Black-yellow-white flag of Russia- the state flag of the Russian Empire (from June 11 to April 28). The use of the flag extended to government offices and administrative-state buildings, and private individuals could only use the white-blue-red flag. On April 5, it was abolished de jure, and the modern white-blue-red flag took its place.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the black-yellow-white flag was used (along with the white-blue-red) by the Russian right-wing conservative forces, adherents of the Russian Empire and the emperor, opposing the revolutionaries. Today, the black-yellow-white flag is used by Russian nationalist, monarchist and patriotic organizations, football fans. It is colloquially known as the "imperial flag".
Flag History
State banner of the Russian Empire in 1742
For the first time, the use of black, yellow and white colors on Russian banners was mentioned as early as the beginning of the 18th century - during the reign of Anna Ioannovna. In the Supremely Approved Opinion of the Senate dated August 17, 1731, in the dragoon and infantry regiments, scarves were ordered to be made “according to the Russian coat of arms” from black silk with gold, “everyone should have hats with a gold golun and with gold tassels with a black field and with a white hair bow” . In the same opinion of the Senate, the white color of the cockade began to appear as the color of the "Russian field badge". In 1742, in connection with the upcoming coronation of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, the state banner of the Russian Empire was made, which became one of the insignia and was used at solemn ceremonies, coronations, and burials of emperors. It consisted of a yellow cloth with a black double-headed eagle on both sides, surrounded by oval shields with 31 coats of arms, symbolizing the kingdoms, principalities and lands mentioned in the imperial title.
For the first time, the flag was approved by decree of Emperor Alexander II of June 11, 1858, the design of the flag was created by Bernhard Köhne. But only in his nominal order of 1865 did the tsar confirm them as the “state colors of Russia” by signing a law entered in the Complete Collection of Laws of the Russian Empire under No. 33289. De facto, according to contemporaries and subsequent researchers, “in 1858 there was a change flag" and the approval of the "pattern of coat of arms". Later, these colors were also used to create territorial emblems (including the emblem of the Bessarabian province, approved in 1878).
The flag has been used as an official flag for almost 25 years. But on the eve of the coronation of Alexander III on April 28, 1883, the Highest Command was issued, announced by the Minister of the Interior “On flags for decorating buildings on solemn occasions”. It allowed only the white-blue-red flag to be used to decorate buildings and forbade the use of foreign flags to decorate buildings on solemn occasions:
On solemn occasions, when it is recognized as possible to allow the decoration of buildings with flags, only the Russian flag was used, consisting of three stripes: the upper one is white, the middle one is blue and the lower one is red; the use of foreign flags is allowed only in relation to buildings occupied by embassies and consulates of foreign powers, as well as for those cases when, in order to honor the members of the reigning dynasties who come to the Empire and, in general, honorary representatives of foreign States, it will be recognized as necessary to decorate houses with flags of their nationality.
A gradual process of replacing the black-yellow-white flag began. Regarding this order of April 28, 1883, the Meeting chaired by Adjutant General Konstantin Posyet wrote:
“As for the law of 1883 on decorating buildings exclusively with a white-blue-red flag, then from the written report of the Most Submissive, which is in the case, the Conference found that the Minister of the Interior, State Secretary Count Tolstoy, presented two flags for the Highest approval: black-orange- white and white-blue-red, the first - as a national and the second - as a commercial one, and that the Sovereign Emperor chose the last flag from them, calling it exclusively Russian and that, it would seem, finally resolved the issue of the unity of our national national flag.
Black-yellow-white flags continued to be used on solemn days both during the coronation of Alexander III, and subsequently. In 1885, black-yellow-white flags were hoisted as national flags at the meeting of Alexander III and the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph in Kremsir on August 13-14. In 1887, the Order of the Military Department No. 34 “Description of the national flag ...” was issued, establishing black-orange-white flags. As a result, Russia had two flags at once: black-yellow-white and white-blue-red, which led to disputes between supporters of various Russian symbols.
The provisions of the Decree of 1883 were included in Article 129 of the Charter on the Prevention and Suppression of Crimes of 1890, which allowed the Kharkov police for the first time on the day of the Coronation of Their Imperial Majesties on May 15, 1892, to demand the removal of black-yellow-white flags from buildings. The ongoing discussion about the colors of the national flag required, on the eve of the coronation of Nicholas II, the convocation of a Special Highest approved Meeting chaired by Adjutant General K. N. Posyet to discuss the issue of the Russian national flag. The decision of the Meeting was prepared by publishing an anonymous brochure “The Origin of Flags and Their Meaning” and sending it to the members of the Meeting with the note “Printed by order of the Chairman of the Special Highest Approved Meeting”, the report of the Chairman repeated the provisions of this brochure.
Black Hundred demonstration in Odessa, 1905. Portraits of the emperor, national white-blue-red and imperial black-yellow-white flags
Flag colors
Description of the flag and its first official interpretation
The flag consists of three horizontal stripes: black, yellow (gold) and white. The ratio of the sides of the flag is 1:2. The first official interpretation of the colors of the flag dates back precisely to the Decree of Emperor Alexander II of June 11, 1858:
The image of the flag in the coat of arms of the Russian Empire in the appendix to the decree of Alexander II of June 11, 1858
“Description of the Highest approved drawing of the arrangement of the coat of arms of the Empire on banners, flags and other items used for decorations on solemn occasions. The arrangement of these colors is horizontal, the top stripe is black, the middle one is yellow (or gold), and the bottom one is white (or silver). The first stripes correspond to the black state eagle in a yellow field, and a cockade of these two colors was founded by Emperor Paul I, while banners and other decorations from these colors were already used during the reign of Empress Anna Ioannovna. The lower stripe, white or silver, corresponds to the cockade of Peter the Great and Empress Catherine II; Emperor Alexander I, after the capture of Paris in 1814, connected the correct coat of arms cockade with the ancient Peter the Great, which corresponds to the white or silver horseman (St. George) in the Moscow coat of arms.
Black-yellow-white colors were carried by the flag of the largest Russian white émigré anti-Soviet organization of the 30s-early-40s of the XX century - the Russian Fascist Party. According to the party charter, the party flag of the RFP was flown together with the national white-blue-red flag. The rest of the symbols of the RFP were also kept in black-yellow-white colors: the party badge, the banner of the party, the sleeve patch, and so on.
Interpretation of flowers from the point of view of the coat of arms of Russia
Later, already under Alexander II, the most famous interpretation was a little different [ non-authoritative source?] :
- Black color was taken from the coat of arms of Russia, which depicted a black double-headed eagle. The black color symbolized the greatness of Russia (especially in the East), sovereignty, state stability, the inviolability of historical borders and invincibility - in other words, the foundation that determined the meaning of the existence of the Russian state.
- Yellow (or gold) color according to one version, it was also taken from the Coat of Arms of Russia (such was the field in which the double-headed eagle was depicted), according to another version, the double-headed eagle on the standard of Byzantium was gold. One way or another, but the golden color and the double-headed eagle were depicted on the banners even under Prince Ivan III Vasilyevich. The yellow color symbolized spirituality, striving for moral perfection and firmness of spirit, as well as the continuity and preservation of the Orthodox faith.
- White (or silver) color was known as the color of George the Victorious, slaying the dragon with a spear. White color symbolized eternity and purity among all peoples of the world on all flags. On this flag, he symbolized the readiness of Russians to fight for their Fatherland, their family and their faith, and, on occasion, to give their lives in the name of Russia.
Relation to the flag
Supporters
Most of the supporters of the use of this flag today are modern Russian monarchists and almost all Russian nationalists (from moderate to radical). Since the flag was used as an official flag from 1858 to 1883 (but was not abolished at all until 1896), the following statement is popular among supporters of the use of the flag: “In those years when the black-yellow-white banner was the official flag of Russia, Russia never never lost in wars. The statement can be considered quite true, since during the use of the flag (given the period before 1896), Russia won the Caucasian War, the war for the liberation of the Balkan Slavs, and even in a small war against England in Afghanistan.
Another argument in defense of the black-yellow-white flag is the following fact: during the Second World War, in the symbols of Russian military and paramilitary organizations that fought on the side of Nazi Germany and its allies, the black-yellow-white flag never met, but more often a white-blue-red banner was used. At the same time, black-yellow-white colors actually overshadowed the Russian fascists themselves, who fought against the USSR (including the armed one) throughout the 30s (see above). However, in the Wehrmacht troops, national formations have always used the state flags of the occupied countries (for example, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Serbia, Norway, Estonia, Latvia, and so on). However, no Russian formation of World War II fought under the Soviet state red flag. It would be fair to say that, unlike the situation with the national connections of all other European countries, Russian national symbols (both white-blue-red, and black-yellow-white, and St. Andrew's flag), both before and during World War II, always rose on the side opposing the USSR and was opposed to Soviet symbols. Of the well-known defenders of the black-yellow-white flag, nationalist figures such as Alexander Barkashov, Alexander Belov-Potkin, Dmitry Demushkin and Vladimir Zhirinovsky stand out, and the latter proposes to introduce a bill to the State Duma on approving the black-yellow-white flag of Russia as official.
Songs of Russian ultra-right groups are dedicated to the flag, such as "Imperial flag" (group "Kolovrat"), "Imperial flag" (group "Gr. Om."), "Kolovrat on the sleeve" (group "Labarum"), "Imperial flag" (group "My daring truth").
Opponents
Among the flag met and still meets many of its opponents. So, among the communists and some nationalists, the opinion is popular that this flag is not Russian and even Slavic - they consider the facts that the colors of the flag were taken from the cockades of the emperors and empresses of Russia to be fictitious. In their opinion, the de facto flag was created only on the basis of the flags of the German states - the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia, and this is at least strange for a country that patronized the Slavs throughout Europe (traditionally blue, white and red are considered Slavic colors) [ not in source] [non-authoritative source?] . However, in the conditions of the union of three emperors (the German-Austrian-Russian union of the middle of the 19th century), the similarity of the colors of the three powers looked quite appropriate.
The number of opponents of this flag grew after the outbreak of the First World War, since it was quite easy to confuse it with the flag of the warring Austria-Hungary, which Russia fought against. In modern Russia, law enforcement agencies at mass events sometimes seize such flags from visitors, despite the fact that it is not included in the official list of extremist symbols.
| Flag of Austria-Hungary in 1869-1918 | Black and yellow flag of merchant ships of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, after the national flag of the Austrian Empire | The coat of arms of the Hohenzollerns, the flag of East Prussia in 1882-1935 | State flag of the Russian Empire (-) and coat of arms colors of the Romanov dynasty (until 1918) |
Black-yellow-white colors in the official symbols of modern Russia
In modern Russia, black-yellow-white colors are used in the symbols of the RKhBZ troops: “The flag of the troops of radiation, chemical and biological protection is a rectangular double-sided panel. The design of the front and back sides of the cloth is the same and is a four-pointed white cross with expanding ends and with yellow-black-yellow corners equally divided between the ends of the cross.
The white-yellow-black flag is an element of the flag of the Kursk region, proposed by the governor Alexander Rutskoi. Probably, the flag is associated with the role of Rutskoy in the events of 1993, when the defenders of the Supreme Council used red and black-yellow-white flags.
Notes
- Soboleva N. A., Artamonov V. A. Symbols of Russia. Panorama, 1993. ISBN 978-5-852-20155-3. S. 137.
- Khoroshkevich A. L. Symbols of Russian statehood. Publishing House of Moscow University, 1993. S. 90-91.
- Khoroshkevich A. L. Symbols of Russian statehood. Publishing House of Moscow University, 1993. S. 91.
- Kozlov Yu.F. Life and customs of Russia: essays from the history of the Russian state. - Mordovian book publishing house, 2005. - S. 442. - 558 p.
- Voronets E. A proper response to the article "On the origin of flags and their meaning." - M.: University Printing House, 1899. - S. 11
- Golovanova M. P. It is necessary to have a banner. On the history of the Russian state banner of the 18th century. // Soviet Museum. 1992. - No. 4. - P. 35-38.
- PSZRI volume IX (1834), No. 6860 p.21 - S. 170
- Voronets E. On the colors of the Russian flag. / St. Petersburg Vedomosti, 1896, No. 75
- Collection of Laws of 1883 May 7, art. 441
- PSZ RI, part III, No. 1534
- Karazin N. N. Coronation celebrations in Moscow. Holiday on the Khodynka field. / Barkovets O., Krylov-Tolstikovich A. Unknown Alexander III: Essays on life, love and death. - M.: Ripol Classic, 2002. - 272 p. - ISBN 5-7905-1412-X
- Description of the sacred coronation of Their Imperial Majesties Sovereign Emperor Alexander III and Empress Empress Maria Feodorovna of All Russia. (Russian). SPb., 1883. - 65 p.. Archived from the original on October 6, 2012. Retrieved May 16, 2012.
- Voronets E. N. What colors have been established by history and Russian laws for the distinctively Russian all-class and state flag? Historical and legal research. - Kharkiv, Typo-Lithography by M. Gordon, 1892 - 28 p. - p. 22
- Patin K. A. The reference book is a complete and detailed alphabetical index of all current orders for the military department ... from 1859 to 1907. Volume 2. - Tambov, 1908. - 1473 p. - S. 1198
- Voronets E. How the Posyet Commission distorted the colors of the people's state symbolic distinctive Russian flag. / Mirny labor, magazine, 1910, No. 9 - S. 172-200
- Raskin D.I. Special meeting at the Ministry of Justice to clarify the issue of Russian state national colors (May 10, 1910 - May 9, 1912) // Proceedings of the conference "20 years of the restoration of the Heraldic Service of Russia." - St. Petersburg, 2002.
- Origin of flags and their meaning. Printed by order of the Chairman of the Special Highest Approved Meeting to Discuss the Issue of the Russian National Flag. - B.m., B.g. - 13 s.
- Degtyarev A. Ya. History of the Russian flag / Edited by V. N. Yaroshenko. - Paris: Museum of the Russian Flag, 1997. - S. 115.
We will not touch upon the ethical aspects of the culture of the modern consumer society, but will immediately get down to business. So, what is this unknown imperial flag?
To get started, you can go toInternet portal "Russian symbols", this is an official government resource that tells the Russians (there is such a nation) about the state symbols of the Russian Federation. So, about the imperial flag, it is written here with some kind of malice, even hatred. That, they say, there was such Akaky 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 ejected a new flag for the Russian Empire: Black-yellow-white. Emperor Alexander II was simply "worn out" by some 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 the unfortunate misunderstanding, already Alexander III, the wise and enlightened ruler, made the trade tricolor, "truly loved by the people," the state symbol.
That, in general, is the whole 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 the service of protecting merchant caravans on the Caspian Sea and the Lower Volga from pirate attacks. Craftsmen, carpenters and sailors were called from Holland for the construction. By 1669, a 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 a large number of materials of white, blue and red colors for ships under construction. We do not know exactly what the flags built from the obtained fabrics looked like. The researchers put forward two hypotheses. Some believe that, by analogy with the archery banners common at that time, the first Russian flag was a panel with a straight blue cross and corners of white and red. 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 to be 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 the first sea voyage in 1693. The vessels for this campaign were prepared by one of the participants in the construction of the Orel, constapel Carsten Brant, and Peter himself always diligently emphasized the continuity of his undertakings 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 received from them by Peter I in 1693.
We must not forget that the builders of the first Russian ships were the Dutch, they also made up their teams. The Russians did not know ship art and completely trusted the Dutch masters in all matters of ship building. It is likely that when the time came to create the flag and the colors to be used in it - white, blue and red - were determined, the Dutch masters created the flag according to the tradition adopted in their homeland, which at that time was a great maritime power. The flag of the Netherlands at that time was striped, red, white and blue.
But the white-blue-red was precisely the flag of the merchant fleet, one might say specially created in the European manner, for trade with the same Europeans. Therefore, the assessment of the white-blue-red flag as the state flag is erroneous. We do not consider the Andreevsky flag a symbol of Russian statehood, it is the flag of the Russian Navy, and the white-blue-red tricolor is only the trade flag of the Russian Empire, copied from the Dutch flag. When swearing an oath to the Sovereign and the Fatherland, the regimental banner was taken out, and not the missing national flag. The Nizhny Novgorod militia, setting off 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 seen at state ceremonies and public events, there is no mention of it in the literature. There were not even timid attempts to approve the commercial flag as the 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, a battalion linear badge was first adopted in our Army, consisting of three horizontal stripes: white (top), yellow-orange and black (Zholner badge).
But almost until the middle of the XIX 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 nominative order of 1865, the reformer tsar confirmed them as the “state colors of Russia” by signing the 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 one is yellow (gold), and the bottom one is white (silver). The first two stripes correspond to the black State eagle on a golden field. The lower stripe corresponds to the white (silver) horseman St. George in the Moscow coat of arms. Black color - the color of the Russian double-headed eagle - a symbol of sovereignty, state stability and fortress, the inviolability of historical borders, the meaning of the very existence of the Russian nation. Golden (yellow) color - once the color of the banner of Byzantium, perceived as the state banner of Russia by Ivan III, - a symbol of spirituality, aspiration for moral perfection 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, government, in contrast to the white-blue-red flag of the Russian merchant fleet. In the minds of the people, ideas about the greatness and power of the state were associated with the imperial flag. This is understandable, what can 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 entered the state symbols of the empire under the name of the Heraldic national flag (in 1873 it was renamed the national flag).
Two state flags?!
On the eve of his coronation, on April 23, 1883, Alexander III unexpectedly legalized 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, in essence, the republican flag was not widely used 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 years of the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878, the white-blue-red flag was awarded to the Bulgarian People's Army and entered with its colors into the Serbian and Montenegrin flags.
By the way, there was also an unofficial interpretation of the black-yellow-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 in this way, based on the Uvarov triad: "Orthodoxy, Autocracy, Nationality." White (silver) strip - Orthodoxy (symbolizes the purity of the Christian faith, preserved only in Orthodoxy); Golden (yellow) strip - 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 issue of the state flag of Russia was again raised in the twentieth century under Nicholas II. On May 10, 1910, the Sovereign established a Special Meeting on this issue under the Ministry of Justice, which, over two years of work, conducted a comprehensive and in-depth study, inviting well-known experts to participate in it.
"The majority of the Members of the Special Conference came to the conclusion that the colors of the Russian state national colors should be chosen: black, yellow and white." As you can see, nothing is said here about the flip of colors.
On June 18, 1913, the commission decided: “black-yellow-white colors should be imprinted in the state (national) flag. ... Government and government buildings should be decorated with black-yellow-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 to the upper part near the pole (a composition corresponding to the emperor's palace standard); the eagle was depicted without title emblems on the wings; the square overlapped the white and about a quarter of the blue stripe 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. 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 confirmed in the spring of 1914 the decisions of the two previous, seemingly complex and important issues, were resolved once and for all in favor of black yellow and white flag.
However, a few months later, the First World War began and politics intervened, because. It was inconvenient for the Russian government to use the colors that were presented on the banners of the German (black-white-red) and Austro-Hungarian (black-yellow) Empires, while the Allied flags (France, England, USA) had white-blue-red palette.
After the February Revolution, the Provisional Government abolished the second Russian flag - the “armorial” black-yellow-white as a bearer of the imperial spirit. The white-blue-red tricolor remained the only national 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? Studying the history of the right-wing movement in Russia and the Russian diaspora, I myself was occupied with this question. Initially, I thought that the confusion was introduced by S. Baburin, whose party for a number of years used the inverted flag of the Russian Empire as "their" one. When I asked why the flag was turned upside down, one of the Baburints 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 just joking, but later I discovered the use of an inverted flag in the Russian emigrant environment. It is possible that Russian immigrants proceeded from logic - until historical Russia is restored, the flag will be turned upside down (it seems to be half-mast, as a sign of mourning for the lost Motherland - this (mourning) also explained the black uniform of Russian nationalist emigrants). Or another option - state sovereign colors are used to create their own purely party flag, by simply changing their location.
Imperial flag today
In the modern era, the imperial flag has been used by patriotic forces 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 a detailed briefing. On the roof, I noticed two flags: imperial and red. Despite my severe allergy to red, at that moment I simply did not pay attention to it."
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.
If you remember, it consists of a top black stripe, a middle yellow stripe, and a white bottom stripe. It was in this form that it was adopted in 1858. But I always thought this was illogical - a little later I will explain why. No, not the colors themselves, but their arrangement. However, first things first…
There is a lot of controversy about the correct arrangement of colors on the flag of the Russian Empire. Which is correct: black-yellow-white or white-yellow-black? Unfortunately, there is a sea of publications on this topic, mostly of an educational nature, where there is no reasonable explanation of how the colors should be correctly arranged. There is only a reference to the highest approved decree No. 33289 of June 11, 1858 "On the arrangement of the coat of arms of the Empire on banners, flags and other items used for decorations on solemn occasions." But the circumstances under which the decree was adopted, the current state status and who was the author of this document are not indicated.
So, until 1858, the flag was different. The order of colors in it was as follows: starting with the top stripe - white, then yellow and black at the bottom. In this form, it existed until the moment of its official adoption. Along with it, there was a white-blue-red ... But the white-yellow-black before Alexander II, and after the black-yellow-white flag was perceived by society as an imperial, government, in contrast to the white-blue-red flag of the Russian merchant fleet. In the minds of the people, ideas about the greatness and power of the state were associated with the imperial flag. This is understandable, what can be majestic in the trade flag, in its very colors, which were artificially tied to Russian culture by Peter I? Of course, one cannot deny all the merits of the Great Emperor, but here he clearly went too far (he simply copied the colors of the Dutch flag).
Coexistence of two flags until the 70s. 19th century was not so noticeable, but the question of the "duality" of the most important state Russian symbol gradually begins to arise. This duality is perceived differently by the Russian public as well. The ardent defenders of the Russian autocracy believed that there could be no talk of any flag other than the imperial one, legalized by the emperor: the people and the government should be united. Opposition to the tsarist regime rose to trade white-blue-red flags, which became a symbol of the anti-government political movements of those years. It was these colors that were defended by the so-called. “liberal” circles, who shouted to the whole world that they were fighting against the despotism and reactionary nature of the tsarist government, but, in fact, they were fighting against the greatness and prosperity of their own country.
During this stormy controversy, Alexander II died at the hands of the revolutionaries. On April 28, 1883, his son and successor, Alexander III, gave the white-blue-red flag the status of a state flag, but did NOT CANCEL the imperial one either. In Russia, there were two official state flags, which further complicated the situation. And already on April 29, 1896, Emperor Nicholas II ordered that the white-blue-red flag be considered the National and State flag, also indicating that "other flags should not be allowed."
Black-yellow-white remained only with the imperial family. The emperor was "persuaded" because supposedly all Slavic peoples were assigned such colors - and this emphasizes their "unity". And explaining this also by the fact that the black-yellow-white flag "does not have heraldic historical foundations in Russia" to be considered a cloth bearing Russian national colors. This begs the question, what are the historical foundations of the trade flag?
But back to the white-yellow-black banner. That is, then, before adoption, the white-yellow-black flag was simply turned over. The author, Bernhard Karl Koehne, can also be traced to the “coup” (he will be mentioned at the end of the article in order to fully understand what kind of person climbed into “correcting” Russian heraldry). Alexander II, upon ascending the throne, decided, among other things, to put the state symbols in order - and bring it under the pan-European heraldic standards.
This was to be done by Baron Bernhard Karl Köhne, appointed in 1857 as head of the stamp department. He (Koene) was born into the family of a secret state archivist, a Berlin Jew who accepted the Reformed religion. He came to Russia under patronage. In heraldic historiography, he earned a sharp negative assessment, despite his vigorous activity.
But be that as it may, the flag was adopted and in this form it existed until 1910, when the monarchists raised the question of the “correctness” of the flag, as the 300th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty was approaching.
A special meeting was formed to clarify the issue "about the state Russian national colors." It worked for 5 years, and most of the participants voted for the return of the imperial white-yellow-black flag with the "correct" arrangement of colors as the main, state one. For some reason and why - it is not clear, but they compromised - as a result, a symbiosis of two competing flags appeared.
In heraldry, an inverted flag means mourning, Köhne knew this very well, heading the heraldic department of the Empire. The death of Russian emperors confirmed this. In maritime practice, an inverted flag means that the ship is in distress.
It is clear that the 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 existence of the white-yellow-black flag is confirmed by newsreels, but they are treated differently, due to the black and white film. Adherents of the black-yellow-white flag explain that on the set there is a white-blue-red flag, not embarrassed by the simple experience of comparing colors, when converting colored flags to black and white using any well-known graphic editor. With such an experience, the similarity of the white-yellow-black flag with newsreels is greater than the white-blue-red.
Also, the tricolor in the arrangement of white-yellow-black can be seen in the paintings of artists. In Vasnetsov's painting, dedicated to the Russian-Turkish war, a white-yellow-black flag is being set up. An interesting fact: the picture dates back to 1878, that is, it was painted 20 years after the release of statement No. 33289 “on the arrangement of coat of arms”, in which they were changed vice versa. It turns out that non-inverted white-yellow-black flags were still in use among the people.
[In the center, there is an assumption that this is the flag (blue-yellow-red) of the United Principality of Wallachia and Moldavia, an ally of the Russian Empire in the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878). There is also an opinion that this is a pan-Slavic (pan-Slavic) flag (if the flag is blue-white-red. It is difficult to judge the color of the middle band from the reproduction). The Slavic peoples in 1848 at the Pan-Slavic Congress in Prague adopted a common Pan-Slavic flag, which repeated the colors of the Russian (white-blue-red) flag.]
And here is Rozanov's painting "Fair on Arbat Square". On the roofs of buildings you can see how white-yellow-black flags flutter. And along with them white-blue-red. The picture was painted just at the time of the coexistence of two flags.
As soon as they don’t explain the location of the black stripe at the top: this is the incomprehensibility of God (but what about God is light?), And the greatness of the Empire, and the color of Spirituality (referring to monastic attire).
Also interpreted as: black - monasticism, yellow - gold icons, white - purity of the soul. But all this is from the category of folk interpretations. Who will figure it out.
Guessing the meaning of the colors in such an arrangement (black-yellow-white) is difficult. No logical explanation comes to mind. But for us, someone “kind” does it himself and slips his interpretation so that no one has even a shadow of a doubt about the “correct” arrangement of flowers. And if someone thinks otherwise, they pull him up: how dare he doubt? The principle “everyone thinks so” or “so it is customary” is fully applicable here. They are looking not for the truth, but for public opinion, which, alas, almost never has anything to do with the truth.
But the most important point is missed, that the colors of the imperial flag should be identical to the words expressing our entire Slavic essence: Orthodoxy, Autocracy, Nationality. Or if you say to a friend: Church, King, Kingdom. What color goes with each of these words? I think the answer is obvious.
Also, along with the flag, in 1858 the state emblem underwent changes. Koene created it the way we are used to seeing it. Although under Nicholas I it was different.
For example, the coat of arms depicted on the coins. Here are the Nicholas coins, 1858.
But the coin of 1859 of Alexander II (The reign of Alexander II, whose years were nicknamed the “epoch of great reforms”, for Russian Jews, as well as for the country as a whole, was a sharp contrast to the previous one. Reforms in the economy, relative political freedoms, rapid development of industry - all this, as in Prussia a century earlier, created the conditions for Jewish assimilation, which never happened). Here you can clearly see how accurately the eagle is "licked" from the coat of arms of the Habsburgs. A particularly striking detail is the eagle's tail. And all this in one year with the change of the flag. Magendovids (six-pointed stars) also appeared on coins. Since the Freemasons are great symbolists, they just wanted to add at least a drop of tar to our heraldry.
A few more coins for comparison:
Back in 1959, they issued a commemorative coin and the medal "Monument of Emperor Nicholas I on horseback." The Magendavids are now so small that they can only be seen under a magnifying glass.
They updated the copper coins, the design has changed dramatically, the stars there are "Soviet" - pentacles.
The image below shows the similarity of the coat of arms that Köhne "composed" with the coat of arms of the Habsburgs.
Coat of arms of the Habsburgs
For comparison:
1. The crown acquired a ribbon (although, in my opinion, it looks more like a snake), this ribbon has never been used in Russian heraldry before.
2. The wings fell off, before all the eagles had fluffy wings, and now they are absolutely licked from the Habsburgs, even in design, between the large feathers there are small feathers here and there. The only thing is that our eagle has 6 feathers, against 7.
3. The combination of the coat of arms and the chain, although this arrangement was used earlier, the Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called was clearly visible on all previous coins, now it is just a chain, like the Habsburgs themselves.
4. Main Tail. Here it is clear without comment.
Bernhard Karl (in Russia, Boris Vasilievich) Koehne (4/16.7.1817, Berlin - 5.2.1886, Würzburg, Bavaria) was born into the family of a secret state archivist, a Berlin Jew who converted to the Reformed religion (Kohne himself and his son remained Protestants, despite that they connected their lives with Russia, and the grandson was already Orthodox).
He became interested in numismatics at an early age and published his first work in this area (“The Mining of the City of Berlin”) at the age of 20, when he was still a student at the Berlin gymnasium.
He also became one of the active figures, and then the secretary of the Berlin Numismatic Society, and in 1841-1846. supervised the publication of the journal on numismatics, sphragistics and heraldry.
Koehne met Russia in absentia back in the early 1840s. The well-known numismatist Yakov Yakovlevich Reichel, who served in the Expedition for the Procurement of State Papers, the owner of one of the largest numismatic collections, drew attention to the young man, who soon became his assistant in collecting and "representative" in German numismatic circles. After graduating from the university course, Koene first came to St. Petersburg.
He returned to Berlin with a strong desire to enter the Russian service and made a contender for the then free chair of archeology at the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences (which never happened). As a result of Reichel’s patronage, on March 27, 1845, Koehne was appointed assistant head of the First Department of the Imperial Hermitage (the First Department included collections of antiques and coins, it was led by a major numismatist Florian Antonovich Gilles) with the rank of collegiate assessor [by the end of his life, Koene had risen to the rank of Privy Councilor (1876 )].
In St. Petersburg, Köhne developed a vigorous activity.
The stubborn desire to get into the Academy of Sciences, moreover, in the archaeological “direction”, stimulated not only his active study of archeology, but also his no less active organizational work. In an effort to gain the necessary weight in scientific circles, Koehne initiated the creation of a special numismatic society in Russia, but since archeology inevitably attracted him, he combined these two sciences under one "administrative" name - this is how the Archaeological Numismatic Society in St. Petersburg (later the Russian Archaeological Society ).
Koehne sought to propagate himself and society on a European scale. All correspondence with foreign scientists lay on it. And foreign scientific societies invariably accepted him as a member, so that by the end of his life he was a member of 30 foreign societies and academies (he never got into St. Petersburg). By the way, the focus on the West led to the fact that Köhne tried not to allow reports in Russian at the meetings (only in French and German), and only after the ethnographer and archaeologist Ivan Petrovich Sakharov (1807–1863) entered the society, the Russian language was restored to his rights.
The second half of the 1850s is Koehne's triumph in the Heraldry, when in 1856 he creates the Great State Emblem of the Empire, and in June 1857 he becomes the manager of the Stamp Department at the department (with the retention of his post in the Hermitage). Leading all the practical work in the field of Russian heraldry, Koehne, over the next years, began a large-scale heraldic reform, seeking to unify and give a systematic corpus of Russian tribal and territorial coats of arms by bringing them into line with the rules of European heraldry (for example, turning the figures to the right heraldic side; replacing some that seemed to Koene not suitable for heraldry, figures for others, etc.) and the introduction of new principles and elements (placement of the provincial coat of arms in the free part of the city, the system of emblems of the outer part of the territorial and city coats of arms, reflecting their status, etc. ).
Koehne's career in the Russian Archaeological Society was cut short with the advent of the new august leader, Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich. He did not approve the election of Koene as secretary of the third department of the society (the only case in the entire history of the society), as a result of which, at the beginning of 1853, Koene left his ranks. Konstantin Nikolaevich, apparently, generally had a steady dislike for Koene. In particular, he disapproved of the draft state emblem of 1856-1857.
On October 15, 1862, Koehne was allowed to take the baronial title, granted on May 12/24 of the same year by the ruler (due to the infancy of Prince Henry XXII) of the principality of Reuss-Greitz Caroline-Amalia. In the literature, one can come across the assertion that Köhne owes this title to the state emblem of the Russian Empire he created, but these data need to be confirmed. Most likely, the enterprising numismatist simply bought the rights to this title and thus became, probably, the only baron "Reuss-Greitz" in Russia.
Key Findings
The handwriting of freemasonry is clearly visible in Russian heraldry, as well as the authorship of these "creations". There is a successful sabotage against the Russian Empire, committed by the Jews against the monarchy and the Russian people.
Russia is an Orthodox country, regardless of how many churched and true believers there are at present. Orthodoxy is the foundation on which Russia has been built and stands to this day. And this means that there can be nothing in its symbolism that contradicts Orthodox spirituality.
Based on this statement, the imperial flag of Russia should be white-yellow-black, and not vice versa. And that's why:
White is God. White color symbolizes Divine uncreated (uncreated) light.
On the great feasts of the Nativity of Christ, Theophany, Ascension, Transfiguration, Annunciation, they serve in white vestments. White robes are worn during baptisms and burials. The feast of Easter (the Resurrection of Christ) begins in white vestments as a sign of the Light that shone from the Tomb of the Risen Savior, although the main Easter color is red with gold. In icon painting, white means the radiance of eternal life and purity.
Yellow (gold) - King. These are the colors of glory, royal and episcopal majesty and dignity.
In the vestments of this color they serve on Sundays - the days of remembrance of the Lord, the King of Glory. In robes of golden (yellow) color, the days of God's special anointed ones are celebrated: prophets, apostles and saints. In iconography, gold symbolizes Divine light.
Black is the people of God (see below about the Black Hundreds).
This color also symbolizes weeping and repentance. Adopted during the days of Great Lent, symbolizes the renunciation of worldly fuss.
For Faith! (God - Orthodoxy) - White color. King! (Autocracy) - Yellow color. Fatherland! (Russian Land, People) - Black color.
Brothers and sisters, how do you think the colors should be placed on the imperial flag of Russia? From top to bottom, white-yellow-black, i.e. GOD-KING-PEOPLE, or vice versa, black-yellow-white, i.e. PEOPLE-KING-GOD?
The last option is the symbol of the liberals, when an insane crowd of people rises above the Tsar and God, eager to live according to their passions. In our opinion, the black-yellow-white flag is a symbol of the revolution that took place in Russia several decades after the adoption of this flag.
In addition, we all remember from the Holy Gospel that the wise men offered to our Lord Jesus Christ, who was born: “and, having entered the house, they saw the Infant with Mary, His Mother, and, falling down, worshiped Him; and, having opened their treasures, they brought Him gifts : gold, frankincense and myrrh! (Matt. 2:11)
Frankincense, like God - white color. Gold, like the King - yellow. Myrrh, like a man - black.
We will not blame our faithful Tsars for this, because no one is guilty of our betrayal of God and the Tsar, which is still taking place today. These external signs are only a reflection of the spiritual state of the people.
It can be firmly stated that the holy Great Tsar-Redeemer Nicholas II and Tsarevich Alexei understood the problem of the state flag of the Russian Empire and intended to restore its colors to their original form, i.e. white-yellow-black. This is confirmed by the fact that the banner of the Livadia-Yalta amusing (intended for military games) company named after Tsarevich Alexei consisted of white, yellow and black stripes.
This banner belonged to the Tsarevich's regiment. Therefore, there is no doubt that in his supposed future reign, it was planned to use just such an arrangement of flowers on the imperial banner ...
In addition, on the 300th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty, Tsar Nicholas II approved a commemorative medal using the colors: White-Yellow-Black.
Brothers and sisters, we urge all of you not to separate from each other based on disagreements over the placement of the colors on the imperial flag. And this important issue for all of us will undoubtedly be one of the first to be resolved with the accession to the throne of the future and promised to the Russian people, the Anointed One of God - the Tsar.
Strengthen and help us Lord! Amen.
Black Hundreds
For a long time, these names were given an extremely negative character, but the phrase “black hundred” has been found in Russian chronicles since the 12th century. In medieval Russia, "black people" were called "people of the earth" - "zemstvo" (townspeople and villagers), in contrast to the "servicemen", whose life was inextricably linked with the institutions of the state. Thus "ch. with." - this is an association of zemstvo people, and calling their organizations “ch. with." - ideologists of the beginning of the 20th century. thereby sought to emphasize that in a difficult time for the country, the unification of “zemstvo people” - “ch. with." - are called to save, protect its main foundations ...
Name history
The very name “Black Hundred” can be traced, for example, in the classic course of lectures by V. O. Klyuchevsky “Terminology of Russian History”. The phrase “black hundred” entered the Russian chronicles starting from the 12th century (!) and played a paramount role until the Petrine era. The "Black Hundreds" are associations of "zemstvo" people, people of the earth, in contrast to the "servicemen", whose life was inextricably linked with the institutions of the state. And calling their organizations "Black Hundreds", the ideologists of the early 20th century sought to revive the ancient, purely "democratic" order of things: in a difficult time for the country, the unification of "zemstvo people" - "Black Hundreds" - are called upon to save its main foundations.
The founder of the organized "Black Hundreds" V. A. Gringmuth in his already mentioned "Manual of the Monarchist-Black Hundreds" (1906) wrote: Tsar. Is it an honorary title, "black hundred"? Yes, very honorable. The Nizhny Novgorod Black Hundred, gathered around Minin, saved Moscow and all of Russia from the Poles and Russian traitors.
Each person must necessarily 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 National Emblem, black-yellow-white flag, whose flag it was, when it appeared and what it personified.
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 statehood represents the nation, 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 about the economy and geographical position of the country. The colors of the banner always have a deep meaning, expressing the unity of the people, their power, 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.
History of the Russian flag. First state flag
State flags, like anthems, began to appear in European countries only from the end of the 18th century. Until that time, of course, there were various banners and emblems of aristocratic families, dynasties, merchant and military fleets, badges of guilds and workshops. In Russia, battle banners were common. They often depicted the faces of the Mother of God, the Savior and saints. They were sacred, like icons, they often prayed before them and served prayers. The royal banners were considered the banners of the state, but until the 17th century they did not have an official status, therefore they often changed their appearance, colors and shape. It is believed that Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, who issued two special decrees in 1668-1669, laid the foundation for the emergence of the first Russian flag. They ordered to raise a white-blue-red banner over Russian warships.
Flags of the reign of Peter I and Elizabeth Petrovna
In the future, Peter I continued the work of creating the state banner. In 1693, the "flag of the Tsar of Moscow" was hoisted on the warship "Saint Peter", which was a panel (4.6 by 4.9 m) of horizontal stripes of blue, red and white. On the flag in the middle, a double-headed eagle was depicted in gold paint. In 1699, the tsar himself drew a sketch of the three-stripe flag of the Russian kingdom. In addition to the tricolor used on military ships, Peter I approved another state standard - a yellow flag with a black eagle painted in the center, which held four cards with images of the Caspian, White and Azov seas, as well as the Gulf of Finland.
The next step in the creation of the Russian state banner was the procedure for the coronation of Elizabeth Petrovna. For the ceremony (1742), a new banner of the Russian Empire was designed, 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 on the day of the coronation of Alexander II. It looked like this: a black eagle and a white St. George on horseback were depicted on a golden cloth. The heraldist B.V. Köhne, who was also involved in the development of the Romanov dynasty, suggested creating such a flag. 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 adopted 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 solemn occasions should have the coat of arms colors of the Russian Empire. This is how the black-yellow-white flag appeared in Russia. Such a tricolor began to be used on various solemn days, including during the coronation of Alexander III. The black-yellow-white flag of the Russian Empire looked like the one shown in the following figure.
Subsequently, it began to be called the Heraldic national flag. According to the government, ordinary people, contemplating the coat of arms on the state banner, joined the 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, fortress and stability. He pointed to the inviolability of the borders of the Russian Empire, stretching from the Pacific Ocean to He marked the strength and power of a vast country. The golden (or yellow) color 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 marked the preservation of the purity of the Orthodox faith and the comprehension of Divine truth.
The 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 oneself. The white color spoke of the enormous strength of the 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. It is difficult to overestimate its significance - it has become an expression of the Russian Orthodox tradition, autocratic power and the stamina of the common people.
What 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 coat of arms, 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 place to be 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, it was the latter that was given preference - it appeared on the streets of cities, was installed near monuments and was used at ceremonial events.
"Petrovsky" tricolor - the national flag of the Russian Empire
During the coronation, Alexander III was surprised that the Kremlin itself and the solemn 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 decree 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 Romanov dynasty, 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 acted as a symbol of the protection of the Russian Empire from future dramatic events. In 1914, an attempt was made to combine two flags - the "Peter's" tricolor and the black-white-yellow "imperial". As a result, a new banner appeared, in which colors were present - blue, black, red, yellow, white. The flag looked like this: in the upper rectangular canvas there was a yellow square. It was painted with a black double-headed eagle.
This combination was supposed to express the unity of the people and power, as well as patriotism and faith in victory. Nevertheless, such an eclectic flag did not take root and did not become a national one. He 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 and any emblems. It became a symbol of Freedom and marked the beginning of a new era in the life of the country. On April 8, 1918, at the meeting, a proposal was made to approve as the 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 cloth with the inscription: "Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic" was recognized as the flag of the state.
Since the unification of the RSFSR with the BSSR, the Ukrainian SSR and the Transcaucasian Federation in the USSR, a scarlet rectangular flag has become the flag. It depicted in the upper corner a sickle and a hammer of gold color, and above them - a five-pointed red star with a gold border.
Use of the white-blue-red flag
From 1923 to 1991 This is the official flag. Nevertheless, the "Peter's" tricolor continued to be used in some cases.
During the Great Patriotic War, together with the St. Andrew's flag, he served with some anti-Soviet formations. For example, the Russian Liberation Army, led by Lieutenant General A. A. Vlasov, used a slightly modified St. Andrew's flag with a red stripe along the edge. 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 - VSHSON. In 1987, the "Peter's" tricolor began to be used by various patriotic formations, 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 re-use the black-yellow-white flag of Imperial Russia. In 1989, the Patriotic Association "Russian Banner" made a proposal to abolish the red flag and make the white-blue-red banner official again. The Supreme Soviet 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
Today there are several interpretations of the colors of the flag of the Russian Federation. Since ancient times, white has meant frankness and nobility, blue - honesty, chastity, fidelity and impeccability, and red - love, generosity, courage and courage. Another common interpretation was the correlation of colors with the historical territories of Russia. So, white was associated with White, blue - Little, and red - Great Russia, symbolizing the unification of three peoples - Little Russians, Great Russians and Belarusians. There were other interpretations of color symbolism. For example, the white color scheme was considered as a symbol of Freedom, the red one - sovereignty, and the blue one - 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 examined the black-yellow-white flag: whose is it, when did it arise and what did it represent. We learned how the Russian banners changed over time and what they represented. We described not only the "Peter's" 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.
Speaking about the national flag of Russia, one cannot help but recall that the first banner in Russia was red. It was under him that the fighting squads of princes Oleg and Svyatoslav went on campaigns. At first, the red flag had an image of a bident, but with the adoption of Christianity, it was replaced by a cross. In the era of fragmentation of the lands, there were a great many banners, each principality had its own symbol.
The first attempt to raise a single, all-Russian flag was in September 1380. Then the Russian army united under the banner with the face of Christ. The Nikon chronicle tells us that the prince marched on Mamai under a crimson-red banner.
A special place is occupied by the banner of the Most Merciful Savior. Under this banner, Kazan stormed, under Tsarina Sophia, it participated in the Crimean campaigns, and under Peter I - in the Azov campaign and the Northern War with the Swedes.
But the white-blue-red flag familiar to us appeared at the behest of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich as a banner for the first Russian warship - the frigate "Eagle", launched in 1668. The ship was built by the Dutch, and they were also instructed to come up with a flag for it. They did not think for a long time and created it according to their own stencils, only the order of colors was changed relative to their native, Dutch one. There was no task to somehow justify the choice of colors of the flag: the main thing is not to be like other banners and visually differ from them.
He became the main founder of our banner. The king himself drew a sample of the flag and determined the order of horizontal stripes on it. And in January 1705, a corresponding decree was issued, according to which a white-blue-red flag was to be raised on all merchant ships. This flag also adorned the warships of the Russian fleet until 1712, and then the St. Andrew's flag was introduced.
There is another flag in our history, which appeared in 1858. And in 1865, Alexander II issued a nominal decree, which stated that black, orange (gold) and white are the "state colors of Russia." In the future, this flag was called the imperial one. However, this symbol was never approved. It existed until 1883.
The appearance of the imperial flag was confusing. In 1883, during the coronation of the new Emperor Alexander III, the "dual power" ended. It was stated that, both for decoration and for all official occasions, only the red-blue-white flag should be used.
At the same time, the three colors of the flag received an official interpretation. Red began to symbolize sovereignty, blue - the color of the Mother of God and white - the color of freedom and independence. In addition, the colors also symbolized the commonwealth of White, Little and Great Russia.
The royal tricolor was rejected by the Soviet authorities. In April 1918, the red flag with a hammer and sickle was approved as the state flag, which officially existed for 73 years.
On August 22, 1991, the Extraordinary Session of the Supreme Council of the RSFSR approved the tricolor flag as the official symbol of Russia, and by decree of the President of the Russian Federation B.N. Yeltsin of December 11, 1993, the provision on the state flag of the Russian Federation was approved.