What does your flag mean?
- Thread starter RedRalph
- Start date
rolleyes
Winner
Diverse in Unity
That's an official explanation?
Czech flag:
It doesn't have any official interpretation. Traditional colors of the Czech nation were red and white, with two-tailed lion between them. In 1918-1920 when the Czechoslovak flag was being created, it was decided that two-colour red-white flag would be too confusing, since Poland and Austria used the same colours.
It was decided that a third colour would be added, and blue was deemed the most suitable, since red-white-blue were traditional Slavic colours in that time and blue was also the Slovak national colour. Then the question arose how the colours would be integrated into the flag. Horizontal stripes were too common, vertical were used by France, so they decided to put a horizontal blue wedge into the traditional Bohemian Coat of arms (this configuration was also used by the Czech legionnaires in Russia, who were famous, heroic figures in the young Czechoslovakia) to differentiate it from the other flags.
It worked
Czech flag:
It doesn't have any official interpretation. Traditional colors of the Czech nation were red and white, with two-tailed lion between them. In 1918-1920 when the Czechoslovak flag was being created, it was decided that two-colour red-white flag would be too confusing, since Poland and Austria used the same colours.
It was decided that a third colour would be added, and blue was deemed the most suitable, since red-white-blue were traditional Slavic colours in that time and blue was also the Slovak national colour. Then the question arose how the colours would be integrated into the flag. Horizontal stripes were too common, vertical were used by France, so they decided to put a horizontal blue wedge into the traditional Bohemian Coat of arms (this configuration was also used by the Czech legionnaires in Russia, who were famous, heroic figures in the young Czechoslovakia) to differentiate it from the other flags.
It worked
holy king
Deity
Duke Friedrich II (1210-1246), the last Babenberg, known as the Quarrelsome or the Warlike, to become more independent from the Holy Roman Empire designed a new coat of arm red-white-red in the year 1230.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Austria
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Austria
Ziggy Stardust
Absolutely Sane
Used to be Orange white blue, but in WWII the NSB used that, so it got a bad rep and it was decided to use Red from then on.
The colours originated from the coat of arms of the "Oranjes".
aronnax
Let your spirit be free
The Stars were put there as the Chinese wanted to be like communist China
The Crescant because the muslim malays wanted to be with Islam/
The Crescant because the muslim malays wanted to be with Islam/
Uncle Anton
Lighthorseman
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Australia
The Union Jack symbolising our links to Britain above the "Federation Star" (A seven point white star representing Australia's 7 states and territories), along with a white 'Southern Cross' (A constellation only visible in the Southern Hemisphere). Similar to (and often confused with) New Zealand's flag...
The Union Jack symbolising our links to Britain above the "Federation Star" (A seven point white star representing Australia's 7 states and territories), along with a white 'Southern Cross' (A constellation only visible in the Southern Hemisphere). Similar to (and often confused with) New Zealand's flag...
until the 16th century the swiss confederation was still part of the HRE. The emperor granted the right to bear the red banner as well as a white cross as a special honour, often to show immediacity (direct subordination to the emperor). For example the city of vienna or Savoy both show a similar white cross on red ground (plus, of course, denmark, though in that case I'm not sure if the origin is the same).
After a time the white cross on red back was used by the member states as a way to show their membership to the confederancy during battle beside their own coat of arms. Only in 1848 the swiss cross was adapted as the official flag of switzerland.
The fifty stars represent the states; the thirteen stripes represent the thirteen original colonies who founded our country. It's red, white, and blue presumably because those were Britain's colors.*
Cleo
*The most successful color scheme in world history.
Cleo
*The most successful color scheme in world history.
aronnax
Let your spirit be free
The meaning of the american flag, kudos to the funny picture threads
QuoVadisNation
keeping your angel alive
According to wikianswers, The red means the blood fought for victory, It may also mean freedom. The stripes represent the 13 original colonies, the stars represent the 50 states, and the white means freedom, I believe. Seems like we have a sort of theme going. I think blue refers to justice, liberty, or democracy. Whatever the real reason, I'd imagine the reason is strongly tied to the meaning of the French flag.
Odd, I always thought the strips were for good luck.
Odd, I always thought the strips were for good luck.
holy king
Deity
Thorbal
not enough ram!
Edit: Holy King was faster.... again...
Now that I read the article... the war flag of the HRE reminds me of something
.
And the nordic cross prototype... awesome... that should´ve been the German flag after WWII.
Now that I read the article... the war flag of the HRE reminds me of something
.And the nordic cross prototype... awesome... that should´ve been the German flag after WWII.
holy king
Deity
during the german liberation wars the uniforms of the Lützow Free Corps also contained a combination of black, gold, red though.
from that time there's the saying (about the uniforms, as a flag the colours were first used from 1848 to 1866) that the black stands for the serfdom and red for the blood that's spilt in battle through which they go into a golden future known. that might have led to that misconception...
Mirc
Not mIRC!!!
It's a really interesting story actually. It was first used in the 6th century, then later in wars allied with Byzantium, then it stuck, and coincidentally (yes, coincidentally) each of the colors is the representative color of one of the three historic principalities that united.
6th century: Dacia Justinianus
One of the very first occurrences of the three official colours of today dates back to the Novella XI, issued on April 14, 535 by Emperor Justinian I. Among other things, it describes what was called "Justinian Dacia" (Banat and part of Oltenia) at the time, and contains a coat of arms for it.
"Ex parte dextra, in prima divisione, scutum rubrum, in cuius medis videtur turris, significans utramque Daciam, in secunda divisione, scutum coelesti, cum (signum) tribus Burris, quarum duae e lateribus albae sunt, media vero aurea."
Translation: "On the right, in the first section, a red shield, on which towers can be seen, signifying the other Dacia, in the second section, a blue-sky shield, with the ensigns of the Bur tribe, the sides are white, and golden in the middle."
9th-19th centuries
The three official colours were encountered again after the IX-th century, when the Romanian people is considered to have formed. The colours made various appearances in the flags of the various Romanian principalities and noble houses, as chosen by rulers or nobility.
While the three colours were only used together coincidentally, it is a fact that each of them, by itself, held very important significance in the three historical provinces of Romania.
The principality of Moldova used a red flag almost continuously starting from the XIV-th century. Similarly, Muntenia (or Ţara Românească
1600: the first unification
In 1600, prince Michael the Brave briefly managed to unite all three principalities, a historical feat which inspired many of the following nationalistic movements. As ruler of Wallachia and Transylvania, he managed to defeat the Moldovan army on May 18, 1600, and effectively united for the first time the three parts of today's Romania.
This state of affairs didn't last long due to the instability of the region which culminated with the assassination of Michael the Brave in 1601. Still, the three colours were used during 1599-1601 on diplomas issued by Michael's administration as a sign of appreciation to the various nobles who supported him. Over 20 diplomas have been recovered, which contain the three colours together on the crests and shields.
1821: the Anti-phanariotes revolution
During the anti-phanariotes revolution of 1821, the three colours were displayed together on the flag used by Tudor Vladimirescu, the leader of the Wallachian uprising. While the main colour of the flag was white, the hoist had three sets of tassels, combining the red, blue and yellow colours two by two.
1834: the first flag
The first official acknowledgement of the three colours together on the flag took place in 1834, during the ruling of Dimitrie Ghica, when the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire approved the adoption of a flag[7] with the three colours placed horizontally (with blue at the bottom) and an eagle holding a crown and sceptre on yellow, for the use of all Romanian commercial and military units and ships.
This was the first official union of the three colours, and while it didn't hold a nationalistic meaning at the time, it was later taken as a symbol for the following nationalistic movements.
1848: the revolution
During the Revolutions of 1848, the newly formed Romanian Government stated in its Decree no. 1, from June 14, 1848, and later detailed in Decree no. 252, July 13, 1848, that the official flag was to be composed of three colours: "dark blue, light yellow and crimson red". The flag had vertical colours with blue at the hoist, and bore the inscription "Justice, Fraternity".
Horizontal colours had been used that same year at the National Assemblies at Blaj, on the Field of Liberty, on April 26. The Romanians there used white instead of yellow -- supposedly in solidarity with other European revolutionaries, such as the French and the Hungarians, who also used white for their flags -- and the inscription "Virtus Romana Rediviva" (Roman virtue reborn). Eventually, however, all Romanian flags reverted to the yellow colour.
1859: the Small Unification
The national flag is once again ratified in 1859, when Alexandru Ioan Cuza was elected as ruler in both Moldova and Ţara Românească in a surprise consensus of the Romanians in both.
This flag, used from 1859 to 1866, had once again the colours placed horizontally, with blue at the bottom.
1867: Principality of Romania and Kingdom of Romania
The placement was changed back to vertical in 1867, with the arrival of Carol I as the ruler of the Kingdom of Romania (1881–1947). It has remained in this form ever since, with the blue colour at the hoist. The blue shade was somehow lighter, until 1948 when it got darker, as it is today.
1948: the Communist state
In 1948, the Communist regime (1947–1989) replaced the former coat of arms (composed of traditional Romanian heraldic elements) with a new one, of Soviet influence. It consisted of a scene surrounded by sheaves of wheat wrapped with a ribbon of the national colours having the letters RPR (Romanian People's Republic) emblazoned on it. The scene depicts Romania's mineral wealth (the oil derrick, the forests, mountains) basking in the glow of the sun.
The red star at the top of the coat of arms symbolizes Socialism and was added in September 1952.
A third version, seen here, was adopted on August 21, 1965. The letters RPR were replaced on the main part of the scroll with ROMÂNIA, and on the left and right parts of the scroll the words REPUBLICA and SOCIALISTĂ were added, so that the inscription now read "Socialist Republic of Romania".
During this time period the Soviet propaganda promoted a fictive meaning of the flag colours. School children were taught that red stands for the blood of the fallen heroes, yellow for the crop fields and blue for the sky. The colours were also constantly mentioned in reverse order (red, yellow, blue) although the flag never actually changed. This order and the fictive meaning were even mentioned in the national anthem of that time.
1989: the revolution
The Communist coat of arms was eliminated during the days of the 1989 revolution, when protesters on the streets of Timişoara and Bucharest waved flags with a round hole cut in the middle.
A few days later, on December 27, 1989, the provisional government decided informally not to incorporate a new coat of arms into the official flag. The flag has maintained that form ever since.
Hitti-Litti
Deity
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2006
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White represents snow and white nights of the Finnish summer, blue represents lakes and the sky. The cross represents christianity(is it spelled Christianity or christianity?).
gangleri2001
Garbage day!!!
Catalan flag. Legendary meaning from the wiki
And here you got the legendary scene:
Its actual origin its unknown, but everything seems to point to the house of carcassone's coat of arms (yes, maños, this flag's origins are neither aragonese nor catalan).
