Thread: Red and Russian Culture

I'm doing a project for a color class and I need some help finding some info on the history of the color red as it pertains to Russian culture. The most obvious is connection to communism and the Red Army/ Bosheviks. Is this when red really started to dominate, especially in the oldtime propaganda posters? Or was is stil very popular even before that? Was it a favorite of some artists that made it popular? Why did the Bolsheviks choose red?

Are there are other buildings in Russia that have been named with connections to red, such as the Red Square? (Is the Kremlin really red?) Did the word for beautiful really come from the word for red? or the other way around? Or do they just sound like with absolutely no relationship?I'm also trying to find some old quotes from famous Russian people where they describe what they believe the color red symbolizes.

I really value any insights you guys can give me, thank you.

Good questions.

In the olden days красный meant beautiful and красная площадь (red square) actually means beautiful square. Why and when it turned from beautiful to red, I do not know.

Now red has always been assosiated with Revolution, you can see that in most countries. I believe the French revolutionists had red flags too. The communists kept the red color because they were in a "constant revolution", it was the color symbolizing their movement. Now you see the red color predominant in most communist states, if not all.

Red is the communist color.

Yes red used to be associated with beauty and therefore a very positive colour.

The corner of the house where the ikons and religious crap was/is kept is called the красный угол (beautiful corner). Also folk dress and such used to have red in it.

One interpretation of the Russian flag is that the colours represent the three colours of the peoples of Rus': White for the Belarusians (White Ruthenians), blue for the Ukrainians, and Red for the Russians.

The modern word for beautiful is Красивый and it definately developed from the Красный (modern Red).

This can be seen in words such as Прекрасный - beautiful, excellent. And Красота - beauty (as a noun).

Also the word Красный can be found in other slavic languages meaning beautiful:

Czech: kr

[quote=TATY]

Also the word Красный can be found in other slavic languages meaning beautiful:

Czech: kr

[quote=Barmaley][quote=TATY]

Also the word Красный can be found in other slavic languages meaning beautiful:

Czech: kr

[quote=TATY][quote=Barmaley][quote=TATY]

Also the word Красный can be found in other slavic languages meaning beautiful:

Czech: kr

At school we were told that the red color of Soviet flag symbolizes the blood shed by Soviet people.

[quote=pisces][quote=TATY][quote=Barmaley][quote=TATY]

Also the word Красный can be found in other slavic languages meaning beautiful:

Czech: kr

Originally Posted by Friendy

At school we were told that the red color of Soviet flag symbolizes the blood shed by Soviet people.

We were taught that white, blue and red colours of the Russian flag symbolize, respectively, three main classes: aristocracy, bourgeoisie, proletariat. I can't say if it's true or just help to remember the colour order. Compare "Красная Гвардия" - "Белая Гвардия". So, the red has been always counted as the colour of the working class, and, as Friendy said, the colour of blood shed in struggle. The Soviet Union regarded itself as a state without upper classes, and the other two colours were removed from the state flag.

We were taught that white, blue and red colours of the Russian flag symbolize, respectively, three main classes: aristocracy, bourgeoisie, proletariat. I can't say if it's true or just help to remember the colour order.

No, I think it can't be true. (А вобще интересно где так учат )
The colour order is fairly easy to remember: КГБ - Красный Голубой Белый. От рядового до генерала (цвета идут снизу вверх)


To be serious, just go this link

http://www.rossflag.ru/century.htm


Царь приказал отпустить «на знамена и яловщики корабельному строению в селе Дединове киндяки и тафту (сорта материи) червчятую, белую и лазоревую». То есть красную, белую и синюю.

Таким образом, бело-сине-красная гамма российского знамени, во-первых, уходит довольно глубоко в допетровские времена, год ее появления 1668. А во-вторых, это документальное свидетельство разрушает один многозначительный аргумент позднейших противников бело-сине-красного стяга. Они не упускали ни одного удобного случая утверждать, что этот флаг был учрежден Петром I для торгового, то есть частного флота и потому вполне государственным признан быть не может.

Originally Posted by mishau_

We were taught that white, blue and red colours of the Russian flag symbolize, respectively, three main classes: aristocracy, bourgeoisie, proletariat. I can't say if it's true or just help to remember the colour order.

No, I think it can't be true. (А вобще интересно где так учат )

Как я сказала, это нам дали в школе как мнемоническое правило, а не как историю происхождения флага. Историю я всегда прогуливала

Well, I know they SAY the red is from the blood shed, but I highly doubt that is the official reason why the communist flags are red. It is more likely revolution. All revolutions used to be associated with red...

I don't know as there is actually ANY accepted explanation for the colors. We had a discussion on this in class one day in Russia. We heard probably 5 or 6 explanations, all of which were equally unproven. Among them were the ideas that the Russian flag came from:
-an inverted Dutch flag (due to strong influence on Peter I)
-God, Tsar, and something else (either nobility or people I forget)

Originally Posted by Barmaley

I don't know as there is actually ANY accepted explanation for the colors. We had a discussion on this in class one day in Russia. We heard probably 5 or 6 explanations, all of which were equally unproven. Among them were the ideas that the Russian flag came from:
-an inverted Dutch flag (due to strong influence on Peter I)
-God, Tsar, and something else (either nobility or people I forget)

God, Tsar' and Narod

Originally Posted by TATY

God, Tsar' and Narod

Sounds good to me!

Thanks for the input everyone! Even if it's only theories, it helps a lot. If you guys can think of any more theories, that would be wonderful. Do any of you happen to know of any other prominent places with red in their name?

I wish my Russian were good enough to read that page you sent me mishau_, so I'll have to run it through Babel Fish and pray a get the gist of it.