The Makhnovists

[Forward Union]

The Flag of the Insurgent Rebel Army of Ukraine (Makhnovists);
http://www.fahnenversand.de/fotw/images/u/ua_18ria.gif

A banner carried by Makhnovist millitias

http://raforum.info/IMG/jpg/1919_drapeaumakh.jpg

http://www.fahnenversand.de/fotw/images/u/ua_18ra1.gif

It translates roughly to;
"Death to all who stand in the way of freedom for working people"

A famous Painting Of Makhno, posing with his Maxim machien gun.
http://zhurnal.lib.ru/img/g/gomonow_s_j/makhno/woskowaja_figura_mahno.jpg

A painting of the Makhnovists in battle.
http://recollectionbooks.com/siml/images/Images/Costantini/costatini_12.JPG

A young Makhno;
http://increvablesanarchistes.org/album_photo/phot1914_20/1919_nestormakhno.jpg

Makhnovist Cavalry Artwork;
http://increvablesanarchistes.org/album_photo/phot1914_20/1921maknov_dessin.jpg

A makhnovist millita.
http://increvablesanarchistes.org/album_photo/phot1914_20/19_maknhovistes.jpg

[Black Dagger]

Is there any meaning behind their use of a skull and bones?

[Forward Union]

Well it Predates the Makhnovists use. The first report was of it beign used by revolutionaries was when Louise Michel, used it as the banner of the womens battalion, which she lead during the paris commune!

The next reported use was by, Emiliano Zapata who flew the exact same flag as the Makhnovists, though with Spainish "Tierra y Libertad" as opposed to the Ukrainian "CMEPTB" (which I believe translates to "Death (to the Rich)"

As the Skull and Crossbones was used as the international sign to mark bottles of Poison from the mid 1800s, I assume it was a symbolic way of saying "we're the poison that kills capitalism"

The Makhnovists also used to embroid "Liberty or Death" and "The Land to the Peasant, The Factories to the Workers." on their banners, according to Peter Marshall, Demanding the Impossible, p. 475

[Tower of Bebel]

Seems intresting. I want to know more about it. I'm going to look up some threads if they exist.

[Forward Union]

A makhnovist rally in Kiev