Flag of Estonia
The Estonian flag was first introduced on November 21, 1918 and again on 7 August 1990. Proposals for a new national flag could not prevail.
Description
The national flag is three equal horizontal stripes ( from top to bottom ) Blue, Black and White (Estonian: sini (ne), must, valge ). After the Estonian flag Regulation came into force on 1 January 2006, the Blue is set to the color value Pantone 285C and proportions to 7:11.
History
It was the first time as a banner of the association of students Estonians (Estonian: Eesti Üliõpilaste Selts or EW ) announced a fraternity at the University of Tartu, for which it was ordained on June 4, 1884 in the parish of Otepaeae. She has been associated later with the Estonian nationalism and used during the first Estonian independence in 1918 as the Estonian flag. Formally, the flag was declared on 21 November 1918 national flag.
After the invasion of the Soviet Union in 1940, the flag was banned. She was caught on the Pikk Hermann on 21 June 1940 although Estonia was still formally independent. The following day she was hoisted back together with the Soviet flag until it was finally banned on July 27. On 6 August 1940, the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic was formally part of the Soviet Union.
A decree of the Provisional Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Estonian SSR, the first flag of the Estonian SSR was launched on 31 October 1940. The aspect ratio of height to width was 1:2. The flag consisted of a red cloth with the symbols of the hammer and sickle in yellow color, which were located in the upper left corner. About this stood in yellow Estonian abbreviation ENSV ( Eesti Nõukogude Sotsialistlik Vabariik - Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic ) in sans serif font.
During the German occupation from 1941 to 1944, the Estonian flag was accepted as a symbol of ethnic Estentums, but not as a national flag. After the retreat of the Germans in September 1944, the Estonian flag was raised again. On 22 September, the Soviet flag was hoisted to; again the Estonian flag disappeared soon after.
The second flag of the Estonian SSR, popularly called "Wave Flag" ( lainelipp ), was introduced by a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet on February 6, 1953, confirmed by § 167 of the Constitution of the Estonian SSR from 7 October 1977.
The aspect ratio of height to width was 1:2. The flag was made of red cloth. In the lower half flag were horizontally over a large light blue wave stripes two smaller white shaft stripes, which were separated by a small blue stripes. Five peaks of the waves were seen. The waves should symbolize the Baltic Sea.
The flag of the Estonian SSR differed from the flag of the Latvian SSR by scharfkantigere wave crests and a wavy red stripes below the light blue stripe that was missing in the flag of the Latvian SSR. This red stripes took on the flag of the Estonian SSR about one fifth.
On the front of the flag were - as in the flag of the Soviet Union - in Gösch gelbumrandeter a five-pointed red star and an underlying hammer - and - sickle symbol to see. On the back were lacking in most cases star, hammer and sickle. The Constitution of the Estonian SSR from 1977 wrote this expressly.
Only during perestroika could see the tricolor in public again. In 1988, the public showing the original flag of the Republic of Estonia was not prosecuted. On February 24, 1989, the 71st anniversary of the Estonian Declaration of Independence in 1918, they moved right back on to the Pikk Hermann at the government headquarters in Tallinn. It was on August 7, 1990, shortly before the new Estonian independence, officially declared by the Supreme Council of the Republic of Estonia to the national flag.
2001 suggested the politicians Kaarel Tarand to replace the tricolor by a cross - flag in the style of the Scandinavian countries. Proponents of the proposal argue that the tricolor is the symbol of an Eastern European country, while the Estonian cross would symbolize ties with the Nordic countries. Made especially to Finland close contacts due to the relationship of language and culture. In 1919, there were proposals for a flag in the cross design. Since the tricolor but can enjoy as an important national symbol great popularity, Tarands proposal was not taken up.
1:2? Flag of the Estonian SSR (1940-1953)
1:2? Flag of the Estonian SSR (1953-1990)
1:2? Back of the flag of the Estonian SSR.
? Flag proposal of 2001
Sub-national flags of Estonia
The flags of the 15 counties ( maakond ) Estonia consist uniformly of two horizontal stripes white-green and lead in the white field, the emblem of the circle.
The Estonian municipalities conduct their own flags in very different designs.
Sauga
Lasva
Varbla
More flags of Estonia
? Flag of the naval forces
Gösch naval
Flag of the Võro language group