Despite the fact that the Belarusians share a distinct ethnic identity and language, they never previously had a political sovereignty prior to 1991, except during a brief period in 1918. ^[1] Belarusian ethnos and language were formed due to the dependence on the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, ^{[2] [3]} and during this epoch of Lithuanian domination, the Belarusian language and nationality began to take shape. ^[4]

Unique Belarusian national symbols only appeared in the 20th century, as Belarusians created their first state entity: the Belarusian Democratic Republic on 25 March 1918 and adopted a plain white flag, which referred to their name as White Ruthenians. ^{[5] [6]} Subsequently, this flag was modified by adding a red horizontal stripe to it, and these colours of a white–red–white flag were derived from the Lithuanian coat of arms, which was used in Belarus during Lithuanian rule. ^[5] Moreover, Belarusian nationalists claimed that the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a Belarusian state, which is why they adopted its symbol. ^{[7] [8]}

According to the first Lithuanian President Antanas Smetona there were a lot of pro-Lithuanian sympathies among the Belarusians, thus the Lithuanians pursued for Belarusians support for Lithuania in the Lithuanian Wars of Independence. ^{[9] [10]} Moreover, the Belarusian political leaders initially requested for a political autonomy of the Belarusian lands within the restored Lithuania. ^[11] Therefore the Lithuanian Ministry for Belarusian Affairs was established within the Government of Lithuania, was led by the ethnic Belarusian ministers and used Lithuanian Vytis as its official symbol. ^{[12] [13]}

On 1 December 1918, the formation of the 1st Belarusian Regiment began in Vilnius. ^[14] However, as the Red Army was approaching for the Vilna offensive, it was decided that the Lithuanian forces are insufficient for the defense, thus the Ministry of National Defence of Lithuania with Lithuanians retreated to Kaunas, while the 1st Belarusian Regiment to Grodno. ^[15] On 1 February 1919, the Grodno Military Command was established alongside the 1st Belarusian Regiment and used Lithuanian Vytis as its official symbol, moreover, the Grodno's military crew was formed. ^[16] On 10 February 1919, the commander of the 1st Belarusian Regiment and the Chief of the Grodno Military Command, following the instructions of the Belarusian Military Secretariat, ordered all officers and soldiers to wear only the insignias of the Lithuanian Armed Forces attached to their uniforms. ^[17] The 1st Belarusian Regiment was disbanded by the Poles following Grodno's occupation by the Polish Armed Forces, while the unit's symbolism and soldiers were publicly humiliated by the Polish soldiers, who ripped off the Belarusian officers' insignias from their uniforms and trampled these symbols with their feet in public. ^[18] The Poles replaced signs and flags with the coat of arms of Lithuania with Polish equivalents in Grodno, and dragged Lithuanian–Belarusian ones on the dusty streets for ridicule. ^{[18] [19]} A part of the 1st Belarusian Regiment's soldiers and officers avoided Polish repressions and departed to Kaunas where later along with other Belarusian soldiers they continued serving for Lithuania, used Lithuanian Vytis in their units symbolism and were awarded with the highest state award of Lithuania – Order of the Cross of Vytis. ^[20]

In 1921, the Peace of Riga was signed, which officially divided the Belarusian lands between Poland ( Western Belorussia) and the Soviet Union ( Eastern Belorussia), which resulted in Polonization and Sovietization. ^[6] Consequently, the white–red–white flag and Pahonia were yet again adopted only upon proclaiming of Belarus' independence in 1991. ^[21] Nevertheless, the Belarusians voted for the introduction of a modified version of the Soviet flag and emblem in a 1995 referendum, initiated by President Alexander Lukashenko, and abolished Pahonia as official symbol. ^{[22] [23]} However, Lukashenko still signed decrees to incorporate similar symbol into several reginal flags and coats of arms as in Gomel Region and Vitsebsk Region, and the previous national symbols continued to be used by the Belarusian opposition and gained exceptional popularity among the Belarusians during the 2020–2021 Belarusian protests. ^[24]

The Belarusian Pahonia is very similar to Lithuanian Vytis but differs slightly. In particular, the patriarchal cross with arms of uneven length is displayed on the shield, the saddle blanket is of the Renaissance style, the horse's tail points down instead of up, and Azure is absent from it altogether. ^[25]

References

Bibliography

• Surgailis, Gintautas (2020). Lietuvos kariuomenės gudų kariniai daliniai 1918–1923 m. (PDF) (in Lithuanian). Vilnius: General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy of Lithuania. ISBN  978-609-8277-00-5.
• Uspenskis, Aleksandras (1925). "l-as gudų pulkas Gardine ir kaip jis tapo lenkų nuginkluotas (1918. XI. I–1919. VIII. 17)". Karo Archyvas (in Lithuanian). 1: 171–172.