be used on the premises for voting on the days of referenda or elections, at border points and in military units, on sea and merchant ships, on sports facilities on the days of championships and championships of national or international scale. You can also use the red-green banner at ceremonies and celebrations of state and public bodies, institutions, enterprises and organizations. On family, labor and public holidays, any citizen of the country can decorate their home or car with a flag.
History of occurrence
In January 1919, a manifesto was created on the creation of the Socialist Soviet Republic of Belarus. On February 3, the independence of the emerging state was recognized and its Constitution adopted, approving the flag and coat of arms. The symbolism of that time was directly related to communist ideas. Therefore, the Belarusian flag was a red banner, in the left corner of which were located the golden letters S.S.R.B. or a full transcript of the name of the country. On February 27, it was decided to create a buffer state, the Lithuanian-Belarusian SSR. The flag of Belarus in this period was a scarlet cloth. When Litbel ceased to exist and the BSSR became part of the USSR, a new Constitution was adopted. The new flag and coat of arms of Belarus were similar to the existing ones. So, the main state symbol was a red banner with gold letters "BSSR" at the pole. The 1937 constitution added a red star and a hammer and sickle to it.
Coming to the modern version
In the fifties, a new constitutional decree was issued. According to him, the red-green flag of Belarus was adopted, the photographs of which are largely similar to its modern version. The difference is that in the upper left corner of the Soviet version, a sickle, a hammer and a five-pointed star were depicted. They could be inscribed in a square with one sixth of the width of the cloth. The sharp end of the sickle should definitely fall in the middle of the upper side of such a square, and the tool handles should abut against the lower corners. The five-pointed star was the size of a circle with a diameter of one twelfth of the width of the flag. As with all previous ones, as well as with modern flags, the ratio of width to length was one to two.
Symbols of colors used
As for other nations, for Belarusians the shades of the banner have great symbolic meaning. The red stripe is associated with the sun and blood ties, symbolizes fraternity and the struggle for a just cause. This color is a sign of happiness and high standing. In earlier times, the nobility wore red hats and boots as a sign of special distinction. In addition, the use of red means victory and high destiny. Green indicates a close relationship with nature. It is associated with forests and fields, which cover most of the territories. The green stripe is a symbol of goodness, growth, prosperity and peace. Such colors of the flag of Belarus and their combination are designed to give the most complete picture of the cultural values and traditions of the country. White color is a symbol of freedom, the pursuit of which is another major civilian quality of Belarusians.
History of Ornament
The red and white strip near the pole reminds of traditional folk crafts. The Belarusian flag ornament was chosen from many options and constitutionally approved in the Soviet period. The option that is used to this day was created in 1917 by the ordinary peasant woman Matrena Markevich from the village of Kostelishche, which is located in the Senno district. His main idea is that hard work and skill are a prerequisite for happiness. In fact, the ornament is a fragment of a hand-woven towel on a machine traditional for Belarus. Such towels, called “rushnyks” by Belarusians, are widespread in the national economy and are most often decorated with red embroidery on a white linen background.
Symbolism of the ornament
Each element of the white-red strip adorning the flag of Belarus near the pole has its own special meaning. In the center there is a rhombus with “hooks” extending from it, also called “oars” or “horns”. These details symbolize movement and eternity. The rhombus itself is a symbol of the fertility goddess. This is a kind of image of a sown field. Around him are signs that should encourage good luck and a rich harvest, as well as contribute to the fulfillment of righteous and good desires. Small lozenges mean “bread,” food that is important to both the spirit and the body. Through such symbols, the ornament that uses the flag of Belarus reflects culture and history.
the people who created it.
White-Red-White Flag
Modern Belarusian nationalists often use the white-red-white flag instead of the flag version created in Soviet times. This symbol was created by Claudius Doug-Dushevsky at the beginning of the twentieth century. There are versions that in ancient times it was under such a canvas that the army followed the victory in the Battle of Grunwald, some historians consider it the prototype of the flag of St. George and the coat of arms “Pursuit”. However, this is not documented. The first official references are related to a graduate of the St. Petersburg Institute, Doug-Dushevsky, who was contacted by Belarusian nationalists during the February Revolution of 1917. He created several projects, of which it was the white-red-white flag of Belarus that was used by various student and rebel organizations. During the Great Patriotic War, collaborators used such a banner, so today it has a somewhat negative value.