State and political symbols on the seals of documents of 1918–1919 (based on materials from fund 805 of the National Archives of the Republic of Belarus)

Abstract

Revolutionary events 1918–1919 on the territory of Belarus, the creation of the Belarusian statehood of newest history require comprehensive, including the sphragistical, research. In particular, a special study requires the role of this period in the formation of Soviet symbols. The process of creating the symbols of the world’s first socialist states was reflected in the seals created and used during this period. An analysis of the content of the imprints of the seals in the 805 National Archive of the Republic of Belarus fund revealed the use of seals by local authorities with symbols of state formations that had disappeared at moment of use and were the ideological enemies of the Communists.

Keywords

• sphragistics
• events of 1918–1919 in belarus
• national archive of the republic of belarus documents
• sources on the history of belarus
• state and political symbols of 1918–1919