Though officially adopted in 1921, the Latvian flag was used in as early as the 13th century, according to theRhymed Chronicle of Livonia. The red colour is sometimes described as symbolizing the readiness of the Latvians to give the blood from their hearts for freedom and their willingness to defend their sovereignty. An alternative interpretation is that a Latgalian leader was wounded in battle, and the sheet on which he was laid on was stained by his blood with only the centre stripe of the sheet being left unstained. This story is similar to the legend of the origins of theflag of Austria.
The red-white-red Latvian flag is first mentioned in the medievalRhymed Chronicle of Livonia (Livländische Reimchronik),[1] which covers the period from 1180 to 1343, and is thus among the oldest flags in the world. The chronicle tells of a battle that took place around 1279, in which ancientLatgalian tribes fromCēsis, a city in northern modern-day Latvia, went to war, bearing a 'red flag with a white stripe'.[2]
A separate popular legend recounts the story of a mortally wounded chief ofLatgalians who had been wrapped in a white sheet. The part of sheet on which he was lying remained white, and the two edges were coloured by his blood. During the next battle, the bloodstained sheet was used as a flag. According to the legend, this time the Latgalian warriors were successful and drove the enemy away. Since then, Latgalian tribes have been using these colours as their symbol. This legend is similar to the one mentioned about the genesis of theflag of Austria etc.
Inspired by these historical records, severalLatvian nationalists began to use such flags again in the 19th century.[3][4] The first flag with red field and narrow white stripe concept was made byValmiera Trade School teacherMarianna Strautmane (1896–1985) in the second half of 1916, according to a sketch made by her colleague, journalist and refugee activistJānis Lapiņš [lv] (1885–1941). This bright-red flag featured a yellow sun on the upper-left corner of the flag, and it later flew over the building of the Valmiera Latvian Society during the Vidzeme Land Meeting in March 1917. Preserved by the Lapiņš family during theSoviet occupation of Latvia in 1940 and in exile in the West after 1944, it was ultimately given to the Cēsis Museum in 1997, where today it is on display inCēsis Castle.[5]
Textile version of the Latvian flag.
In 1917, a red-white-red flag was used in several events aimed at uniting Latvian regions as well as Latvian military formations (e.g.Latvian Riflemen units,Iskolat institutions), and the debate about the visual appearance of the Latvian flag was raised. In May, during a meeting of the Latvian Art Promotion Association (Latviešu mākslas veicināšanas biedrība), several proposals were reviewed, finally, a design by artistAnsis Cīrulis [lv;ru] was accepted. Cīrulis' design was also popularized in postcards printed by photographerJānis Rieksts.[4]
During theLatvian War of Independence, the flag saw ever-growing use by the Latvian Armed Forces, government institutions (e.g. it flew fromRiga Castle before and during the Battle of Riga in 1919) and the population.[6] The Latvian national flag, together with the national coat of arms was officially affirmed in this format by a decree of theConstitutional Assembly of Latvia passed on 15 June 1921.[7][3][4]
A variation appeared in anti-Soviet demonstrations.[4]
During theSoviet period by theSoviet Union (and briefly during occupation byNazi Germany), the red-white-red Latvian flag was rendered unusable from 1940 to 1941 and 1944 to 1991. Any production and public display of the nationalist Latvian flag was considered anti-state crime and punishable by law. The first flag of Soviet Latvia was a red flag with the goldhammer and sickle in the top-left corner, with the Latin characters LPSR (Latvijas Padomju Sociālistiskā Republika) above them in gold in a serif font. In 1953, the final version of the flag was adopted. It depicts the Soviet flag with six 1/3 blue wavy bands representing the sea on the bottom.[citation needed]
The local authorities restored the status of the red-white-red flag as the national flag of Latvia on 15 February 1990,[8] one and half years before the formal recognition of Latvian independence by the Soviet Union on 6 September 1991.
A comparison of the physical and digital versions of the flag
According to Latvian law,The Latvian national flag iscarmine red with a white horizontal stripe. (Latvian:tumši sarkana (karmin))[9] The colour on the flag is sometimes referred to asLatvian red. The red colour of the Latvian flag is a particularly dark shade, which is composed ofbrown andpurple. The flag's colour proportions are 2:1:2 (the upper and lower red bands each being twice as wide as the central white band), and the ratio of the height of the flag to its width is fixed at 1:2.[10]
On 11 April 1995, the State Heraldic Commission have once chosen Pantone 1807 C for red colour, this was later replaced by Pantone 201 C on 21 April 2009. On 1 May 2010, the Cabinet of Ministers issued theProcedures for the Application of the Law on the National Flag, which standardized Pantone 19-1629 TPX or 19-1629 TC for red field; an amendment made on 27 November 2018, which came into force 1 January 2019, stating that non-fabric flags, as well as representations produced using other techniques (including digital representations), would use Pantone 201 C, whilst physical flags would continue using 19-1629 TPX/TC.[11][12][13][14]
Latvian law states that the flag andnational colours can be displayed and used as an ornament if proper respect to the flag is guaranteed. Destruction, disrespectful treatment or incorrect display of the flag is punishable by law.[citation needed]
The flag shall be placed at least 2.5 metres (8 ft 2 in) above the ground and properly secured to the flagstaff. The flagstaff shall be longer than the longest side of the flag, straight, painted white, and preferably made of wood. Thefinial at the tip of the flagstaff shall be wider than the flagstaff. When the flag is not displayed continuously, it shall be raised at sunrise and lowered at sunset. If flown for a festival or funeral, it shall be raised before and lowered after the end of the occasion.[citation needed]
If the flag is flown from a flagpole in mourning, it shall be raised to half-staff. If fixed to a flagstaff, a black ribbon whose width is1⁄20 the width of the flag shall be secured to the flagstaff above the flag; the ribbon shall be of sufficient length to span the width of the flag.[citation needed]
The standard of the president is white with the rectangular cross in the colour proportions of the national flag. The centre of the cross covered a white rectangular panel bearing thecoat of arms of Latvia. The height of the coat of arms is1⁄3 of the width of the Standard, the centre of the sun depicted on the shield of the coat of arms is in the centre of the Standard. The proportion between the width of the national colours and that of the Standard is 1:5. The proportion between the length and width of the Standard is 3:2.
The standard of theprime minister is white with the symmetric cross in the colour proportions of the national flag. In top left canton of the flag, thecoat of arms is placed. The height of coat of arms is5⁄6 of the height of canton, and the sun of coat of arms is in the centre of the canton. The proportion between the width of the national colours and that of the Banner is 1:5. The proportion between the length and width of the Banner is 3:2.
The standard of thespeaker of the Saeima is white with the symmetric cross in the colour proportions of the national flag. In top right canton of the flag thecoat of arms is placed. The height of the coat of arms is5⁄6 of the height of the canton; the sun of coat of arms is in the centre of the canton. The proportion between the width of the national colours and that of the Banner is 1:5. The proportion between the length and width of the Banner is 3:2.
The flag of thedefence minister is white with the symmetric cross in the colour proportions of the national flag. In top left canton of the flag the soldier insignia is placed. The height of insignia is3⁄5 of the height of canton. The proportion between the width of the national colours and that of the Banner is 1:5. The proportion between the length and width of the Banner is 3:2.
^Livlädische Reimchronik (Archived 2014-12-15 at theWayback Machine):Von Wenden was zû Rîge komen / zûr lantwer, als ich hân vernomen,/ ein brûder und wol hundert man:/ den wart daß mêre kunt getân./ die quâmen hovelîchen dar / mit einer banier rôtgevar,/ daß was mit wîße durch gesniten / hûte nâch wendischen siten./ Wenden ist ein burc genant,/ von den die banier wart bekant,/ und ist in Letten lant gelegen,/ dâ die vrowen rîtens pflegen / nâch den siten, als die man./ vor wâr ich ûch daß sagen kan,/ die banier der Letten ist. (9219–9233)
^Dzintra Stelpe (2009).Lielā Latvijas Enciklopēdija (in Latvian). Riga: Zvaigzne ABC. p. 263.ISBN9789984408095.OCLC644036298.
^"Latvijas valsts karoga likums" [Law on the National Flag of Latvia] (in Latvian). The Saeima (legislature) of Latvia. 17 November 2009.Archived from the original on 27 November 2010.Latvijas valsts karogs ir karmīnsarkans ar baltu horizontālu svītru. [The Latvian national flag is carmine red with a white horizontal stripe.]
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