We invite you to familiarize yourself with the most famous symbols of mankind, many of which you will probably be able to decipher without our tips.
Yin Yang
Black and white "fish" intertwined in a circle is one of the most popular symbols. There are many interpretations of it, but each of them is true in its own way. The black half embodies the dark, earthy, northern or feminine, and the white half embodies the opposite.
We know this symbol from Taoist philosophy, but in fact the harmony of dark and light came from Buddhist culture. Yin-Yang has become the personification of Eastern teachings and Chinese medicine.
The most common interpretation is the balance, harmony between the feminine and masculine, good and evil.
Magen David (Star of David)
Although today we perceive this symbol as exclusively Jewish, it appeared in India around the Bronze Age. Then he meant Anahata - the chakra that reveals all that is beautiful and is responsible for love.
By the way, even today this symbol is found in different cultures. For example, in Islam, the same six-pointed stars are depicted on the bedspread that covers the main shrine in Mecca.
They began to associate the Star of David with the Jews already in the Middle Ages, although at that time this symbol could more often be found in Arabic treatises.
Since this symbol was depicted on the family coat of arms of King David who lived in Iran, the star was called Magen David. It was also used by Heinrich Heine, who signed his articles in this way. The Rothschild family also included this sign in their coat of arms. Subsequently, Magen David became a symbol of the Zionists.
Caduceus
This is one of the oldest symbols that was used in the ritual ceremonies of ancient Egypt. By the way, its meaning is interpreted differently depending on the application. In ancient Rome, this sign was a symbol of immunity, in occultism - a sign of secret knowledge and the key to it. But in the United States in the century before last, the caduceus was distributed as a medical emblem.
But the most common meaning of the caduceus is its interpretation as a symbol of trade, wealth and prosperity. A torch with curly snakes is found on the emblem of the chamber of commerce, customs or tax service, courts and even some cities.
The torch is interpreted as the axis of life, and intertwined snakes symbolize movement, the struggle between good and evil, the unity of God and man, as well as many other phenomena and concepts.
chrism
This symbol is one of the most iconic symbols of Christians. He is known as the monogram of Christ, that is, chrism is the interweaving of the first two letters of his name. Although chrism is one of the symbols that were traditionally depicted on the banners of the Roman Empire.
There is an interpretation according to which this is an ancient symbol of the sun in some religions. That is why many Christian movements do not recognize this sign.
Ohm
An ancient sacred symbol for Hindus, which means the divine triad. He personifies Creation, Maintenance and Destruction, being the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
The mantra "Om" is a mantra of strength, mind and eternity. This is one of the symbols that has become popular in pop culture and cinema.
Chalice of Hygieia
Who has not seen this sign that has become a symbol of medicine? This emblem came to us from Ancient Greece, where it meant the struggle for health and strength. For the first time, doctors used it back in the days of the Roman conquests, and later this sign became a generally accepted symbol of medicine. Although the emblem of the WHO is slightly different - it is a snake wrapped around a staff. But we still know that an asp with a bowl means a medical preparation or an institution.
Ichthys
The graphic silhouette of a fish with an inscribed abbreviation in Greek "Jesus Christ - the Son of God" was used by the first Christians during the period of persecution. Fish is a symbol of Christianity, the apostles and religious teachings.
Today, the abbreviation itself is more common, although these crossed "crescents" can be found on ancient places of worship.
Rose of Wind
The wind rose is a symbol-amulet for sailors. They believed that this sign would help them return home and not go astray. But in some occult teachings there is a similar symbolism that personifies the angelic essence.
Wheel with 8 spokes
In different religions and religious rites, this symbol meant different things. But the most common interpretation is the sun, movement in a circle, fate, fortune.
In everyday life, the expression "Wheel of Fortune" is firmly entrenched. It came from this symbol.
Ouroboros
The serpent devouring its own tail represents the cycle of life and death. But with the advent of Christianity, where the serpent is the personification of evil, the ouroboros became a symbol of the struggle between good and evil.
Hammer and sickle
A relatively "young" symbol that came into the world with the communist movement. It was coined in 1918 and meant the peasantry (sickle) and the working class (hammer). Today it is perceived as a symbol of communism.
fleur-de-lis
Sign of royalty. It was especially widespread in France, although initially the flower was interpreted as a symbol of purity and innocence. In the Renaissance, this sign symbolized mercy and compassion. Many consider the fleur-de-lis to be a stylized iris flower.
Crescent
Initially, the crescent was the personification of the night deity. In some images from Ancient Egypt, we can see the headdresses with a crescent moon on the gods. But today it is the most established symbol of Islam. The crescent is also found in Christianity, where it symbolizes the Virgin Mary and Paradise.
double headed eagle
In ancient Sumer, the double-headed eagle was a solar symbol representing the sun and light. During the formation of the first states, the double-headed eagle became one of the most common symbols of empires. The symbol gained popularity as the coat of arms of the Roman Empire, the Paleolog dynasty (Byzantium) and the Golden Horde. Today it can often be found in the coats of arms of many states.
Pentacle
Since ancient times, it has been a symbol of protection. Appeared long before the emergence of world religions. But each of them found its own interpretation of the pentagram. For example, in Christianity it is a symbol of the five wounds on the body of Christ. But more the sign is known as Solomon's seal.
The pentagram is found in different meanings. It is used both as an occult symbol and as a religious one. The inverted pentagram is interpreted as a symbol of evil.
Swastika
Today, this symbol is associated with evil and fascism, having completely lost its original meaning. Moreover, in some countries this symbolism is prohibited by law.
But the history of the swastika begins 10 thousand years ago. Initially, it was interpreted as a wish for good luck and prosperity. In pre-Columbian America, the swastika meant the sun, life, movement.
All-seeing eye
A sign of truth, teaching and patronage. Found in ancient Egypt and in the modern world. For example, it can be seen on US currency banknotes. Usually used in conjunction with a triangle or pyramid symbol. The sign is found both in religious and occult movements, and in the symbolism of Masons.
Cross
Initially, the cross symbolized life and the sun. It was used by the priests of Ancient Egypt, India and other ancient civilizations.
With the advent of Christianity, the cross changed its meaning somewhat, becoming a symbol of death and resurrection. Today it is the most common sign of Christianity.
Pacific
One of the most common symbols that was invented as an emblem of the movement for nuclear disarmament. But gradually its original meaning was transformed into universal reconciliation and the renunciation of the use of military force. Now this sign is an international symbol of peace.
Olympic rings
The most famous sports symbol. It has several interpretations: five rings - five continents, five rings as five skills that each competitor must master. There is another meaning in which five colors mean five elements surrounding a person.
Compasses and square
A symbol that has always been attributed only to the Masonic lodge. But its interpretation is quite diverse. The compass means the sky, and the square means the earth, symbolizing the unity of the spiritual and the earthly. Often in the resulting rhombus the letter G is depicted, which is interpreted as the soul of a person.
Smile
The most popular Internet symbol that has only one meaning is have a happy day. Initially, the smiley was the emblem of an advertising campaign, but very soon the sign joined any message that they want to give goodwill.
dollar sign
This sign denotes not only the American currency, but also any other that has the name "dollar". But the origin of this symbol remains a mystery. There is an interpretation that the dollar is an abbreviation for the peso currency, because initially the Spaniards dominated the continent. According to another version, this is a graphic designation of the path and the pillars of Hercules.
Mars and Venus signs
This symbol appeared in Antiquity. A circle with a stripe down means Venus, who admires her beauty in the mirror. A circle with an arrow up means the strength and courage of martial Mars.
Charles II (1630-1685) on the throne
Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of Britain from 1653 to 1658, who executed King Charles I, did not play the most plausible role in the history of his country. He not only undermined the foundations of absolute monarchy, but also, out of hatred for monarchs, destroyed all the most valuable historical symbols of royal power: crowns, scepter, orb, thrones, mantles. Some of them were melted down into coins, some were stolen. And today, in the museums of London, including the Tower, royal values are stored, which were created after 1660.
Regalia - signs of royal, imperial or royal power - have been known since ancient times and are approximately the same in developed countries: this is a crown, orb, scepter, mantle, sword or sword, throne. And if you look closely at the traditional ceremonial images of the English kings, they are seated on the throne, on the head a crown, in the hands of an orb and a scepter. You can name other attributes and symbols of royal power, not so noticeable, for example, a shield, knightly armor.
The most important symbol of royalty is the crown. It is usually made of gold and decorated with precious stones. According to researchers, the Roman crown served as a prototype for the crown. It was the coronation that has long been considered a legitimate, traditional and hereditary procedure for the monarch to take power and its attributes.
The coronation also meant that the new monarch was allowed to continue the hierarchical hereditary chain of the former rulers. In addition, the coronation is also a very important religious ceremony for the people, during which the sacrament of anointing to the kingdom is performed. Thus, the whole coronation ritual has a special meaning of God's blessing on the kingdom.
The first crown of England - the crown of St. Edward - did not survive, it turned out to be a victim of the very process of destroying all the attributes of royal power undertaken by Cromwell. The crown that can be seen in the Tower is a copy of the destroyed crown of St. Edward. It was created for the coronation of King Charles II in 1661. This crown is adorned with diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds and is considered the most valuable in the world. Among the precious stones that adorn it, we should especially mention the Stuart sapphire, the Black Prince ruby.
The Imperial State Crown, which is worn by the current reigning Queen Elizabeth II during the opening of the British Parliament or on the occasion of other state celebrations, was commissioned by Queen Victoria in 1837. Queen Victoria herself wore this crown at her coronation on January 28, 1838.
Among other royal regalia, the orb and the scepter should be mentioned - they are also symbols of royal power, signs of royal dignity. Power with its round shape goes back to the globe. She was held in her left hand, and the scepter in her right. The scepter was an attribute of the gods Zeus (Jupiter) and Hera (Juno), it was one of the signs of dignity of the Greek and Roman rulers.
The Royal Scepter of Great Britain is adorned with the world's largest diamond, the Star of Africa, which weighs 530 carats and is the largest
The ceremonial state clubs are part of the world-famous Cullinan diamond.
From the collection of the kings of Great Britain, one should also highlight the Great State Sword, which was made at the end of the 17th century. Her scabbard is adorned with diamonds, emeralds and rubies.
Only in the presence of all regalia does the king have complete supreme power: he is the best of the best, he is the main military leader, his words are the law for all loyal subjects.
Another crown, created for the coronation in 1937 of Elizabeth, wife of King George VI, is adorned with the Kohinoor diamond, which means "mountain of light." This is the most famous jewel in England.
The Kohinoor diamond was "born" in India over 300 years ago. There is a belief that the Kohinoor diamond brings bad luck to the men who own it. It was never sold for money, but passed by force from one ruler to another. Finally, in 1849, he was sent to London in a forged casket, which was packed in a special chest, with guards by sea from Punjab (State of India). And in 1850 it was presented to Queen Victoria. In 1851, the priceless diamond was put on display at the World Exhibition in London, and 6 million visitors were able to see it. And in 1937 it was inlaid in the center of the cross of the royal crown.
In 1947, India, a former colony of the British Empire, became independent. And the leaders of this country presented property claims to Great Britain. In particular, they demanded that the Kohinoor diamond, which was considered a national treasure, be returned to them. Then this issue was not resolved, but in 1953 it was back on the agenda. Once again, British society strongly rejected all claims. The British made it clear to the Indians that they were not going to return the gem.
Currently, the coronation of kings occurs only in the UK. The current reigning Queen of Great Britain, Elizabeth II, is the only monarch to be crowned in accordance with all the rules. In all other countries of Europe, coronation has been replaced by inauguration, or enthronement, without chrismation and the laying on of a crown.
The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II took place on June 2, 1953. Three weeks before the ceremony, Elizabeth, in order to feel confident in her new royal attire, began to wear the Imperial State Crown all the time. She did not take it off even during breakfast.
For less solemn events, Elizabeth also has spare crowns, a diadem, but they are not so majestic. The spare crown is set with 2,783 diamonds and contains 273 pearls, 16 sapphires, 11 emeralds and 5 rubies.
They say that without a crown in Elizabeth II there is nothing royal. And if someone happened to meet her on the streets of London or in the underground in a traditional particular dress, then he would not recognize her as the Queen of Great Britain.
Heraldic lily, also royal (Bourbon) lily or fleur-de-lis (French fleur de lys / lis; “lily flower”) is an armorial figure, one of the most popular, along with a cross, an eagle and a lion. Refers to the number of non-heraldic natural figures. The stylized image of a flower served as an ornamental pattern or an emblem of belonging to numerous societies of the Old and New Worlds. It is found on cylinder seals of Mesopotamia, on ancient Egyptian bas-reliefs and Mycenaean ceramics, on Gaulish coins and Sasanian textiles, on Indian robes and in Japanese heraldry. The symbolic meaning of the image is not unambiguous in different cultures: it was revered as a sign of purity (chastity), fruitfulness and served as a distinction of the ruling monarchs.
According to French legend, the Frankish king Clovis I converted to Christianity in 496, after which an angel gave him a golden lily as a sign of purification. In another version of the legend, it is stated that Clovis took the lily as his emblem after the water lilies in the Rhine told him a safe place to ford the river, thanks to which he won the battle.
The very first surviving color image of the Capetian coat of arms with lilies is a stained glass window of Chartres Cathedral (baie 107c; c. 1215-1216).
Lily of the Capetians
Until the first half of the 12th century, emblematic symbols are not found anywhere in Europe. And until the beginning of the 13th century, the image of golden (yellow) lilies in an azure (blue, blue) field was not yet a symbol of the French royal house. Through the efforts of the royal adviser Suger (served 1108-1137), Bernard of Clairvaux (1091-1153), King Louis VI and especially Louis VII, the most pious of the first French Capetians (rulers of France in 987-1328), the cult of the Immaculate Virgin found its place in the symbolism French monarchy, which began to use the lily of the Virgin for ideological purposes more often than any other Christian sovereign.
Subsequently, the royal, heraldic shield with lilies (écu aux fleurs de lis) first appears in 1211 on the personal seal of Prince Louis, the future Louis VIII (reigned 1223-1226) and around 1215-1216 on the stained glass window of Chartres Cathedral (baie 107c) depicting the same prince in full battle dress.
Lily Bourbonov
Originally a symbol of the Virgin Mary, the lily became the emblem of royalty in France by the end of the Middle Ages. Louis VII used it on his shield, inherited by other French kings from the Bourbon family, many of whom were also called Louis (fr. Louis); so it was said that the French word lys was short for Louis.
In an era of revolutionary terror, wearing the lily mark could lead to the guillotine.
At least one ship of the Gaullist navy was called Fleur de Lys. The name Fleur-de-Lys was also used by V. Hugo for one of the characters in the novel Notre Dame Cathedral.
The new hypothesis of a number of historians, art historians and botanists is that the fleur-de-lis, the emblem of the French royal court, is not a lily, but an iris.
three lilies
Already on the miniature of the middle of the 9th century, the throne of the sovereign of the West Frankish kingdom, Charles II, is decorated with three gold finials, similar to truncated heraldic lilies. On another, somewhat later, image of him, two similar lilies rise obliquely at the corners of the throne (the third, in the center, is most likely closed and not visible). On the sovereign here is a crown with three tops, vaguely resembling these flowers. On the miniature of the 10th century with Charles I the Great on it is a conical crown with three finials, the same as on the throne of Charles II. On the seal of the end of the 10th century of the Frankish king Hugo Capet, the last one has a crown with three teeth in the form of truncated fleur-de-lis. The same is on the royal seal of his son, Robert II. On the obverse of the Bourges denier of the middle of the XII century - Louis VII in a three-topped crown of schematically depicted lilies, on the reverse - a cross with wonderful three-petal flowers on its three tops. Then, in the reign of Louis VII, the phrase fleur de lys (“armorial lily”; lit. “lily flower”) appears in French. At the end of the 12th century, these golden flowers in a light blue field become the French royal emblem. On the stained-glass windows of the Chartres Cathedral of the early 13th century, they are also shown three times, and more than once. In the middle of this century, under Louis IX, their three petals were explained as a sign of divine patronage granted to France. Finally, under Charles V of Valois (1376), only three flowers remain (which was associated with the Holy Trinity), and the azure cloth with three stylized yellow lilies becomes the flag of France.
Taking into account the phonetic and semantic characteristics of aram. qrynwn "lily", other Greek. κρίνον "lily" (λείριον - "white lily"), lat. crinon "(red) lily", German. Grünlilie "green lily, chlorophytum)", rum. crin "lily", Russian. golden root "forest lily, saranka", st.-glory. krin "lily", Yakut. khorun "forest lily, saranka" and English. crown "crown", Bret. kurunenn "crown", lat. corōna "crown", lit. karūna "crown, crown", German. Krone "crown", Niderl. kroon "crown", fr. couronne "crown", it can be assumed that the close phonetic structure of those words that conveyed these concepts uniquely combined them with a third meaning indirectly transmitted through them, namely chosenness. As for tripling, it gave the words or images associated with such things the meaning of "divinely chosen, by God's grace, most chosen."
Non-royal coats of arms
Since the end of the 12th century, the lily sign has stood out as a special emblem and is found quite often almost everywhere in Western Europe. More often, only the figures of a lion, an eagle, and a couple of geometric figures were used for lilies. Geographical areas where the sign of the lily was especially popular: Northern and Southern Netherlands, Brittany, Poitou, Bavaria and Tuscany.
coat of arms
The sign of the lily is part of the symbolism of the Spanish Bourbons; many coats of arms of the nobility, such as Poles Gozdava and Russian Khrapovitsky; Eton College and Scouting.
From the explanation of the coat of arms of the Khrapovitskys, evidence of the meaning attached to the lily:
She is revered especially as a sign of good hope and a blameless life, and this flower is similar not only in appearance, a pure and fair color; but according to its internal property, it has a pleasant smell, has some useful power, for the sake of which those who use lilies in their coats of arms have to be kind, fair and honest.
COAT OF ARMS OF FRANCE: the history of creation and formation
It is known that at the end of the 5th century, three toads were depicted on the white banner of the founder of the Frankish state Clovis.
In 496, Clovis converted to Christianity and changed the white cloth to blue - the symbol of St. Martin, who was considered the patron saint of France. Bishop Martin of Tours, who lived in the 4th century and was subsequently declared a saint, according to legend, having once met a ragged beggar on the road, cut off with a sword and gave him half of his blue cloak. For a long time, the Franks had a banner in the form of a blue banner, reinforced with a red cord on a cross. In 800, Charlemagne proclaimed the Frankish Empire. His banner was a three-tailed red flag with the image of six blue-red-yellow roses. However, the Kingdom of France, which arose in 843 after the collapse of the empire, returned to the former blue flag. In the first quarter of the 12th century, under King Louis VI Tolstoy (according to other sources, this happened a little later, under King Louis VII or Philip II), a lot of golden fleurs-de-lis appeared on the blue flag, and it became officially called the "French Banner". on the azure field and became at the beginning of the XIII century the first French coat of arms .
fleur-de-lis - This is a stylized image of a yellow iris flower, which symbolized the Blessed Virgin in the Middle Ages. Since the 10th century, lilies have been considered the emblem of the royal Capetian dynasty, which ruled France until 1328. At the end of the 14th century, under Charles V or Charles VI (from the Valois dynasty), only three lilies remained on the blue flag, which, most likely, was associated with the dogma of the trinity of the Christian deity - the Trinity.
In the first stage of the Hundred Years' War, the French suffered several crushing defeats from England. In the battle of Poitiers in 1356, the color of the French knighthood, who fought under the blue flag, was destroyed and King John the Good was captured. In the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, the French army was again defeated, after which a significant part of the territory of France was captured by the British. Later, under the leadership of the peasant girl Joan of Arc, the French achieved a turning point in the war. The banner of the patriots was a white cloth with traditional lilies, on one side of which was depicted french coat of arms , and on the other - God and two angels, the inscriptions "Jesus Christ" and "Mary".
Supporters of Joan of Arc widely used white scarves, headbands, feathers, pennants as their hallmarks. The white color spoke of holiness and purity and was a symbol of the Blessed Virgin. During the liberation struggle, this color acquired the meaning of a symbol of national independence. However, after liberation France from foreigners, the blue flag with three golden lilies again became the flag of the French kings.But when the new Orleans dynasty of kings came to power in 1498, for which white was considered a family color, it acquired national significance.In 1589, the Bourbons came to the throne. dynasty of Henry of Navarre french coat of arms next to the traditional blue shield with lilies, a red Navarre shield with a chain appeared. Both shields, placed on the same mantle, were crowned with a knight's helmet with a crown, and all this was surrounded by the coats of arms of the twelve largest French provinces: Picardy, Normandy, Brittany, Lyonne, Ile-de-France, Orleans, Guyenne, Languedoc, Provence, Dauphine, Burgundy, and Champagne. Gradually, Lower Navarre turned into an ordinary French province, and in coat of arms of France only a crowned shield with lilies remained. He was surrounded by chains of the orders of the Holy Spirit and St. Michael, and supported by two angels. Sometimes the coat of arms was accompanied by the motto: "Saint Denis is with us!" family coat of arms of the Bourbons there was a blue shield with lilies, divided by a red diagonal. At the same time, the Bourbons legalized the former white flag as the state flag. In the center of the flag there was then a coat of arms without a motto and a mantle, and the cloth was dotted with golden lilies.
 Royal Arms of the Kingdom of France, under Philip V (1305-1328) |
 Royal Coat of Arms of France in 1376-1515. |
 Royal Coat of Arms of France in 1515-1589. |
 Royal Coat of Arms of the Kingdom of France (became the coat of arms of France under Henry IV of Navarre) 1589-1789. |
The Great French Revolution swept away the monarchical symbolism. In the July days of 1789, the rebellious Parisians sewed cockades corresponding to the colors of the city's Parisian banner. For some time the monarchy was still preserved, and a white monarchical ribbon was added to the blue-red banner of Paris. Since then, three colors have been combined on the banners of the revolutionary national guard, which marked the beginning of the modern French tricolor: in the blue and red rectangles located at the corners of the panel, the sailing ships of the coat of arms of Paris, adopted in 1385, were depicted, as well as the new republican emblem of ancient Roman origin - "lictor bunch” (the so-called ax in a bunch of rods, which was a symbol of the power of officials in ancient Rome).
However national emblem of France became a golden eagle with a beam of lightning in its paws against the background of a blue disk surrounded by a chain of the Order of the Legion of Honor established in 1802. The disk was placed against the background of crossed scepters and a mantle with a crown dotted with bees (Napoleon's personal emblem).
After the restoration of the Bourbon monarchy in 1814, pre-revolutionary royal flag and coat of arms. This coat of arms slightly different from the old one: the shield became oval, the shield holders were removed.
And again, the royal symbolism was swept away by the revolution of 1830. It was held under the republican tricolor flag, which again became official. Nevertheless, the monarchy in France was preserved, only the Bourbons were replaced by the Orleans dynasty related to them. Therefore, new The family coat of arms of the Orleans became the state emblem . However, a year later it was replaced by a blue shield with the text of the 1830 constitution.
In 1832, republican uprisings broke out in Paris and two years later in Lyon. They marched under red banners. The people also raised the red banners in the revolution of 1848. The emblem of the Republic of 1848-1852 was a popular image among the people - the Gallic rooster, the carved figure of which has adorned the staff of official flags since 1830.
After the restoration of the monarchy, Napoleon II was on the throne, and this led to the return of the already forgotten Napoleonic coat of arms . The only difference was that the eagle was no longer depicted on the disk, but on the shield. Such a coat of arms lasted until the next fall of the monarchy.
In 1871, the Paris Commune was proclaimed. For two months, a red banner fluttered over the capital of France. After the fall of the Commune, these flags were again replaced with tricolors. In the seventies there appeared new emblem of the French Republic
: gold letters of her name on a blue oval surrounded by a laurel wreath, the Legion of Honor, two national flags, an announcer's bunch and olive and oak branches. In the twenties of the 20th century, the emblem was modified. Instead of an oval, a shield was adopted in the colors of the French flag, on which the same letters, an announcer's beam, branches of olive and oak were placed.
During the Second World War, France was occupied by Nazi Germany. In the southern part of the country, a puppet French state of Marshal A.F. Pétain was formed with its capital in the city of Vichy. Hitler's henchman chose an ax with two blades, the handle of which was a marshal's baton, as his emblem. The flag remained the same. To distinguish themselves from the Vi-Chists, the French patriots, united in the Free French movement (since 1942, Fighting France), led by General de Gaulle, placed a red Lorraine cross in the center of the tricolor flag. Placed on a shield of the colors of the French flag, it was the emblem of the Free France. After the liberation of France, the tri-color again became the state and national flag, and in 1953 a modified emblem of the 1929 model was officially approved.
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It is known that modern France does not have its own national emblem
as such. This circumstance, of course, does not mean that one of the largest European powers does not have sovereignty. If you ask a Frenchman about the national symbol, then, after a little thought, he will remember Marianne, a symbolic female image personifying France. A similar image first appeared during the years of the French Revolution, and today it is often used instead of the official seal on various official documents. But still, it is more correct to call Marianne a national symbol, not a coat of arms
. The French proudly renounced the heraldic coat of arms whenever monarchical rule was destroyed in the country and a republic was established. The change of the political system in the history of France took place more than once, therefore it is not difficult to understand why the people who honor revolutionary traditions and republican freedoms today do not express a desire to accept official state emblem
. However, it would be a mistake to think that French heraldry has remained only a legacy of the past.
current coat of arms of france became a symbol of France after 1953, although it does not have any legal status as an official coat of arms.
The emblem consists of:
- pelts with a lion's head and the monogram "RF", meaning Republique Francaise (French Republic);
- olive branches, symbolizing the world;
- an oak branch symbolizing wisdom;
- fascia, which is a symbol of justice.
The emblem of "United Russia" was copied from the 370th division of the Wehrmacht, and from Italian - United Russia, literally,
fascist Russia. " Fash» - Unity, unity. Source:
The State Duma of the Russian Federation banned the bear of "United Russia"?
The United Russia bear is in danger. For a flag or a badge with a bear, it will be quite possible to thunder for 15 days. And all because the State Duma, at the suggestion of Zheleznyak, is already famously in the second reading.
But this is so, by the way. From the text of the bill it follows that 15 days of arrest will be punished.
The idea is not new. Back in 2006, the deputies of the Moscow City Duma proposed amendments to the Code of Administrative Offenses that would increase the penalties for the same thing, for which the deputies of the State Duma decided to toughen the punishment. Even then, observant people noticed that, for example, they would have to be fined for the coat of arms of Moscow.
Here is the coat of arms of Moscow:
And this is the emblem of the 29th (1st Russian) Grenadier Division of the SS "RONA":
There is also a problem with the Russian flag. Because it "to the point of confusion ..." is similar to a chevron, which consisted of Russian emigrants and prisoners of war and fought on the side of Nazi Germany.
A very popular symbol in the army of Nazi Germany was the bear. He was depicted on combat vehicles of the 3rd Panzer and 68th Infantry Divisions of the Wehrmacht. But in these divisions the bear was standing on two legs. But the bear on the emblem of the 370th Infantry Division of the Wehrmacht, which is called "confusingly ..." is similar to the bear of "United Russia". Any expert will confirm this for you.
Here are the bears EP:
And this is a fascist bear, from the emblem of the 370th Infantry Division of the Wehrmacht:
But the bears of the EP and the 370th infantry division of the Wehrmacht together:
Irek MURTAZIN
Extremism will cost dearly
They begin to fight with increased fines
The deputies of the Moscow City Duma proposed amendments to the Code of Administrative Offenses that would increase the fines for propaganda and public display of Nazi symbols by several times. However, there is no clear definition of what such symbols are in the legislation. This is up to the forensic experts to determine. The Security Council of the Russian Federation has already ordered the adoption of anti-extremist measures, in particular, to "strengthen" institutions that will supply their expertise to law enforcement agencies and courts.
Amendments to article 20.3 of the federal Code of Administrative Offenses were proposed at a meeting of the commission on interethnic and interfaith relations of the Moscow City Duma. They provide for an increase in fines for propaganda and public display of Nazi symbols to 2.5 thousand rubles. (now 500-1000 rubles), as well as the introduction of liability for this offense for legal entities (a fine of up to 100 thousand rubles). "The existing punishments have long since lost their force," Igor Yeleferenko, head of the Moscow City Duma Commission on Interethnic and Interfaith Relations, explained to Kommersant. Mr. Yeleferenko also proposes to impose additional restrictions on booksellers, obliging them to distribute books with fascist symbols in opaque packaging.
In legal proceedings, both the accuser and the accused may file a petition for an expert examination. If we are talking, for example, about the propaganda of fascism, then these can be petitions for conducting so-called psycholinguistic or identification examinations, studying, respectively, the statements of the accused or the symbols used by him. Such studies in Russia can be carried out by the Federal Center for Forensic Expertise under the Ministry of Justice, the Institute of Forensic Science of the Center for Special Equipment of the FSB, the Forensic Expert Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, as well as independent experts. The decision on the choice of the place for the examination is made by the judge. Tatyana Sekirazh, head of the laboratory of forensic psychological examination of the Federal Center for Forensic Examinations of the Ministry of Justice, explained to Kommersant the technology of identification examination, during which it will be established whether the symbols are Nazi. According to her, the work is carried out by analogy with the study of two similar trademarks to the so-called degree of confusion. "We will involve political scientists and historians who will look and compare how significantly one symbolism differs from another and whether the average person can take one for another," explained Mrs. Sekirazh. It should be noted that according to this technology, the flags of the National Bolsheviks (hammer and sickle in a white circle on a red background) and the Russian National Unity (a white cross similar to a swastika) can be recognized as "confusingly similar" to the Nazi one (a swastika in a white circle on a red background). , on a red background). True, Ms. Sekirazh admitted that the center of the Ministry of Justice had not yet conducted such examinations, while specifying that the cost of such an examination would be about $1,000.
Unlike Russia, the legal definitions of Nazi symbols are clearly spelled out abroad. For example, the German criminal code prohibits the public display of the swastika turned to the right and left, the flag and emblem of the Nazi Party, the SS and SA signs, the verses and music of the Horst Wessel party anthem. In Hungary, the demonstration of the swastika, the cross with arrows, etc. is also prohibited.
It should be noted that with its initiative the Moscow City Duma joined the campaign of the Russian authorities to tighten legislation in the field of countering extremism. As Kommersant has already reported, the Security Council of the Russian Federation has developed an action plan to combat extremism. It instructs law enforcement agencies to put legal proceedings on cases of extremism on stream, for which purpose to develop by January 1, 2007 a set of measures to strengthen the institution of forensic specialists who supply expertise to law enforcement agencies and courts.
Lawyers believe that it will not be easy to fulfill this order. "Most likely, no expert base will be developed," lawyer Dmitry Agranovsky is convinced. "The authorities will simply continue their practice when the law is applied selectively."
Alexander Kommersant-Voronov
In the official symbols of the United Russia party (left), if you wish, you can find a certain similarity with the emblem of the 370th infantry division of the Wehrmacht (right)
