Flag of the Netherlands

The flag of the Netherlands is the oldest tricolor among the national flags in todays use. Its roots go back to the 16th century. It served as a model for a variety of other flags.

  • 5.1 Flags of the Dutch possessions in America
  • 6.1 Command and Rank Flags of the Navy

History of the tricolor

In the War of Independence used the Sea Beggars, who played an important role in the fight against Spain, a horizontal tricolor with the colors orange, white and blue. In honor of the leader of Prince William of Orange -Nassau, the flag was called the Prinsenvlag ( Prince's Flag ). Probably the colors are derived from its livery. It was first mentioned in 1572 during the liberation of the town of Den Briel.

By 1630 appeared the first red-white- blue flags and the version with orange in 1653 banned in the province of Holland. The reasons for this are not clear. One theory of production errors in the orange staining, a second of the declining popularity of the House of Orange. Even better visibility at sea may have been a reason.

On 14 February 1796 the first Flag Act was passed, the pretended the red version as flag. The Batavian Republic, she participated in officially, which is also a close relationship with France, the occupying power has been demonstrated. The resulting continuous Kingdom of Holland retained the tricolor in 1806 and even after the liberation of the French flag was again confirmed on 16 March 1816. With the return of the House of Orange to power but also won the orange form again supporter, so that they again became a topic of discussion in the 1930s, mainly through the National Socialist NSB, which used the orange version. On February 19, 1937 confirmed Queen Wilhelmina, during their holiday in Zell am See, the colors red, white and blue as the flag of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In 1958, the colors were better defined as a shining vermilion and cobalt blue.

? The Prinsenvlag, flag of the Republic of the Seven United Provinces (1581-1795)

? Flag of the Batavian Republic (1795-1806)

? Flag of the Kingdom of Holland (1806-1810) and the United Kingdom of the Netherlands ( 1815-1830/39 )

The ruler of Molo with the Dutch tricolor (reversed ) during the colonial period

Use of the flag

The flag is the national flag of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, ie the Netherlands and its possessions in the Caribbean. She's merchant flag, war flag at sea and on land, and was until 1931 the naval jack of the Dutch Navy.

For birthdays of members of the royal family and other joyous, royal events, along with the flag, an orange pennant is hoisted. As a symbol of national mourning, the flag is set to half-mast.

In May and June, families of students who have just graduated hang a satchel to the top of the flagpole on the national flag.

National flag with an orange pennant

National flag at half-mast

Flag with satchels

Het Vlaggelied

Jan Pieter Heije wrote in the 19th century " het Vlaggelied " translated " the flag song" ( listen )

Dutch text

O schitt'rende kleuren van Nederlands vlag

Hoe klopt ons het van hard Vreugd s ontzag

When are you thinking het uw banen begroet!

Ontplooi u, waai uit nu bij bij night en dag!

Gij blijft ons het teken, o holy vlag

Van trouw en van vroomheid, van vroomheid s moed

Van trouw en van vroomheid s moed

Of dat is niet zijn smetloze magnificent rood in

De trouw onzer vad'ren gewijd?

Of tuigt niet dat rood van hun manlijke crashes

En moed in zoo menige strijd?

Of Wijst niet zo blankheid the pure en zo zacht

Op vroomheid that zegen van Gode Verwacht

De zegen that ittle, the gedijt ittle

De zegen that gedijt ittle?

Waai uit dan, o vlag, zij een tolk onzer Bee,

Om trouw en om en vroomheid moed.

De wereld ontzie u op golven s ree

Maar - daaldet gij ooit op den vloed -

Wij Heffen uw wit uit de shui pating zee

En voeren naar 't rood van de hemel u mee,

German text

O radiant colors of the Dutch flag

What they blow proudly along the flood!

How knocks our hearts with joy and awe

If we welcome your tracks!

Unrolling thee, Woe from now, day and night.

You will stay with us a sign, O Holy flag.

From loyalty and devotion, piety and courage.

From loyalty and piety and courage.

Or is the blue in his respectable gloss

Dedicated to the loyalty of our fathers?

Or does not beget the red of her male power

And courage in so many battles?

Or does the whiteness so pure and so soft

The blessing of God expected to piety?

The blessing is the only that thrives only

The blessing of only thrives?

Woe from then, O flag, was translator of our prayers

To fidelity and to piety and courage

The world respect you on sea and land

But - you sink ever in the flood -

We raise your white from the foaming sea

And lift up your blue of the sky.

And turns, and turns your red with our blood

And stained red with your our blood!

Sub-national flags

Provinces

The flags of the twelve Dutch provinces are very different and do not follow a specific pattern.

Flevoland

Friesland

Gelderland

Groningen

Limburg

North Brabant

North Holland

Overijssel

South Holland

Utrecht

Zeeland

Communities

There are no specifications for the 443 municipal flags of the Netherlands. Just as diverse are the flags. Here are some examples. All church flags can be found in Commons (see links).

Rucphen

Westland

Flag of the Dutch possessions in America

The Netherlands still includes several islands in the Caribbean. The collective management as Netherlands Antilles was terminated on October 10, 2010. Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba were Special municipalities of the Netherlands, while Curaçao and Sint Maarten, just as it is 1986 Aruba since January 1, be an autonomous part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Until 1975, Suriname as Dutch Guiana belonged to the Netherlands.

? Flag of the Netherlands Antilles 1959-1985

? Flag of the Netherlands Antilles 1986-2010

Flag of Aruba

Flag of Bonaire

Flag of Curaçao

Flag of Sint Eustatius

Flag Sint Maartens

Saba

The governors of the different areas, or had their own flags:

Governor of Aruba since 1986

? Governor of the Netherlands Antilles ( 1959-1986 )

? Governor of the Netherlands Antilles 1986-2010

More flags of the Netherlands

Until 1931 the tricolor was used as a naval jack, only the disturbed changed flags were introduced.

There is a purple - orange flag of Defense, similar flags are available for the different branches of service. The Minister has its own flag which has the same design as those of the Governors: A white flag with the tricolor at the top and bottom. In the middle of the coat of arms of the Minister rests.

Gösch for civilian ships

Gösch for warships

Flag of the Department of Defense

Secretary of defense (since 1971)

Inspector General

Church pennant ( Kerkwimpel ) of the Marine

Flag of the public transport company GVB Amsterdam

Command and rank flags of the Marine

In the Dutch navy, a distinction between command flags. During the function and rank flags that represent the rank

Command flag of Admiral

Rank flag of Admiral Lieutenant

Command flag of Admiral Lieutenant

Rank flag of Vice-Admiral or Lieutenant-General

Command flag of Vice-Admiral or Lieutenant-General

Rank flag of Rear Admiral or Major General

Command flag of Rear Admiral or Major General

Rank flag of Commodore

Command flag Commodore

Similar flags

In the arrangement and colors of the flag of Luxembourg and flag of the Netherlands same. Despite the geographical proximity, the similarity is pure coincidence, both flags have different historical backgrounds. The Luxembourg took over her red-white- blue of the coat of arms of Count Henry V of Luxembourg. The differences are the one in the lighter blue of the Luxembourg flag on the other, the different aspect ratios ( 1:2 or 3:5 Luxembourg, Netherlands 2:3 ).

The same arrangement of colors can also be found in the national flags of Croatia and Paraguay, in addition lead their national coat of arms in the center of the flag. Here are the role models not the Dutch flag. Croatia's colors come from the historic regions of the country, while Paraguay the flag of France took as a model.

Flag of Croatia

Flag of Paraguay

Flags the Dutch model

South Africa and the Boer republics took over due to their Dutch roots in several of their flags, the Dutch tricolor or the Prinsenvlag.

The City of New York shows her roots as a Dutch New Amsterdam in their city flag.

When the Russian Tsar Peter I traveled in 1699 to the Netherlands to learn more about the ship, he recognized the need for Russia to its own flag needed for his navy. The design of the flag of Russia, he took over from the Dutch, but the colors white - blue-red derived from the coat of arms of Moscow.

?? Flag of South Africa since 1994

? Flag of the Orange Free State from 1856

? Flag of the Transvaal from 1857

Flag of New York City

? flag of Russia

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