The Flag of Austria Is one of the oldest in the world. It has three horizontal stripes (red-white-red) of equal dimensions, and on its origin there are different versions. The scale of the flag is 2: 3.
Its oldest representation is preserved in a monastery of Lilienfeld, in a shield dated of 1230, approximately.
Austria is located to the south of Central Europe and between the most divulged versions on the origin of its flag are these two:
- It was devised by Duke Leopold V of Austria, between 1177 and 1194, who is said to have participated in the Third Crusade. At the Battle of Acre in 1191, he saw his bloody suit, except for the part that covered his white belt and decided that the flag should be so.
- It was created in the thirteenth century by the Duke Frederick II of Austria, who sought greater independence from the Germanic Roman Empire, and used the coat of arms of the family of noble family that inhabited the territory that corresponds to the present Bavaria, during the X century.
However, in this last one, the heraldry specialists do not agree very much, who think that those colors derive from the shield of the House of the Eppenstein, that governed Styria in centuries X and XI.
History of the Austrian flag
During the Astro-Hungarian Empire, there were two very different flags to the present; One was used for war and the other for commercial matters, but after its fall, it began to use a red flag red white.
After its enthronement, the Duke Frederick II of Austria designed a new national shield in red, white and red.
This flag stopped being used from 1918, and after the World War II , When the Nazis were defeated, began to be used again. The date indicated as the reinstatement of that flag is May 1, 1945.
This happened under the provisional government of Karl Renner, although it was until 1955, when it became independent of the allies.
Since then it is the one that uses that country although it has the variant that includes the coat of arms.
Flag of Austria Symbols
Regardless of the true origin of the Austrian flag, the meaning of its colors suggests that the white color is due to the white clothes used by Duke Leopoldo V. Although its symbology refers to honesty and purity as values.
For its part, red represents the strength and heroism of that people. The blood that was shed in the wars that fought their founders with courage.
Austrian flag in currency
The flag of Austria has been used for many collector's coins. In 2003, a commemorative coin of the 20 years of the postwar period circulated.
On its obverse, it shows the shield of the European country flanked by its flag and that of the European Union.
Even though it is from the red stripes to the ends and the white strip in the middle, it is the national flag, there are other flags in Austria: those of Upper and Lower Austria, Burgerland, Carinthia, Styria and That of Salzburg.
References
- Absolut Austria (2010). Austria and its flag. Recovered from: absolutviajes.com.
- Austria.info.
- Austria flag (s / f). Austria Flag History. Retrieved from: austriaflag.facts.co.
- Blog of flags (2012). The oldest national flags in the world. Blogdebanderas.com.
- About Austria (2012). History of the flag of Austria. Recovered from: sobreaustria.com.
- Tourism (sf). Flag of Austria. Recovered from: turismo.org.