Last modified: 2000-01-18 by dov gutterman
Keywords: belarus | ussr | europe | commonwealth of independent states | national ornamentation | referendum |
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by Mark Sensen and Antonio Martins 1 May 1999
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Flag of Belarus is red over green (2:1) with white stripe
along the mast (1/9 length). On the white stripe is a red
ornament (the same like on the flag of soviet era, but in inverse
colors). Proportions of the flag are 1:2.
petr exner 30-JUN-1995
It looks kinda empty without the old hammer-and-sickle at the
hoist, doesn't it? There seems to be so much red space there that
there really ought to be a symbol of some sort.
josh fruhlinger 16-Sep-1995
From: http://www.savva-la-belle.com/belarus/symbols.shtml
The National Flag of the Republic of Belarus is a rectangular
banner, the ratio of height to length is 1:2. The upper two-thirds
of the flag is red, and the lower third is green. A vertical red-on-white
Belarussian decorative pattern, which occupies one-ninth of the
flag's length, is placed against the flagstaff. The flag is fixed
on a flagstaff painted golden with ochre. Red symbolizes Belarus'
glorious past. That was the color of the victorious standards of
the Belarussian regiments that defeated crusaders at Grunewald,
and was the color of the battle flags of the Red Army divisions
and Belarussian guerrilla detachments that liberated the country
from fascist invaders and their henchmen. Green symbolizes the
future. It is the color of hope, spring and revival, the color of
forests and fields. The Belarussian decorative pattern symbolizes
Belarus' rich cultural heritage, its spiritual continuity, and
the unity of its people.
Jarig Bakker 7 July 1999
The white in the flag is an allusion to the name of the
country - 'White Russia' (or 'White Ruthenia'). The red is for
national freedom and the rising sun. White and red frequently
appear in the national costumes of White Ruthenians.
stuart notholt
I found some news from Belarus...
RFE/RL NEWSLINE Vol. 1, No. 165, Part II, 21 November 1997
http://www.rferl.org/newsline
LUKASHENKA OPPONENTS STAGE FLAG PROTEST. On the first anniversary of the vote that gave President Alyaksandr Lukashenka sweeping powers, Belarusians opposed to his rule displayed the now outlawed red-and-white national flag, RFE/RL's Belarusian service reported on 20 November. Some flags were so large that the authorities had to use heavy-duty equipment to remove them. No single group has taken responsibility for the latest protest.
christian berghnel 06-DEC-1997
Is the W-R-W actually outlawed in Belarus then? I mean rather
than simply no longer being used.
roy stilling 06-DEC-1997
I found two sites about the Belarusian national flag. It must
be noted that all the opinionss in those sites are the authors
opinions and not of FOTW.Our site is non-political and
concentrates only on vexillological issues. The notification
obout the sites is merely an acknowledgement of their existance.
1) http://www.belarusguide.com/statehood/index.html
2) http://solar.rtd.utk.edu/~kasaty/flags.htm#top
Dov Gutterman 2 July 1999
from: http://www.savva-la-belle.com/belarus/symbols.shtml
The origins of the traditional white - red - white Belarusian
flag are lost in the mists of ancient history. It is possible
that the banner was designed simply to distinguish Belyj Rus (White
Russian) forces from those of the Princes of Kiev and Muscovy by
placing the red favored by the Rus on a background of white.
But the traditional story is that when the united armies of
Poland and the Grand Duchy of Litva and Rus defeated the Germans
of the Teutonic Order at the great Battle of the Grunewald in
1410, a wounded Belarusian knight tore off his blood-streaked
bandage and waved it aloft as a victory banner. That banner has
been flown ever since, so the story goes, as a sign that Belarus
will always prevail -- no matter how badly wounded it may be!
Jarig Bakker 9 July 1999
The old Bielorussian colours have always been the white and
red and in fact the flag of the first independent government of a
"Byelorussian People's Republic" (in exile in Vilnius
from 1919-1925) was a white flag with a red horizontal band of
red, the central red stripe being bordered by a thin black stripe.
Emil Dreyer 30 September 1999
Belarus had a referendum on Sunday, 14 May voting for stronger
presidential powers and closer economic integration with Russia.
Among the four questions put to the voters, was also one on
national symbols. The OMRI Daily
Digest reported that 75% of the voters (64.7% turn out)
"supported the return of Belarus's Soviet-era state emblem
and flag". The result is legally binding according to OMRI.
No further details on the design of the new emblems are offered.
jan oskar engene
UK press reports today (16 May 1995) suggest the re-adoption
of the Soviet Belarussian flag (ie with the stripes) but without
the hammer and sickle. It is also suggested that the coat of arms
will be the Soviet ones but without the slogan 'Workers of all
Lands Unite.'
stuart notholt
Four polls were held, all of which were passed. Two concerned
state emblems (crest and flag) the third the re-adoption of
Russian as a state language and the 4th concerned with economic
integration with Russia. The full power of the state media was
deployed to ensure the correct result.
stuart notholt 17-SEP-1995
OMRI's coverage of Belarus' symbols continue. According to
reports on 22 May, new banknotes with revised symbols will not be
issued this year. Replacement will be too costly. However,
tension over the question of the new flag has built up. A
presidential aide destroyed the white-red-white Belarusian flag
only a day after the referendum. OMRI also reports, on 25 May, of
a student demonstration in the capital Minsk against the decision
to replace the current national flag. 300 demonstrators marched
to the residence of president Lukashenka, tore down one of the
new Soviet-style flags and flushed it down a public toilet.
Questions have been raised as to the legality of the new flag,
since the referendum restoring it must be confirmed by Belarus'
parliament.
jan oskar engene
The government claims it was a reaction to unpopular agitating
by ultra-nationalist college students in Minsk. Treat with a
considerable pinch of salt! The Belarussan government is run by
old-style Reds who are on record as regretting the demise of the
USSR. Having totally failed to introduce meaningful reforms and
having wrecked the economy, they now see cosying up to Russia as
a means of bailing out the situation. The Russians, incidentally,
are only luke warm!
stuart notholt 17-SEP-1995
Editorial Remark :It must be noted that all the opinionss in
those sites are the authors opinions and not of FOTW.Our site is
non-political and concentrates only on vexillological issues
Since 1995, an union of Russia and Belarus (somethimes
including other slavic and/or ex-soviet countries) has been
repeatedly proposed by belarussian _de facto_ president
Lukashenka, and was recieved whith moderate enthusiasm by the
russian presidency and by the successive cabinets. The
vexillological implications of the projected union remain unknown
Antonio Martins 29 October 1999