HUMANITY has been giving meaning to symbols since ancient times. Wise men of different eras and peoples saw symbols as a kind of amulets, invisibly protecting their bearers from all kinds of evil. One such symbol is the five-pointed star. She owes her appearance not to European Masons, contrary to popular belief, and not even to the biblical King Solomon.
The original origin of the five-pointed star (pentagram) is unlikely to ever be established. Judging by the excavations of archaeologists, it was well known since ancient times as a symbol-amulet. Primitive people, and then representatives of the earliest civilizations in the territories of modern Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Greece, used it in their totems and ritual drawings. It was also a revered emblem among the Japanese and American Indians.
Among the Saami of Russian Lapland, the five-pointed star was considered a universal amulet protecting deer - the basis way of life most northerners. In North Karelia, back in the middle of the 19th century, the fact of honoring the five-pointed star by Karelian hunters was attested. Having stumbled upon a connecting rod bear in the winter forest, the hunter quickly drew three five-pointed stars in a row on the snow and retreated behind them. It was believed that the bear would not be able to cross this line.
The number five in the culture of mankind is symbolic. Humans have five toes on their hands and feet. Two arms, two legs and a head “stick out” from the body - again, five “processes”. In the drawing of the genius Leonardo da Vinci, the “ideal” person, legs and arms wide apart, resembles a five-pointed star.
FIRST known images of the pentagram date back to about 3500 BC. e. These are five-pointed stars painted on clay, found in the ruins of ancient city Uruk. Images of pentagrams are also found on Egyptian statues. The ancient Egyptians called the pentagram "the star of the dog-headed Anubis." In ancient Babylon, she was depicted on the doors of warehouses to protect goods from damage and theft. And for the “initiates” of those peoples, it was a powerful sign of power. In the same Babylon, the pentagram was found on royal seals.
In the lands of ancient Palestine, the pentagram was called the "seal of King Solomon", which can protect against the dark influence of supernatural forces. Magi medieval Europe, from which, apparently, they went Masonic lodges, learned about the "seal of Solomon" from Arabic manuscripts. So the five-pointed star became one of the main symbols of Freemasonry (“blazing star”). With this sign, according to Masonic tradition, Solomon marked the cornerstone of his Temple. For Freemasons, the five-pointed or flaming star symbolizes the world mind, the perfection of the spirit.
In the Hebrew Kabbalah, the pentagram, facing one ray upwards, symbolizes the Savior, and facing two rays upwards, the forces of darkness.
IN Ancient Greece the pentagram was used by the Pythagoreans (followers of Pythagoras) as a distinctive sign of belonging to their community. They taught that the world is composed of five interconnected elements (Fire, Water, Air, Earth and Ether). They were symbolized by the five rays of the star.
The Roman emperor Constantine I the Great (272-337) included a five-pointed star in his seal and his amulet, because he considered that thanks to the star he found the true faith and converted to Christianity. The British knight Sir Gowain of Orkney, nephew of the legendary King Arthur, placed the pentagram as a personal symbol on his shield in gold on a red background. The five sharp ends of the star symbolized the five knightly virtues - nobility, politeness, chastity, courage and piety.
In pre-Christian Rus', the red five-pointed star was considered a sign of the spring god Yarila, the patron saint of farmers and warriors.
CONCERNING Soviet Russia, then shortly after the October events of 1917, the five-pointed red star became the emblem of the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army. According to one version, the idea of ​​using a red star was expressed in the spring of 1918 by the military commissar of the Moscow Military District N.A. Polyansky, who proposed to introduce it as a distinctive sign of the fighters of the first units of the Red Army. The source of information is the memoirs of a prominent Bolshevik
EAT. Yaroslavsky, according to which Polyansky proposed to choose a red five-pointed star with the image of a plow, a hammer and a book as a symbol. The picture is a little overworked. After a discussion in the MVO command, only the hammer and plow were left on the emblem.
According to another version, the five-pointed star became the emblem of the Red Army and the official military badge differences due to the All-Russian Collegium for the organization and formation of the Red Army, created on December 20, 1917. Konstantin Eremeev, the first Soviet commander of the troops of the Petrograd Military District, proposed at a board meeting to introduce a red star as a symbol of the new army.

For reference. Konstantin Stepanovich Yeremeev (1874–1931) was born in Minsk. Son of a non-commissioned officer. In 1894–1895 he served in the army as a non-commissioned officer. In 1896 he joined the RSDLP. Since 1910, he worked in the editorial office of the newspapers Zvezda and Pravda. During the First World War he led military organization The North Baltic Committee of the RSDLP (b), in the fall of 1917 was sent to work in the Petrograd Military Revolutionary Committee (VRK).
From December 1917 - Commander of the Petrograd Military District. In 1918 he was transferred to Moscow. Enjoying great confidence in V.I. Lenin. During the Left SR rebellion in July 1918, he led the security of the Kremlin and the Bolshoi Theater, where the 5th All-Russian Congress of Soviets was held. One of the organizers and editor of the newspaper "Army and Fleet of Workers' and Peasants' Russia" (later - "Workers' and Peasants' Red Army and Fleet"). From 1923 he was a member of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Baltic Fleet, from 1925 he was the head of the political department of the Baltic Fleet.

It is impossible to say today what guided N. Polyansky or K. Eremeev in their choice. Maybe they knew that the five-pointed star was one of the symbols of the Great french revolution, and the Soviet government was considered the successor of its cause (recall the famous slogan "Freedom, equality, brotherhood").
It is possible that other considerations prevailed in the decision. The red star in Russia at that time did not so much have a revolutionary meaning as it was traditionally associated with the fourth planet solar system- Mars. He was considered the god of war. The red star as the emblem of the Red Army emphasized the military aspect of the new Soviet symbol.
The Red Planet (Mars) generally occupied a special place in the subculture of the old Russian Social Democrats. Alexander Bogdanov, as you know, even wrote a fantasy novel, which was called The Red Star (1908). On its pages, a veteran of the revolutionary movement presented an imaginary society of the inhabitants of Mars who built communism.
Officially, the red five-pointed star became the symbol of the Red Army in July 1918, when its design was finally approved (a five-pointed red star with a gold border, in the middle - a golden plow and hammer, symbolizing the union of peasants and workers). Chronologically, the process of its adoption looked like this: the emblem was introduced by order of the People's Commissariat for Military Affairs of April 19, 1918 as a badge for all personnel of the Red Army; wearing it was confirmed by order of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic No. 310 dated May 7 of the same year; it was finally approved in July 1918 by the decision of the V All-Russian Congress of Soviets. Later, the emblem was simplified - instead of a plow, a sickle began to be depicted. This amendment was formalized by order of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic on April 13, 1922.
REMARKABLE that in the first years of Soviet power, apparently on the initiative of anti-Christian figures in the core of the Bolshevik party, an attempt was made to depict a red star with both ends up. The first Soviet Order of the Red Banner, established on September 16, 1918, had exactly this - "upside down" - the image of a star. On the poster of Dmitry Moor (Orlov) " Soviet Russia- besieged camp. All to the defense! ”, Issued in 1919, the red star is also depicted upside down.
But the ancient tradition nevertheless prevailed, and the star was returned to its "anti-Satanic" position. The military department of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee was forced to issue a mass edition of a special leaflet “Look, comrade, here is the Red Star”, where, in the form of a “Parable about Truth and Krivda”, an explanation of its symbolism is given. The star was drawn with two rays down and one up ...
In the old Russian army, stars were also used on shoulder straps - for distinction military ranks- but not red, but gold. Then it was believed that this was due to a tradition allegedly coming from Ancient Rome. The pentagram appeared in imperial army in the meaning of the "Mars" star - by the name of the ancient Roman god of war Mars. By decree of Emperor Nicholas I on January 1, 1827, stars appeared on the epaulettes of Russian officers - perhaps by analogy with the French army. And on April 29, 1854, sewn stars were introduced on the newly established shoulder straps.
The "Mars" meaning of the red star was also recognized by the Bolsheviks. For the first time, the red five-pointed star is mentioned in the “Proceedings of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee of the Soviets of Peasant, Worker, Soldier and Cossack Deputies” on April 19, 1918. The "Chronicle" section reports: "The Commissariat for Military Affairs approved a drawing of a badge for the soldiers of the Red Army in the form of a red star with a golden image of a plow and a hammer in the center." It was noted that the configuration of the sign embodied ancient symbol protection. The plow and hammer represents the union of workers and peasants, the red color - "the revolution and the god of war Mars."
AND ONE MORE curious fact. The Internet has been "walking" for several years unique photo during the Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905). The then-famous photojournalist Viktor Karlovich Bulla was named as its author. It was made on the day when the 23rd artillery brigade was sent from Gatchina to the front in Manchuria to fight the Japanese (winter 1904). At the request of Victor Bulla, the gunners lined up picturesquely for a parade shot. An interesting detail: a five-pointed star with a two-headed imperial eagle in the center flaunts on the carriage door.
Some participants in virtual discussion forums, however, believe that this could be a skillful photomontage. Definitely something to say about this is difficult. Perhaps someone in Russia still has old photographs depicting stars as symbols of the imperial army. This would allow unraveling this historical mystery. Moreover, there are statements on the Internet that at the beginning of the 20th century, five-pointed stars with a double-headed imperial eagle in the center appeared on the banners of some Russian regiments.
It is also known that the star as an element of the emblem appeared on the Russian military uniform in April 1917. On April 21, by order of the military and naval minister of the Provisional Government A.I. Guchkov for the Navy and the Maritime Department No. 150, shoulder straps were replaced with sleeve insignia and a new cockade was introduced: a five-pointed star was placed above the socket with an anchor ...
One way or another, the five-pointed star is a very ancient symbol. In the minds of people, it symbolizes high aspirations and ideals. Probably, the expression “to be born under a lucky star” is not without deep meaning. And for military people, the five-pointed red star is primarily a symbol of military deeds and military prowess.

P.S.
The American writer Dan Brown in his novel The Da Vinci Code gives his own interpretation of this symbol. The hero of the book, Langdon, talks about the pentagram like this:
“It's a pentacle,” Langdon said, his own voice sounding strange and hollow under the gallery arches. - One of the oldest symbols on earth. Appeared four thousand years before the birth of Christ.
- And what does it mean?
Langdon always hesitated when asked that question. To say what the symbol means is the same as explaining what effect this or that song has on a person. After all, everyone perceives the same song in their own way. The white hat of the Ku Klux Klan became a symbol of hatred and racism in the United States, but in Spain such a costume only emphasized the steadfastness of the Christian faith.
“The same symbols have different meanings in different circumstances,” Langdon replied cautiously. - In fact, initially the pentacle was a religious symbol of the pagans.
"Devil worship," Fache nodded.
“No,” Langdon said, and immediately realized that he needed to choose his words more carefully. Indeed, these days the words "pagan" and "pagan" have become almost synonymous with devil worship, which is completely wrong. The roots of this word go back to the Latin pagan, which means "inhabitants countryside". The pagans were rural and forest dwellers and in their religious views were polytheists, worshiped the forces and phenomena of Nature...
“The five-pointed star,” Langdon explained, “is also a pre-Christian symbol, related to the worship and deification of Nature. Ancient people divided the whole world into two halves - male and female. They had gods and goddesses who kept the balance of power. Yin and yang. When the masculine and feminine principles are balanced, harmony reigns in the world. When the balance is disturbed, chaos arises...
There is an even more specific interpretation. The five-pointed star symbolizes Venus, the goddess of love and beauty... Early religions were based on the divine principle of Nature. The goddess Venus and the planet Venus are one and the same. The goddess takes her place in the night sky and is known by many names - Venus, the Eastern Star, Ishtar, Astarte. And they all symbolized the powerful feminine principle associated with Nature and Mother Earth...
Langdon decided not to go into details and did not talk about perhaps the most surprising property of the star: graphic evidence of its relationship with Venus. While still an astronomy student, Langdon was surprised to learn that every eight years, the planet Venus traces an absolutely correct pentacle in big circle celestial sphere. Ancient people noticed this phenomenon and were so shocked that Venus and her pentacle became symbols of perfection, beauty...

In the pictures: Soviet poster of the times civil war; Russian gunners set out to fight the Japanese, 1904; Clay vessel. Southern Mesopotamia, 4 thousand years BC

On June 19, information appeared in the media that the Ministry of Defense approved a new emblem of Russian armed forces- a red-white-blue star, which will replace the traditional red star. The new emblem was designed by a "subordinate design bureau". The new sign received the official name "Army of Russia", while the media unofficially dubbed it "Star Shoigu". A number of authors (N. Starikov, A. Lebedev, G. Moskvin) have already expressed their opinion on the new emblem (see the list of references at the end of the article), however, in our opinion, the essence of the issue remained untouched. According to the developers themselves, the new emblem is designed to improve the image Russian army.

Redesign of the emblem of the Russian Armed Forces: instead of the traditional red star, the Ministry of Defense approved a new red-white-blue star

It is difficult to say what kind of image improvement the “experts” are talking about; rather, we can talk about a crushing blow to the Russian army, perhaps the most crushing blow in the entire history of its existence.

The five-pointed star, as a symbol of the Russian army, has a long history. The "Mars" star was used in the tsarist Russian army, in 1827 Nicholas I introduced the wearing of stars on the epaulettes of officers and generals. The five-pointed red star from the very beginning became the symbol of the Red Army and remained the main army sign until June 19, 2014.

It is no coincidence that the five-pointed star has become a symbol of the army. Philosopher Alexei Losev defined a symbol as "the substantial identity of an idea and a thing." Therefore, a symbol cannot be an arbitrarily taken image. The symbol is the bearer of the idea, the main meaning underlying the existence of what it symbolizes. A symbol is a kind of expresser and custodian of the basic semantic code. There is a deepest subtle connection between a symbol and its real embodiment. This connection was convincingly demonstrated during the operation to dismantle the USSR, when one of the main blows was aimed at destroying Soviet symbols. Now the same blow is being struck at the ideological basis of the Russian armed forces.

The five-pointed star (pentagram) is one of the most ancient, most mysterious and most powerful symbols. The first known images of the pentagram date back to around 3500 BC. e. The pentagram was considered an important symbol in many ancient civilizations - Sumerian, Ancient Egyptian, Babylonian, Assyrian. The pentagram inscribed in a circle (pentacle) was known in ancient China, India, Japan, the Americas.

At the geometric level, the pentagram embodies idea of ​​stability and stability due to intertwining internal connections. Five intersecting lines carry the idea unity and interconnection. Therefore, the pentagram was often used as a sign of the macrocosm. In the 12th century AD. there is a tradition to interpret the pentagram also as symbol of man (microcosm). Combining the meanings of macrocosm and microcosm made the pentagram a universal symbol. world harmony and divine creativity.

When considering natural objects, you can also notice that the number five has a certain special meaning. Five processes of the human body (arms, legs, head). Five fingers on a human hand. Five continents and parts of the world on the globe. And even starfish have at least five processes.

Pentagram as a schematic representation
man (Cornelius Agrippa "Occult Philosophy")

At the level of society, the pentagram expresses harmony of man and state(microsystems and macrosystems). Perhaps this idea was familiar to the ancients, since even in Ancient Rome the pentagram was used as a state symbol. The image of the pentagram was present on the personal seal of Emperor Constantine I. In ancient Babylon, the pentagram was considered a sign state power and personified ruler's power.

In the Christian tradition, the pentagram symbolizes, according to different versions, Savior, Tabor Light, Star of Bethlehem. For the Pythagoreans, the pentagram was a symbol of perfection and health. Pythagoras believed that the pentacle embodies mathematical perfection because it hides golden ratio. In Celtic mythology, the pentagram was considered the signature of the goddess of war and death. The pentagram is well known since ancient times as a talisman that protects against evil forces. Interestingly, in this role, she was used by a completely different peoples and in completely different cultures separated by oceans and millennia!

Thus, the five-pointed star for centuries embodies the idea of ​​stability, integrity, perfection, harmony and protection from the forces of evil and chaos. Is it possible to come up with a more appropriate symbol for the armed forces of the state?

According to official version, the creator of the emblem of the Red Army was the commander of the Petrograd military district Konstantin Yeremeev. In the USSR, the five-pointed star symbolized the unity of the world proletariat of all five continents of the Earth (the five ends of the star are the five continents of the planet). Red color army star symbolizes the memory of the blood of comrades shed in battles.

However, there is an opinion that the symbols of the RRKA were developed personally by Leon Trotsky and his associates, some of whom were very knowledgeable in the occult sciences, and the pentagram as an army symbol was not chosen by chance.

Putting on the uniform, the officer and soldier take the stars on their shoulders (shoulder straps) and on their foreheads (cap or cap). Thus, on the one hand, he declares himself a protector from the forces of darkness and the keeper of world harmony, and, on the other hand, he receives protection from destructive forces.

Now let's look at the semantic content of the new star of the Russian Armed Forces of the 2014 model.

The first and most important thing to pay attention to is that the new symbol is not a pentagram. He only imitates her, tries to appear as her through an optical illusion. A pentagram is a figure formed by five intersecting lines. The new symbol does not have five intersecting lines (they are replaced by two broken curves), so the new symbol is neither a pentagram nor a star! This symbol has a different nature, the resemblance to the pentagram is external and superficial. The so-called Shoigu star is a pseudo-star and a pseudo-pentagram, i.e. fake, imitation, fake of an ancient symbol. Therefore, the new symbol does not carry or convey any of the meanings characteristic of the pentagram.

By replacing the pentagram star with a fundamentally different sign, the “designers” break the chain of continuity between the modern Russian army and the Russian and Soviet army. Russian warriors will no longer have stars on their shoulders (two colorful squiggles will appear instead). Now they are warriors of other meanings, warriors of a completely different army, fighters for a completely different idea. Their fathers and grandfathers went into battle with a completely different sign on caps, shoulder straps and banners.

I'm not talking about such a "little thing" as the fact that the new pseudo-star, in terms of color pattern, corresponds not to the Russian, but to the Dutch flag.

At the associative level, the new symbol carries the idea of ​​fragmentation and fragmentation, instability and chaos. From this point of view, it should not be called "Shoigu's star", but "Serdyukov's star". Instead of the strict ascetic harmony of the pentagram in the new symbol, we see two strangely broken lines, one of which is colored red and the other blue.

The new symbol is clearly split, torn into two unrelated elements - top and bottom. They are clearly and completely separated from each other, which is further emphasized by their different colors. What does this symbolize - the separation of command from the troops? Decapitation of the army? Separation of the elite from the people? The splitting of society into the "top" with a wonderful life and the "bottom" that will turn blue from the life that they are preparing?

The new emblem of the Russian Armed Forces: a separation of the top from the bottom, a mound over a pit, the letter "M" turned upside down and a crossed out arrow.

The red line of the upper part of the logo is shaped like a barrow. “A kurgan is a kind of burial monuments… It is usually characterized by the construction of an earth mound over a burial pit” (Wikipedia). The symbol clearly shows a red barrow above the pit. It turns out that the new symbol at the associative level carries the meaning of the grave for the armed forces Russian Federation? Ah yes good star Shoigu!

The lower blue part of the new symbol of the Russian army is the letter "M" turned upside down. The letter M in Russian has always been a very powerful defining sign. In the Russian pre-reform alphabet, the letter "M" was called "think". The letter "M" is part of such words as peace, power, courage, wisdom, youth, we. The new symbol shows us that from now on in the Russian army the meaning of these concepts will be turned upside down, i.e. the army will use perverted notions of courage, might and wisdom.

Inside the symbol we see a white arrow pointing up. But for some reason this upward aspiration is crossed out by a horizontal white stripe. Thus, the new sign carries the idea of ​​blocking aspirations upward, towards development, towards perfection, towards God.

With some external resemblance of the red star to the new red-white-blue pseudo-star, at the semantic level, the distance between them is greater than between the red star and the swastika.

By proposing a new symbol, its developers strike at the most intimate semantic foundation, i.e. at the heart of the Armed Forces. And the semantic base “what we are fighting for” is the basis on which the power of the army stands.

Who has created such a disgrace?

I will make two assumptions. The first version - a new sign was invented, drawn and approved by madmen and totally illiterate people who have no idea either about the history of military symbols, or about symbols and history in general. The second version, which seems more likely, is that the sign was not developed in Russia. With all due respect to the designers of the "subordinate design bureau" of the Ministry of Defense, I do not believe that this sign was created there. First, the potential for hostility and destabilization that the new symbol contains is too great. Secondly, the work is too professional: the meanings are too clearly chosen, the accents are too subtly placed, the disguise “under the star” is too skillfully done. Such work could be done by an experienced Kabbalist and expert ancient history but not the average designer.

According to ancient beliefs, an evil demon can be enclosed within a pentagram, and he can never cross its border until it is broken. The Russian Defense Ministry broke the pentagram and released the demon. The new emblem shows the whole world that the way is open for the forces of evil and chaos. Well, the fact that this happened exactly during the Ukrainian crisis is, of course, just a coincidence.

19.04.2018

100 years ago, the People's Commissariat for Military Affairs installed the emblem of the Red Army - a five-pointed star with a gold border.

On April 19, 1918, the Izvestia newspaper reported: “The Commissariat for Military Affairs established a drawing of a badge for the soldiers of the Red Army. The sign depicts a star with golden rays, in the middle on a red field there are golden images of a plow and a hammer ... "On May 7, 1918, an order of the People's Commissariat for Military Affairs No. 321 was issued:" The Red Army badge belongs to persons serving in the Red Army ... "Order No. 42 of May 8, 1918 read: “Everyone who enters Soviet Army must be supplied with a Red Army book with a signature under the obligation, as well as a Red Army badge: "Mars star with a plow and a hammer."

The badge was approved on July 29, 1918 by Order No. 594. Following this, the Military Department of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee (VTsIK) published the pamphlet "Red Star", which stated:

“... Look at this red star ... this red star is a sign of the glorious defender of the working people and the poor of the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army. You see a hammer and a plow on a red star - a symbol of the unity of the urban worker and rural plowman, in order to defend their land and will, the workers' and peasants' Soviet power and the socialist Fatherland, to the last drop of blood from the enemies and executioners of the working people - capitalists, nobles, landowners, kulaks , foreign robbers and other counter-revolutionary bastards.

You know, comrade, who is the friend and who is the enemy of the working people.

You must know who is your protector from bondage and slavery, from the royal-landlord power.

Your protector is a worker or a peasant - a warrior of the revolution, who joined the ranks of the glorious Red Army.

Only your Red Army defender can wear the badge of the red star.

Now think and remember what a great symbol this red star is - a symbol of the unity of the worker and the plowman, who have thrown the bloodsucker tsar, landlords and capitalists from their necks and hoisted the red banner of socialism over Russia ... ".

The high value of the new emblem was also explained by a leaflet published in the same year: “Why does the Red Army wear a red star? Because every army wears an image of what it serves. What did the cockade of the old army represent? A ribbon from the royal flag in the radiance of rays and meant that she served the king. And the former army served the tsar, and on his orders beat the peasants and workers and helped the landowners and bourgeois oppress the people, use their labor and, doing nothing, live at their expense ... Everything under the red star, comrades! For she is the star of truth!.. She is the star of the happiness of all the poor, peasants and workers…”.

On September 16, 1918, the Decree of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee established the first Soviet military order of the Red Banner: on a white field framed with a laurel wreath, a red banner with the inscription "Proletarians of all countries, unite!" and a five-pointed star covering the crossed hammer, plow and rifle.

After the Civil War, on April 13, 1922, by order of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic No. 953, the plow symbol on the star was replaced with a sickle. Since May 29, a star with a sickle and a hammer has become mandatory for military headgear - dads, caps, caps, panama hats, caps, berets ... Since 1924, a star with a sickle and a hammer has become an integral part of the Emblem of the USSR and the State Flag of the USSR.

On April 6, 1930, the Presidium of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee established the Order of the Red Star, covered with ruby ​​enamel, on it is the figure of a Red Army soldier with a rifle at the ready. Established in 1934 Golden Star Hero Soviet Union, in 1939 the Gold Star "Hammer and Sickle" of the Hero of Socialist Labor. In 1935, five towers of the Moscow Kremlin were crowned with red stars. On the 20th anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution in 1937, they were replaced by the current ruby ​​ones. The red star became the central element of the cockades introduced in the Red Army since 1940 for marshals and generals.

During the Great Patriotic War, the image of a star was left on the walls of the Brest Fortress by its heroic defenders, and underground heroes drew blood in the death chambers. Hand-drawn stars on gun barrels, aircraft fuselages, and tank armor kept track of the destroyed Nazi equipment. Leaflets with stars carried the words of truth to people behind enemy lines. In 1943, stars appeared on officer epaulets. Images of the star adorned the guards banners, the badge of the guards and the highest commander's order "Victory", the orders of Glory and Patriotic War, military medals ...

Glorifying the red star, the famous Soviet poet Demyan Bedny wrote:

Not Mars shines on us from above,
Not the bloodthirsty god of war, -
Not for the vile profits
Priests, nobles and merchants,
Closing ranks, we go into battle:
We are fighting violence!

Like a scarlet poppy in an open field,
Our battle sign sparkles,
Witness the connection of the age
Families of the world, labor,
Symbol of victorious Labor -
Red Star!

"Communist World"

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An interesting but little touched upon topic is the symbolism of the five-pointed star. This simple symbol is one of the oldest, it began to be used several thousand years before our era. It has become widespread in many cultures and has a great semantic load. The same star, which differs only in color, is present in the symbols of the United States, the European Union, the Soviet Union, China and many other countries and social movements.

Since it is widely used to convey various meanings and ideas, for a better understanding of them, we will briefly consider some of its main meanings.

Andrei Rublev. Transfiguration. 1405

In general, the first known use of a five-pointed star falls on the states of Sumer in Mesopotamia in 3000 BC. e. In their writing, such a pictogram denoted a corner, a small room, a pit.

For the ancient Pythagoreans, the pentagram (from the word pentagramos - five-lined) meant five shelters where primitive chaos was placed during the creation of the world, and they were in Tartarus. The darkness in these shelters was considered the source of the soul of the world, as well as the source of wisdom. This pentagram was drawn with two rays up.

The symbol of the goddess ruling this other world is an apple, since when cut in it you can see a pentagram. Therefore, the pentagram was also a symbol of health and the goddess Hygieia. In addition, Pythagoras argued that in geometry, the pentagram is a mathematical perfection. But, without delving into the mathematical characteristics of this figure, let's go further.

In Kabbalah, a pentagram with one ray up means the messiah. The pentagram is also the symbol of Solomon's seal and was for some time the official seal of Jerusalem.

For a Muslim, it can mean the five pillars of the Muslim faith and the five daily prayers.

In Christian Europe, the five-pointed star had whole line symbolic meanings. Except for what's left of time ancient world symbol of health, it symbolized five rays of five senses, five fingers. In religion, the pentagram was used as a symbol of the five wounds of Christ, the five joys of Mary, which brought her the perfection of her son Jesus. It also symbolized the Star of Bethlehem at Christmas (in Russia, the Star of Bethlehem was seven-pointed).

One of the main meanings of the five-pointed star was the symbol of the human nature of Christ, so in the Renaissance, when man and the human person began to take on more and more importance, this symbol also became more important. The five-pointed star resembles a man with outstretched arms and legs apart, like drawings by Leonardo da Vinci. With the development of humanism and atheism, the star began to mean simply the human person, as a new highest value. new era.

In fact, the five-pointed star and humanistic ideals became widespread during the French Revolution. With the advent of a new atheistic ideology, a person was placed in first place in the system of values, and the star in a humanistic sense became one of the most important symbols. As a result of these changes, the star also became widespread in military symbols, first of the French Republic, and then of other countries. In this sphere, she symbolized the god of war Mars, according to legend, was born from a lily, which resembles a five-pointed star. This sign is used both for identification and for various other designations.

With the spread of values ​​and social forces of the new era, the five-pointed star also began to spread. She has always been an important sign in the symbolism of the Masons, a social force that began to gain global importance after the French and American revolutions. In addition to ancient and occult meanings, the star began to be widely used by them to publicly express their ideas - spiritual development man and the erection of man at the head of the entire system of values ​​in an atheistic version. Therefore, the star is widely used in the state symbols of many countries built according to Masonic drawings - the United States, where the stars on the flag also mean the Kingdom of Heaven, the European Union and others.

The five-pointed star is also used by many movements and organizations, and its symbolism is often associated either with the Masonic forces behind them, or with the communist movement that adopted it into its symbolism.

A star with two rays up is used by the church of "saints last day or Mormons. An inverted star with rays of different colors symbolizing the Star of Bethlehem is also a symbol of the largest fraternalist organization - the Order of the Eastern Star. This order brings together about a million masons in the rank of not less than a master and is known for its charitable activities.

An inverted pentagram with two rays up is one of the main symbols of Satanists. Such a pentagram means Tartarus or hell, the place where fallen angels are imprisoned. Inside the inverted pentagram, the head of Baphomet is also often drawn in the form of a goat's head. All this symbolizes the anti-human nature and the worship of animal passion. The three rays of the star turned downward also signify the rejection of the Holy Trinity.

The pentagram is also often found among the pagans, serving them as one of the symbols of faith - the five ends of the star mean earth, water, air, fire and spirit. Although in ancient times the pagan pentagram was drawn with two beams up, now it is usually depicted with one beam up, so as not to evoke associations with Satanists. Both in antiquity and today, the pentagram remains an important symbol for druids, Wiccans, neo-Pythagoreans and other groups that profess paganism and practice magic.

In the 20th century, when the communist movement began to acquire global significance, and a socialist revolution took place in Russia, new symbols were needed for the new state. Initially, the red star with a plow and a hammer was adopted as the emblem and identification mark of the Red Army. Here the star symbolized the god of war Mars, and this emblem personified the protection of peaceful labor.

After February Revolution The interim government abolished shoulder straps, but did not abandon the "Mars Star". On April 21, 1917, Minister of War and Naval A. Guchkov places a five-pointed star on the pegs of sailors' caps - right above the anchor.

However, the “Mars star” proved itself most clearly after another revolution - the Great October Revolution. No sooner had the young Soviet government begun to form the Red Army than an urgent need arose for new symbols. This was largely due to the fact that in the fire of the Civil War, the opposing sides were often dressed in clothes of the same cut and in battle it was not easy to distinguish strangers from their own.

So the famous red five-pointed star appears for the first time in the symbolism of the Land of the Soviets.

Unfortunately, accurate, documented evidence of the author of this symbol has not been preserved. Some historians believe that the star was proposed by one of the commissars of the Moscow Military District N. Polyansky, others - that this was done by a member of the All-Russian Collegium for the Organization and Management of the Red Army - K. Eremeev.

However, in the early years, due to the presence of anti-Christian and Zionist elements in the core of the Bolshevik organization, the image of a star with two ends up was accepted. The first Soviet Order of the Red Banner had just such an inverted image of a star.

But such a symbol caused such rejection in society that they soon abandoned it and officially approved the image of a star with one ray up.

But the new country also needed new state symbols, and the red star turned out to be a fairly suitable and popular symbol for this. Therefore, it soon moved from the banners of the army carrying the liberation of the world proletariat to the coat of arms and banners of the first country building communism. In Soviet state symbols, the red star next to the hammer and sickle began to mean the unity of the working people of five continents with a single beginning and goal. The red color symbolized the brotherhood and the blood shed for the freedom of the working people of the whole world.

It is authentically known that for the first time the new symbol was mentioned in the newspaper Izvestia on April 19, 1918. There was published a note that the Commissariat for Military Affairs approved a drawing of a badge in the form of a red star with a golden image of a hammer and a plow. Initially, the red star also carried the image of the book, but it looked too clumsy and the book was removed.

Officially, the symbol called “Mars star with a plow and a hammer” was approved by L. Trotsky’s order of May 7, 1918. The following was also said there: “The Red Army badge belongs to persons serving in the Red Army. Persons who are not in the service of the Red Army are invited to remove these signs immediately. For failure to comply with this order, the guilty will be brought to trial by a military tribunal.

At first, the "Mars star" was worn on a triangular block, clinging to the left side of the chest. However, this form turned out to be inconvenient, and the jewelry company suggested placing stars on wreaths of laurel and oak leaves, which were left over from the old signs.

For a while, the shape and location of the star varied greatly. On July 29, 1918, Trotsky issues another order, where the red star was required to be worn on the band of the cap. Lacquered, the cockade badge had a more convex shape, and the rays of the star had more rounded edges.

The greatest number of rumors, then and now, caused the meaning of the symbol of the red star. Haters of Soviet power immediately remembered the Masons, and even Satanists. About Masons. Of course, they were in Russia for a long time. At first, the Freemasons carried educational ideas, and after Radishchev and the Decembrist uprising, they began to express the interests of the pro-Western liberal nobility, the intelligentsia and the big bourgeoisie.

As you know, the Bolsheviks disliked liberals for a long time, and after the February Revolution, they generally stood on the other side of the barricade. Well, the Masons did not complain at all. Whether it's the case - the symbolism of the United States, which was really created by the Masons, and which no one really hid (hence the stars on the flag, and the pyramid with an eye on the dollar, etc.).

As for the red star, the Bolsheviks were guided in their choice by the relative novelty of the symbol and its completely traditional meanings - military (“Mars Star”), protective (pentagram, as a talisman) and guiding (as a symbol of high aspirations).

Of course, the new symbolism (not without the propaganda of opponents of Soviet power) at first aroused superstitious fear among a part of the common people. It was not for nothing that on February 11, 1919, at a conference of the 2nd Soviet (Ukrainian) division, the head of its political department, I. Mints, complained that "peasant youth is full of prejudices against the" communes ", against the new" cockade "- the Red Army star ...".

And here the Bolsheviks also made an oversight, placing the new symbol with two rays up. This can be seen both in the first badges and on some Bolshevik posters (for example, D. Moor's poster "Soviet Russia - a besieged camp. All for defense!" 1919). And, as I already wrote, after the work of E. Levy, this position of the star began to be interpreted as a sign of Satanism. At the same time, it was completely forgotten that the inverted pentagram was on the seal of Emperor Constantine (the one who made Christianity the official Roman religion) and was generally interpreted for a long time as a symbol of the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ (this can be seen, for example, on the icon of Andrei Rublev). Naturally, having discovered such a reaction, the Bolsheviks gave the star a more "decent" position.

Let's see how the commissars of the Red Army themselves explained the symbols of the Red Star to the common people in a 1918 leaflet:

“... The red star of the Red Army is the star of Truth ... Therefore, the plow and hammer are depicted on the Red Army star. The plow of a plowman-man. Hammer hammer-worker.
This means that the Red Army is fighting to ensure that the star of Truth shines on the plowman-peasant and the hammer-worker, so that for them there is a will and a share, rest and bread, and not just need, poverty and uninterrupted work .... She is the star of happiness for all the poor, peasants and workers. This is what the red star of the Red Army means.

The story of the Red Star did not end there. On January 16, 1919, embroidered stars adorned the new headdress of the Red Army. In form, he copied the helmets of Russian knights, and therefore at first he was dubbed the “hero”. However, soon they began to call him by the names of the famous red commanders - “Frunzevka” and “Budyonovka” (the latter name stuck).
There were changes in the design of the star. April 13, 1922, depicted on it, the plow was replaced by a more elegant sickle. And on July 11 of the same year, the shape of the star also changed - it ceased to be convex, and its rays straightened again. In this form, she finally established herself in the Red (and then Soviet) Army.

In 1923, already without tools (so as not to repeat the military emblem), the Red Star crowned the emblem of the Soviet Union and the emblems of almost all Soviet republics. It is interesting that she got on the coat of arms of the RSFSR later than everyone else - in 1978! It is also interesting that in the 1930s a project was proposed to make a 12-beam star (according to the number of union republics).

Having switched to the coat of arms of the USSR, the five-pointed star has already acquired a more global symbolism. It was already about the five continents, where there is a bloody struggle for the liberation of the working people from exploitation.

In 1924, a five-pointed star appeared on the flag of the USSR, in 1928 (with a portrait of young Lenin) an October star appeared, in 1935 a star decorated with gems crowned the Spasskaya Tower of the Kremlin, and in 1942 a pioneer badge took the form of a star (before that it wore a flag).

It would seem that with the collapse of the Soviet Union, the time of the Red Star also ended. The fragments of the state chose new symbols for themselves, remained only in the symbols of the Communist Parties. It was even said in Russia that it would not hurt to replace the Kremlin stars with double-headed eagles.

However, the growing social tension, moral and economic decline in the post-Soviet space made some political leaders treat Soviet symbols more cautiously. So in 2002, trying to somehow restore the "broken connection of times", Russian Defense Minister S. Ivanov proposed, and President V. Putin approved the return of the five-pointed star to the symbols of the Russian army.

State flag of Australia. It is a rectangular panel of blue color with an aspect ratio of 1:2. The flag depicts six white stars - five stars in the form of the constellation of the Southern Cross on the right side of the panel and one big star under the image of the flag of Great Britain, placed in the upper left corner, representing the Commonwealth of Australia. The six rays of the large star represent the six states of Australia, and the seventh ray represents the outer territories. The flag was adopted in 1901.

State flag of Azerbaijan. Aspect ratio 1:2. The flag is a three-color panel of three stripes: blue, red and green, arranged horizontally. In the center of the flag are an eight-pointed star and a crescent. According to the Constitution of Azerbaijan, the blue color on the flag is the traditional color of the Turkic peoples, the red color reflects the course towards the modernization of society and the development of democracy, the green color indicates belonging to the Islamic civilization. The crescent also denotes belonging to the religion of Islam, the eight-pointed star means the eight branches of the Turkic peoples. History of the flag: On 09.12.1918, the government of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic for the first time adopted a resolution on the tricolor national flag. On December 17, 1990, the tricolor flag was reinstated for the second time by the decision of the Supreme Majlis of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic and adopted as the state flag of the Autonomous Republic. At the same session, the Supreme Majlis of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic requested the Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR to recognize the tricolor flag as the state symbol of Azerbaijan. On February 5, 1991, the Supreme Council of the Republic of Azerbaijan considered the petition of the Supreme Majlis of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic and adopted a resolution on recognizing the tricolor flag as the State Flag of Azerbaijan.

State flag of Algeria. Aspect ratio 2:3, consists of two vertical stripes of the same width of green and white. In the center are a red star and a crescent. The colors of the flag symbolize: green - Islam, white - purity, red - freedom. The crescent and star are the symbols of Islam. The crescent is more closed than others Muslim countries, as the Algerians believe that the longer crescent horns bring good luck. Date of adoption: 07/03/1962.

State flag of Angola. The modern state flag of Angola has been used since the country's independence from Portugal on November 11, 1975. The flag is a rectangular panel with an aspect ratio of 2: 3, divided into two equal horizontal parts: the top red and the bottom black. The red stripe of the flag symbolizes the blood shed in the struggle for independence, the black stripe symbolizes Africa itself. The gear and machete represent the union of workers and peasants. The star is a symbol of international solidarity and progress. Yellow represents the wealth of the nation. The cogwheel and machete are reminiscent of the hammer and sickle on the flag of the USSR, and this is no coincidence: the Angolan government maintained close ties with the USSR, and the hammer and sickle, as you know, is the world symbol of communist parties.

State flag of Argentina. Officially approved on February 25, 1818, the aspect ratio of the flag is 1:2. It consists of three horizontal stripes of equal width - the outer ones are painted light blue, the central one is white. Blue and white symbolize the sky and snow of the Andes. The sun, added in 1818, is the "Sole de Mayo" (May sun), the national symbol of Argentina. It recalls the appearance of the Sun in the cloudy sky on May 25, 1810, when the first mass popular demonstration in support of independence took place. There are also several folk tales that explain the meaning of the colors of the flag in a different way. According to one of them, the blue color symbolizes the La Plata River (Rio de la Plata - literally "River of Silver"), and white - silver (the name "Argentina" comes from the Latin name for silver, Latin argentum). It is believed that the colors of the flag are based on the traditional colors of the Bourbon family. Another option, blue and white - the colors of the robes of the Virgin Mary.

State flag of Aruba. The flag of Aruba is a rectangular panel of light blue color with two narrow horizontal bands of gold at the bottom and a red four-pointed star with a white border located in the canton. The aspect ratio of the flag is 2:3. The meanings of the colors and elements of the flag are interpreted in different ways. The color blue symbolizes the sky, the sea, peace, hope, Aruba's future and connection to the past. Two golden stripes symbolize "reasons for separation from the Kingdom of the Netherlands": one stripe - the influx of numerous tourists to the sunny beaches of the island, the other - the industry of the island and its natural resources, gold, phosphates, gasoline. From the point of view of flag science "vexillology", a star with four rays on the flag looks very unusual. It symbolizes the four corners of the world, thus personifying the many countries from which people came to the island. The four rays on the star also symbolize the four main languages ​​spoken by the people of Aruba: English, Papiamento, Spanish and Dutch. In addition, the star symbolizes the island itself in the sea: a red land with white sand beaches on the coast. The red color symbolizes not only the red earth, but also the blood shed by the islanders in the wars, the Indian origin of the indigenous population, love for the motherland and the mahogany that Aruba is rich in. White color also implies honor and purity of thoughts. The flag was approved on 03/18/1976, this day is a national holiday called "Flag Day", and is celebrated with carnival processions, festivities and fairs.
State flag of Bangladesh. The flag of Bangladesh has a 3:5 ratio. Based on the flag of the 1971 independence struggle. It was a green cloth with a red disk, against which the contours of the country were depicted in gold color. Later, to simplify the image of the flag, the contours of the country were removed from it. The disc is slightly offset to the shaft. Green means the nature of Bangladesh. The red disk is a symbol of the Sun of independence rising over the country, after a dark night of bloody struggle. Date of adoption: 01/17/1972.

State flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina. When creating the flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the following colors were used: blue, by analogy with the flag of the European Union. This color and the stars represent Europe, while yellow, the color of the sun, symbolizes hope. The triangle symbolizes the three main population groups of the country: Muslims, Croats and Serbs, and the outline of the country on the map. The flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina was approved on 02/04/1998.

State flag of Brazil. The national flag of Brazil was the design of Raimundo Teixeira Méndez and Miguel Lemos. Professor of astronomy Manuel Pereira was responsible for the arrangement of the stars, the drawing was made by Desio Villares. The design of the flag was approved on November 19, 1889, the aspect ratio of the flag is 7:10. The yellow and green colors used on the modern flag symbolize the natural wealth of Brazil: gold and forests. The flag has 27 stars representing the 26 states and the federal district. The arrangement of the stars corresponds to the picture of the sky that could be observed in Rio de Janeiro on the morning of November 15, 1889, the day the Republic was proclaimed. The slogan "Ordem e Progresso" "Order and Progress" is an abbreviated version of the maxim of August Comte, the creator of the doctrine of Positivism, whose follower was Teixeira Mendez. In its full form, the slogan sounded like this: "In the beginning - love, at the base - order, as a result - progress." The slogan "Order and Progress" by Teixeira Mendez symbolized that the revolution did not just abolish the monarchy, the revolution was the beginning of building "a country of real brothers, where Order and Progress are the guarantee of constant harmony."

The national flag of Burkina Faso is a flag with red and green stripes arranged horizontally. A yellow star is placed in the center of the flag. The red color of the flag of Burkina Faso symbolizes the struggle for the country's independence, green hope and abundance of natural resources. The yellow represents mineral resources Burkina Faso. Perhaps the red color and yellow star were borrowed from the flag of Vietnam. The national flag of Burkina Faso was adopted on 08/04/1984, the proportions of the flag are 2:3.

The national flag of Burundi is a rectangular panel of three colors: green, white and red. The aspect ratio of the flag is 2:3. Green stands for hope, white for peace, red for independence. In the center are three six-pointed red stars with a green outline, they mean the country's motto: "union, labor, progress", and three main ethnic groups living in Burundi are Hutus, Tutsis and Twa. The flag of Burundi was adopted on 12/26/1968.

State flag of Venezuela. The flag is a rectangular panel of yellow, blue and red horizontal stripes. Until 2006, the flag of Venezuela had 7 stars, which represented the seven provinces that began the struggle for independence. The 8th star added later on the national flag symbolizes the participation of the province of Guayana in the struggle for the liberation of Venezuela from colonial oppression. At the same time, additional changes were made to the national emblem. In memory of the participation of peasants, Indians and blacks in the Venezuelan liberation war, a bow, arrow and machete were added to the coat of arms. The white horse changed the direction of its movement, before it rushed to the right, and now to the left. The elements of the emblem symbolize the following: a sheaf of 20 ears of wheat - the unity of 20 provinces, flags and weapons - the struggle for independence, a galloping horse - freedom. The cornucopia represents the wealth of the country, and the wreath of laurel and palm trees symbolizes glory and peace. The aspect ratio of the flag is 7:10.

National flag of Vietnam. The flag features a yellow five-pointed star on a red background. Red means revolution. The star represents the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, and its five ends represent the unity of workers, peasants, scientists, army and youth. The flag was adopted on 11/30/1955. Aspect ratio 2:3.

State flag of Ghana. The flag consists of the Pan-African colors of red, yellow and green. The black star on the flag of Ghana is the guiding star of African freedom and a symbol of hope for African independence, the red color symbolizes the blood of those who died in the struggle for the country's independence, yellow represents the country's wealth, green represents the country's forests and fields. The flag was adopted on 02/28/1966. Aspect ratio 2:3.

State flag of Guinea-bissau. It is a cloth with three stripes. The red stripe is placed vertically at the base of the flag, the yellow and green stripes are placed one above the other horizontally. On the red stripe is a five-pointed black star. Red color symbolizes the blood shed in the struggle for independence, yellow - labor invested in the prosperity of the country, green - tropical forests. The star is a symbol of hope for African independence. The flag was adopted on 09/24/1973. The aspect ratio of the flag is 1:2.

State flag of Honduras. It is a three-way panel. In the center of the flag are five five-pointed stars. The blue stripes are symbols of the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean that wash Honduras. The five blue stars represent the five countries that were part of the Central American Federation: El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. The federation died, and its symbols remained in the flags of Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Honduras. The blue color of the stars symbolizes the color of the sky and brotherhood, and white, the desire for peace. The flag was adopted on February 16, 1866. Aspect ratio 1:2.

State flag of Grenada. The sun over Grenada symbolizes the yellow color on the flag, agriculture is represented in green, harmony, unity and courage of the people of the country is represented by the red color. Seven stars are the seven administrative regions of Grenada. The image of nutmeg on the flag is not accidental, because its cultivation is the basis of the economy of Grenada. Grenada, one of the world's leading producers of nutmeg. The flag was adopted on 02/07/1974. The proportions of the flag are 3:5.

State flag of Greenland. It is a rectangular panel with two horizontal stripes. The colors are taken from the flag of Denmark, white is the ice that covers most of the country, the red stripe is the ocean, the white-red disk is a symbolic image of the sun, half submerged in the sea. The flag was adopted on 06/21/1985. The proportions of the flag are 12:18.

State flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly Zaire - a state in central Africa, is a former colony of Belgium. The flag was adopted on 20.02.2006. The aspect ratio of the flag is 2:3.

National flag of Djibouti. Djibouti is a state in northeast Africa, bordering Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia. At the base of the flag there is a white triangle, a blue stripe above, a green stripe below, a red five-pointed star is placed in the triangle. White color symbolizes the world, blue - the sea and the sky, green - the earth. The red star means the unity of society. The flag was adopted on 06/27/1977. The aspect ratio of the flag is 2:3.

State flag of Dominica. The green color on the flag means the nature of the island, the red disc in the center of the flag is a symbol of freedom, the ten green five-pointed stars represent the 10 communities of Dominica. A cross of three colored stripes is a reminder of the Holy Trinity, the colors of the stripes of the cross are: golden yellow - Creoles, black - people from Africa, white - the world. In the center of the flag is the image of the Sisserou parrot, it lives only in Dominica and is a symbol of the island's identity, respect for the history and traditions of its people. The flag was adopted on 12/3/1978. The aspect ratio of the flag is 1:2.

State flag of Western Sahara. Western Sahara, a state in northwestern Africa, bordering Morocco in the north, Algeria in the northeast, and Mauritania in the south and east. The flag was adopted on 02/27/1976. The aspect ratio of the flag is 1:2.

State flag of Israel. The white cloth of the flag (a symbol of purity), with two parallel stripes of blue, resembles a "tales" (prayer scarf), which religious Jews have used during prayer since time immemorial. The hexagon in the center is Magen David, known as the "Star of David", an ancient symbol signifying magical power. This sign became a Jewish symbol as early as the 17th century and was adopted by the First Zionist Congress in 1897. The flag was adopted in 1948. The aspect ratio of the flag is 7:10.

The national flag of Jordan consists of three horizontal stripes: black on top, white in the middle, green below (representing the caliphates of the Abbasids, Umayyads and Fatimids). On the left is a red triangle (the symbol of the ruling Hashemite dynasty), which depicts a white seven-pointed star. The seven-pointed star is a symbol of the seven parts of the Koran, as well as the unity of the Arab clans. The flag was adopted on 04/16/1928. The aspect ratio of the flag is 1:2.

State flag of Cape Verde. The flag has five horizontal stripes, the top and bottom are blue, between them are two white and one red stripe, in the central part ten yellow five-pointed stars are inscribed in a circle. Blue stripes are a symbol of the ocean, ten stars are the ten main islands of the archipelago that make up Cape Verde: Sao Vicente, Santa Luisia, Sal, Santiago, San Nicolau, Boavista, Fogo, Santo Antoine, Mayu, Brava . The shape of the stars, in a circle, personifies the unity of all parts of the country. The flag was approved on 09/22/1992. The sides of the flag are 3:5.

State flag of Kazakhstan. The national flag of the Republic of Kazakhstan is a rectangular panel of blue color with the image in its center of the sun with rays, under which a soaring eagle. Images of the sun, rays and an eagle are the colors of gold. On the left side of the cloth there is a vertical stripe with a red national ornament. The blue color, traditional for the Turkic peoples, is the color of the sky and water. The sun on the flag is a symbol of wealth and abundance. In addition, upon closer examination, the rays of the sun on the flag are in the form of grains - the basis of abundance and prosperity. The golden eagle personifies the love for freedom and the nobility of thoughts and plans of the peoples of Kazakhstan. On the left side there is a Kazakh ornament "koshkar-muiz - ram's horns". The flag was approved on 06/04/1992. The sides of the flag.

The national flag of Cameroon is a flag with vertical stripes of green, red and yellow. In the center of the flag, on the red stripe, there is an image of a five-pointed yellow star. The green color of the flag symbolizes the lush vegetation of the south of the country and hope, the red - the independence and unity of the north and south, the yellow - the fertile land of the north, wealth and the sun. The star is a symbol of the country's unity. The flag was approved on May 29, 1975. Flag sides 2:3.

National flag of Kiribati. For a state located on islands and atolls in the western Pacific Ocean, the image on the flag is quite logical. Ocean waves, rising sun and a bird soaring in the sky. The flag was approved on 07/12/1979. The sides of the flag are 1:2.

State flag of China. Chinese flag People's Republic It is a red cloth with five yellow stars. Red is a symbol of revolution, the biggest star is leadership Communist Party China, little stars, these are the classes of China's population: workers, peasants, intellectuals and "patriotic capitalists." The flag was approved on 10/01/1949. Flag sides 2:3.

Unofficial flag of the Cocos Islands. The real, official flag of the Cocos Islands is the flag of Australia, but, as a rule, an unofficial flag is used - a green panel with a picture of a coconut palm, a crescent and a Southern Cross. The islands got their name not by chance, the coconut palm grows on the island in large quantities, green color and a crescent - traditional symbols of Islam, the constellation of the Southern Cross emphasizes the country's location in the southern hemisphere. The flag has been in use since 2003. The sides of the flag are 1:2.

State flag of Comoros. The Union of the Comoros is a state located on the islands of the same name in the Indian Ocean, in the northern part of the Mozambique Channel between Madagascar and Africa. Crescent on a green triangle, the symbol of Islam. Four stripes on the flag and next to the crescent, this is a symbol of the four islands of the country: yellow - Mogeli, white - Mayot, red - Anjouan, blue - Greater Comoros. The flag was approved in 2003. The sides of the flag are 3:5.

State flag of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The five-pointed star on the flag of the DPRK symbolizes the revolutionary traditions and the bright future of the Korean people. The red stripe on the flag is the patriotic spirit of the older generation of revolutionaries, the unbending fighting spirit and the invincible strength of the Korean people. The white circle and two white stripes of the flag mean that the Korean nation is a single nation with long history and a brilliant culture, that it is a wise, hardworking, courageous, patriotic, just and heroic people with a steel will. Both blue stripes express the ideals of independence, peace and friendship. The flag was approved on 09/08/1948. The sides of the flag are 1:2.

State flag of Cuba. Three blue stripes on the flag, a symbol of the three departments into which Cuba was divided during the reign of the Spaniards. Two white stripes mean the struggle of the people for independence, the triangle is a Masonic symbol of freedom, equality and fraternity. The red color of the triangle is the color of the spilled blood of the fighters for independence. White Star, is a symbol of absolute freedom. The flag was created by the editor of the newspaper "La Verdad" Miguel Tolon in 1848. The sides of the flag are 1:2.

State flag of Kyrgyzstan. The national flag of the Kyrgyz Republic is a red cloth, in the center of which there is a round solar disk with forty evenly diverging rays of golden color. Inside the solar disk, the tunduk of the Kyrgyz yurt is depicted in red. The red monochromaticity of the flag symbolizes valor and courage, the golden Sun, bathed in its rays, personifies peace and wealth, and the tunduk is a symbol of the father's house in the broadest sense of this expression and the world as the universe. 40 rays, united in a circle, mean the unification of 40 ancient tribes into a single Kyrgyzstan. Tunduk symbolizes the unity of the peoples living in the country. The red color of the flag was the color of the flag of the generous Manas. The flag was approved by the Supreme Council of the Republic on 03.03.1992. The sides of the flag are 3:5.

The national flag of Liberia resembles the flag of the United States and consists of 11 alternating red and white stripes, and a blue field with a white star. The eleven stripes represent the eleven signatures on the Declaration of Independence. Red is a symbol of courage, and white is morality. The star symbolizes the emancipation of slaves, and the blue square represents the African continent. The flag of Liberia is also the most popular merchant ship flag in the world. More than 1,600 ships ply the oceans under the flag of Liberia. Such popularity is not accidental, in a country very low price ship tax and it turns out that the use of the flag of Liberia on a ship is very economically beneficial. The flag was adopted in 1847. The ratio of the flag's width to its length is 10:19.

National flag of Mauritania. The flag features symbols traditional for Islamic countries, a crescent and a star on a solid background. Green, in addition, also means hope for a brighter future. Yellow is the Sahara desert. The flag was adopted on 04/01/1959. The ratio of the flag's width to its length is 2:3.

The national flag of Macedonia is a panel with the image of the sun with eight rays. The flag is the symbol of the "new sun of freedom" sung in the Macedonian national anthem. The flag was adopted in 1995. The ratio of the flag's width to its length is 1:2.

State flag of Malawi. It is a cloth with horizontal stripes of black, red and green. On the black stripe is an image of the sun with 31 rays. The colors of the flag mean: black - the black population, red - the blood shed in the struggle for independence, green - vegetation. The flag was adopted on 07/06/1964. The ratio of the flag's width to its length is 2:3.

State flag of Malaysia. The traditional symbols of Islam - a crescent and a star - are placed on the flag. A star with 14 rays is a symbol of the thirteen provinces and federal center. The yellow color of these symbols means the symbol of the power of the king of Malaysia. The blue part of the flag means the unity of the people of Malaysia. The thirteen red and white stripes symbolize the thirteen provinces of Malaysia. The flag was adopted on 09/16/1963. The ratio of the flag's width to its length is 1:2.

National flag of the Maldives. The flag of the Republic of Maldives is a red panel with a green rectangle in the center, the image of a crescent moon is inscribed in the rectangle. The color of valor, red, has long been used in the Maldives. The green rectangle and the crescent are traditional symbols of Islam. The flag was adopted on 07/25/1965. The ratio of the flag's width to its length is 2:3.

The national flag of Morocco is a red flag with a green star. Red is used by the sheriffs of Mecca. The stylized star is the oldest symbol of life and health, also called the "Seal of Solomon". The flag was adopted on 11/17/1915. The ratio of the flag's width to its length is 2:3.

State flag of the Marshall Islands. The Republic of the Marshall Islands is located on the archipelago of the same name in the North Pacific Ocean. The meanings of the colors of the flag: blue - the waters of the Pacific Ocean, white and orange stripes represent the two chains of islands - Ratak (sunrise) and Ralik (sunset). Also, orange is the color of courage, while white is the color of peace. The star is a symbolic image of the Christian cross. The rays of the star symbolize: small rays - 21 municipalities of the Republic, 4 large rays - the capital of Majuro, Jaluit, Wotje and Kwajalein atolls. The flag was adopted on 05/01/1979. The ratio of the flag's width to its length is 1:2.

State flag of Micronesia. The flag of the Federated States of Micronesia is a blue and blue panel symbolizing the Pacific Ocean, it has 4 stars that represent the four groups of islands that make up the federation. The flag was adopted on 11/30/1978. The ratio of the flag's width to its length is 10:19.

The national flag of Mozambique is unique, it is the only flag in the world that has an image of a Kalashnikov assault rifle. Symbols on the flag: a star - international solidarity, a book - study, a hoe - production, a machine gun - defense. The red color symbolizes the times of the national liberation struggle and the defense of sovereignty. The meanings of other colors: green - the fertility of the earth, black - the African continent, yellow - mineral wealth, white - the world. The flag was adopted on 05/01/1983. The ratio of the flag's width to its length is 2:3.

The national flag of Mongolia consists of three vertical stripes of red, blue and red. The blue color is traditional for the Mongols, it is the color of the country's cloudless sky. Two red stripes symbolize freedom and independence, in addition, they are symbols of the color of fire, the flame of bonfires in the steppe. On the left side of the flag there is an intricate golden ideogram, in the upper part of which there is a soyombo symbol - the sun, the moon and a special sign "annusvara" - the point from which, according to Buddhist teachings, the universe began its development. The three flames crowning the annusvara represent the past, present and future. Fire, in Buddhist terminology - "bindu", is a symbol of birth, prosperity and rebirth. This is the well-being of a person, family, generation, people, country. The sun and moon are symbols of light and eternity. The lower part of the ideogram is limited to the right and left by two rectangles, symbolizing the strength and firmness of the people, calling people to friendship, according to the proverb: "Two friends will be fenced stronger than stone walls." Two triangles with the point down are combat symbols - since ancient times, an arrow or spear turned with the point down was understood as a cry: "Death to the enemies!". Two horizontal rectangles - flat steppe, straightness, justice. The center of the ideogram is occupied by the symbol "Yin and Yang", which means the unity and struggle of opposites, ensuring the eternal movement of the world: fire and water, light and darkness, earth and sky, man and woman. Flag accepted

The national flag of Myanmar is red with a blue rectangle in the upper corner. The image of rice is located in the blue rectangle, against the background of the mill wheel (symbols Agriculture). The composition is surrounded by 14 five-pointed stars, which represent the administrative division of Myanmar. The red color of the flag is a symbol of commitment to socialist ideals, blue - peace and unity, white - purity and honesty. The flag was adopted on 01/03/1974. The ratio of the flag's width to its length is 5:9.

State flag of Namibia. The sun symbolizes life and energy. The blue color on the flag is a symbol of water, a very important resource for a country with an arid climate. Red is a symbol of the people, their heroism and determination to build a better future. Green is a symbol of the nature of Namibia, white is the peace and unity of the nation. Date of adoption of the flag 03/21/1990. The ratio of the flag's width to its length is 2:3.

The national flag of Nauru is blue with a yellow stripe and a white star. The blue color of the flag is the waters of the Pacific Ocean and the sky above it. The yellow line means the equator. The white star indicates the country's location in relation to the equator. The 12 rays of the star symbolize the 12 tribes of Nauru. Date of adoption of the flag 01/31/1968. The ratio of the flag's width to its length is 1:2.

The national flag of Nepal is the only non-rectangular flag in the world. In fact, this is a combination of pennants of two branches of the Rana dynasty, the past rulers of the country. The blue color of the border of the flag symbolizes peace, while the red is the national color of Nepal. The two royal symbols represent the hope that Nepal will last as long as the sun and moon. Date of adoption of the flag 12/16/1962.

The national flag of Niger is a flag with three horizontal stripes and a circle in the center. The orange stripe on the flag is the symbol of the Sahara desert. The orange circle in the center is the symbol of the sun. white stripe- a symbol of purity and simplicity. The green stripe is a symbol of green plains, as well as brotherhood and hope. Date of adoption of the flag 11/23/1959. The ratio of the flag's width to its length is 6:7.

State flag of Niue. The warm feelings that the people of Niue have for New Zealand are expressed in the gold color of the flag, and the Union Jack in the upper left corner symbolizes Niue's close ties with the UK. The small stars are the symbol of the Southern Cross and of New Zealand, which has ruled Niue since 1901. big star in the center symbolizes Niue's self-governing status. Flag of Niue - Adopted in 1975. The ratio of the flag's width to its length is 1:2.

The flag of New Zealand is blue with the flag of Great Britain in the upper left corner. On the right side of the flag are four five-pointed stars, which symbolize the most bright stars constellation Southern Cross. Date of adoption of the flag 06/12/1902. The ratio of the flag's width to its length is 1:2.

The national flag of the Cook Islands is a rectangular panel of blue color, with the image of the flag of Great Britain located in the upper left corner, and 15 white stars are located in a circle on the right side of the flag. The presence of the image of the flag of Great Britain is a symbol of the close historical ties of the Cook Islands with the United Kingdom. Stars, these are the 15 islands of the state. The blue color of the flag is the symbol of the ocean. Date of adoption of the flag 08/04/1979. The ratio of the flag's width to its length is 1:2.

The national flag of Pakistan is green with a white stripe and a white crescent with a star. Green is the traditional color of Muslims, who make up the majority of Pakistan's population, while white is the color of the rest of the population. The white crescent means the desire for progress, the star is a symbol of enlightenment and knowledge. Date of adoption of the flag 08/14/1947. The ratio of the flag's width to its length is 2:3.

The national flag of Palau was designed based on the flag of Japan. Blue is the symbol of the ocean. The circle in the center of the flag represents the full moon. The time of the full moon, according to the local population, is most suitable for fishing, cutting trees and harvesting. Date of adoption of the flag 06/13/1980. The ratio of the flag's width to its length is 3:5.

The national flag of Panama consists of four squares: white, red and blue. Red and blue stars are placed on a white background. The blue and red colors represent the Conservative and Liberal parties of Panama. White color is a symbol of peace. In addition, blue is a symbol of the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, and red, a symbol of shed blood, in the struggle for one's country. Blue Star- a symbol of purity and honesty, and red - power and law. Date of adoption of the flag 12/20/1903. The ratio of the flag's width to its length is 2:3.