Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic

Russian: Белорусская Советская Социалистическая Республика
Belarusian: Беларуская Савецкая Сацыялістычная Рэспубліка

1920–1991

Flag

State emblem

Motto: Workers of the world, unite!

Anthem: Anthem of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic

Location of Byelorussia (red) within the Soviet Union.

Status

Soviet Socialist Republic (1922-1991)

Capital

Minsk

Common languages

Official languages:
Byelorussian · Russian
Minority languages:
Polish · Ukrainian · Yiddish

Government

Unitary Marxist-Leninist one-party Soviet-style socialist republic

First Secretary

• 1920–1923 (first)

Vilgelm Knorinsh

• 1990–1991 (last)

Anatoly Malofeyev

Prime Minister

• 1920–1924 (first)

Alexander Chervyakov

• 1990–1991 (last)

Vyachaslau Kebich

Head of state

• 1920–1937 (first)

Alexander Chervyakov

• 1990–1991 (last)

Mikalay Dzyemyantsyey

Legislature

Congress of Soviets (1920–1938)
Supreme Soviet (1938–1991)

Historical era

20th century

• Republic declared

1 January 1919

• Soviet republic proclaimed

31 July 1920

• Admitted to Soviet Union

30 December 1922

• Annexation of Western Belarus

15 November 1939

• UN membership

24 October 1945

• Sovereignty declared

27 July 1990

• Independence declared

25 August 1991

• Internationally recognized

26 December 1991

Area

1989 census

207,600 km² (80,200 sq mi)

Population

• 1989 census

10199709

Currency

Soviet ruble (руб) (SUR)

Calling code

7 015/016/017/02

Preceded by

Succeeded by

	Lithuanian–Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic
	Second Polish Republic
	Reichskommissariat Ostland
	Bezirk Bialystok
	Reichskommissariat Ukraine

Reichskommissariat Ostland
Bezirk Bialystok
Reichskommissariat Ukraine
Polish People's Republic
Belarus

Today part of

Belarus

Lithuania

Poland

Russia

The Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic was one of fifteen constituent republics of the Soviet Union (USSR). In 1922, it was one of the four founding members of the Soviet Union. The other three were the Ukrainian SSR, the Transcaucasian SFSR and the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR). Byelorussia was one of several Soviet republics occupied by Nazi Germany during World War II. The BSSR, along with the Ukrainian SSR and the Soviet Union, were founding members of the United Nations Organization (UN) in 1945. The end of the Soviet Republic occurred in 1991. The nation became an independent republic.

The country renamed itself as the Republic of Belarus. In earlier time periods, Western Europeans called Byelorussian territory as White Russia. During its early years in the USSR, the republic was sometimes known as the White Russian Soviet Socialist Republic.

Images for kids

A 2019 stamp dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the BSSR.
After their 1918–1919 winter conquest of Byelorussia, Ukraine and Lithuania, Soviet forces faced Poland as a competing power in the region.
After the decisive Polish victory in Warsaw, the Red Army was forced to retreat from Polish territories, but attempts to hold Western Belarus were lost after the Polish victory on the Nieman River.
A Belarusian caricature showing the division of their country by Poles and Bolsheviks.
BSSR between the two World Wars
Minsk Railway Station (1926), with the city's name given in Belarusian, Russian, Polish and Yiddish (or interwar Belarus's 4 official languages)
BSSR from September 1939 to June 1941, with territories added after the invasion of Poland marked in orange.
Russia-born Andrei Gromyko (right) served as Soviet foreign minister (1957–1985) and as Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet (1985–1988)
Draniki, the national dish

Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic facts for kids

Images for kids

See also