Flag of Ã…land
The flag of Åland is the national symbol of the autonomous archipelago between Finland and Sweden. The blue background with the yellow cross represents the membership of Sweden, Swedish culture and Swedish descent, the red cross on yellow cross are the Swedish colors for Finland and the colors of the Finnish national emblem: a yellow lion on a red background.
History
At the grand song festival 1922 in Mariehamn was shown for the first time a flag of Åland. It was a striped flag with three equal width bands colored blue - yellow-blue. By 1934, the Åland demonstrated repeatedly during festivals their flag, who came from the old Swedish Empire.
In 1934 came out a general flag order and according to this, it was forbidden to show other flags, but not blowing the national flag of Finland with a dominant place. The Åland landscape with their Supervisor and District Björkman at the top ignored this arrangement. " These Regulations shall be there, where it has been adopted, so in Finland. Åland they shall not ", we were quick to agree on the islands.
As a zealous state officials then took the Åland flag on a hard down, they sought the police. However, this could not do anything and after being informed in Helsingfors (Helsinki), was clear: It was in the law for Åland no exception adopted, so it was not allowed to flag be hoisted with Åland coat of arms colors without hoist the flag of Finland at the same time.
One but not resigned himself, a short time later, in 1937, suggested the county council deputy Herman Mattsson before that own Åland flag should be developed. Because of the Stockholm Plan - Befestigungsanlangen for Åland end of the 30s - the plans were put on hold. Five years later, in 1942, Herman Mattsson took up this question again, hoping this time to get support. After a critical examination of Matts Dreijer end of 1945, finally proposed a landscape Act concerning the Åland flag and coat of arms of Åland. However, the law remained the law Committee hang and did not materialize.
The new " Självstyrelselagen " ( Home Rule Act ) of 1951 finally gave the Lagting the right to make its own flag for the landscape. Now the Lagting not only had the right to make its own flag, but also to determine their application. Thus, the foundation was laid for a national symbol of Åland.
In January 1952, the landscape management enacted the first law Åland flag. The flag that was proposed was a Nordic Cross in blue and yellow. A blue background with yellow cross and in the middle of the cross with a blue cross. The Lagting took the law that the Åland Delegation enacted the law, but the court was of the view that the flag was too similar to the Swedish and the likelihood of confusion existed. The President of the Åland Delegation followed this opinion, and thus the idea of this flag was discarded.
? Flag Proposal 1952
Consequently, it came in 1953 in Lagting a flag argument. In March came a new proposal, this time with a blue cross on a yellow background. After the performance, a heated debate arose. Finally, this proposal was rejected. A minority continued to hold fast to the old flag of the Swedish Empire, the blue - yellow-blue striped flag. However, the majority in Lagting was for a Scandinavian cross flag. Thus, a third proposal was made, this time with a blue background, a yellow cross and the yellow cross with a red cross. This proposal was finally adopted with 18 votes in favor, 11 votes against.
On 31 March 1954, the Finnish President PAASIKIVI recognized the flag law. In the new municipal law have ships that are registered in Åland, the right to lead the Åland flag as maritime flag around the world.
The aspect ratio of today's flag is 17:26; the horizontal dimensions of the fields amounts 16:3:4:3:26, vertical 12:3:4:3:12.
Inventor of the Åland flag
Later it was speculated who the original inventor of the now new Åland flag. According to Erik Tudeer this is the folk high school teacher LO Liljeström. The journalist Håkan Skogsjö, the design course could be going through your head again, had a different opinion. A later interview with the then Vice-President of the Lagtings, Eliel Persson, Skogsjös confirmed perception. According to Persson, it was Evald Häggblom, who designed the flag that finally won the vote. The same proposal was simultaneously created by the primary school teacher Kerstin Bertell who tested several options among their colleagues.
Ancient ancestors of the Åland flag
The mid-60s it was discovered during restoration work of a medieval wooden sculpture that belonged to the Swedish king Karl Knutsson Bonde that the remaining ink residues on the royal banners were an unknown template for the Åland flag. It is believed that this banner in the 15th century blew over Kastelholm when Karl Knutsson came to Åland with his guests.