Flag bearing the design of the Nordic or Scandinavian cross
Nordic flags, from left to right:
Finland
,
Iceland
,
Norway
,
Sweden
and
Denmark
.
A selection of various in-use Nordic Cross flags in Northern Europe region.
Larger flags, from left to right:
Iceland
,
Faroe Islands
,
Denmark
,
Norway
,
Sweden
,
Finland
;
Smaller flags, from left to right:
Barra
,
South Uist
,
Yorkshire West Riding
(historical),
Orkney
,
Shetland
,
Scania
,
Aland
,
Parnu
,
Setomaa
(ethnic),
Vepsians
(ethnic).
A
Nordic cross flag
is a flag bearing the design of the
Nordic
or
Scandinavian cross
, a
cross symbol
in a rectangular field, with the centre of the cross shifted towards the
hoist
.
All independent
Nordic countries
have adopted such flags in the modern period, and while the Nordic cross is named for its use in the national flags of the Nordic nations, the term is used universally by
vexillologists
, in reference not only to the flags of the Nordic countries but to other flags with similar designs.
[1]
The sideways cross is also known as the Cross of Saint
Philip the Apostle
, who preached not in Scandinavia but in Greece, Phrygia and Syria instead.
The
cross
design represents Christianity,
[2]
[3]
[4]
and was first seen in the
Dannebrog
, the national
flag of Denmark
in the first half of the 13th century. The same design, but with a red Nordic cross on a yellow background, was used as union flag during the
Kalmar union
(1397 to 1523), and when that union fell apart in 1523 the same design, but with a yellow cross on a blue background (derived from the Swedish coat of arms adopted in 1442), was adopted as national flag of
Sweden
, while
Norway
adopted their flag in 1821. From its adoption in the early 16th century until 1906 the background of the flag of Sweden was dark blue, but was changed to the currently used lighter shade of blue in a new flag law that was adopted in 1906, after the dissolution of the union between Sweden and Norway. After gaining independence the other Nordic countries adopted national flags of the same design,
Iceland
in 1915 and
Finland
in 1917. The
Norwegian
flag was the first Nordic cross flag with three colours.
All Nordic flags may be flown as
gonfalons
as well.
Flag formats
[
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]
-
Bicolor Nordic/Scandinavian cross
-
Tricolor Nordic/Scandinavian cross
-
Bicolor Swallowtail Nordic/Scandinavian cross
-
Tricolor Swallowtail Nordic/Scandinavian cross
Flags of the Nordic countries
[
edit
]
Some of these flags are historical. Also,
flag proportions
may vary between the different flags and sometimes even between different versions of the same flag.
The
Flag of Greenland
is the only national flag of a Nordic country or territory without a Nordic Cross. When Greenland was granted home rule, the present flag ? with a graphic design unique to Greenland ? was adopted in June 1985, supported by fourteen votes against eleven who supported a proposed green-and-white Nordic cross.
[5]
Denmark
[
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]
Finland
[
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]
Iceland
[
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]
Norway
[
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]
-
-
Naval ensign of Norway since 1905, civilian state flag since 1899.
-
-
The common naval ensign and war flag of
Sweden
and Norway from 1815 to 1844.
-
Merchant
flag of Norway
(1844?1898 with the union badge representing the union with Sweden)
-
Naval ensign and state flag of Norway (1844?1905)
Sweden
[
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]
-
-
Flag of Sweden before 1815
-
Flag of Sweden (1815?1844) representing the union with Norway
-
-
-
-
Royal standard of Sweden with the
lesser coat of arms
, used by princes and princesses of Sweden
Kalmar Union
[
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]
This is the historical
flag of the Kalmar Union
, which united Denmark, Sweden and Norway from 1397 to 1523. No pictorial evidence survives of the Kalmar Union's Flag. The flag appearing here is a reconstruction based on references in 1430 letters by King
Eric of Pomerania
.
Regional Nordic flags
[
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]
Semi-official regional Nordic flags
[
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]
Unofficial regional Nordic flags
[
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]
These flags either do not have official status or represent various private entities. They have not been officially adopted and their use remains limited.
-
-
Proposed flag of Norway (Anonymous proposal) (1814)
-
-
-
-
Proposal for flag of
Jutland
, designed by artist Per Kramer (1975)
[6]
(actual use is not recorded)
-
Another proposal for flag of
Jutland
, dating from 1972 (not in use)
-
-
-
Proposal for flag of Iceland, designed in 1914 by Magnus Þorðarson
-
-
-
-
Flag of the Swedish province of
Bohuslan
-
Flag of
Gotland
, the unofficial flag of the Swedish island (and province) of Gotland
-
-
Unofficial flag of the Swedish province of
Harjedalen
-
Flag of the Swedish province of
Smaland
-
-
Flag of the Swedish province of
Oland
-
Nordic cross flags outside the Nordic countries
[
edit
]
Armenia
[
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]
Brazil
[
edit
]
-
Flag of
Areias
, Sao Paulo State
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Flag of
Guaira
, Sao Paulo State
-
Flag of
Itu
, Sao Paulo State
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Estonia
[
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]
-
-
-
-
-
Proposed flag for Estonia
-
Proposed flag for Estonia (2)
-
Proposed flag for Estonia (3)
-
Proposed flag for Estonia (1919)
France
[
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]
Georgia
[
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]
Germany
[
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]
Nordic flag designs very similar to
Denmark
's,
Sweden
's, and
Norway
's national flags were proposed as Germany's national flags in both 1919 and 1948, after
World War I
and
World War II
, respectively. Today, the Nordic cross is a feature in some city and district flags or coats of arms.
-
The unofficial 'Noordlandflagg' of
Low German
-speaking people in northern Germany, northeastern Netherlands and southern Denmark
-
-
-
-
-
Former War Ensign of
Nazi Germany
(1938?1945), now illegal in Germany
-
-
-
-
Hungary
[
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]
Latvia
[
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]
Lithuania
[
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]
Netherlands
[
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]
Russia
[
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]
Spain
[
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]
Teutonic Order
[
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]
Ukraine
[
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]
United Kingdom
[
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]
A number of flags for localities in the United Kingdom (primarily
Scotland
) are based on Nordic cross designs, intended to reflect the Scandinavian heritage introduced to the British Isles during the
Viking Age
and through the
High Middle Ages
.
[10]
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Proposed flag of Lancashire (1990s)
-
Proposed flag of Orkney (2007)
-
Proposed flag of Orkney (2007)
-
Proposed flag of Somerset (2013)
United States
[
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]
Other
[
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]
Ethnic flags
[
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]
-
Official flag of the
Forest Finns
, adopted in 2022. Designed by Frederic M. Lindboe and Bettina Gullhagen
-
-
Flag of the
Veps
since 1992, designed by Vitaly Dobrynin. In 2000?2005 span used as the official flag of Vepsian autonomous region in
Russian Karelia
-
-
-
-
-
-
Flag of the
Mi'kmaq
people, Canada (horizontal version)
-
-
Not adopted proposal for the flag of
Sapmi
-
-
Political flags
[
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]
Sport societies
[
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]
Fictional
[
edit
]
-
Flag of
Latveria
, a fictional nation within the
Marvel Comics
universe
-
Flag of
Norsefire
, a fictional neofascist party ruling over the United Kingdom in Alan Moore and David Lloyd's comic series
V for Vendetta
-
Flag of
Kekistan
, a fictional country created by 4chan members as a political meme and online movement
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
EnchantedLearning.com
Archived
3 December 2017 at the
Wayback Machine
;
Historical flags of the world: The Scandinavian cross
Archived
2 September 2020 at the
Wayback Machine
; Eric Inglefield: "Fahnen und Flaggen" (translated to German by Dagmar Hahn), Delphin Verlag, Munich 1986, p.16
- ^
Jeroen Temperman (2010).
State Religion Relationships and Human Rights Law: Towards a Right to Religiously Neutral Governance
.
Martinus Nijhoff Publishers
. p. 88.
ISBN
978-9004181489
.
Archived
from the original on 23 April 2023
. Retrieved
31 December
2007
.
Many predominantly Christian states show a cross, symbolising Christianity, on their national flag. The so-called Scandinavian crosses or Nordic crosses on the flags of the Nordic countries?Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden?also represent Christianity.
- ^
Carol A. Foley (1996).
The Australian Flag: Colonial Relic or Contemporary Icon
. William Gaunt & Sons.
ISBN
9781862871885
.
Archived
from the original on 23 April 2023
. Retrieved
31 December
2007
.
The Christian cross, for instance, is one of the oldest and most widely used symbols in the world, and many European countries, such as the United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Greece and Switzerland, adopted and currently retain the Christian cross on their national flags.
- ^
Andrew Evans (2008).
Iceland
. Bradt.
ISBN
9781841622156
.
Archived
from the original on 23 April 2023
. Retrieved
31 December
2007
.
Legend states that a red cloth with the white cross simply fell from the sky in the middle of the 13th-century Battle of Valdemar, after which the Danes were victorious. As a badge of divine right, Denmark flew its cross in the other Scandinavian countries it ruled and as each nation gained independence, they incorporated the Christian symbol.
- ^
"Nu vajer det grønlandske flag over Danmark"
. 21 June 2016.
Archived
from the original on 22 June 2016
. Retrieved
24 June
2016
.
- ^
"Kunstavisen pa internettet ? Artikler"
. Archived from
the original
on 2 October 2008.
- ^
In 1844, pro-German nationalists in the two duchies of Holstein and Schleswig created a blue-white-red tricolour as a symbol for independence which began to see widespread use. In 1845, Denmark responded by outlawing all other flags than the Danish one shown here. This ban was enforced as long as Denmark controlled the three duchies (Holstein and Lauenburg: effectively until 1863, Schleswig effectively until 1864.) Use of the Danish flag was in turn outlawed by the secessionist government that claimed the three duchies between 1848?1851.
- ^
"Grand Duchy of Oldenburg 1815?1918 (Lower Saxony, Germany)"
.
Flagspot.net
.
Archived
from the original on 25 November 2017
. Retrieved
28 December
2017
.
- ^
"Pegida und das Symbol der Hitler-Attentater"
.
Suddeutsche Zeitung
(in German). 3 August 2015.
Archived
from the original on 20 July 2020
. Retrieved
20 July
2020
.
- ^
Scots communities go Nordic in rising demands for their own flags
Archived
11 October 2021 at the
Wayback Machine
HeraldScotland
- ^
"South Uist flag"
.
Hebrides-news.com
.
Archived
from the original on 29 December 2017
. Retrieved
28 December
2017
.
- ^
"Isle of Barra's flag officially recognised"
. BBC News. 23 November 2017.
Archived
from the original on 30 December 2017
. Retrieved
26 May
2018
.
- ^
"Vinland Flag: General Hate Symbols"
.
Anti-Defamation League
.
Archived
from the original on 24 May 2022
. Retrieved
14 October
2022
.
- ^
Пюккенен, А. Ю.; Сыров, А. А. (2002).
Что такое Ингерманландия? Краткое введение в историю ингерманландских финнов
[
What is Ingria? A short introduction to the history of the Ingrian Finns
] (in Russian). Saint Petersburg.
{{
cite book
}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
link
)
- ^
Пюккенен, А. Ю. (30 May 2011). "Геральдика Невского края" [Neva region heraldry].
Санкт-Петербургские ведомости
(in Russian). Saint Petersburg: АО Издательский дом ≪С.-Петербургские ведомости≫.
- ^
"Hur ser Svenskfinland ut om 100 ar?"
(PDF)
.
Medborgarbladet
(in Swedish).
61
(4). Helsinki: Svenska folkpartiet RP: 20. December 2006. Archived from
the original
(PDF)
on 21 July 2011
. Retrieved
6 June
2008
.
- ^
Engene, Jan Oskar (10 March 1996).
"Swedish speaking population in Finland"
. Flags of the World.
Archived
from the original on 7 July 2020
. Retrieved
6 June
2008
.
- ^
"Interfrisian flag"
.
Groep fan Auwerk
.
Archived
from the original on 24 September 2015
. Retrieved
1 December
2015
.
Bibliography
[
edit
]
External links
[
edit
]
Media related to
Nordic Cross flags
at Wikimedia Commons