Flag of the Russian Empire since 1896. Flag of the Russian Empire. Royal banners in the period of the XVI-XVII centuries

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 one and the second - as a trade 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 Supremely 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 basis 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 (if we take into account 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 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.

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

1. Soboleva N. A., Artamonov V. A. Symbols of Russia. Panorama, 1993. ISBN 978-5-852-20155-3. S. 137.
2. Khoroshkevich A. L. Symbols of Russian statehood. Publishing House of Moscow University, 1993. S. 90-91.
3. Khoroshkevich A. L. Symbols of Russian statehood. Publishing House of Moscow University, 1993. S. 91.
4. 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.
5. Voronets E. A proper response to the article "On the origin of flags and their meaning." - M.: University Printing House, 1899. - S. 11
6. 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.
7. PSZRI volume IX (1834), No. 6860 p.21 - S. 170
8. Voronets E. On the colors of the Russian flag. / St. Petersburg Vedomosti, 1896, No. 75
9. Collection of Laws of 1883 May 7, art. 441
10. PSZ RI, part III, No. 1534
11. 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
12. 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.
13. 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
14. 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
15. 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
16. 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.
17. 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.
18. Degtyarev A. Ya. History of the Russian flag / Edited by V. N. Yaroshenko. - Paris: Museum of the Russian Flag, 1997. - S. 115.

Double prong banner 966 - 988

This form of banners was drawn on Arab dirhams of the 10th century. The bident was a symbol of the Khazar Khaganate, and when Prince Svyatoslav the Great crushed the Khaganate, he introduced banners with images of the bident as a symbol of victory over Khazaria.

Scarlet banner of the 11th - 12th centuries

In the XI-XII centuries in Russia there were mainly triangular banners of predominantly red color. There are also yellow, green, white, black banners.

Banner of the "Most Merciful Savior" of the XII - XVI centuries

One of the oldest Russian banners. Used by the troops of Alexander Nevsky and Dmitry Donskoy. Only one such banner has been preserved.

Great banner of Ivan the Terrible 1550 - 1584

At the pole on an azure field, St. Michael is depicted on horseback. Christ is depicted on the slope of the "sugar" color. The banner has a border of "lingonberry color", at the slope there is an additional border of "poppy" color. Religious plots were also depicted on other royal banners. On the scarlet banner of Alexei Mikhailovich, for example, the face of the Savior was depicted.

Banner of Yermak 1581 - 1585

The collection of relics of the Armory still has three banners of Yermak, "under which he conquered the Siberian Khanate of Kuchum in 1582." The cloth has a length of more than 2 meters, one of which is embroidered with images of Joshua and St. Michael (the plot of the image is a scene from the Old Testament), on the other two - a lion and a unicorn, ready for battle

Banner of Dmitry Pozharsky 1609 - 1612

The banner was used by Dmitry Pozharsky and Kuzma Minin in the Second People's Militia.

Banner of the Great Regiment 1654 - 1701

This banner was used exclusively by the Big Regiment from 1654 to 1701. Canceled by Peter I.

Coat of arms of Alexei Mikhailovich 1668 - 1696

This is the first coat of arms of Russia, established by Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich in 1668, together with the first Russian flag (see below). The armorial banner was white with a wide red border, in the center a golden double-headed eagle and emblems of the lands subject to the king were depicted, a legend was placed on the border.

Flag of the Kingdom of Russia (XVII century) 1668 - 1696

The very first state flag of Russia. Approved by Alexei Mikhailovich as the flag of the first Russian merchant ship "Eagle".

Flag of the Tsar of Moscow 1693 - 1720

The flag began to be used by Peter I in 1693. The tsar ordered that this flag be applied to all former tsars of Moscow. It depicts the Russian tricolor and the coat of arms of Russia of the 17th century.

Trade flag of Russia 1705 - 1917

The tricolor, introduced by Peter I as part of the standard of the Moscow Tsar and the army banner, became the flag of Russia in 1705 and was used until 1917.

Standard Russian or Tsarist

Peter's own description: “Standard, a black eagle in a yellow field, like the Coat of Arms of the Russian Empire, having three crowns: two royal and one Imperial, in which St. George with a dragon. In both heads and legs there are 4 sea maps: in the right head is the White Sea, in the left is the Caspian, in the right leg of the Palace Meotis (Sea of ​​Azov), in the left is Sinus Finikus (Gulf of Finland) and the floor of Sinus Botnik (Botanical Bay) and part of the Ost- Zee (Baltic Sea).

State banner of the Russian Empire 1742−1858

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.

State (armorial) flag 1858

By decree of Alexander II of June 11, 1858, a black-yellow-white "armorial" flag was introduced. The flag consists of three horizontal stripes: black, yellow (gold) and white.

Russian national flag 1883

During the second half of the 19th century, historians debated what kind of national flag to consider: white-blue-red or black-yellow-white. The issue was officially resolved on April 28, 1883, when Alexander III ordered the use of the white-blue-red flag exclusively. Black-yellow-white remained only with the imperial family.

State national flag 1914

In 1914, a new national white-blue-red flag was introduced by a special circular of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with a yellow square with a black double-headed eagle added at the top.

Flag of Republican Russia 1917

According to the decision of the Legal Council in April 1917: "The white-blue-red flag, since it does not carry the attributes of any dynastic emblems, can be considered the flag of the new Russia."

Flag of the USSR 1924

The flag was a red rectangular panel with an image in the upper corner, near the staff, of a golden hammer and sickle and above them a red five-pointed star framed by a golden border. He was "a symbol of the state sovereignty of the USSR and the indestructible alliance of workers and peasants in the struggle to build a communist society." The red color of the flag is a symbol of the heroic struggle of the Soviet people for the construction of socialism and communism, the sickle and hammer mean the unshakable alliance of the working class and the collective farm peasantry. The red five-pointed star on the flag of the USSR is a symbol of the final triumph of the ideas of communism on the five continents of the globe.

Flag of the RSFSR 1991 - 1993

State flag of the RSFSR since November 1, 1991. It remained the State Flag until December 11, 1993.

Flag of Russia 1993 - present

The official state symbol of the Russian Federation, along with the emblem and anthem. It is a rectangular panel of three equal horizontal stripes: the top one is white, the middle one is blue and the bottom one is red. Many symbolic meanings are attributed to the colors of the flag, but there is no official interpretation of the colors of the State Flag of the Russian Federation. The most popular decryption is as follows:

White color symbolizes nobility and frankness;

Blue color - fidelity, honesty, impeccability and chastity;

Red color - courage, boldness, generosity and love.

Desecration of the State Flag of the Russian Federation is a crime.

By decree of Alexander II of June 11, 1858, a black-yellow-white "armorial" flag was introduced. The decree was approved by the Senate of the year based on the report of the Minister of the Imperial Court, Count V. Adlerberg. The designer of the flag was B.Kene, a fan of German heraldry. An explanation of the choice of such a flag is contained in the text of the decree.

The author of the flag is Baron Bernhard von Koehne, Head of the Heraldry Department of the Heraldry Department of the Governing Senate, the author of the coat of arms of the Romanov dynasty and the large coat of arms of the Russian Empire. The choice of precisely these colors and precisely in such a sequence fully reflected the heraldic views of the baron: Koene believed that the basis of the heraldic (that is, armorial, but by no means flag - Koene did not deal with and was not interested in flags) palette in Russia should be the main colors used in the imperial coat of arms: the color of the main figure - the eagle, and the color of the shield, to which he also added a rather arbitrarily silver color.

Such a wording of the coat of arms would completely coincide with the Prussian and Austrian tradition valued by Baron Köhne (where black and white and black and yellow, respectively, were considered coat of arms). Moreover, the legalization of niello, gold and silver as the coat of arms of the empire was important for the mass of coats of arms already created and reworked by Köhne, and for the creation of the state banner (which was by no means an “imperial”, but a golden cloth with a black coat of arms in the middle; black and gold - only the tassels and fringe of this banner were silver).

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, the symbols of Russian military and paramilitary organizations that fought on the side of Nazi Germany and its allies never saw a black-yellow-white flag, but more often a white-blue-red banner was used.

Justification of colors according to Vorontsov E.N.

How did the black, yellow and white colors of Russian heraldic symbolism come about and what do they mean. Presented by E.N. Voronets. Kharkov. 1912

The text is given with minor changes. They mainly concern changes in the spelling of letters and verb endings.

"Eminently established two years ago under the Ministry of Justice, under the chairmanship of Comrade Minister Chamberlain A. N. Verevkin, the Special Meeting to clarify the issue of Russian state colors completed its studies, drawing up an extensive note covering the issue from a historical and heraldic point of view. Proposals of the meeting are reduced to the recognition of the Russian national colors - in accordance with the colors of the state emblem, the Imperial standard and the state banner - a combination of black, yellow and white. The naval flag - white with a blue St. Andrew's cross - remains inviolable. Established by Peter the Great for commercial ships, white and blue - the red flag is to be retained for inland merchant ships; government and government buildings must be decorated with the state black-yellow-white flag: private individuals' buildings can be decorated with both state and white-blue-red commercial ones.

The emblematic and symbolic combination of black, yellow and white colors in Russia has a very ancient origin and deep state significance.

And now they remembered the old days and found, among the especially revered items of the prince's treasury, the royal crown, or golden cap, of Emperor Constantine Monomakh, the life-giving cross, a precious necklace, or barmas, of Greek work and declared them royal regalia sent by the Greek emperor to the Russian Grand Duke. Herberstein mentions the Russian Monomakh regalia in 1497. In the same year, it appears on the letters of John III in conjunction with the Moscow Imperial Byzantine coat of arms of a black double-headed eagle on a golden field. This symbolic coat of arms was adopted and connected with St. George of Moscow on a white horse after the marriage of the widowed John III with the Greek princess Sophia (Zinaida) Fominichnaya, the last representative of the family of Greek emperors.

Many circumstances of greatness and enlightenment of his own and "all Russia" John III achieved through the sacrament of marriage with this Greek princess Sophia Fominichnaya. She understood that his marriage was of deep state significance, among other things, as the receipt of the hereditary rights of Greek emperors by the Russian royal family, and therefore, as a visible sign of Russia's new relations with Greece and Constantinople, John III wisely adopted for Russia the symbolic coat of arms of the Byzantine Empire: a black double-headed an eagle on a yellow field and connected it with the Moscow coat of arms - a rider (St. George) in white clothes on a white horse, striking a snake. The state coat of arms, according to state law, is recognized as a symbol, a visible distinctive sign of the state itself, emblematically depicted on the state seal, on a coin, on a banner, etc. And as such a symbol, the coat of arms of the state expresses the distinctive idea and foundations to implement, which the state considers itself called upon.

Due to the use by Tsar John III of the Byzantine coat of arms together with the Moscow one on the seals of internal and external state acts that have been preserved since 1497, this year is considered to be the year of the adoption and merging of the coat of arms of the Byzantine Empire with the coat of arms of the Russian kingdom.

Compiled by the Zemsky Sobor, the Code under Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich attached such importance to the emblems of the black-yellow-white coat of arms that the forgery of this coat of arms of the royal seal was condemned as a crime against the Tsar himself. Chapter 4 of this Code protects the inviolability of the Imperial seal with the aforementioned black-yellow-white emblems and the General Regulations of Emperor Peter the Great by the death penalty.

According to the above basic Russian concepts, due to its important state significance, the Russian coat of arms with a black-yellow-white combination of its emblems, in larger and larger cases, objects and types, began to appear as a symbolic banner of all Russian, as an emblem of the entire Russian state, in its entire composition, with all citizens from the Autocratic Tsar to the last commoner. And all the Sovereigns and Empresses in Russia constantly emblematically manifested and honored the unchanging foundations of the ancient Russian coat of arms: in the yellow field of a black double-headed eagle with the Victorious in white and on a white horse, or in a simplified symbolization of this coat of arms, in a combination of its main colors: black, yellow and white. So the first Russian Emperor Peter the Great established the first Russian Imperial standard "according to the Russian coat of arms", that is, a flag depicting a black double-headed eagle on a yellow field with a victorious horseman in white and on a white horse. The same foundations of the Russian coat of arms are legalized to this day for the standards of Their Imperial Majesties. And the first flag for private Russian commercial ships Emperor Peter the Great in 1693 ordered to be made "according to the coat of arms of the Russian Empire from white taffeta with the image in the middle of the coat of arms of His Royal Majesty a double-headed black eagle with three crowns above it, and at its feet a scepter and an apple with a cross, all gilded ": everyone has hats with gold galloon, with gold tassels, with a black field and with a white bow" ... and cockades, as a distinctive Russian sign, were established in white and black with orange colors. This order was preserved during the reign of the Empress Elizabeth Petrovna ... Under Emperor Peter III, black and yellow cockades appeared, but white was also preserved. Booths for sentries and racks for guns were also painted in yellow and black. Empress Catherine II attached a high distinctive significance to the combination of black-yellow-white colors, which is especially expressed in the establishment of colors for the ribbon and the Order of St. George - as the highest military Russian insignia. Emperor Paul, black and orange or yellow colors are approved everywhere and in all objects and in the badges of state clothing.

Emperor Alexander I the Blessed finally made a cockade for the military from a combination of the primary colors of the Russian coat of arms, from black, orange and white. This coat of arms cockade still exists unchanged. In the reign of Emperor Nicholas I in 1834, in the Highest Approved Regulations for civilian uniforms, it was established in paragraph 2. And in 1857, for the greater manifestation by Russian citizens of all departments of the distinctive Russian state colors of the Russian coat of arms, it was established for everyone and the civil servants of the Russian state of all departments and names and all who are supposed to have a cockade, and wear a cockade on ordinary caps, and wear a cockade of the main colors of the Russian State Emblem on ordinary caps in this form: "The middle of the cockade is black, the first inner circle is orange, the second black, the third orange, and the outermost circle matt - silver This state cockade exists in Russia at the present time.

The manifestation by the Russian Tsars of the Russian coat of arms and its simplified symbolization - in its primary colors, during the sacred coronation of the Sovereigns of the Russians in this unique in the life of the Russian Tsars and highly significant for the people, the holy act of accepting them "from God Himself" blessing "on a sacred duty" is extremely demonstrative and impressive. and the burden of the reign of the Autocratic "- the Russian coat of arms reigns and triumphs together with the Anointed One of God and the people.

Thus, from the very beginning, the coat of arms colors became the basis for the state flag of the Russian Empire.

Currently, the imperial tricolor can be found in various places. For example, next to the Catherine Palace in St. Petersburg.

Sources

• "How did the black, yellow and white colors of Russian heraldic symbolism come about and what do they mean" Stated by E.N. Voronets. Kharkov. 1912.
• Sergey Buntovsky " History of the Imperial Flag".
• The rights to the photo with the flag belong to the site site.

During the reign of the Romanov Dynasty, the flag of the Russian state changed several times. First, Peter I adopted the so-called St. Andrew's flag. This flag was at the same time a symbol of both the state and the fleet. Then, much later, Peter I adopted the white-blue-red flag as the main flag of the state. On June 11, 1858, Alexander II adopted the black-yellow-white flag or Romanov as the official flag of the Russian Empire. This flag was the state flag until April 28, 1883. On this day, Alexander III, in the decree "Decree on flags for decorating buildings on solemn occasions," ordered the use of a white-blue-red flag as the state flag of the Russian Empire, instead of black-yellow-white. Under Nicholas II, the flag underwent a slight change: a black double-headed eagle appeared on a golden field in the upper left corner of the white-blue-red flag. After the October Revolution of 1917, the white-blue-red flag ceased to be the main symbol of the Russian state. And only in 1993, by order of the President of the Russian Federation B.N. Yeltsin, the white-blue-red flag again became a symbol of Young Russia.

The black-yellow-white flag as the official (state) flag of the Russian Empire was introduced by the Decree of Alexander II of June 11, 1858. The colors of the flag meant the following: Black - the color of the Russian double-headed eagle - a symbol of the Great Power in the East, a symbol of sovereignty in general, state stability and strength, the inviolability of historical borders - this is the basis that has determined for centuries and until now the meaning of the very existence of the Russian nation, which created a huge state from the Baltic Sea to the Pacific Ocean. Golden (yellow) color- once the color of the banner of Orthodox Byzantium, perceived as the state banner of Russia by Ivan the Third Vasilyevich, is generally a symbol of spirituality, aspiration for moral perfection and fortitude. For Russians, it is a symbol of continuity and the preservation of the purity of the Christian Truth - the Orthodox faith. White is the color of eternity and purity, which in this sense has no discrepancies among the Eurasian peoples. For Russians, this is the color of St. George the Victorious - a symbol of great, disinterested and joyful sacrifice for the Fatherland, for "friends", for the Russian Land, - that main root feature of the Russian national character, which from century to century, from generation to generation, puzzled , admired and frightened foreigners.

The first two Russian state colors appeared in our Fatherland in 1472 after the marriage of Ivan the Third to Princess Sophia Paleolog, along with the adoption of the coat of arms from the Byzantine Empire that fell under the blows of the Turks. The Byzantine imperial banner - a golden canvas with a black eagle crowned with two crowns - becomes the state banner of Russia.

Even before the Troubles began, the state banner receives the final detail - the eagle's chest is covered with a large coat of arms with the image of St. George the Victorious. A white rider on a white horse subsequently gave legal grounds to the third color of the flag - white. The black-yellow-white flag combined the colors of national heraldic emblems and during the reign of Emperor Nicholas I established itself as a national symbol. For the first time in Russia, a black-yellow-white flag began to be flown on solemn days after 1815, following the end of the Patriotic War with Napoleonic France.

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). On June 11, 1858, Emperor Alexander II personally approved a drawing with the arrangement of the emblematic black-yellow-white colors of the Empire on banners and flags for decoration on the streets on solemn occasions. The black-yellow-white flag has never been legally abolished, just as the white-blue-red has never been national, although under the Democrats it changed its status as a commercial, civil maritime flag to the status of a "national" one. Since the reign of Emperor Alexander III, the Russian national-state flag has been attacked with particular fury by the left-democratic public for its, as they wrote then, "emphasized monarchist and Germanophile character." The same critics who did not see in the white-blue-red flag a complete analogy with the national colors of France and Holland, as well as with many third-rate countries such as Argentina, Haiti, Honduras, Chile, found "shameful Germanophile imitation" in one - the only top stripe of black-yellow-white flag.

April 28, 1883 (May 7, 1883) Alexander III "Decree on flags to decorate buildings on solemn occasions" ordered the use of a white-blue-red flag as the state flag of the Russian Empire, instead of black-yellow-white.

The appearance in Russia of a tricolor (belt - with a horizontal arrangement of stripes) white-blue-red flag, most historians also associate with the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich. The history of the origin of the tricolor Russian flag is described very interestingly in the book by A. Ya. Degtyarev "The History of the Russian Flag": named proudly and menacingly - "Eagle". This was the first sign of the future Russian navy. In the documents on the construction and equipment of the "Eagle", the pedantic captain Butler mentions the materials necessary for the manufacture of naval banners and pennants. Mentioned are “a large banner that lives in the stern”, “a narrow long banner that lives on a large middle tree”, “a banner that lives not in the front lying tree”. About the colors of these naval banners, Butler left the following remark in one of the documents: “The flags are in colors, as the Great Sovereign indicates, but it happens, of which state the ship is, of that state and banner.” Ancient documents speak about what colors the Quietest indicated for the flag. The tsar ordered to release “kindyaks and taffeta (material grades) of worm, white and azure” to the ship building in the village of Dedinovo. That is, red, white and blue.

This documentary evidence destroys one of the arguments of the later critics of the white-blue-red flag. They did not miss the opportunity to assert that this flag was established by Peter I specifically for the merchant, private fleet and therefore cannot be recognized as the state flag. However, the white-blue-red colors of the flag arose in connection with the construction of the "military" ship. Especially the first warship of Russia, the legendary "Eagle", the ancestor of the Russian military fleet. The arrangement of colors on the flag of the "Eagle" was, of course, not the same as Peter the Great later drew with his own hand. The flag had a blue straight cross dividing the cloth into four equal parts - roofs. The first and fourth were white, the second and third were red. In the last third of the 17th century, a flag of this design was quite firmly fixed on the masts of large and small Russian ships. The proof of this is that at the end of the century, when Petrine heraldic innovations had already appeared, Russian ships temporarily sailed to Azov under this flag.

In the summer of 1693, young Peter went to Arkhangelsk, where he saw sea ships for the first time in his life. The English and Dutch sailing ships were just preparing to sail, and the young king certainly decided to see them off at sea. Flags on foreign ships were quite simple in design, not weighted with inscriptions, like Russian banners, bright and therefore visible from afar.

Soon the young king decided to build two ships for his fleet. One, with his active participation, was immediately laid down at the shipyard in Arkhangelsk, and the other was ordered in Holland.

Only in mid-September Peter went to the capital. From Arkhangelsk we moved by water towards Vologda. Here he granted Archbishop Athanasius his plow "with a sail, an anchor, with all the embellishment and ship's tackle." Among the ship's "embellishments" were granted to the archbishop three flags that fluttered on Peter's ships. One large one is the “flag of the Tsar of Moscow” and two smaller ones, with Jerusalem straight crosses.

The cloth of the "Flag of the Tsar of Moscow" was divided into three horizontal stripes: the upper one is white, the middle one is blue and the lower one is red. A yellow double-headed eagle with a scepter and an orb, topped with three crowns, was sewn into the flag's cloth. On the chest of the eagle was placed a red shield with the image of St. George stabbing a green dragon with a spear. Notable in terms of colors and one of the flags with a cross. It was white, with a red Jerusalem cross sewn in. Curiously, the flag had a long white-blue-red tail. Finally, the third flag, made of white silk, had a square shape and had a yellow cross sewn into it. These three flags, which played a significant role in later disputes, act as three riddles to which few people paid attention.

Then one more question arises - were not other flags made in Arkhangelsk, in particular, white-blue-red? Leaving Moscow, Peter probably did not have a white-blue-red banner with him. It simply did not exist then, and there is no news about the heraldic activity of the young king relating to this time. There were no samples before my eyes that would make the imagination work. However, all this at once appeared in Arkhangelsk.

According to other sources - Tsar Peter himself, who worked in the late 90s. 17th century at the shipyards of Amsterdam, returning to Russia, he established a flag similar to the Dutch tricolor, but with a different order of alternating colors. At the beginning of the XVIII century. it was described as follows: “The flag of His Royal Majesty of Moscow is divided into three. The top stripe is white, the middle one is blue, and the bottom one is red. On a blue stripe of gold with a royal crown, a double-headed eagle is crowned, having a red brand in the heart with a silver St. George, without a serpent." Trade flag in 1693 - 1700. a white banner with a double-headed black eagle was considered.

The "Dutch" version creates a strong impression for many that Peter invented the white-blue-red banner under the impression of being in Holland. But Peter went to Holland in 1697, while the flag appeared a few years earlier. Of course, Peter's acquaintance with the Dutch maritime flag, as well as with the flags of other countries, had already taken place by this time - he saw a lot of them in the Arkhangelsk port, but that deep sympathy for Holland, which Peter brought from a European trip, was not yet. And therefore, the assertion that the influence of Dutch heraldry was the main and only reason for the appearance of the white-blue-red banner is, to put it mildly, doubtful. In fact, in designing the new flag, Peter discovered a deep commitment to the Russian heraldic tradition. He retained a direct line of succession with that old cross flag, under which, apparently, he arrived in Arkhangelsk in the summer of 1693.

For the first few years after its appearance, the "flag of the Tsar of Moscow" - a white-blue-red banner with an embroidered eagle - was only the royal ship's standard, and Russian ships still plowed the rivers and seas under the cross flag. This continued until 1697, when Peter introduced a new flag in the fleet - a tricolor, but without a double-headed eagle.

Almost a decade at the turn of the XVII - XVIII centuries. the tricolor white-blue-red flag served as the battle flag of Russia both on land and at sea. With him, the Russian army and fleet made the Azov campaign of 1696. He fluttered at the stern of the ship "Fortress", which made the transition from Azov to Istanbul in 1700, delivering the Russian ambassador to Turkey to conclude a truce with the Ottoman Empire. Under this banner, in 1700, the Russian guards heroically defended themselves near Narva. White-blue-red banners were carried by Russian troops in 1701-1704. in the battles at Erestfor, during the assault on Noteburg and the capture of Narva. In 1716, this flag flew on the Ingermanland flagship when Peter I commanded the combined fleet of Russia, Holland, Denmark and England, which was preparing a military operation against Sweden.

But gradually, during the Northern War of 1700 - 1721, first in the army, and then in the navy (in 1703 - 1712), the "standard in the form of the cross of St. Andrew" was established - the St. Andrew's flag, which is universally recognized as one of the most beautiful in the world. And on January 20, 1705, Peter I, by personal decree, granted the white-blue-red flag only to the merchant fleet. Both the St. Andrew's flag on warships and the white-blue-red flag on commercial ships indicated their state affiliation with Russia and were known to the whole world in this "national" meaning. At the same time, white-blue-red colors did not disappear in the fleet. After the approval of the Andreevsky flag, they were preserved in ship and galley pennants.

Basically, the Russian land army in the Petrine era had white-blue-red symbols. Army officers wore a distinctive badge - a wide white-blue-red officer's scarf, which was, as it were, a small semblance of a national flag.

In the post-Petrine time in Russia, under the influence of the German environment of the reigning persons, the national colors were almost “lost”. After the collapse of Napoleonic France and the formation of the "Holy Alliance" in 1815, this trend intensified even more. It turned out that Russia, Prussia and Austria used almost the same colors in their state symbols. Prussia had a black and white flag, the flags of many German principalities had black and yellow stripes. In Russia, which since the time of Anna Ioannovna has been guided by German samples, these colors have also acquired national significance. As for the white-blue-red flowers, they gradually became popular - they decorated fairs, exhibitions, festivities at Shrovetide. In accordance with diplomatic protocol, the Russian national flag was better known abroad than at home. White-blue-red flags were flown in 1856 by Paris at the conclusion of the Paris Peace Treaty, as well as Warsaw and Riga, meeting Emperor Alexander II. However, on June 11, 1858, the emperor approved the design and arrangement of "armorial flowers on banners, flags and other items used for decoration on solemn occasions." At the same time, since popular rumor associated the white-blue-red colors with the name of Peter the Great, they retained their meaning and were revered as historical, "Peter's". The tricolor was approved as the official (state) flag of Russia on the eve of the coronation of Nicholas II in 1896. Then the red color meant sovereignty, blue - the color of the Mother of God, under whose patronage Russia was, white - the color of freedom and independence. According to another interpretation, the colors of the flag mean the unity of the three fraternal East Slavic peoples: white - the color of White Russia (Belarus), blue - Little Russia (Ukraine), red - Great Russia (Russia). The arrangement of the stripes of the Russian State Flag, which has remained unchanged for centuries, coincides with the ancient understanding of the structure of the world: below - the physical, above - the heavenly, even higher - the divine world. In another sense, the meaning of the colors of the Russian State Flag sounds like this: white - Faith, blue - Hope, red - Love.

The last flag of the Russian Empire. White-blue-red with a black double-headed eagle on a gold field in the upper left corner, which was the personification of the slogan "Unity of the Tsar with the people." It was created on the initiative of the Sovereign Emperor Nicholas II during the First World War in 1914. The following excerpt from the journal "Chronicle of the War" 1914-15. describes this event: “The holiness of the soul of our people in this difficult time is accompanied by its complete merging and unity with the thoughts and feelings of the Sovereign Emperor. The Tsar with His faithful people, in the Russian national flag, at the flagstaff between the white and blue stripes (a quarter of the total size of each), the Imperial Standard (yellow square with a black, Russian coat of arms) will forever flaunt. This is the Great Royal mercy to all the Russian people. "

Symbol of Russian victories

Each turn in the history of Russia invariably led to a change in state symbols. A whole generation of Russians has already grown up under the white-blue-red flag, but it has not always hovered on the Kremlin's flagpole. Turning the pages of history, I would like to dwell on the period when the imperial flag of Russia was the state flag.

The background of the black-yellow-white flag in the Russian Empire goes back to the first half of the 18th century. That was an ambiguous period of the reign of Empress Anna Ioannovna. By decree of the Senate of 1731, infantry and dragoon regiments were to have scarves and hats "according to the color of the Russian coat of arms." For the clothes of the Russian army, it was ordered to use black and gold silk, as well as white bows. Before the ascension to the throne of Elizabeth Petrovna in 1742, the state flag of the Russian Empire was made especially for coronation ceremonies, and later, also for funeral ceremonies and other celebrations. The banner was a black double-headed eagle depicted on a yellow cloth. The emblem of the Empire was surrounded by the emblems of all 31 lands, kingdoms and principalities, mentioned in the imperial title.

At the end of the Patriotic War with Napoleon Bonaparte, the black-yellow-white flag began to be hung out in all the houses of the Russian Empire on holidays. During the reign of Nicholas I, these colors appear on the cockades of civil servants.

The year 1858 became the starting point in the history of this flag as a state flag. A few words must be said about the fact that just two years before this event, the Crimean War ended, revealing problems that needed to be addressed without delay. The great power was in dire need of technology, thanks to which, in a short time, it would be able to eliminate some of the backlog from the Europeans. But above all, Russia was looking for a new idea, a new meaning, allowing not only to catch up with the British, but to surpass them many times over. And at that very moment, the imperial flag was raised for the first time over the vast territory of our country.

By decree of Tsar Alexander II of June 11, 1858, the Russian Empire acquired a new sovereign flag. From now on, the black-yellow-white banner was ordered to be hung on state institutions, government buildings, while private individuals were allowed to use only the old white-blue-red flag of the merchant fleet. The introduction of a new symbol of Russia caused an upsurge in the national spirit. The empire took leaps and bounds along the path of bold reforms that could bring the country to a qualitatively new level and erase the bitterness of the Crimean War.

The author of the project of the imperial flag introduced by Alexander II was Bernhard Kene, who proposed a panel of black-yellow-white colors. The upper black stripe personified the sovereign coat of arms of the empire, the stability and prosperity of the entire Empire, the inviolability and strength of the borders, the unity of the nation. The middle yellow stripe, on the one hand, refers us to the times of the Byzantine Empire, hinting that Russia is its rightful successor in the Orthodox world. Yellow color is inseparably connected with moral development, high spirituality of the Russian people. The lower stripe of white color is a kind of appeal and prayer to George the Victorious, the centuries-old patron of the Russian lands. As well as a sign of the sacrifice of our people, capable of shaking the world in their selfless impulse to give everything for Russia, preserving its greatness and its own honor.

The father of Emperor Alexander II, autocrat Nicholas I, advocated the adoption of state symbols and attributes, designed to strengthen the unity of the nation around the monarch and the true interests of Russia. One of his steps in this direction was the approval of the patriotic anthem "God Save the Tsar" as a sovereign one. Later it acquired the status of a folk song, thus penetrating into all layers of Russian society. So the imperial flag of Alexander II contributed to the revival of the Russian spirit through commonality with the symbols of power.

Over the next 15-20 years, the right of the primacy of the state banner of the Empire was perceived unequivocally and was not disputed. However, by the 70s of the 19th century, opposition to the monarchical system in the face of liberal circles arose in Russia. As you know, liberals have always leaned towards the Western model of development. Accordingly, they gravitated towards European symbols, to which, to a certain extent, the white-blue-red flag, approved during the reign of Peter I, belongs. The bloc of patriotic monarchists, who advocated the preservation of the imperial flag as the only state flag, became a counterweight to the liberals. The motivation of the latter was very clear: one people, one Empire, one flag.

At such a crucial moment for the state, in the year 1881, Alexander II died at the hands of the "Narodnaya Volya". 36-year-old Alexander III ascends the throne of the Russian Empire. It is not worth dwelling now on the activities of this monarch in the sovereign field, but we will tell about one mistake that had negative consequences for the state. In April 1883, the emperor endows the white-blue-red flag, proposed by the Minister of the Interior Count Tolstoy only as a trade one, with the status of a sovereign, complicating the situation by not canceling the imperial flag. In 1887, the War Department Order approved a black-yellow-white flag for use in the troops as a national one.

The created duality had to be resolved in order not to lead to a split in society, in order to preserve national unity. To cut this knot, a Special Meeting of representatives of the Ministries and the Academy of Sciences volunteered, deciding on April 5, 1896, that the white-blue-red banner has the only right to be considered national, and the black-yellow-white one does not have heraldic traditions. The motivation behind this decision is highly debatable. The members of the meeting referred to the colors of the clothes of the peasants of the Russian Empire as the main argument. Does it have anything to do with heraldry and tradition? This is a different issue.

The flag of the Russian Empire in its last years

At the turn of the XIX-XX centuries, Russia entered a rather difficult period of its development. Protest moods intensified among the proletariat, the defeat in the Russo-Japanese War reminded of the Crimean tragedy half a century ago. The spirit of nihilism and anarchy hovered over the great power, a gloomy shadow flickered, later reborn into the monster of Bolshevism. The idea of ​​the government of Nicholas II to oppose the new state flag to the red banners that are increasingly flashing at workers' demonstrations and strikes was not successful.

At such a difficult moment, circles of patriotic monarchists again advocated the return of Russia's true national flag, based on historical traditions and heraldic roots - the black-yellow-white imperial one. Their slogan "For the Tsar and the Fatherland" found support among the general population of the empire. In 1914, a symbiosis of the historical and commercial banners of Russia arose, which, however, did not receive official recognition in connection with the outbreak of the World War.

A few words must be said here about the political factor. Black-yellow-white colors had some commonality with the banners of the German and Austro-Hungarian empires, while the red-blue colors were close to the palette used in the symbols of England, France and the United States - Russia's allies. For several years, this flag was used by individuals, as well as on the fronts of the war. The revolution that came in 1917 could put an end to our story about the black-yellow-white flag of Russia. Fortunately, the dot has become just an ellipsis.

Imperial flag of Russia in modern times

The deep crisis of the communist system and the impending collapse of the USSR marked the beginning of a new life for the imperial flag. One of the first in Russia to use its colors was S. Baburin, with the amendment that the order of colors was changed: white - at the top, black - at the bottom.

The same combination was used in the emigrant environment. The flag of the Russian Empire was widely used during the October events of 1993. An interesting fact is that the defenders of the White House used both the black-yellow-white flag and the red one. Such was the reaction to the first years of power of liberal democrats in Russia.

Today, the revival of the Russian national spirit is taking place again. The imperial flag, like other Russian paraphernalia, is increasingly visible during football matches, and is used by fans of most Russian teams. In this light, it carries a unifying principle.

Without the use of a black-yellow-white flag, another event is not complete, closely related to sports, albeit not professional, but aimed at improving the health of the Russian nation. "Russian Jogging" is a patriotic movement that has become not only a sporting event for everyone. Now they include a number of educational and cultural events taking place in nine countries around the world.

It has also become one of the integral attributes of patriotic actions, such as the Russian March. Right-wing movements are gaining more and more popularity, they are becoming larger and larger. This annual action of Russian nationalists has been held annually on November 4 since 2005, when National Unity Day was established. The black-yellow-white flag has become a definite protest symbol. Almost all nationalist parties and right-wing movements of the country have united under its colors.

At various times, the organizers of the Russian March were the Slavic Union, the Movement against illegal immigration, the Russian Order, the National Power Party of Russia, the Russian National Union and many others. Since 2011, the organizing committee has decided that the event will be held without the use of party symbols under the common black-yellow-white imperial flag of Russia. In 2012, this action, held in Moscow and for the first time authorized by the authorities in the city center, gathered from 25 to 35 thousand people.

The manifesto, voiced by the organizers of the procession, Dmitry Demushkin, Alexander Belov, and other representatives of the nationalist organizations of Russia, had such goals as giving the Russians the status of a state-forming people, introducing a visa regime with the countries of Central Asia, and amnesty for political prisoners. Today, the action "Russian March" takes place in more than 70 cities not only in Russia, but also in Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova and other countries. Solidarity actions in 2012 also took place in Belgium, Estonia and Germany.