A common name in the German language for the country situated between Poland and Russia is Weißrussland, i. e. White Russia. This name evokes associations as to the dependence of Belarus on Russia, or even that it is part of the larger neighbour. The article discusses the processes taking place in Germany leading to the replacement of the former term with an alternative one, namely Belarus. The practice of German authorities in this respect is shown, as well as the efforts of journalists trying to make Germans aware of the separateness of the Belarusian nation from the Russians. The article falls within the current of toponymic research, or more precisely choronymy, i. e. the science of names of states and countries. The authors, drawing on the work of linguists, try to prove that the names of countries, contrary to popular opinion, not only identify places, but also contain and convey cultural content, which has an impact on social consciousness.