Emblems of the Soviet Republics

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USSR republics coat of arms display on USSR State Television.

The emblems of the constituent republics of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics all featured predominantly the hammer and sickle and the red star that symbolized communism, as well as a rising sun (although in the case of the Latvian SSR, since the Baltic Sea is west of Latvia, it could be interpreted as a setting sun), surrounded by a wreath of wheat (except the Karelo-Finnish SSR with a wreath of rye). The USSR State motto, Workers of the world, unite! , in both the republic's language and Russian was also placed on each one of them. In addition to those repetitive motifs, emblems of many Soviet republics also included features that were characteristic of their local landscapes, economies or cultures.

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The emblems are often called coats of arms, but since they (deliberately) did not follow the rules of heraldry, most of them cannot be considered coats of arms. However, they all did follow the same basic pattern, a pattern which sometimes has led to the use of the term "socialist heraldry".

The table below presents final versions of the renderings of the Soviet republics' emblems prior to the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, as well as the arms of two republics that ceased to exist before that time. For comparison, national arms of present-day successor states of the Soviet republics are also shown. As can be seen, most Asian post-Soviet republics use arms based on or reminiscent of the Soviet-era emblems, with Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have present-day arms nearly identical to the Soviet one. Most European republics, on the other hand, reverted to their traditional pre-Soviet heraldic arms. Belarus used the traditional Pahonia as its coat of arms from 1991 to 1995 when it was replaced by a new emblem closely resembling the Soviet-era design. Additionally, the secessionist Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (Transnistria), internationally recognised as part of Moldova, uses an emblem based on the emblem of the Moldavian SSR (see Coat of arms of Transnistria) and the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic, controlling part of the Luhansk Oblast in Ukraine, created the similar emblem.

Emblems of the Soviet Republics

RepublicEmblemMain articleRepublic-specific featuresPresent-day national
coat of arms
Russian SFSR COA Russian SFSR.svg Emblem of the Russian SFSR Plantswheat Coat of Arms of the Russian Federation.svg
Coat of arms of Russia
Landscapes,
geographic features
Industry
Ornaments Baroque cartouche
Ukraine Emblem of the Ukrainian SSR.svg Emblem of the Ukrainian SSR [1] Plantswheat Lesser Coat of Arms of Ukraine.svg
Coat of arms of Ukraine
Landscapes,
geographic features
Industry
Ornaments Baroque cartouche
Byelorussia Emblem of the Byelorussian SSR (1981-1991).svg Emblem of the Byelorussian SSR Plantswheat, clover, flax Coat of arms of Belarus (2020).svg
Emblem of Belarus
Landscapes,
geographic features
Industry
Ornaments
Uzbekistan Emblem of the Uzbek SSR.svg Emblem of the Uzbek SSR [1] Plantswheat, cotton Emblem of Uzbekistan.svg
Emblem of Uzbekistan
Landscapes,
geographic features
Industry
Ornaments
Kazakhstan Emblem of Kazakh SSR.svg Emblem of the Kazakh SSR [2] Plantwheat Emblem of Kazakhstan latin.svg
Emblem of Kazakhstan
Landscapes,
geographic features
Industry
Ornaments
Georgia Emblem of the Georgian SSR.svg Emblem of the Georgian SSR Plantswheat, grapes Greater coat of arms of Georgia.svg
Coat of arms of Georgia
Landscapes,
geographic features
Caucasus Mountains
Industry
OrnamentsGeorgian ornament with a seven-pointed star from the pre-1921 Georgian coat of arms
Azerbaijan Emblem of the Azerbaijan SSR.svg Emblem of the Azerbaijan SSR [3] Plantswheat, cotton Emblem of Azerbaijan.svg
Emblem of Azerbaijan
Landscapes,
geographic features
Sun rising on Caspian Sea
Industry oil drilling rig
Ornaments
Lithuania Emblem of the Lithuanian SSR.svg Emblem of the Lithuanian SSR [1] Plantswheat, oak Coat of arms of Lithuania.svg
Coat of arms of Lithuania
Landscapes,
geographic features
Industry
Ornaments
Moldavia Emblem of the Moldavian SSR (1981-1990).svg Emblem of the Moldavian SSR [1] Plantswheat, maize, pears, grapes Coat of arms of Moldova.svg
Coat of arms of Moldova
Landscapes,
geographic features
Industry
Ornaments
Latvia Emblem of the Latvian SSR.svg Emblem of the Latvian SSR Plantswheat Coat of arms of Latvia.svg
Coat of arms of Latvia
Landscapes,
geographic features
Baltic Sea
Industry
Ornaments
Kirghizia Emblem of the Kirghiz SSR.svg Emblem of the Kirghiz SSR Plantswheat, cotton Emblem of Kyrgyzstan.svg
Emblem of Kyrgyzstan
Landscapes,
geographic features
Tian Shan Mountains
Industry
OrnamentsKyrgyz embroidery
Tajikistan Emblem of the Tajik SSR.svg Emblem of the Tajik SSR [1] Plantswheat, cotton Emblem of Tajikistan.svg
Emblem of Tajikistan
Landscapes,
geographic features
Industry
Ornaments
Armenia Emblem of the Armenian SSR.svg Emblem of the Armenian SSR Plantswheat, grapes Coat of arms of Armenia.svg
Coat of arms of Armenia
Landscapes,
geographic features
Mount Ararat [4]
Industry
Ornaments
Turkmenia Emblem of the Turkmen SSR.svg Emblem of the Turkmen SSR Plantswheat, cotton, grapes Emblem of Turkmenistan.svg
Emblem of Turkmenistan
Landscapes,
geographic features
Turkmen landscape
Industry oil drilling rig
Ornamentsgillam detail from a Turkmen rug
Estonia Emblem of the Estonian SSR.svg Emblem of the Estonian SSR [5] Plants rye, pine, spruce Coat of arms of Estonia.svg
Coat of arms of Estonia
Landscapes,
geographic features
Industry
Ornaments
Republics that dissolved before 1991
Karelo-Finnish SSR
(1940–1956)
Emblem of the Karelo-Finnish SSR.svg Coat of arms of the Karelo-Finnish SSR Plants rye, pine Coat of arms of the Republic of Karelia.svg
Coat of arms of Karelia
(constituent entity of Russia)
Landscapes,
geographic features
Karelian landscape
Industry
OrnamentsKarelian embroidery
Transcaucasian SFSR
(1922–1936)
Emblem of the Transcaucasian SFSR (1930-1936).svg Emblem of the Transcaucasian SFSR PlantsWheat, cotton, maize, rice, grapes
Landscapes,
geographic features
Caucasus mountains
IndustryFactory, oil drilling rigs
Ornaments

Other emblems of the post-Soviet territories

Current independent territories

Former independent territories

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hammer and sickle</span> Symbol of communism

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flag of the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic</span> Flag of the Soviet republic of Moldavia

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The national flag of the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic consists of a panel of red color with a green stripe in the middle of the whole flag length, with the image on top of the red part of the flag from the flagpole golden hammer and sickle above a five-pointed red star framed by gold border. The ratio of the flag's width to its length is 1:2 with the bandwidth of green to the width of the flag 1:4

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red star</span> Symbol associated with communist ideology

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of Moldova</span> National coat of arms of Moldova

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emblem of the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic</span> Emblem of the U.S.S.R. republic of Azerbaijan

The national emblem of the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic was adopted in 1937 by the government of the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic. The style is based on the emblem of the Soviet Union.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emblem of the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic</span> Emblem of the U.S.S.R. republic of Kazakhstan

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emblem of the Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic</span> Emblem of the U.S.S.R. republic of Kirghizia

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emblem of the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic</span> Emblem of the U.S.S.R. republic of Latvia

Emblem of the Latvian SSR was adopted on August 25, 1940, by the government of the Latvian SSR. It was based on the emblem of the Soviet Union. It features symbols of agriculture (wheat) and Latvia's maritime culture. The red star as well as the hammer and sickle for the victory of communism and the "world-wide socialist community of states".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emblem of the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic</span> Emblem of the U.S.S.R. republic of Lithuania

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emblem of the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic</span> Emblem of the U.S.S.R. republic of Moldavia

The coat of arms of the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic was adopted on 10 February 1941 by the government of the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic. The coat of arms is based on the coat of arms of the Soviet Union. It shows symbols of agriculture, an outer rim featuring wheat, corn, grapes and clover. The red banner bears the Soviet Union state motto in both the Romanian language and the Russian language. In Romanian, it was initially "Пролетарь дин тоате цэриле, униць-вэ!"; then, from the 1950s "Пролетарь дин тоате цэриле, уници-вэ!". Both are written in the Latin alphabet as "Proletari din toate țările, uniți-vă!". The acronym MSSR is shown only in Romanian in Moldovan Cyrillic ("РССМ"). The emblem was replaced on 3 November 1990 by the present coat of arms of Moldova. Currently, the unrecognized breakaway state of Transnistria uses a similar state emblem.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emblem of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic</span> Emblem of the U.S.S.R. republic of Ukraine

The coat of arms of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic was adopted on 14 March 1919 by the government of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic and subsequently modified on 7 November 1928, 30 January 1937 and 21 November 1949. The coat of arms from 1949 is based on the coat of arms of the Soviet Union and features the hammer and sickle, the red star, a sunrise and stalks of wheat on its outer rims. The rising sun stands for the future of the Soviet Ukrainian nation, the red star as well as the hammer and sickle for communism and the "world-wide socialist community of states".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Socialist-style emblems</span> Coat of arms with communist symbolism

Socialist-style emblems usually follow a unique style consisting of communist symbolism. Although commonly referred to as coats of arms, most are not actually traditional heraldic achievements. Many communist governments purposely diverged from heraldic tradition in order to distance themselves from the monarchies that they usually replaced, with coats of arms being seen as symbols of the monarchs.

The coat of arms of the Moldavian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was the official emblem of the Moldavian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic in the Soviet Union, and underwent a number of changes over time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">State Emblem of the Soviet Union</span> National emblem from 1923 to 1991

The State Emblem of the Soviet Union was the official symbol of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics adopted in 1923 and used until the dissolution of the state in 1991. Although it technically is an emblem rather than a coat of arms, since it does not follow traditional heraldic rules, in Russian it is called герб, the word used for a traditional coat of arms.

The emblems of the autonomous republics of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics are the heraldic symbols of the respective Autonomous Soviet Republic.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Государственные гербы и флаги республик СССР". sovietthings.webuda.com. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 5 December 2012.
  2. "Kazakhstan in the Soviet Union". crwflags.com. Retrieved 5 December 2012.
  3. "Coats of arms". azerbaijans.com. Archived from the original on 1 September 2017. Retrieved 5 December 2012.
  4. "Armenia in the Soviet Union". crwflags.com. Retrieved 5 December 2012.
  5. "Estonia in the Soviet Union". flags-of-the-world.net. Retrieved 5 December 2012.

See also