Style, dignity, recognition

What are the roots of military tradition? Army is best analysed through uniforms, heraldry, commands shouted by chiefs in action and forms of salutations
What are the roots of military tradition? Army is best analysed through uniforms, heraldry, commands shouted by chiefs in action and forms of salutations.

Belarusian have modernised the “suits” and “ornaments” that remained from the Soviet era leaving the five-point star the main element of blazonry. Sickle and hammer yielded to sword and rifle, tiger and owl and other symbols of courage and wisdom.

The military made use of ancient symbols such as city coats-of-arms that often embellish the sleeve insignia of various troops of the Belarusian Armed Forces. Heraldry specialists have nothing to be rebuked for: they have been careful to include even the heraldic experience of Great Lithuanian Principality. It is hard to invent something new offhand. Any symbol is an implication that is built on the underlying logic, which is why ii is impossible to just take away one emblem and put another in it place. It’s like interfere with the verse pattern. Mechanical shift of emblems is not possible.

Belarusian and foreign emblems can be visually compared in Slonim. Strange it may seem, it is here that a unique collection of military uniform has found its home. Even Minsk-based Museum of WWII History would envy the collection.

The name of the collector is Mikhail Kharchenko. He was one of the performers in the huntsmen’s orchestra in Germany during the war. He came back to Belarus with a suitcase stuffed with a full set of Eastern German Army uniforms ranging from the field officer to fireman in scope. The collection has been constantly enhanced by models of military outfit representing other socialist countries and later by Chinese, Australian and Iraqi specimen.

Kharchenko is gourmand in this sense, and I would say a nostalgic one when it comes to the Soviet part of the museum, especially the Belarusian line.

Those, who are reluctant to go to Slonim, can have a peek at the Belarusian military uniform at the website of Defence Ministry of Belarus (http://www.mod.mil.by/geraldika.html).

The coat-of-arms is the major sleeve insignia of the Belarusian Army, sometimes presented in the form of a circle. It is a classical European tradition. Usually, the image is placed against black background; the bar is framed with a yellow thread and carries yellow signatures in Russian and Belarusian, while the images of the symbols are often red or blue. The dog-breeding centre of the Defence Ministry has a curious symbol. It features a yellow wreath adorned with ribbons in national colours with a wolf in the centre of it. The spear and sword top the emblem.

Each and every emblem of the Belarusian army is unique.

A black sword with a red star in the centre of golden wheat ears — a symbol of the Belarusian Armed Forces — is stylish, modest and recognisable.

Paviel Zianievic
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