Mer Hayrenik
The national anthem of Armenia is based on certain parts of the poem "The Song of an Italian Girl". It was first adopted in 1918 as the anthem of the First Republic of Armenia. But when the Soviets invaded their territory and gained control over the country in 1922, the Soviets banned this song and suppressed Armenian nationalism. Instead, the Armenians were forced to have the Anthem of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic as a part of their identity, in praise of the Soviet Union. Decades later, late into 1991, the USSR broke up. This anthem was successfully restored, with minor changes to the lyrics.