Soviet Flag and Soviet-Armenian Flag

Flag of the USSR

The flag of the USSR, a state symbol of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (alongside the state coat of arms and state anthem), represented "the state sovereignty of the USSR and the unbreakable union of workers and peasants in the struggle to build a communist society."

Flag of the USSR

The red color of the flag symbolized the heroic struggle of the Soviet people, led by the CPSU, to build socialism and communism. The sickle and hammer represented the unshakable union of the working class and the kolkhoz peasantry. The red five-pointed star on the flag symbolized the eventual triumph of communist ideas on the five inhabited continents of the globe.

Yevgeny Khaldei raises the Soviet flag over the Reichstag. This photo became a symbol of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany

The design featured a red rectangular canvas with a golden sickle and hammer in the upper corner near the flagpole. Above these symbols was a red five-pointed star with a golden border. The ratio of the flag's width to its length was 1:2.

The USSR adopted its first flag in December 1922. Subsequent adjustments were made in 1923, 1924, 1936, and 1955 to refine details like the hammer’s handle length and the sickle’s shape. In 1980, an amendment to the 1955 decree removed the hammer and sickle from the reverse side of the flag, although the legal description remained unchanged. The 1955 Soviet flag design served as the basis for all flags of the Union Republics.

The flags of the Soviet republics that constituted the USSR, as well as the Victory Banner, were all modified or adapted versions of the Soviet flag. For example, here is the flag of the Soviet Armenian Republic.

Soviet Armenian Flag

Flag of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic between,1920—1922

The second flag of the Armenian SSR was introduced in the constitution adopted on February 2, 1922, by the First Congress of Soviets of the Armenian SSR. The 1922 flag was red with the Cyrillic characters ССРА (SSRA, for Социалистическая Советская Республика Армения, Sotsialisticheskaya Sovetskaya Respublika Armeniya) in the upper left corner.

Flag of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic, February–March 1922

This flag existed for only a month because, on March 12, 1922, the Armenian SSR united with the Georgian SSR and the Azerbaijan SSR to form the Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic (TSFSR). This federation was dissolved in 1936, re-establishing the three republics as separate entities.

Flag of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic, between 1936 and 1940

Between 1936 and 1940, the flag of the Armenian SSR was red, featuring a gold hammer and sickle in the upper left corner. Beneath the hammer and sickle were the Armenian characters ՀԽՍՀ (HKSH, for Հայկական Խորհրդային Սոցիալիստական Հանրապետություն, Haykakan Khorhrdayin Sotsialistakan Hanrapetutiun), written in gold.

Flag of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic, between 1940 and 1952

Between 1940 and 1952, following reforms in the Armenian language, the characters beneath the hammer and sickle were updated to ՀՍՍՌ (HSSR, for Հայկական Սովետական Սոցիալիստական Ռեսպուբլիկա, Haykakan Sovetakan Sotsialistakan Respublika), while retaining the same gold color.

Flag of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic, between 1952—1990

The flag of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic (ASSR) was adopted on December 17, 1952, by decree of the Supreme Council of the ASSR.

According to Article 167 of the 1978 Constitution of Armenia:

The state flag of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic is a red rectangle with a blue stripe running along its entire length in the central part. In the upper left part of the flag, a golden sickle and hammer are depicted, and above them is a red five-pointed star with a golden border. The ratio of the flag's width to its length is 1:2.

On April 29, 1981, a regulation provided a more detailed description of the flag. It specified the placement and proportions of the hammer, sickle, and star:

• The hammer and sickle were placed within a square, the side of which equaled one-fifth of the flag's width.

• The sharp end of the sickle pointed upward, with the handles facing downward.

• The hammer's length measured three-quarters of the square's diagonal.

• A five-pointed star with a diameter of one-tenth of the flag's width was drawn within a circle at the square's upper edge.

• The symbols were positioned near the flagpole, with precise distances calculated to maintain symmetry and visual balance.

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The red and blue design highlighted the republic's place within the Soviet Union while emphasizing its distinct national identity.

Both flags encapsulated the ideology and aspirations of the USSR, symbolizing unity, revolution, and the vision of a communist society. Their intricate designs reflected the importance placed on symbolism in Soviet statecraft.

FAQ

Soviet Flag vs. Communist Flag

The Soviet flag is one of the most prominent examples of a communist flag, but the two terms are not entirely interchangeable.

Communist flag generally refers to any flag associated with communism, including the hammer and sickle emblem used by various communist movements and parties worldwide.

The Soviet flag specifically refers to the state flag of the USSR, which prominently featured the hammer and sickle along with a red five-pointed star.