The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1915-01-15
STORIES OF FLAGS
Origins of Some of the Emblems
of European Nations.
THE TRICOLOR OF BELGIUM.

It Was Originally the Standard of the
Duchy of Brabant-Complex CoIors
of Austria and the Flags of Germany,
France, England and Russia.
Prior to the Franco-P Prussian war of
1870 the German empire was little
more than a group OF scattered states.
When they combined into single en-
pire, however, traces of all their flags
were combined in the resultant stand
ard.
To be sure, the colors of Prussia
black and white-and the Prussian
eagle enter very largely into it, but it
must be remembered that this country
became at that time the head and
ruler of all the others. Besides the
smaller states, there were also the
flags of East and West Prussia to be
included. That of West Prussia was
black, white, black, three stripes of
equal diameter, running the length of
the flag. That of East Prussia con-
sisted of two such stripes, the upper
black and the lower white. The
Jack" of the imperial navy consists
of three horizontal stripes, the upper
black, the middle white and the lower
red. The much priced iron cross dat
ing back to the end of the twelfth cen
tury) is in the center. This red stripe
appears in the final war ensign of the
empire, in which the trcolor (black,
white. red) appears in the upper quar-
ter, with the iron cross upon 1t, while
the remaining threequarters are white
with the royal arms in the center.
black cross divides the whole flag into
quarters.
/ The flag of Austria is very COM
plex affair. To begin with, the various
Austrian provinces have their own
flags Bohemia is red white, Tyrol is
white-red, Dalmatia is blue-yellow, Ga
licia is blue-red, Croatia is red white
blue and Tstria is yellow white blue
Then again, Austria Hungary being a
dual monarchy, both Austria and Hun
! gary must be separately represented
and fully-on the flag Fortunately,
this combination was rendered more
easy by the fact that portions of the
| flags of both countries were already
| the same Thus, the Austrian flag was
! red white red the Hungarian was red
white-green Compromise was effect
ed by dividing the lowest horizontal
stripe in two, and leaving half red
while the remainder was green. The
arms of both countries also appear on
the flag This was decided upon March
6, 1869
The imperial standard of the czar of
all the Russias is OF brilliant yellow,
in the center of which is large dou-
BILE headed black eagle. This flag dates
from the year 1472. when Ivan the
Great married Sophia, niece OF Con
stantine palaeoogus. and thence as
sumed the arms of the Greek empire.
On the breast of the eagle is an es.
cutcheon Bearing on its red field in sill.
yer the figure of St George Staying
the dragon, the whole being surround
ed by the collar Of the Order of st
Andrew On the displayed wings OF
the eagle are other shields bearing
the arms of Kiev, Novgorod, Vladi.
mir, Kasan, etc The Russian union
jack is very similar to that of Eng
land, save that the principal crossbars
are blue instead of red This Is the
we'll known Russian war flag. The
cross is that of ST Andrew, the patron
saint of Russia.
The well known tricolor of France
is made up of three stripes-blue
white and red-running not the length
but the width of the Aag. 1t dates
from the era of the French revolution
and came into existence in 1888 Il
has been the national flag since, witt
but slight variations In 1894 the tri
color was also made the jack of the
French navy.
The union jack Of Great Britain Ii
composed of the three crosses of st
George ST Patrick and st. Andrew
, That Of the first was broad red cross
dividing the white flag into four white
, squares; the white cross OF St An
drew, on a blue background, ran from
corner to corner diagonally, while th'
red cross of st. Patrick ran in the sam
. direction. If the union jack be exam
ined it will be found to 10 composed
of these three crosses, as stated. Th
, flag was first uufurled In 1901, on tn
} union in that year of Great Britain
England, Scotland and Wales, an
Ireland.
The flag of Belgium is composed
q tricolor-black, yellow and red-rur
< ming up and downfall is, the widt
and not the length Of the flag Tn
< royal standard has the arms placed |
the center of the yellow strip. Ihi
< was adopted as the national flag /
1881, being originally the colors of tn
s duchy of Brabant.
From 1477 until 1906 Belgium bt
8 longed to Austria, but on the latte
date it fell into the hands of Spail
: In 1895 and for some years followin
it was held by France, and in lSl
was handed over TO the Prince
< Orange. but in 1880 the Begians ros
: against the Holanders and establishe
X their independence. The flag which
{ now flown was then adopted Wasi
X ington Post.