Let’s not touch on the ethical aspects of the culture of modern consumer society, but let’s get straight to the point. So, what is this unknown imperial flag?
To get started, you can go toInternet portal “Russian Symbols” is an official government resource that tells Russians (there is such a nation) about the state symbols of the Russian Federation. So, the imperial flag is written here with some kind of malice, even hatred. That, they say, there was such an Akaki Akakievich (Baron B. Köhne) who, due to the narrow-mindedness and formalism of his soul, decided to change the state symbols, and from his dusty clerical brains spewed out a new flag for the Russian Empire: Black-yellow-white. Emperor Alexander II was simply “tired up” with some kind of business and, without looking, signed a decree giving the black-yellow-white flag the status of a state flag, but the flag never took root. And soon after an unfortunate misunderstanding, Alexander III, the wise and enlightened ruler, made the trade tricolor, “truly beloved by the people,” the state symbol.
That, in general, is the entire official “history” of the imperial flag in Russia. Such a yellow story, in the style of Aslambek Dudayev.
Trade Flag
The construction of the first naval ships in Russia began by decree of Alexei Mikhailovich five years before the birth of Peter the Great - in 1667. Ships were built in the village of Dedinovo on the Oka River in order to subsequently take them along the Oka and Volga to Astrakhan, where the ships were to begin service to protect merchant caravans on the Caspian Sea and the Lower Volga from pirate attacks. Craftsmen, carpenters and sailors were called from Holland for construction. By 1669, the three-masted 22-gun ship "Eagle", a yacht, two sloops and a boat were built.
On April 9, 1668, a decree was issued on the release of large quantities of white, blue and red fabrics for ships under construction. We do not know exactly what the flags constructed from the resulting fabrics looked like. The researchers put forward two assumptions. Some believe that, by analogy with the Streltsy banners common at that time, the first Russian flag was a panel with a straight blue cross and white and red corners. Others believe that the first state flag of Russia had the same composition that exists to this day: three horizontal stripes of white, blue and red. The second assumption seems more reasonable. The main evidence here is the fact that it was the striped white-blue-red flag that was used by Peter I during his first shipbuilding experiments and first sea voyage in 1693. The ships for this campaign were prepared by one of the participants in the construction of the "Eagle" - constable Karsten Brant, and Peter himself always diligently emphasized the continuity of his endeavors with the affairs of his father - Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich - and in this regard, it is likely that it was the striped flag that was used on the first Russian ships and was taken over from them by Peter I in 1693.
We must not forget that the builders of the first Russian ships were the Dutch, and they also made up their crews. The Russians did not know naval art and completely trusted the Dutch craftsmen in all matters of creating ships. It is likely that when the time came to create a flag and the colors that should be used in it were determined - white, blue and red - the Dutch masters created the flag according to the tradition accepted in their homeland, which was at that time a great maritime power. The flag of the Netherlands at that time was striped, red, white and blue.
But white-blue-red was precisely the flag of the merchant fleet, one might say specially created in the European style, for trade with the same Europeans. Therefore, assessing the white-blue-red flag as the state flag is erroneous. We do not consider the St. Andrew’s flag a symbol of Russian statehood, it is the flag of the Russian Navy, and the white-blue-red tricolor is only a commercial flag of the Russian Empire, copied from the Dutch flag. When swearing the oath to the Sovereign and the Fatherland, the regimental banner was carried out, and not the missing national flag. The Nizhny Novgorod militia, going to fight in the Crimea in 1854, asked to be given not the tricolor, but the banner of Prince Dmitry Pozharsky. The white-blue-red tricolor was not visible at state ceremonies and public events, and there is no mention of it in the literature. There were not even timid attempts to approve the commercial flag as a state flag, because in this case it would have come into obvious conflict with the colors of the imperial standard.
State flag
Coronation flag of Russian emperors
In 1819, our Army first adopted a battalion linear badge, consisting of three horizontal stripes: white (top), yellow-orange and black (Zholner badge).
But almost until the middle of the 19th century. In Russia, the imperial tricolor was not officially approved as a state banner. Only on June 11, 1858, the national state colors - black, yellow and white - were legalized by Alexander II. In his personal instructions in 1865, the reformer Tsar confirmed them as “the state colors of Russia” by signing a law included in the Complete Collection of Laws of the Russian Empire under N 33289:
The arrangement of these colors is horizontal, the top stripe is black, the middle stripe is yellow (gold), and the bottom stripe is white (silver). The first two stripes correspond to the black State eagle on a gold field. The lower stripe corresponds to the white (silver) horseman of St. George in the Moscow coat of arms. Black color - the color of the Russian double-headed eagle - is a symbol of sovereignty, state stability and strength, the inviolability of historical borders, the meaning of the very existence of the Russian nation. Golden (yellow) color was once the color of the banner of Byzantium, adopted as the state banner of Russia by Ivan III, a symbol of spirituality, aspiration for moral improvement and fortitude. White color is the color of eternity and purity, which has no differences among all peoples. For Russians, this is the color of St. George the Victorious, a symbol of selfless sacrifice for the Fatherland, for the Russian land, which has always puzzled, delighted and frightened foreigners.
The black-yellow-white flag was perceived by society as imperial, governmental, in contrast to the white-blue-red flag of the Russian merchant fleet. The imperial flag was associated in the minds of the people with ideas about the greatness and power of the state. This is understandable, what could be majestic in the trade flag, in its very colors, which were artificially copied from the Europeans in order to “enter” the trade market of the same Europe?
This is how the black-yellow-white flag appeared, which became part of the state symbols of the empire under the name of the National Arms Flag (renamed the national flag in 1873).
Two state flags?!
On the eve of his coronation, on April 23, 1883, Alexander III unexpectedly legitimized the tricolor (white-blue-red) as the “Russian flag” instead of the one approved by his father. It remains to be seen why the nationally oriented Sovereign chose the colors that were the symbol of the French Republic. However, until the end of the 19th century, this essentially republican flag did not become widespread among the people. The black-yellow-white flag itself was not officially abolished, and in Russia, in fact, after 1883 there were two national flags.
During the Russian-Turkish War of 1877-1878, the white-blue-red flag was awarded to the Bulgarian People's Army and became part of the Serbian and Montenegrin flags.
By the way, there was also an unofficial interpretation of the black, yellow and white colors of the flag, which could also influence the desire to turn the flag over.
In particular, the Black Hundreds n. The twentieth century, being supporters of a return to the old flag, interpreted its colors based on Uvarov’s triad: “Orthodoxy, Autocracy, Nationality.” White (silver) stripe - Orthodoxy (symbolizes the purity of the Christian faith, preserved only in Orthodoxy); Gold (yellow) stripe - Autocracy (symbolizes the splendor and glory of royal power); Black - Nationality (the color of the earth, the color associated with the common people - “black people”, “black hundreds”, etc.
The question of the Russian national flag was raised again in the 20th century under Nicholas II. On May 10, 1910, the Sovereign established a Special Meeting on this issue at the Ministry of Justice, which, over two years of work, conducted a comprehensive and in-depth study, inviting well-known specialists to participate in it.
“The majority of the Members of the Special Meeting came to the conclusion that the Russian state national colors should be black, yellow and white.” As you can see, nothing is said here about color reversal.
On June 18, 1913, the commission decided: “black-yellow-white colors must be depicted in the state (national) flag. ... Government and government buildings should be decorated with black, yellow and white flags.”
In 1914, by a special circular of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a new national white-blue-red flag was introduced “for use in private life” with a yellow square with a black double-headed eagle added at the top of the staff (a composition corresponding to the palace standard of the emperor); the eagle was depicted without titular coats of arms on its wings; the square overlapped the white and about a quarter of the blue stripes of the flag. The new flag was not introduced as mandatory; its use was only “allowed.” The symbolism of the flag emphasized the unity of the king with the people.
The white-blue-red flag was again left for private use, along with the state one. In November 1913, the materials of the commission and the Special Meeting were again transferred to the Council of Ministers, which, under the Ministry of Justice, convened a new special meeting, which in the spring of 1914 confirmed the decisions of the two previous ones; it would seem that a complex and important issue was resolved once and for all in favor of the blacks. yellow-white flag.
However, a few months later the First World War began and politics intervened, because... The Russian government was uncomfortable using the colors that were represented on the banners of the German (black-white-red) and Austro-Hungarian (black-yellow) Empires, while the flags of the Allies (France, England, USA) had white, blue and red palette
After the February Revolution, the Provisional Government abolished the second Russian flag - the “herald flag”, black, yellow and white, as a bearer of the imperial spirit. The white-blue-red tricolor remained the only state flag.
Where did the tradition of wearing the flag with the white side up come from?
Where did the practice of using the imperial flag with a white stripe at the top come from? While studying the history of the right-wing movement in Russia and the Russian diaspora, I myself was interested in this question. Initially, I thought that the confusion was caused by S. Baburin, whose party for a number of years used the inverted flag of the Russian Empire as “their” flag. In response to my question about why the flag was turned upside down, one of the Baburin residents answered me something like this: “But when we come to power, we will turn it the right way.”
Then it seemed to me that the person was simply laughing it off, but later I discovered the use of an inverted flag among Russian emigrants. It is possible that Russian immigrants proceeded from the logic - until historical Russia is restored, the flag will be turned upside down (as if at half-mast, as a sign of mourning for the lost Motherland - this (mourning) explained the black uniform of Russian nationalist emigrants). Or another option - state sovereign colors are used to create your own purely party flag, by simply changing their location.
Imperial flag today
In the modern era, patriotic forces began to use the imperial flag since the late 1980s. But he gained wide popularity only after the 1993 coup attempt.
"In the lead UAZ 66-11 MKM green, standing at the right door, Makashov gave us detailed instructions. On the roof I noticed two flags: imperial and red. Despite my strong allergy to the color red, at such a moment I simply did not pay attention to this."
The imperial flag has become one of the indispensable attributes of all patriotic events, and enjoys the same respect as the red banner with the Savior Not Made by Hands and, of course, the St. Andrew's flag.
There was no official state flag in Russia for a very long time, although sometimes the white-blue-red tricolor was perceived as the state flag - after all, it was raised on merchant ships and was most often seen abroad. But on June 11, 1858, Emperor Alexander II approved the first official state flag of the Russian Empire - a black, yellow and white banner.
Where do these colors come from? Their choice was partly justified by the traditions of Western European heraldry, according to which the colors of the flags most often repeated the colors of the coats of arms of the ruling dynasties in these countries. Likewise, on the Russian flag, the upper black and middle yellow stripes corresponded to the black double-headed eagle and the yellow field of the state coat of arms, and the lower white stripes corresponded to the cockade of Peter I and the white horseman of St. George, the patron saint of the kings of Moscow and Moscow.
But the flag of dynastic colors did not last long. Emperor Alexander III on May 7, 1883 ordered the white-blue-red tricolor to be hung on ceremonial occasions, and on April 5, 1896, a special meeting decided: the tricolor is the “national and state flag” of the Russian Empire. The colors were explained by the title of the emperor - “all Great, and White and Little Russia”: red corresponded to the Great Russians, blue to the Little Russians, white to the Belarusians.
At the end of the 19th century. flags, standards and pennants were unified, white, blue and red colors replaced black, gold and white. However, the struggle between supporters of the two flags did not stop; the question of which of them should be the state one continued to be discussed. Monarchist-minded circles insisted on the return of the dynastic flag, while liberals advocated maintaining the white-blue-red flag.
The First World War prevented his final decision, and the tricolor was preserved as the state flag, and black-yellow-white as the dynastic flag of the emperors.
The First World War gave birth to another flag, combining the tricolor and the imperial standard and symbolizing the unity of the king and the people. In it, the white and blue stripes on the roof (in the upper left corner of the panel) were covered by a yellow square with a double-headed eagle.
So until 1858 the flag was different. The order of the colors in it was as follows: starting from the top stripe - white, then yellow and black at the bottom. It existed in this form until its official adoption. Along with it, there was a white-blue-red one, which from April 29, 1896, Emperor Nicholas II ordered to be considered the National and State flag. The emperor was “persuaded” because supposedly all Slavic peoples were assigned such colors - and this emphasizes their “unity”.
That is, then, before adoption, the white-yellow-black flag was simply turned over.
The “coup” can also be traced to the author - Bernhard Karl Köhne. He was born into the family of a secret state archivist, a Berlin Jew who converted to the Reformed religion. He came to Russia under the patronage. In heraldic historiography he earned a sharp negative assessment, despite his vigorous activity. Need I say that they didn’t speak Russian in the department he headed? However, at that time very little Russian was spoken in high bureaucratic circles.
But be that as it may, the flag was accepted and in this form it existed until 1910, when monarchists raised the question of the “correctness” of the flag, since the 300th anniversary of the House of Romanov was approaching.
A special meeting was formed to clarify the issue “about the state Russian national colors.” It worked for 5 years, and the majority of participants voted for the return of the imperial white-yellow-black flag with the “correct” arrangement of colors as the main, state flag.
For some reason and why - it is not clear, but they made a compromise - the result was a symbiosis of two competing flags: the eclectic white-blue-red flag had a yellow square with a black double-headed eagle in the upper corner. We fought a little with this in that world war. Further, the history of the imperial flag ends for a well-known reason.
In heraldry, an inverted flag means mourning, Köhne knew this very well, heading the heraldic department of the Empire. The death of the Russian emperors confirmed this. In maritime practice, an inverted flag means that the ship is in distress.
It is clear that colors are still confused and flags are hung upside down, consciously and unconsciously, but for this to happen at the state level and with many years of struggle, special efforts of special people are needed.
The white-blue-red tricolor, familiar to modern Russians, was approved under Peter I and has a history of more than 300 years. Not everyone knows that for many years it was competed by the so-called imperial flag or the flag of the coat of arms of Russia. It was the official symbol of Tsarist Rus' for almost forty years, and it was during this period of time that the country fought successful military battles without suffering a single defeat.
Currently, the imperial tricolor has the widest range of meanings. It is viewed as a symbol of patriotism and support for the monarchical regime, and some public organizations are in favor of returning the black-yellow-white banner to the status of the official symbol of the country.
Story
The imperial flag owes its name to the era when it was the main symbol of the state. In the time period, this is the period from 1858 to 1896, during the reign of Alexander II, recognized as one of the most successful statesmen of Russia. The banner adorned government offices and other government buildings. It was then that the country was on the threshold of great reforms, and the national spirit was on a high rise.
The flag of the Russian Empire dates back to the reign of Anna Ioanovna. Then, in the 18th century, the Senate issued a decree, according to which the scarves of the infantry and cavalry had to have the coat of arms colors, namely black and yellow. This rule also applied to headdresses, which were now decorated with a gold braid patch and a white woolen bow on a black background.
The next stage in the development of the state symbol was the accession to the throne of Elizabeth Petrovna in 1742. For the ceremony, a flag was sewn, which was later used for other important events. It looked like a yellow canvas with a double-headed black eagle in the middle. On all sides of it were the official symbols of the principalities that were part of the state.
The imperial tricolor began to enjoy particular popularity during military conflicts between Russia and France. The war with Napoleon became a powerful impetus for clothing and even houses to be decorated with ribbons, bows and flags in black and yellow colors. A few years later, under Nicholas I, such symbolism became widespread among ordinary civil servants, and not just the military.
In the summer of 1858, under Alexander II, the banner was approved as the official state symbol. It is worth saying that before this, the order of alternating colors was somewhat different and the flag looked like a white-yellow-black cloth. In this form, it symbolized the theory of official nationality, popular at that time, which sounded like: “Orthodoxy, autocracy, nationality.”
For almost forty years, the flag of the Russian Empire was the official symbol of the country and was taken as the basis for the creation of new coats of arms of various principalities. It adorned government buildings and government institutions, while the old white-blue-red tricolor remained for ordinary citizens and maritime vessels.
The situation changed radically due to the tragic death of Alexander II. His son actually revived the tricolor of Peter I, as he issued a decree that it should be raised above buildings during the holidays. He later gave it official status, although the coat of arms flag continued to be used, albeit much less frequently.
The issue of the official banner of Russia was put to rest by the last Emperor Nicholas II. He approved the status of the Petrovsky tricolor, which has not changed to the present day. The fate of the imperial flag was determined by the socialist revolution of 1917. He began to be exploited by members of the White Guard who did not agree with the power of the proletariat and were in immigration.
Nicholas II
Interest in the flag's coat of arms was revived only after the collapse of the USSR. It was especially liked by representatives of public and political organizations, as well as nationalists. The latter appeal to the fact that this symbol affirms patriotism and can mark the beginning of the revival of traditional Russian culture. Opponents of the imperial symbols point out that the color of the banner rather resembles the Prussian and Austrian flags, having nothing in common with the Slavs.
Appearance
Three horizontal stripes run through the rectangular fabric. The topmost one is black, followed by yellow, and the tricolor is completed by a white stripe. Sometimes the yellow color of the banner is replaced by gold, and the white by silver.
Symbolism
According to one of the earliest interpretations, the tricolor of the coat of arms of the Russian Empire has a deep meaning. Thus, the black stripe matches the color of the double-headed eagle and symbolizes the unshakable foundations of the country and its integrity. The Russian people are united and live in one of the greatest states, ranging from the Baltic Sea to the Pacific coast.
The color yellow reflects the high level of spirituality of the population, the desire to develop and keep their thoughts pure. It points to the continuity of generations and respect for traditions. The golden stripe also has a religious interpretation, as it corresponds to the banner of Orthodox Byzantium. It was from the Byzantine Empire that Orthodox Christianity came to Rus' and became the official religion.
White color in heraldry denotes loyalty and purity of intentions. In the case of the Imperial flag, it is a symbol of the selflessness of the Russian people and their ability to sacrifice everything for the sake of the Motherland. At the same time, the silver stripe of the banner corresponds to the color of the Great Martyr George the Victorious, who is one of the most revered saints in Christianity.
This is just one interpretation of the tricolor of the Imperial flag. According to another equally popular version, white color is Orthodoxy, based on the principles of which all life in the Fatherland is built. The gold stripe is a symbol of autocratic power, and the black stripe is the population of the country. The black color was not chosen by chance, since it corresponds to the land of Russia, which since ancient times has been the main breadwinner of the common people.
Colors: black, yellow, white
Shapes: stripes
BLACK-YELLOW-WHITE FLAG AS AN OFFICIAL (STATE) FLAGTHE RUSSIAN EMPIRE WAS ENTERED BY THE DECREE OF ALEXANDER II OF JUNE 11, 1858
The colors of the flag meant the following: Black color- the color of the Russian double-headed eagle - a symbol of the Great Power in the East, a symbol of sovereignty in general, state stability and strength, the inviolability of historical borders - this is the basis that for centuries and to this day has determined the very meaning of the existence of the Russian nation, which created a huge state from the Baltic Sea to the Pacific Ocean . Gold (yellow) color- once the color of the banner of Orthodox Byzantium, perceived as the state banner of Russia by Ivan the Third Vasilyevich, is generally a symbol of spirituality, aspiration for moral improvement and fortitude. For Russians, it is a symbol of continuity and preservation of the purity of the Christian Truth - the Orthodox faith. White color- the color of eternity and purity, which in this sense has no discrepancies among the Eurasian peoples. For Russians, this is the color of St. George the Victorious - a symbol of great, selfless and joyful sacrifice for the Fatherland, for “one's friends”, for the Russian Land - that main fundamental feature of the Russian national character, which from century to century, from generation to generation, has puzzled , delighted and frightened foreigners.
The first two Russian state colors appeared in our Fatherland in 1472 after the marriage of Ivan the Third to Princess Sophia Paleologus, along with the adoption of the coat of arms from the Byzantine Empire, which had fallen under the blows of the Turks. The Byzantine imperial banner - a golden canvas with a black eagle crowned with two crowns - becomes the state banner of Russia.
Even before the start of the Troubles, the state banner receives the final detail - the eagle’s chest is covered with a large coat of arms with the image of St. George the Victorious. A white rider on a white horse subsequently gave legal basis to the third color of the flag - white. The black-yellow-white flag combined the colors of national heraldic emblems and during the reign of Emperor Nicholas I established itself as a national symbol. For the first time in Russia, the black-yellow-white flag began to be flown on special days after 1815, following the end of the Patriotic War with Napoleonic France.
In 1819, our Army first adopted a battalion linear badge, consisting of three horizontal stripes: white (top), yellow-orange and black (Zholner badge). On June 11, 1858, Emperor Alexander II personally approved a design with the arrangement of the emblem black, yellow and white colors of the Empire on banners and flags for decoration on the streets on special occasions. The black-yellow-white flag was never legally abolished, just as the white-blue-red was never national, although under the Democrats it changed its status as a commercial, civil maritime flag to the status of a “state” flag. Since the reign of Emperor Alexander III, the Russian national state flag has been particularly furiously attacked by the left-democratic public for its, as they wrote then, “emphatically monarchical and Germanophile character.” The same critics who did not see in the white-blue-red flag a complete analogy with the national colors of France and Holland, as well as with many third-rate countries such as Argentina, Haiti, Honduras, Chile, found “shameful Germanophile imitation” in one the only top stripe of the black, yellow and white flag.
On April 28, 1883 (May 7, 1883), Alexander III, with the “Decree on flags for decorating buildings on special occasions,” ordered the use of a white-blue-red flag as the state flag of the Russian Empire, instead of black-yellow-white.
Every person must know not only the past of his country, but also the history of the emergence of its main symbols of state power. In this article we would like to describe the Imperial, or People's Arms, black-yellow-white flag, whose it was, when it appeared and what it represented.
What is the meaning of the flag?
The banner of any country has a deep sacred meaning and succinctly expresses its identity. This official symbol of nationhood represents the nation by describing its spiritual reality. The flags depict important symbolic emblems, the coat of arms or its individual elements, which can conditionally tell about significant historical events, traditions, beliefs and even the economy and geographical location of the country. The colors of the banner always have a deep meaning, expressing the unity of the people, their power, and the desire for freedom and peace. The Russian black-yellow-white flag has become a sacred symbol of the Great Country, state power and strength, stability and inviolability of the historical borders of our Motherland. We will talk about it in detail below.
The history of the Russian flag. First national flag
State flags, like anthems, began to appear in European countries only from the end of the 18th century. Before this time, of course, there were various banners and coats of arms of aristocratic families, dynasties, merchant and military fleets, badges of guilds and workshops. Military banners and banners were common in Russia. They often depicted the faces of the Mother of God, the Savior and saints. They were sacred, like icons, and people often prayed and held prayer services in front of them. Royal banners were considered the banners of the state, but until the 17th century they did not have official status, so they often changed their appearance, colors and shape. It is believed that the emergence of the first Russian flag was started by Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, who issued two special decrees in 1668-1669. They ordered that a white, blue and red banner be raised over Russian warships.
Flags from the reign of Peter I and Elizabeth Petrovna
Later, Peter I continued the work of creating a state banner. In 1693, on the warship "St. Peter" the "flag of the Tsar of Moscow" was raised, which was a panel (4.6 by 4.9 m) of horizontal stripes of blue, red and white. In the middle of the flag, a double-headed eagle was depicted in gold paint. In 1699, the Tsar himself drew a sketch of a three-stripe flag of the Russian Empire. In addition to the tricolor used on military ships, Peter I approved another state standard - a yellow cloth with a black eagle painted in the center, which held four maps with images of the Caspian, White and Azov seas, as well as the Gulf of Finland.
The next stage in the creation of the Russian state banner was the coronation procedure of Elizabeth Petrovna. For the ceremony (1742), a new banner of the Russian Empire was developed, consisting of a yellow cloth with the image of a black double-headed eagle, surrounded by oval shields with coats of arms.
Russian flag black, yellow, white - "imperka"
The next state flag was created for the coronation day of Alexander II. It looked like this: on a golden cloth a black eagle and a white St. George the Victorious were depicted on horseback. It was proposed to create such a flag by heraldist B.V. Köhne, who was involved in the development of the Romanov dynasty. He believed that for the new Russian national flag it was necessary to establish coat of arms colors - black, silver and gold, as this was accepted in the heraldry of many European countries. Later, on June 11, 1856, Alexander II, by his order, approved the new look of the State Flag and established from now on that all banners, standards, pennants and other items used on ceremonial occasions must have the coat of arms colors of the Russian Empire. This is how the black-yellow-white flag appeared in Russia. This tricolor began to be used on various special days, including the coronation of Alexander III. The black-yellow-white flag of the Russian Empire looked as shown in the following figure.
Subsequently, it began to be called the National Arms Flag. According to the government, ordinary people, contemplating the coat of arms on the state banner, became familiar with Russian culture and history.
What did the banner approved by Emperor Alexander II symbolize?
Each color of the flag - black, yellow, white - was deeply symbolic. Let's take a closer look at what they meant. double-headed eagle, showed imperial power, sovereignty, statehood, strength and stability. He pointed to the inviolability of the borders of the Russian Empire, stretching from the Pacific Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. He signified the strength and power of a huge country. The color gold (or yellow) was also of great importance. In the past, it was the main color of the banner of Orthodox Byzantium and was perceived by the Russian people as a symbol of spirituality and religiosity. symbolized the desire for moral development, improvement, as well as fortitude. It signified the preservation of the purity of the Orthodox faith and the comprehension of Divine truth.
White color symbolized purity and eternity. For the Russian people, it was a reflection of the deeds of St. George the Victorious and meant the desire to defend their homeland and preserve the Russian land, even sacrificing themselves. The white color spoke of the enormous strength of spirit of the Russian national character, the stamina and steadfastness of the defenders of the Russian land. Orthodoxy, autocratic power and nationality - this is what the Imperial black-yellow-white flag symbolized. Its significance is difficult to overestimate - it has become an expression of the Russian Orthodox tradition, autocratic power and the resilience of the common people.
Which flag: black, yellow, white or Peter's tricolor was used at the end of the 19th century?
Despite the fact that the new Russian flag, black-yellow-white, was created on the basis of the state emblem colors, which carried a significant sacred meaning, it was perceived by society exclusively as a government standard. Many Russian people associated black and yellow colors with Austria and the House of Habsburg. But the “Peter’s” white-blue-red tricolor was closer to the people and was considered civilian, gradually acquiring the status of “philistine”. Therefore, in the 70s - 80s. XIX in the Russian Empire there was a so-called “duality” of the state symbol.
At the same time, two banners existed and were used - the white-yellow-black flag of Russia (the government) and the national, white-blue-red tricolor. Often the latter was preferred - it appeared on city streets, was installed near monuments and was used at special events.
"Petrovsky" tricolor - the national flag of the Russian Empire
During the coronation, Alexander III was surprised that the Kremlin itself and the ceremonial procession were decorated in coat of arms, and the capital was decorated. Subsequently, the emperor signed a decree according to which the “Petrine” tricolor acquired official status and became the national flag of the Russian Empire. From the moment the resolution came into force, the flag “black, white, yellow stripe” began to be considered the banner of the reigning house of the Romanovs. Emperor Nicholas II, by his decree of 1896, secured the position of the white-blue-red banner as the only state one.
Return of the black-yellow-white flag
The approach of an important date - the 300th anniversary of the reign of the House of Romanov, as well as the bourgeois-democratic revolution caused a turn in politics regarding national colors. Adherents of the monarchical foundations wanted to return the “black, yellow, white stripe” flag, which for them was a symbol of the protection of the Russian Empire from future dramatic events. In 1914, an attempt was made to combine two flags - the “Petrine” tricolor and the black, white and yellow “Imperial” flag. As a result, a new banner appeared, in which there were colors - blue, black, red, yellow, white. The flag looked like this: in the upper rectangular fabric there was a yellow square. A black double-headed eagle was drawn in it.
This combination was supposed to express the unity of the people and the authorities, as well as patriotism and faith in victory. Nevertheless, such an eclectic flag did not take root and did not become national. It served as an official state symbol for a short time - until 1917. The subsequent abdication of Nicholas II, and then the February Revolution, put an end to the introduction of imperial symbols.
Red flag of the USSR
After the October Revolution, the state flag acquired a new look: it was a simple red rectangular panel without inscriptions or any emblems. It became a symbol of Freedom and marked the advent of a new era in the life of the country. On April 8, 1918, at the meeting, a proposal was made to approve as an official red flag with the letters “P.V.S.S.”, denoting the famous motto calling for the unification of the proletarians of all countries. Further, in April 1918, a red banner with the inscription: “Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic” was recognized as the state flag.
Since the unification of the RSFSR with the BSSR, Ukrainian SSR and the Transcaucasian Federation in the USSR, the flag has become a scarlet rectangular cloth. It depicted a golden sickle and hammer in the upper corner, and above them a five-pointed red star with a gold border.
Use of the white-blue-red flag
From 1923 to 1991 This flag was recognized as official. Nevertheless, the "Petrine" tricolor continued to be used in some cases.
During the Great Patriotic War, he, along with the St. Andrew's flag, served some anti-Soviet formations. For example, the Russian Liberation Army under the leadership of Lieutenant General A. A. Vlasov used a slightly modified St. Andrew's flag with a red stripe along the edge. Let us note that the use of Russian national symbols was generally accepted in the collaborationist formations of the Third Reich. Later in the 70s. white-blue-red colors were used in the anti-communist organization - VSKHSON. In 1987, the “Petrine” tricolor began to be used by various patriotic groups, for example, the “Memory” society. In 1989, the mass democratic movement adopted the tricolor as its official symbol. At the same time, monarchists and followers of conservative movements began to again use the black, yellow and white flag of Imperial Russia. In 1989, the Patriotic Association "Russian Banner" made a proposal to abolish the red flag and once again make the white-blue-red banner official. The Supreme Council of the RSFSR decided (08.22.91) to recognize the white-blue-red tricolor as the official symbol of the state. On November 1, 1991, it was adopted as the state flag of the RSFSR.
The symbolic meaning of the white, blue and red colors of the modern Russian flag
These days there are several interpretations of the colors of the Russian flag. Since ancient times, white has stood for frankness and nobility, blue for honesty, chastity, fidelity and impeccability, and red for love, generosity, courage and courage. Another common interpretation was the correlation of colors with the historical territories of Russia. Thus, white was associated with White, blue with Lesser Russia, and red with Great Russia, symbolizing the unification of three peoples - Little Russians, Great Russians and Belarusians. There were other interpretations of color symbolism. For example, white color was considered as a symbol of Freedom, red - sovereignty, and blue - denoted the Mother of God. Sometimes, the colors of the “Petrine” tricolor were interpreted as a trinity of royal power, the Orthodox faith and the Russian people.
Instead of a conclusion
So, in this article we looked at the black-yellow-white flag: whose it was, when it arose and what it represented. We learned how Russian banners changed over time and what they represented. We described not only the “Petrine” banner, but also the red flag of the USSR. And, of course, they told us when the white-blue-red tricolor was adopted as the main state symbol of the Russian Federation.
