The Belarusian People's Republic was the first attempt to create their own statehood among the people of the East Slavic branch - Belarusians. How successful was this experience, and what caused the fragility of the existence of this formation? Let's follow the stages of the emergence, development and death of the Belarusian People's Republic.
The history of the BNR
After the overthrow of the autocracy in the Russian Empire in February 1917, the political struggle noticeably escalated not only in the capital - Petrograd - but also on the outskirts of the state, where national forces were waking up. This fate did not bypass the Belarusian provinces, the situation in which was complicated by the proximity of the Russian-German front. After the Bolshevik revolution in October of that year, the situation escalated even more.
Already in November, in the largest city of Belarus - Minsk - congresses of workers' and soldiers' deputies were held. At the same time, a meeting of Belarusian national organizations was held, which formed the goal of forming an autonomy within the Russian state. At the same time, the Great BelarusianGlad. In December 1917, under the auspices of this organization, the First All-Belarusian Congress was held. But the Bolsheviks not only did not take part in it, but also dispersed this meeting by force.
The situation changed dramatically after the signing in March 1918 of the peace treaty in Brest between Soviet Russia and the German Empire. This agreement provided for the occupation of most of the Belarusian lands by German troops. This event prepared the proclamation of the Belarusian People's Republic.
Proclamation of the BNR
Already on March 9, the state of the Belarusian People's Republic was proclaimed. This was done by the Executive Committee of the All-Belarusian Congress. At the same time, it was indicated that the BPR extends its sovereignty to all historical Belarusian lands and regions inhabited by ethnic Belarusians. But the clear boundaries of the territory claimed by the Belarusian People's Republic were never indicated. Also, the status of the new formation was not determined - a fully independent state or autonomy within Russia.
On the same day the head of the Presidium of the Great Belarusian Rada was elected. It turned out to be a representative of the Belarusian socialist community Yanka Sereda.
On March 25, the final point was put, which completed the stage of the declaration of the state formation of the Belarusian People's Republic. The definition of her status was clearly articulated. The statutory charter of the Belarusian Rada proclaimedBNR is an independent state. At the same time, the boundaries of the territory on which the young republic had claims were established.
BNR is a state without statehood
But for a number of reasons, the Belarusian People's Republic (1918) was never able to get real statehood. Not the last role was played in this by the ambivalent attitude of the German authorities, who actually controlled the territory of the country at that time. On the one hand, they did not prohibit the activities of the BPR, but on the other hand, they did not officially recognize the republic, since this would be contrary to the Brest-Litovsk Treaty with Soviet Russia. Other countries were also in no hurry to recognize the young state.
In fact, the Belarusian People's Republic did not control the territory it claimed, as it was under German occupation, did not have fiscal tools in the form of the ability to collect taxes, did not have a police apparatus, did not have time to adopt a constitution. Most of the decrees and decisions of the BNR authorities were purely declarative. Thus, Belarusian was recognized as the state language, and the city of Minsk was recognized as the capital.
At the same time, the BPR had a number of state attributes. There was its own seal with the image of the historical coat of arms of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania - "Pursuit", a flag in the form of a red and white two-color, there were institutions of citizenship, legislative and executive power. Even an attempt was made to form their own armed forces, however, unsuccessful.
BNR fall
Problems inbuilding their own statehood caused a split in the leading party of the Belarusian People's Republic - the Belarusian Socialist Community. But the beginning of the end of the republic that did not have time to fully form can be considered the surrender of the German army in World War I and the withdrawal of troops from the country's territory in accordance with the peace treaty at Versailles. After that, the fate of the BNR was sealed, so the government decided to move from Minsk to Grodno.
On the territory of the Smolensk region in January 1919, Soviet Russia created a puppet state - the Soviet Socialist Republic of Belarus, which was recognized by the Bolsheviks as the only legitimate one. With the help of the Red Army, it was quickly able to spread its influence to all Belarusian lands, excluding the city of Grodno, which was captured by the Poles.
However, with the help of the Poles who occupied Minsk during the Soviet-Polish war, in August 1919 the BNR government was able to return to its capital, but the Red Army managed to restore Bolshevik power in Belarusian lands in December.
The Belarusian Rada was forced to finally emigrate from the country, first to Poland, and then to Lithuania, Czechoslovakia, Germany, the USA.
Further destiny
Never again did the BNR government return to the territory of Belarus. Moreover, even in exile, this organization was subjected to numerous splits due to differences in the views of its leaders. So, one part of the Belarusian Rada in 1925 even transferred its powers to the Belarusian Socialist Soviet Republic. True, the second part sharply condemned herfor this.
The government of the Belarusian People's Republic in exile exists to this day, and it does not recognize the Republic of Belarus formed after the collapse of the USSR as legitimate, although it originally had such an intention. But after President Alexander Lukashenko came to power in Belarus, the Rada abandoned the original plan.
The attributes of the Belarusian People's Republic are still symbols of the Belarusian opposition.
Reasons for the collapse of the BPR
Why did the Belarusian People's Republic not take place as a state? The emergence and fate of this short-lived formation is very reminiscent of the history of other similar republics that arose on the fragments of the Russian Empire. The main reasons for the collapse of the Belarusian statehood at that time were:
- split in the national movement;
- weak local support;
- non-recognition of BNR by other countries of the world;
- Bolshevik intervention.
The combination of these factors predetermined the fate of the Belarusian People's Republic.
