Why is the Ukrainian flag yellow and blue? Ukrainian flag
Ragulya doesn’t need a knife, you sing to him about independence - and do with him what you want...
These are roughly the thoughts that first arise when you mention “Ukrainian Independence Day.”
Today, all the paid gunpowder workers, the Supreme Powderpig himself and the Nazi pigs near the trough of a lower rank will talk all day long about how successful Ukraine is, European, how it is moving towards success, and now a little more and soon a little almost completely.
The alcohol-soaked Supreme Pig, unable to read from a prompter or remember more than one text every six months, will for the fiftieth time repeat nonsense about “Farewell, unwashed Russia” (for the residents of Kiev, who have been sitting without hot water for almost six months, this is a particularly relevant poem) and about “Ukraine has passed the point of no return” (apparently, on the way to the morgue, or straight to hell).
Petty propagandists and other pseudo-patriots will write pretentious texts about how “we need to be patient, because we are at war.” To the question “Who are you fighting with?” They don’t answer, but immediately bashfully ban you. Because if you answer “with Russia”, then the next question will be “Is Russia aware?”, after which it will seem inconvenient.
And to admit that the war is civil is then completely sad, because two areas of “backward quilted jackets” are holding back the entire “largest European power” along with its “strongest army on the continent” and “the whole world is with us.”
Ukraine is the only post-Soviet republic that could not even reach the level of GDP in 1991. Even impoverished Georgia, which pro-Western Ukrainian propagandists have held up as an example to Ukrainians for ten years (it is unclear on what basis they talk about the “Georgian economic miracle” that does not exist in nature), is better than Ukraine in percentage terms.
For twenty-six years, all residents of Ukraine have been hearing the same thing: “we will be there soon.” A second France, a second Poland, a second Baltic, a second Georgia, and now a second Gabon. And for twenty-six years it has only gotten worse and worse. There was a small ray of light when those same “Donetsk subhumans” came to power for a short time, and after the victory of the Euromaidan it became worse and worse.
Yesterday, Tymoshenko’s minions unfurled the world’s largest Ukrainian flag in Kyiv. You might think that somewhere else in the world someone needs him (or someone else will do such blatant bullshit). Or that this will solve at least one problem in Ukraine or that someone will live better.
And so in everything they have - one show, one appearance, one theatricality, one hypocrisy. Only degenerates can believe such cheap and primitive productions. While waving the flag and singing the anthem, simultaneously privatize factories, cut them for scrap and steal from the already deficit budget.
There will be no “just be patient a little longer and it will get better.” Every year of “independence” in Ukraine it only gets worse.
The economy becomes obsolete and dies, the population flees and dies out. Education and medicine are getting worse. There are epidemics of measles, tuberculosis, hepatitis, botulism and a number of other diseases in the country, which in many other countries have long been forgotten, as if in a nightmare.
What kind of independence are we talking about?!
Ukraine is a backward resource colony completely devoid of subjectivity under external control. The slaves in which closely followed the elections of the owner in the USA (though they bet on the losing side, as befits lifelong losers), and are also happy about the appointment of a new supervisor, Volcker.
Independent countries do not seek support from foreign politicians, diplomats, or even actors and musicians. And they do not slavishly “yak” to everyone who says a word of support to them.
Independent countries are not governed by leaders who frantically run around the planet with their hands outstretched.
Independent countries do not obediently implement the most destructive recommendations of the IMF, which are killing the economy, just to receive the next tranche of credit. Not help, but credit!
Independent countries don’t care what anyone says about them and who “supports” or “condemns” them. They simply do what is beneficial for them and achieve their own goals, and not those assigned to them by the beholder.
China does not care about the “opinion of progressive humanity”; it is independent. Russia doesn’t care about other people’s propaganda and sanctions, it is independent. Iran does not care about foreign condemnation, it is independent. Even small North Korea had everyone in mind, she is independent.
Ukraine is dependent, deeply and in many ways. Therefore, only a complete fool or a hypocritical liar can celebrate “Ukrainian Independence Day”.
Alexander Rogers, specially for News Front
After the revolution in Austria-Hungary (March 1848), national movements gained strength in many Austrian provinces. A Ukrainian national movement also arose in the Ukrainian part of Austria-Hungary. In Lviv, Golovna Russka Rada (Main Russian Rada) was created - a body of national self-government. By that time, Ukraine did not have a single historical symbol. Therefore, the issue of national symbols was not resolved immediately. On May 16, 1848, the Golovna Russka Rada considered a letter from the branch of the Russian Rada in Stanislav (now Ivano-Frankivsk) asking what should be considered a “Russian cockade, flowers and coat of arms.”
A commission appointed by the Head Russian Rada, consisting of Messrs. Kulchitsky, Mokhnatsky and Tsarevich, investigated the issue. It was decided to take the coat of arms of the Lviv land and the Russian Voivodeship within Poland as the basis for the national symbols. And already at the meeting on May 18, it was decided to consider “the banner of the Russian land to be a lion, and the colors to be yellow and blue.”
In 1848, National Guard units under Polish banners began to form in Western Ukrainian lands. On September 20, the Golovna Russian Rada addressed the population with an appeal to begin forming a Russian National Guard. The flags of the Russian Guard units were supposed to have, on one side, an image of a golden lion climbing a rock on a blue field, and on the other side, the patron of the city church.
Since the design of the flag was quite complex, and the workshops in Lviv could not cope with the large number of orders for flags, easy-to-make flags of two horizontal stripes - blue and yellow - became widespread. The order of the stripes was not regulated.
On June 25, 1848, an incident well known to flag experts took place in Lvov. At the city hall, unknown persons hung “a banner of Russian colors, and with it on the left side a Polish banner.” The Golovna Russka Rada then dissociated itself from this event, saying that it had no information about the instigators. On July 7, the Rada decided to remove the above-mentioned banners from the town hall. By the end of the year, blue and yellow were already widely used as national folk colors. It is known, for example, that on October 19, 1848, at a meeting of the Council of Russian Scientists, blue and yellow flags were used in the decoration of the hall. The attitude towards the national flags of the Head Russian Rada has also changed. On May 15, 1849, the Golovna Russka Rada already requested the Austrian authorities for permission to hang the Ukrainian blue and yellow flag over the town hall along with the Austrian one.
Austrian and German encyclopedias of the 19th century list the “land colors” of the Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria as blue-red, red-blue, blue-red-yellow (according to the colors of the Austrian coat of arms of Galicia), or amaranth (a shade of red) - white, but give a link that Rusyns unofficially use blue and yellow flags.
There are several other versions of the origin of the Ukrainian flag. The first associates the colors blue and yellow with the Swedish flag. Such banners were allegedly given to the Cossacks by the Swedish king as a reward for going over to his side during the wars with Russia. There is no documentary evidence to support this hypothesis. Another version dates the appearance of blue-yellow flags to the period of Kievan Rus and even connects the word “crest” with the Tatar name for blue-yellow flowers. This is pure nonsense.
During Soviet times, the flag of Ukraine was red with the obligatory hammer, sickle and star and a blue stripe along the lower edge of the flag. The blue stripe symbolized "the color of the banners of Bohdan Khmelnytsky." Although it is not known what specific banners were discussed...
In the 1990s, the national yellow-blue (“yellow-blakit”) flag became widespread, first in nationalist circles and then everywhere. The shade of blue was very light at first. However, the state was in no hurry to officially change its symbols. By the time of the collapse of the USSR, the national flag of Ukraine remained Soviet. Although, for example, on July 24, 1990, the Presidium of the Kiev City Council of People's Deputies decided to hang a blue-yellow flag next to the state red-blue one in front of the City Council building on Khreshchatyk (in 2000, this day became a public holiday - Flag Day). And on September 4, 1991, in Kyiv, a blue and yellow flag was raised over the building of the Supreme Council (also together with a red and blue one).
Officially, the new state flag of Ukraine was adopted by a resolution of the Verkhovna Rada of January 28, 1992. As expected, it was a blue-yellow panel with a length to width ratio of 3:2. Like many other states, Ukraine's colors have no official explanation. The informal explanation of the colors varied over time and depended both on the tastes of contemporaries and on political fashion. Traditionally, blue is interpreted as the color of clear skies, and yellow as the color of fields.
In Ancient times, each tribe or class had a certain canvas, which confirmed a certain location of the group, and also raised their morale. Such canvases were flags of classes, groups, and various entities.
Today, the state flag is considered an integral attribute and sign of statehood. By the images applied to the flag, as well as by the choice of colors, you can characterize a certain country. Each country has its own history of the flag, but in some countries it is quite short and simple to understand.
The history of the origin of the Ukrainian flag is not simple, its fate is very peculiar. This is due, first of all, to the fact that for a long time it was strictly prohibited and had two variants of the image.
Image of the flag, its interpretation
In 1981, two versions of the flag image on canvas appeared in the Ukrainian state in a 2:3 size ratio. One and the second option suggested the placement of two horizontal stripes of yellow and blue, but the first option provided for the placement of the yellow stripe on top and the bottom one on the bottom.
It should be noted that among the Slavic states only Ukraine and Bosnia do not have red in their attribute. The history of the origin of this attribute speaks of the impossibility of workshops coping with a large number of orders at that time; it was in connection with this that the decision was made to approve a flag that was easy to manufacture.
It is interpreted in several meanings according to different experts. Initially, there was a statement that the yellow stripe symbolizes everything Divine, unearthly, and the blue one, on the contrary, interpreted the meaning of the earth, human expression. It was believed that the Almighty powers always stand above the blue color, that is, ordinary people, they endow a person with certain rights and provide the opportunity for a prosperous existence. In turn, people must use the benefits provided without abusing them.
Some experts believe that in fact, the color of the Ukrainian flag has long symbolized two main natural elements and human existence - flame (yellowish) and water (blue). Thus, an absolutely logical picture appears. Only the combination of “yellow is above, blue is below” is capable of displaying constant symmetries, namely the influence of the spiritual agreements of these elements in the places of their presence. However, if they are placed from head to toe, this will personify disregard for the world order, a cataclysm in which a fire is extinguished with water.
At the moment, despite the division of opinions, a decision has been made to interpret the flag as the blue sky and many golden ears of grain located under it. This interpretation is most similar to the opinion of experts about the Divine interpretation. In addition, its designation reflects peacetime, the desire of citizens for “peace in the world,” for work, and respect for their homeland.
On August 23, Ukraine celebrates the adoption of the existing flag. In addition to the many changes that this flag has undergone, the variety of its designations, it has a rich history of origin.
History of the approval of the national flag
The history of the emergence of the attribute of Ukraine dates back to ancient times. Back in the 40s - 70s, individual ethnic societies began to have special paintings that characterize their intentions. Thus, when fighting in battles, participating in wars, most of them preferred to use the color red as a symbol of blood, strength, and victory. When, during the Horde invasion, the territory of Ukraine was captured by neighboring states, the development of its own symbols began to particularly progress.
Subsequent progress in realizing the need to create our own symbols appeared during the War of Liberation against Poland. It was headed by Bogdan Khmelnytsky, and during its time the first Central Authority was created. Ukrainian authorities gave particular preference to crimson or red flowers. They believed that this color reflects the existing power, the aggression of the state, and is capable of presenting the government as a worthy rival.
At these times, the Hetmanate was born in Ukraine, as a result of which a new interpretation of the blue canvas appeared, with the image of the hetman.
For a long time, there has been debate about the best way to represent the essence of a country through a flag. Opinions were divided not in the images located on the flag, but in the color itself. There was a large number of ordinary citizens, as well as a number of government bodies, shared the opinion on the purpose of the bright red color expression, but there were many supporters of the crimson color.
In 1654, the reunification of Ukraine with Russia took place, and it was this fact that gave the strongest impetus to changing the symbolism reflected on the canvas. Russian customs of depicting the faces of saints and double-headed eagles were reflected in the principles of presenting their troops to other states. In addition to changes in the symbolism itself, the background on which special symbols were applied changed. Many banners with canvases of blue, yellow, and light blue colors appeared.
For a long period in Ukraine there were banners of both red and crimson colors, and blue and yellow colors predominated. Subsequently, bright colors faded into the background, and calm ones, announcing peaceful life activities, reliably secured their use.
The newest stage in the development of state symbols occurred in 1848 during the Revolution. Initially it began in Austria, and later moved to Ukrainian lands. When the governor of Austria noticed the special connection between Ukraine and the Russian people, he offered his support to the Ukrainian movement, while setting one condition. It consisted in distancing himself from the Russian people, in refusing any claims that Ukraine is part of the Russian people, while he cemented the alliance by giving Ukraine a blue and yellow flag. After this action, colossal changes occurred in the consideration of the symbols of the state.
Initially, the idea to create a flag depicting a yellow-blue canvas came from the Austrian Empire; it was in its history and distant past that a canvas in the same color scheme rose, but with an image of the coat of arms in the middle. At that time, in 1918, there were two types of flags, differing in color arrangement. During the existence of the Central Rada, a decision was made to express the Divine principle through an attribute of the state, namely by reflecting gold on top and blue on bottom.
In the same year, the Rada issues and consolidates regulations on flags. A little later, a coup d'etat took place, which was carried out by the monarchist Skoropadsky, it was at this moment that the color arrangement changed. He did this as a sign of protest, to show his power. In 1920, a draft Constitution of the UPR appeared, which enshrined the statement national flag, and a separate sub-item specified the arrangement of colors. Since then, the blue-yellow flag belongs to the Ukrainian state.
Country Ukraine
Capital: Kyiv
Total area: 603,700 km2
Date of formation: 24. 8. 1991
Population: 42,248,598
Currency: Ukrainian hryvnia (UAH)
Code: UA (UKR)
Telephone code: +380
Colors: yellow, blue
Shapes: horizontal stripes
Continent: ,
Organization: ,
Since ancient times, different peoples used certain symbols during battles, which were supposed to indicate the meeting place of warriors and raise their morale. Typically, it was a three- or four-cornered piece of cloth attached to a spear. Ancient Ukrainian flags from the time of Kievan Rus originally depicted Christian saints. A little later, permanent coats of arms of different lands appeared, which became the basis for the formation of modern national symbols. In this article, we will consider what the colors of the Ukrainian flag mean, whether it symbolizes the unity of earth and sky, and discuss other controversial issues.
Banners from the times of Kievan Rus
During the times of Kievan Rus, one of the symbols of princely power was the banner. This was the banner under which the squad went into battle. In addition, the banner acted as a symbol of the united territories. Ancient chronicles indicate that during the times of Kievan Rus, flags had a triangular wedge-shaped shape with the image of princely signs or saints. Mostly these banners were red and were clearly recognizable during the battle. Other blues, yellows, and greens were also used. It should be noted that red is still one of the most popular shades in the colors of coats of arms and flags, especially among the Western and Eastern Slavs (Poland, Belarus, Russia).
Ukrainian flags in the XIII-XVI centuries.
At the turn of the XIII-XIV centuries. quadrangular flags appear with a banner on the free end of the spear. Also at this time, they actively began to make banners using compounds of several colors.
In the XIII-XIV centuries. The history of Kievan Rus is characterized by such a concept as feudal fragmentation. At this time, each prince had his own banner, which was different from the others.
In the middle of the 14th century. a significant part became part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and the Galician land and Volyn came under the control of Poland. In the middle of the 15th century. these territories became part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. This greatly influenced the heraldic traditions in Ukrainian lands. Thus, on the symbols of the central regions, most likely under Polish influence, white and red colors began to be found most often. And the Ukrainian flags of the western lands took on a yellow-blue color. These colors became the main ones in the symbolism of Transcarpathia, Lviv, and Podolia.
Flags and symbols during the Hetman period
The history of the Ukrainian flag goes back more than one century. The formation of modern national symbols of the country was significantly influenced by tradition. During the times of the Ukrainian Cossacks, the main symbolic color was crimson. It was under the red banner that Bogdan Khmelnytsky led the national liberation war. In addition, it was the main one in the symbolism of the Nizhyn and Chernigov regiments. Archangel Michael, the heavenly patron of the Cossacks, was often depicted on the flags of the Hetmanate. In addition, on the banners next to crimson there were yellow, blue and green colors, as well as images of the sun, stars, and animals.
History of the Ukrainian flag in the 18th-20th centuries.
In blue and spread in the 18th century. Their combination can be found in the banners of the Kyiv and Chernigov regiments. In 1771, a new banner was made for the Poltava Regiment - blue with a yellow cross. In 1848, the Golovna Ruska Rada proclaimed the ancient princely symbol of the Romanovichs as the national coat of arms - an image of a golden lion leaning on a rock on a blue background.
In the second half of the 19th century, a combination of yellow and blue stripes was gradually established on the rectangular canvas of the Ukrainian flag. Already in 1914, at the celebration of the anniversary of the birth of T. G. Shevchenko, the combination of these colors meant manifestations. It should be noted that at this time the top stripe of the Ukrainian flag was yellow and the bottom stripe was blue. In 1917, the Ukrainian People's Republic was proclaimed. Its government - the Central Rada - proclaimed the colors of the national flag to be yellow and blue.
Approval of the blue-yellow flag
In 1918, after the establishment of the power of Hetman P. Skoropadsky, blue and yellow was proclaimed the state flag. The approval of these colors as national ones was evidenced by the regulatory and constitutional acts of the Directory, as well as the Western Ukrainian People's Republic.
Ukrainian flags from the times of the Soviet Union were radically different from the previous ones. Initially it was a red canvas with a gold inscription: “URSR”. In the post-war period, socialist symbols were changed. Thus, the flag of the Ukrainian SSR combined two stripes: the upper one was red, the lower one was blue. In addition, a sickle and a pentagonal star were depicted at the top of the canvas.
In 1990, a blue and yellow Ukrainian flag appeared at the Stryi town hall for the first time after a long break. Photos and news about this event instantly spread throughout the Ukrainian SSR. In September 1991 national symbol already towered over the Verkhovna Rada. On January 28, 1992, the blue-yellow flag received state status.
The meaning of the colors of the Ukrainian flag
There is still a debate among scientists, politicians and ordinary citizens about what the colors of the Ukrainian flag symbolize. The official and generally accepted version is that yellow is the embodiment of a wheat field, and blue is the sky above it. However, such an interpretation cannot fully reflect the meaning of each of the colors. The opinion that yellow (gold) symbolizes the Creator, God, the highest essence deserves attention. Blue is everything real, earthly. In addition, this color symbolizes which every person has.
There is an interesting version that the shades of the Ukrainian flag are the two main elements. Yellow is fire and blue is water. In this sense, it would be correct to combine these colors on a modern flag in reverse order. Some scientists argue that the elevation of blue over yellow disrupts the divine harmony of the two elements and causes a “catastrophe” in which water extinguishes fire.
“Blue-Zhovty Bicolor” became the official flag of Ukraine in the winter of 1992. What does the blue-yellow color combination mean, and why did China not like it so much?
Why is he “black-haired”?
At first, the blue and yellow banner caused some discomfort among Ukrainians: this was especially true for sports fans. It so happened that the national colors of independent Ukraine began to coincide with the colors of Sweden. Therefore, watching competitions in any biathlon, Ukrainian fans faced difficulties in differentiating their athletes from Swedish athletes. And here, after the next dose of support was accidentally given to a northern stranger, an emotional question was born: “Why are we like the Swedes?”
Evil tongues say that the cause-and-effect relationship here is direct. Allegedly, the “blue and yellow bicolor” was granted by the Swedish king Charles XII to Hetman Mazepa because he went over to the Swedish side. But we are not ready to share the version that the current Ukrainian flag is a clone of the Swedish one.
Why is he “yellow-black”? The answer was given back in 1848 by the Ukrainian poet, writer and ethnographer Yakov Golovatsky: “The color blue is like clear sky southern Rus'. The golden color, like those lightnings in a clear sky, depicted a clear luminary.” And later Pavlo Tychina reflected this more poetically: “Pyd prapori, pyd sonyanky shchey sons.”
True, in 1918 everything was turned upside down.
Why yellow at the bottom?
Every citizen of Ukraine at least once in his life wondered: “Why did they put blue on top? It’s just as inconvenient.” The current kings of arms of Ukraine wisely explain that blue is the sky and yellow is a wheat field. This formula was first discovered and voiced in 1918 by Hetman Pavel Skoropadsky. However, in the beginning everything was different.
In January 1918, a new state entity appeared on the ruins of the Russian Empire - the Ukrainian People's Republic. A month later, the Central Rada, the parliament of the new country, approves the flag - “yellow-black.” Exactly in this order - yellow at the top, blue at the bottom. However, already in the spring the power in Ukraine is changing - a new state appears into the world with the name Ukrainian State and the head - Hetman Skoropadsky. And the first thing the hetman does is change the flag, simply turning it over. So “zhovto-blakitny” turns into “blue-zhovty.” Without unnecessary, so to speak, explanations and comments.
What's up with the Stadium?
Western Ukraine was once part of the Austrian Empire and was called Galicia. So, the governor of this land in 1846-1848 was a certain Franz Stadion von Warthausen. The stadium did many good deeds for the Rusyns (in Austria, all Slavic inhabitants of Western Ukraine were called that way): for example, it abolished serfdom in Galicia. True, the count was very sad that the Rusyns considered themselves part of the general Russian cultural tradition. The stadium decided to take on the mission of a “civilizer” and in 1848 initiated the creation of a body of national self-government of the Rusyns - the Main Russian Rada. The Rada needed branding, and then it was decided to consider “the banner of the Russian land to be a lion, and the colors to be yellow and blue.” They say that historians specially engaged by the count had a hand in this, who discovered somewhere in the chronicles that in the famous Battle of Grunwald in 1410, knights representing the Lviv land fought shoulder to shoulder with the Lithuanians and Poles against the Teutons. And they fought precisely with “lion” banners in yellow and blue colors.
By the way, there is a legend that the first banner of the “Russian land” was embroidered by the mother of the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph at the personal request of the Stadium.
What's with the silver?
In general, the roots of the combination of yellow and blue tinctures lie in knightly heraldry, where they represent gold and silver. During the Middle Ages, combinations of these “metallic” colors were present everywhere - in particular on knightly battle standards. There were versions where the yellow color is at the top and where it is at the bottom. According to one version, the standard with a “golden” top was worn by the older brothers, the heirs of the family, and the silver ones, respectively, by the younger ones. Fans of Freud would probably have seen a certain sign in the leapfrog with the “top” of the banner among the Ukrainians in 1918. But sometimes “a cigar is just a cigar.”
Why are the Chinese afraid of the Ukrainian flag?
This turned out to be completely unexpected. In 1992, the Chinese artist Mao Mao visited Ukraine and, seeing the Ukrainian flag, began to beg President Kravchuk to change the colors. It turned out that the combination in which blue dominates yellow denotes the hexagram “pi” in the Chinese I Ching system, symbolizing progressive degradation. The dominance of blue (symbolizing will) over yellow (wisdom) expresses the “Law of Decline” among the Chinese. However, the Ukrainian president turned out to be not as superstitious as the Chinese and retained the same combination for his fellow countrymen.
It is curious that the hexagram “pi” is very reminiscent of the current logo of the city of Perm, created by designer Artemy Lebedev.
What's up with Luscher?
Followers of the famous psychologist and color theorist Max Luscher are sure that if a person chooses a combination in tests in which blue is at the top and yellow at the bottom, he subconsciously admits that he is highly dependent on the environment and the people around him. If he chooses the opposite combination, this speaks of his ambitions to become self-sufficient and independent.
What were the options?
Ukrainian politicians had quite a few options when choosing a state flag: from the red and black banner of the OUN to a very strange combination of blue, yellow and lilac, reminiscent of a version of the current standard of gay activists. But the most interesting, in our opinion, was the project of the “blue and yellow ensign” with a hammer and sickle, which was considered as a design for the national flag in 1991. It seems that the current flag of Ukraine is not the last option. At least someday a “polarity reversal” may occur in the “blue and yellow”...