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A strong caution about commercial enterprises, NGOs, etc., listed on these Web pages: a caveat. . . .

• Commercial Sources for Flags, T-Shirts, etc.
• Commercial Sources for Music
• Commercial Sources for Books
• See also   List of Bookstores in Belarus.
• See also   Belarusian Music (cassette tapes, CDs, books, etc.)
• See also   Downloadable (Belarusian) Music on the Internet

Although a lot of books about Belarus have been printed in Belarus and other countries of the former Soviet Union, finding them can be a big challenge. This is especially true in Mensk, Belarus, where the book distribution "system" appears not to have been revised since the days of the USSR. So. Good luck in finding the many treasures that really are out there!

Also see information at Contact Information for Products from Belarus.

Commercial Sources for Flags, T-Shirts, Bumperstickers, etc.

• Note: The following include sources for the traditional symbols of Belarus, not the current, modified Soviet flag (although some of these retailers probably do have them). For the current, modified, Soviet flag, go to your favorite Internet or "brick-n-mortar" international flag retailer.
• Go to a Belarusian Autocephalous Church or similar Belarusian diaspora organization (such as in the Toronto, Canada, or Cleveland, Ohio, or New York or New Jersery areas). They often have cultural events where such items are available for sale at very reasonable prices.
• Various groups and individuals maintain "shops" on the Cafe Press Internet retailer Web site:

  • Za Svabodu ("Belarus Freedom").
  • BY Magazine.com (that is, the US Belarusian diaspora newspaper, Bielarus). See also their Krama, listed below.
  • Designs Pa-Belarusku Currently, about a half-dozen different Belarus-related designs on various products, mostly clothing items. Click on the Browse Designs item list for other Belarus-related themes.

• White-Red-White Flag "patch" on www.flagline.com (as well as contemporary, modified Soviet flag items).
• Krama on newspaper Bielarus (USA) Web site. Note: Items are mostly books and music CDs. Catalog is in Belarusian and in "RTF" format (i.e., can be opened with any word processor, such as MS Word, WordPerfect, etc.
• Belarus clothing items at "Sife Athletics" gear (www.store.sife-athletics.com) -- T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, etc.

Commercial Sources for Music

Belarusian Music Alternative - BMA Group   http://bma.agava.ru

(Note: The above Web address is a new one (Sept. 18, 1999). Try the old Web address, if the new one doesn't work: http://fly.to/bmagroup.)

Primarily a producer of, and resource for, Belarusian music inside of Belarus, but they are certainly worth mentioning here. I have also found them referred to as an organization of Belarusian music supporters.

They have been recognized by the Belarus Language Society for their work promoting and producing groups who sing in Belarusian. (If you know Belarusian or Russian, contact them for direct orders of their audio and video recordings.)

They produce groups, recordings, and concerts, and produced the Freedom Dances recordings (Вольныя Танцы: Слухай Сваё! and Вольныя Танцы: Новая Альтэрнатыва. - tape and CD-ROM).

If you are interested in music of Belarus in the Belarusian language, it is certainly worth going to their Web site, and reading the music news and perusing the list of recordings. You can also subscribe to their e-mail based music newsletter (I don't know in what language(s), however).

"The BMA group is interested in co-operation with organizations from Belarus as well as from other countries (festivals, CD-edition, seminars, conferences, etc.). We'll appreciate any information about the activity of your organization."

For further information: 220085 Miensk p/b 5; Tel: (+375 017) 2490888
Supranovich Vital, (+375 017) 2845012.




Contact Information:
Кантактны адрас: 220085 Менск а/с 5
Беларускай Музычнай Альтэрнатывы

тэл/факс (Tel/FAX): 2845012, 2490888

Web URL is also: http://www.agava.ru/bmagroup

E-mail bma@agava.com   (updated, Sept. 18, 1999)

Belarusan Music Source:   http://belmusic.hypermart.net/

Regrettably, no longer an active Web site.

It had been: A wonderful Web site with interesting music links, news articles about the Belarusian music scene, and of course an online catalog of mostly audio cassettes (and some CDs). As of May, 1999, the Belarusian and Russian language versions have much more than the English language version. BMS is based in the USA.

I especially like the articles about the Belarusian music scene, and it also has a great collection of Links to Belarusian Bands   and other music-related Web sites.

Commercial Sources for Books

Belarusians in Great Britain   http://www.belarusians.co.uk/

Regrettably, bookshop is no longer active at this time (October, 2006). They also provide resources in Great Britain, including an online "bookstore" (books and recordings, etc., related to Belarusian topics). Keep checking with their Web site as it develops. (A very welcome addition to the Web regarding Belarus, since Anglo-Belarusians have always been an important, active group of the Belarusian diaspora.)

Belarusians in Great Britain   http://home.clara.net/skaryna/bookshop/index.htm

Periodicals such as The Belarusian Chronicle and Kamunikat, and books produced in Great Britain, or by authors based there (such as Arnold McMillin and Guy Picarda) may now be ordered at the same address, and payment can be made to them in Great Britain, or to their representatives in New York.

Also refer to the information about Anglo-Belarusian organizations and publications on this A Belarus Miscellany Web site for further information.

Contact: belarusians_in_britain@yahoo.com

Contact: belarusianlibraryinlondon@yahoo.com   The Belarusian Library in London

Krajavid Kniharnia   http://www.kraj.org/

Apparently, no longer a Web bookstore., etc., but an "Information Center", based in Vilnius, Lithuania. Anyone have more info as to what happened?

States that it is the first Belarusian Bookstore on the Internet. Text is in Belarusian only. A very well presented Web site--if you are fluent in Belarusian. Some parts of the Web site are not yet active, especially the parts in English (Belarusian and Russian language sections are available). They do have a very interesting selection of music cassettes, a few music CDs, some videos, subscriptions to periodicals, and especially books on many subjects. They are based in Lithuania.

In May, 1999, there are a couple of audio samples from a book/cassette pair available for purchase. (See further information at downloadable music from WWW.kraj.org.) Possibly, there will be more of such audio samples on this Web site.

Advanced Book Exchange   an Internet-based, "meta-" commercial book source

• A "meta-" commercial book source that links many bookstores' online databases. Claims to have 13 million titles listed (but that number more than likely means 100's if not 1000's of different sources for one particular popular title). For example, I did find several sources for Vera Rich's (editor of) Like Water, Like Fire (1971) at a reasonable price. They are based in Canada.

• Definitely worth a look, especially for the books listed on A Belarus Miscellany that are in English.

Amazon Books, Inc.   an Internet-based (only), general book distributor

• When I completed a search for "Belarus," (April 26, 1997), they listed 65 books about Belarus, almost all of which require special ordering. When I completed a similar search in January, 1998, they listed 98 titles. Prices are not available for most of these books, either, until you ask to have the book searched out. They are based in the USA.

• For those interested in Jewish history of the area of which modern Belarus is a part, many of the books listed relate to this topic.

• Also refer to the Amazon Books, Great Britain and the Amazon Books, Germany versions of Amazon.com for other books related to Belarus. For example, in October, 1999, I was only able to find Arnold McMillin's new book, Belarusian Literature in the 1950s and 1960s (pub. 1999), on the Amazon.de Web site (it is published in Germany but in English by the way).

Barnes & Noble   an Internet-based, general book distributor (as well as a traditional bookstore retailer)

• Similar to Amazon.com, but they were first a chain of retail bookstores. They are based in the USA.

  (There are other retail bookstores that are now appearing on the Internet. Use your search engine to find many more.)

Arc Music, UK   an Internet-based, wholesale and retail music distributor in the UK

Based in the UK, albums appear to be produced in Germany. They also have a third corporate address in the USA as well.

They sell two albums (CDs) of Belarusian folk-oriented music, and include RealAudio excerpts from each of them. Go to the following links for further information about the albums by Nataliya Romanskaya & Kirmash and Olga Mischula and Kirmash.

Technalohija Publishers, Mensk, Belarus

If you are in Mensk, Belarus, a small selection of books about Belarus are available from Technalohija Publishers. I think it is worth the taxi fare to seek out these books (call them first). The price of these paperback books is very low. These same books may also be available from used book dealers in Mensk as well. (Follow this link for a list of the books they have published.)

Other books in English may be available (on a very limited basis) in the other bookstores of Mensk (and other Belarusian cities).

East View Books, Inc.   includes periodicals in Belarusian from Belarus, etc.

"Since 1989, East View Publications has been supplying the world with valuable research materials from the now-former Soviet Union in a wide variety of formats. Today, our services are more expansive than ever, covering a broad range of physical territory and a wide spectrum of subjects from a growing pool of private and state publishers, universities, and institutes, government organizations, museums and galleries, social groups and private foundations."
• "For more information on our Book Services, please contact our Minneapolis, Minn., USA, Office at 1-800-477-1005, or email us at books@eastview.com "

• Note: I have tried to use Eastview one time (summer, 2003), and was not at all happy with their "service." Even though their database does indicate Belarusian materails, they are very expensive, they do not stock many Belarusian items in the US and thus ship from Moscow(!), as a result shipping was extremely slow (close to two months--unless you are willing to pay a hefty fee), and they had difficulty charging my credit card. If you have experience ordering Belarus-related materials from them, please contact me. I am interested in more instances of ordering from them.