Last modified: 2005-07-23 by antonio martins
Keywords: soviet union | ussr | sssr | cccp | communism | hammer and sickle (yellow) | serp i molet | hammer | sickle | red flag | star: 5 points (fimbriated) |
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![[Flag of USSR]](../images/s/su.gif)
The Soviet national flag, as most soviet flags, used a medium, bright shade
of red. Soviet flag laws clearly distinguish between this shade of red, or
scarlet (alyĭ | алый), and a darker shade
(krapovyĭ | краповый
or purpurnyĭ |
пурпурный) used only
on a few flags.
António Martins, 28 Jan 2001
The hammer and sickle itself, originate from the unique Russian unity of
the peasants (the sickle) with the workers (the hammer) who together formed
the Soviet Russian state. The Red field is symbolism of the blood that has
been spilt by workers the world over in the fight for their emancipation, and
was directly inherited from the red banner flown
at the Paris Commune; the original and hitherto “base” symbol
of a worker’s government flag.
The single yellow star is both the representation of the life and immense
energy of the sun, empty because within is the blood or production of workers
struggle; and also the five points of the star symbolize the single unity and
international representation of the government — each of the five
points is representative of the five (up to then known/recognized)
continents.
Brian Basgen (Marxists Internet Archive Director), 07 Jul 2000
Soviet flag with hammer, sickle and star was not created in 1918! It
was adopted in 1923. The star on the flag was red with yellow border (not
plain red). Only the coat of arms and some military colours were with hammer
and sickle in 1918. Hammer and sickle existed in soviet symbolism since
1917.
Victor Lomantsov, 08 Jul 2000 and 09 Jul 2000
![[SU flag vert. hoisted]](../images/s/su_vert.gif)
by Al Kirsch and António Martins, 08 Nov 2001
In USSR vertical flag hanging of flags was very
rare. I never saw it. But I saw a foto of 1980’ies with vertical flag of USSR,
with an upright hammer and sickle on the upper “hoist”
(dexter). I think this foto was from the Olympic Games
of 1980.
Victor Lomantsov, 20 Nov 2000
This is a special flag for vertical display.
If [a regular] flag was simply rotated 90 degrees clockwise, the H&S
moved to the upper right and faced “down”. If the flag was
“flipped” as the US flag is, the H&S
faced “down” and was reversed.
Al Kirsch, 08 Nov 2001
According to my understanding, the H&S appeared only on the obverse
of the Soviet flag and the reverse was plain red.
If so, then flipping [a regular] flag over like the
US flag would give you only a vertically
hoisted plain red cloth.
Joe McMillan, 08 Nov 2001
![[soviet flag finial]](../images/s/su'fin.gif)
image by Zach Harden, 09 Sep 2001, This finial was used in the Soviet Union. Belarus
is currently using this finial as their own.
Zach Harden, 09 Sep 2001
![[Coat of arms of the Soviet Union]](../misc/su).gif)
The state emblem of the Soviet Union (corresponding to a
coat of arms) had the Earth superimposed
by the hammer and sicle.
Elias Granqvist, 25 Nov 2000
Two bundles of corn ears heavily draped with a scroll, reading in all
the 15 SSR languages the motto «workers of the world, unite thee»; the
bundles encirle an earth globe (viewed approx. from the vertical of the
Black Sea) showing solid continents and coordinate lines in 20 deg.
intervals. On it a hammer and a sickle, crossed per saltire, in
naturalistic look. Under the globe a rising sun with alternating long
and short rays made of single lines (approx. 30 visible rays); above the
globe a double fimbriated dense star.
António Martins, 05 Aug 1999
