Belarus National Republic

The Belarus National Republic (Belarusian: Белару́ская Наро́дная Рэспу́бліка) was pronounced on March 25, 1918 during World War I, when Belarus was occupied by Germans according to the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. In its Third Constituent Charter, the following territories were claimed for BNR: Mahileu guberniya (province), parts of Minsk, Hrodna (including Bialystok, etc.), Wilno, Vitsebsk, and Smolensk gubernias, as well as parts of bordering gubernias populated by Belarussians.

A national flag of three stripes -- white-red-white -- was adopted, as well as a state seal (Pahonya), which was based off an emblem of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania ("Vytis") (see Belarus#Symbols from earlier history).

The BNR didn't have a chance to become a real state: it didn't have a constitution, armed forces, definite territoriality, etc. When the Red Army entered Minsk on January 5, 1919, the Rada (Council) of the BNR went into exile. Ivonka Survilla is the current chairperson of the Rada.

During World War II the Nazis attempted to establish the puppet Belarussian government under the name of BNR, with its symbols. This became an unfortunate factor when, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Belarusian nationalist party, the Belarusian Popular Front (BPF) Adradzhennie (Адраджэньне, Revival), attempted to revive the ancient Belarussian regalia. This moment of history allowed the political opponents of Adradzhennie to picture them as "fascists", and after that election the current symbols were introduced.

et:Valgevene Rahvavabariik