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Belarus - Political Parties and Related Flags

Last modified: 2023-06-10 by zachary harden
Keywords: belarus | adradzhennye |
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2006 Presidental Elections

image by Juan Manuel Gabino Villascán, 23 March 2006

image by Juan Manuel Gabino Villascán, 23 March 2006

image by Juan Manuel Gabino Villascán, 23 March 2006

Dear friends, As you surely know, presidential elections held in Belarus last week resulted to be undemocratic and unfair, according the people domonstrating at Minsk main square and other cities. Demonstrators are seen to be flying the former Belarusian tri-band w-r-w flag, while others are flying Georgian (the new one of course), Ukranian and Polish national flags, in addition of the EU's.
Here you are three gifs of flags I have seen in many photos from the web, yahoo!news, cbc new, bbc news, and others.
Those flags are interesting in my particular point of view, since they are all but tri-band, instead, the first image bears a transparent black-outlined shield charged by a black double-beamed cross -Lorraine cross- (surely that shield featured in the Pahonia -on the knight's shoulder-), the whole over the intersection of a "scandinavian" red cross on a white field; and the second image is also white with the red scandinavian cross, in the canton is the shield charged by the cross.
A third flag is the triband only charged withe the whole Pahonia (emblem in gif image taken from http://www.belarusguide.com/as/history/pahonia.html ).
Juan Manuel Gabino Villascán, 23 March 2006

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 16 May 2006

It is a white over red over white horizontal tricolour of unknown ratio. In the centre of the flag is a red-edged white lorraine cross with two equal horizontal crossbars. In the centre of the cross is another one of red color. The flag is probably a variant of the flag of the Belarus Popular-Front It was waved in a rally against President Lukashenko's victory of the last elections in Minsk. Source: Morgenmagazin, 20th March 2006, news on ARD(1st German TV)
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 16 May 2006.


Belarusian Christian-Democratic Union

image by António Martins-Tuválkin, 24 March 2018

White flag with red cross is an official flag of Belarusian Christian-Democratic Union (adopted 1991) and Unity of Belarusian Students (swallow-tailed flag, officially adopted in 1992)
Victor Lomantsov, 16 May 2000


Belarusian Freedom Party

image by Zachary Harden, 9 Febuary 2003

Flags from Belarus in German TV news (ARD and ZDF) - One flag was a new one, I didn't see it before. A tricolore with vertical white-red-black-stripes. Do anybody know this flag and its meaning ?
J. Patrick Fischer, 10 September 2001

The Belarusian Resistance must be very similar than Belarusian Nationalist Mouvement, or even part of it. The official flag used by Belarusian Resistance is exactly like the Belorussian Nationalist Mouvement one , but, according to Belarusian Resistance's website (<www.rubon.org>) they are using other flags too like the tricolor one plain horizontal white,red and black stripes.
Santiago Tazon, 23 January 2003

In Belarus, the tricolor with horizontal white-red-black stripes is a flag of Belarusian ultra-conservative illegal party called "Belarusian Freedom Party". As explained by a member of this political party: "This is the traditional white-red-white flag of Belarus with the black stripe which symbolize the people who were killed during the soviet occupation of the country, and it will be changed for the white stripe only when  Belarus will be really liberated from the Soviet past",
I. Shuk, 3 Febuary 2003


Belorusian Nationalist Mouvement

image by Victor Lomantsov, 26 December 2002

Flag of Belorussian Nationalist Movement can be seen at <members.odinsrage.com/rubon>.
Jens Pattke, 25 December 2002

The flag of nationalistic "Young Front" (youth section of Belorussian People`s Front, BNF) was adopted 12, Nov, 1997 (1 year after 1st Congress of YF and foundation Council of the Front, 12.11.1996)
Victor Lomantsov, 26 December 2002

Taking a look at the Belarus Nationalist flag, it's worth noting that the double-armed cross at the center of the device was also used as a collar tab for Waffen-SS personnel of the Waffen Grenadier Division des SS (russiche Nr. 2), which apparently was made up largely of Belarusian recruits.
John Evosevic, 28 December 2002

I can't speak or read Russian/Belarusian (apart from transliterating the letters), but the English page looks very racist.  See: <members.odinsrage.com/rubonl> for their "key concepts of nationalism". I guess "nationalism" is the new code word for "racism".
Dean McGee, 28 December 2002

John Evosevic report is not correct. The symbol itself -- six-ended white/silver cross, usually on red shield -- is known from medieval era. In Belarusian culture it is named "Cross of Yaryla". "Yaryla" was the name of solar deity in ancient Slavs panteon, the cross itself is considered to be transformed solar symbol. This cross was wielded by a horseman on coat of arms of medieval state comprising modern Lithuania, Belarus and Ukraine (Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Ruthenia and "Zhamoyciya").
The coat of arms itself is named "Pagonia" (Vytis in Lithuanian) and both cross and coat of arms are part of common cultural heritage of Lithuania and Belarus.
The white/silver outline of this cross (placed horizontally, too) on black (?) background was indeed unit symbol of volunteer unit "30.Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS (russische Nr.2)/30.Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS (weissruthenische Nr.1)" formed in 1944.
Yury Tarasievich, 5 July 2004

This is also quite similar to the Cross of Loraine, prominent in the flag of the World War II French Resistance, and of course, the Slavic Cross, which has featured in several flags of Eastern Europe. A similar cross is prominent in Greek Orthodox usage as well as Russian Orthodox, although it does not appear on the current flag of Greece.
The symbolism is usually explained by saying that the second cross-arm represents the sign "INRI" (Iesus Nazareni Rex Iudorum, with apologies for my poor Latin spelling) over the head of Christ, or the footrest, or both.
Is there a similar rationale for the Belarus/Lithuanian solar cross? Is it Christian or pagan in origin?
Bill Dunning, 5 July 2004

The Cross of Yarla is of pagan origin, as explained in the article. But as Lithuania and Belarus were Christianized, the Cross of Yarla was also made acceptable as a Christian symbol, or probably, a national symbol.
The Cross of Yarla's two crossbeams are of equal length. And the length of the vertical beam is made of five quantities to the crossbeams' three.
The Cross of Lorraine is a Latin cross, with an additional upper crossbar. This two-armed or two-barred cross (sometimes both bars are of equal length) is called a patriarchal cross in the Latin Church and is a symbol of rank for the bishop carrying it. Archbishops were entitled to use this cross. And the cities in which Archbishops usually presided were often given the right to use that cross in various places.
The Cross of Lorraine is part of the arms of Hungary and Slovakia, due to historical ties with royal families. Sometimes the two horizontal bars of the Cross of Lorraine are of equal length, other times, the upper bar is shorter than the lower bar.
The Slavic, or Orthodox or Russian Cross is of three bars, the top being shorter than the middle and the bottom bar being slanted with the left side higher than the right (as you look at it). The top bar was for the sign board, the center was for the arms and the bottom was a footrest, contorted when Christ was stabbed with the spear. The upper two bars are above the center of the cross so that there is a greater distance between the lower bar and the middle bar, compared to the distance between the upper bar and the middle bar.
Ukrainians use the three bars but all are horizontal, and in some instances, the top bar goes to the top of the Latin Cross, with nothing of the vertical bar protruding from the top. Some Roman Catholics of the Eastern Rite use the three-barred cross, and the upper and lower bars are a bit longer than the Russian or Ukrainian crosses, and are equidistant from the middle bar.
Fr John Udics, 5 July 2004


Belarusian National Youth Union (BRSM)

image by Zachary Harden, 23 August 2019

image by Zachary Harden, 23 August 2019

Reverse


image from <brsm.by>, located by Zachary Harden, 30 July 2005
Emblem

From <www.president.gov.by>:
"...following the merge of the Belarusian Patriotic Youth Union and the Belarusian Youth Union (the legal successor of the Belarusian Komsomol), a powerful youth organization was created - the Belarusian National Youth Union (BRSM)."
Dov Gutterman, 31 July 2005


Belarusian Popular Front - "Adradzhennye" (Renaissance)

image by Antonio Martins and Jorge Candeias, 7 July 1997

From <pages.prodigy.com/belarus> :
"Belarusian Popular Front (BPF) is a broad political movement of the newly independent Republic of Belarus, a former republic of the Soviet Union. The organizational committee of the BPF was established in October 1988 by intellectuals such as Vasil Bykau, Mikhas Dubyanyetski, Zyanon Paznyak and others. The governing organization, the Soim, was formed during the Front's first congress in June 1989. At the same time, the organization's charter was adopted which specified BPF's dual objective: the attainment of democracy and independence through national rebirth and rebirth of civil society, which was destroyed by communism and foreign occupation. Zyanon Paznyak was elected Chair of the Soim. He is a well known historian and archeologist who defended the Belarusian culture and language in the years of communist tyranny. Among his accomplishments are the excavations in the forest region of Kurapaty on the outskirts of Mensk (Minsk) where communists had killed more than 250,000 people from 1925 to 1941"
Party flag and emblems can be seen also at the same page.
Dov Gutterman, 6 March 1999


United Civil Party

image by Victor Lomantsov, 4 February 2004

UCP flag is red logo (horse in oval) on white as seen at <ucpb.info> and other photos in the site. United Civil Party (UCP) is a leading liberal conservative party in the Republic of Belarus. It was established on October 1, 1995 as a result of merger of two like-minded parties - United Democratic Party (formed in 1990) and Civil Party (formed in 1994). We stand for an independent sovereign Belarus that pursues domestic and foreign policy according to its national interests.
Dov Gutterman, 28 April 2003

The flag of United Civil Party was published in Flag Report 6 reported by A. Basov, from the register of Belarus where the party and flag was registered on 14 August 1996.
Jaume Olle', 30 April 2003

Flag of United Civil Party (Ob``edinennaja grazhdanskaja partija) is according to drawing of A. Basov (Minsk, Belarus).
Victor Lomantsov, 4 February 2004

Civil Forum

image by Jaume Olle', 30 April 2003

There is also a youth branch called Civil Forum that adopted its flag on 14 May 1997.
Jaume Olle', 30 April 2003


White Legion

image by Victor Lomantsov, 26 October 2003

Flag of "White Legion" movement.
Source: letter of A.Basov from Minsk (Belarus).
Victor Lomantsov, 26 October 2003


Zubr (Bison)

Flags

image by J. Patrick Fischer, 10 September 2001

image by J. Patrick Fischer, 23 March 2006

image by J. Patrick Fischer, 23 March 2006

image by J. Patrick Fischer, 23 March 2006

image by J. Patrick Fischer, 10 September 2001

image by J. Patrick Fischer, 23 March 2006

Emblem

image from <www.zubr-belarus.com>, located by J. Patrick Fischer, 10 September 2001

In reports of German TV ZDF, I could see different flags of the political opposition group "Bison" (a European buffalo, living in Belarus and Poland) in Minsk/Belarus. One was hanging in one of the HQ at the wall. It was black with a side view silhouette of a white Bison in the center. At the right and the left side were thin vertical white-red-white stripes. Other flags were shown at a demonstration, yesterday in Minsk. Again the white Bison, but on different coloured backgrounds. I saw red, light blue and green variations, all without the white-red-white-stripes. I found the homepage of the Bisons (Zubr): <www.zubr-belarus.com>.
J. Patrick Fischer, 10 September 2001

Again new flags in German TV news (ARD and ZDF) from Belarus. I saw the Bison flag with red Bison on white background and white Bison on black background, without stripes on the side. I checked the propotions now. The Bison-flags seem to have 2:3.
J. Patrick Fischer, 10 September 2001

image by J. Patrick Fischer, 19 October 2004

Yesterday was a report of the Belarus election in German TV ZDF. After the publication of the results was a short-living demonstration against president Lukaschenka (Lukashenko). Again, there was a flag of ZUBR, the opposition group. Again a little variation. A black bison on a white field. I saw some blue flags, too, but I couldn't see any details.
J. Patrick Fischer, 19 October 2004

I saw this or similar footage on "The World" on BBC4 tv on 19 October. The former white-red-white triband was also used.
André Coutanche, 27 October 2004

image by J. Patrick Fischer, 23 March 2006

On the new demonstrations taken place in the moment in Minsk was a new ZUBR-flag to see: by}zubr8.gif Maybe it was inspiried by the EU-flag. A yellow bison in a yellow circle on European blue. Size 1:2.
J. Patrick Fischer, 23 March 2006


Pro Russian-Belarussian Unification

image by Zach Harden, 3 November 2001

image by Zach Harden, 3 November 2001

Since 1995, an union of Russia and Belarus (sometimes including other Slavic and/or ex-Soviet countries) has been repeatedly proposed by Belarusian president Lukashenka, and was received with 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

Two flags reported to be used/proposed by the RU-BY Union.  The flag drawings were made by me, but the images were made from Victor Lomantsov's website.  Both flags have a red background, two yellow/gold stars (showing the union), and both are 1:2 ratio.  The ideas came from the Soviet flag, and which both countries used to belong to from the start.  The only difference is the type of stars used, and the placement of them.  The first one is where the stars are side-by-side, and are colored in full.  The second one is where one star is above the other, and the Soviet star design was used.
Zach Harden, 3 November 2001

From their "constitution":
"Article 1 - The Community of Russia and Belarus shall be transformed into a Union with the terms of reference stemming from its Charter.
Each of the member countries of the Union shall retain its state sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, Constitution, national flag, coat of arms and other accoutrements of statehood."
Even though the central government will have flags to represent the Union, each country belonging to the union can keep their current symbols, which most are USSR related (Belarus flag, coat of arms, anthem; Russian anthem).  The Russian/Soviet anthem will be used for the Union anthem, and no coat of arms is in the works as of this time. At the first meeting of the Union Council, Alexander Lukashenko sang the anthem, everyone joined in, and selected the tune of the USSR/Russia anthem.  New words will be set in place soon.
Zach Harden, 26 November 2001


Belarusian Christian Democracy party flag

Беларуская хрысьціянская дэмакратыя

image located by Edward Reilly, 25 January 2011

This Opposition Party flag = former Belarus / Gudija flag (white / red / white) with Baltic 8-point star is found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdroiJJhGzA&feature=related  @ 0:43 minutes. Another image can be found at http://www.opendemocracy.net/od-russia/david-marples-uladzimir-padhol/belarus-most-peculiar-election.
Edward Reilly, 25 January 2011

See also http://www.demotix.com/photo/438051/vital-rymashevsky-comes-presidential-election-belarus and more information about the
party at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belarusian_Christian_Democracy.
Jens Pattke, 19 February 2011


Belaya Rus Public Association

image by Zachary Harden, 24 August 2020

The flag of the organization "Belaya Rus" can be seen at http://www.belayarus.by/sm.aspx?guid=11306. The basic design is of the logo on a white background with a ratio of 1x2. The logo of the group is at http://beta.inosmi.ru/images/16786/32/167863279.jpg. A short entry about this group is mentioned on Wikipedia: "Belaya Rus is a Belarusian public association not registered as a political party officially, founded on 17 November 2007 to support President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, based on the idea of Vladimir Putin's United Russia party." Wikipedia
Zachary Harden, 14 July 2011

According to this source, the flag has a ratio of 1x2 and the logo's length used is 1/2th of the length of the flag. As for the meaning of the symbol:

The logo symbolizes the unity of the head of state - the President of the Republic of Belarus, the Belarusian people and the government (three stylized sails) based on the solution of goals and objectives determined by the course of the head of state aimed at building a strong, independent and prosperous Belarus. White color of the field - the color of purity symbolizes the activities of a public association based on the principles of legality, voluntariness, independence and publicity. In general, the flag symbolizes the unification of the progressive forces of society, interested in building a strong and prosperous Belarus, a socially just society based on the patriotic, spiritual and moral values of the Belarusian people.

There are many variants of the flag, sometimes with the branch name or the designation "Республиканское общественное объединение" (Republican Public Association) above the logo in red.
Zachary Harden, 24 August 2020