Flag of Estonia

The national **flag of Estonia** (Estonian: *Eesti lipp*) is a tricolour featuring three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white. The normal size is 105 cm × 165 cm (41 in × 65 in). In Estonian it is colloquially called the "*sinimustvalge*" (literally "blue-black-white"), after the colours of the bands.

First adopted on 21 November 1918 after its independence, it was used as an national flag until 1940 when the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany (1941–44) illegally occupied Estonia. After World War II, from 1944 to 1990, the Soviet Estonian flag consisted first of a generic red Soviet flag with the name of the republic, then changed to the red flag with a band of blue water waves near the bottom. The Estonian flag, which was also used by the Estonian government-in-exile, was officially re-adopted 7 August 1990 one year before its official restoration of independence.

## History

The story of the flag begins 17 September 1881, when the constituent Assembly of the first Estonian national student Corps "Vironia" (modern Estonian Students Society) in the city of Tartu was also identified in color, later became national.

### Independence

The flag became associated with Estonian nationalism and was used as the national flag (*riigilipp*) when the Estonian Declaration of Independence was issued on February 24, 1918. The flag was formally adopted on November 21, 1918. December 12, 1918, was the first time the flag was raised as the national symbol atop of the Pikk Hermann Tower in Tallinn.

### Soviet occupation

The invasion by the Soviet Union in June 1940 led to the flag's ban. It was taken down from the most symbolic location, the tower of Pikk Hermann in Tallinn, on June 21, 1940, when Estonia was still formally independent. On the next day, 22 June, it was hoisted along with the red flag. The tricolour disappeared completely from the tower on July 27, 1940, and was replaced by the flag of the Estonian SSR.

### German occupation

During the German occupation from 1941 until 1944, the flag was accepted as the ethnic flag of Estonians but not the national flag. After the German retreat from Tallinn in September 1944, the Estonian flag was hoisted once again.

 File:Lenini mäetipp (J. Künnap).jpg
### Second Soviet occupation

*Main article: Flag of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic*
When the Red Army arrived on 22 September[*year needed*], the red flag was just added at first. Soon afterwards, however, the blue-black-white flag disappeared. In its place from February 1953, the Estonian SSR flag was redesigned to include the six blue spiked waves on the bottom with the hammer and sickle with the red star on top.

The flag remained illegal until the days of perestroika in the late 1980s. 21 October 1987 was the first time when Soviet forces didn't take down the flag at a public event. 24 February 1989 the blue-black-white flag was again flown from the Pikk Hermann tower in Tallinn. It was formally re-declared as the national flag on 7 August 1990, little over a year before Estonia regained full independence.

## Symbolism

 File:Eesti lipp.jpg
There are a number of interpretations attributed to the colours of the flag. A historical interpretation of the colours has blue representing ancient freedom, truth, sky and sea, black symbolizing soil, lost independence and dark coats, and white, the promise and pursuit of a brighter future.

Another interpretation made popular by the poetry of Martin Lipp is as follows:

* blue: vaulted blue sky above the native land;
* black: attachment to the soil of the homeland as well as the fate of Estonians – for centuries black with worries;
* white: purity, hard work, and commitment

## Other current flags

Presidential Standard of Estonia.svgFlag of the President (on land)Presidential Standard of Estonia (at sea).svgFlag of the President (at sea)Naval Jack of Estonia.svgFile:FIAV 000000.svg Naval jack
## Historical flags

Eestimaa värvid.svgFlag of the Estonian Governorate within the Russian Empire (1721-1918)Livonian colours.svgFlag of the Livonian Governorate within the Russian Empire (1721-1918)Flag of Estonian SSR (1940-1953).svgFlag of the Estonian SSR under the Soviet Union (1940-1953)Flag of Estonian SSR.svgFlag of the Estonian SSR under the Soviet Union (1953-1990)
## Colours

The shade of blue is defined in the Estonian flag law as follows:

* PANTONE colour 285 C.
* CMYK equivalents: C=91, M=43, Y=0, K=0
* RGB equivalents: R=0, G=114, B=206 (HEX conversion: #0072CE:     )

## Selections from the Estonian Flag Act

 File:Päikesetõus Paukjärve vaatetornist.jpg  The most recent Estonian Flag Act was passed 23 March 2005 and came into force on 14 June 2014. The Act specifies the colors in Pantone and CMYK formats, as well as specifying when it can be hoisted and how it can be used and by whom. The Act specifies that the flag is "the ethnic and the national flag".

More specifically, the Flag Act specifies that the flag be hoisted on the Pikk Hermann tower in Tallinn every day at sunrise, but not earlier than 7:00 am, and is lowered at sunset". The lawful flag days are as follows:

* 3 January – Commemoration Day of Combatants of the Estonian War of Independence
* 2 February – Anniversary of Tartu Peace Treaty
* 24 February – Independence Day
* 14 March – Mother Tongue Day
* 23 April – Veterans’ Day
* The second Sunday of May – Mothers’ Day
* 9 May – Europe Day
* 4 June – Flag Day
* 14 June – Day of Mourning
* 23 June – Victory Day
* 24 June – Midsummer Day
* 20 August – Day of Restoration of Independence
* 1 September – Day of Knowledge
* The third Saturday of October – Finno-Ugric Day
* The second Sunday of November – Fathers’ Day
* The day of election of the *Riigikogu*

## Alternative proposals

File:Estonian alternative flag proposal.svgFile:Estonian alternative flag proposal2.svgFile:Flag of Estonia proposed in 1919.svg File:Estonia-nordic-cross-flag-02.jpg   File:Estonia-nordic-cross-flag-2.png
In 2001, politician Kaarel Tarand suggested that the flag be changed from a tricolour to a Scandinavian-style cross design with the same colours. Supporters of this design claim that a tricolour gives Estonia the image of a post-Soviet or Eastern European country, while a cross design would symbolise the country's links with Nordic countries. Several Nordic cross designs were proposed already in 1919, when the state flag was officially adopted, four of which are shown here. As the tricolour is considered an important national symbol, the proposal did not achieve widespread popularity.

## See also

* Flags of Estonian counties
* List of Estonian flags

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Eesti lipp (Estonian Flag) (Estonian). Retrieved on 17 February 2016.
2. ↑ Estonia's History. Estonia's History (December 3, 2013). Retrieved on 2013-12-03.
3. ↑ Estonia's Blue-Black-White Tricolour Flag. Estonian Embassy in Washington (January 1, 2007). Retrieved on 2009-04-26.
4. ↑ "Flag of Estonia: History of the Estonian Flag", Estonian Free Press.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Estonian Flag Act. Riigikantselei, Justiitsministeerium (2014-06-14).
6. ↑ Tarand, Kaarel. "Lippude vahetusel", Eesti Päevaleht, December 3, 2001. Retrieved on 2009-04-26. (in Estonian)

## External links

* Estonia at Flags of the World
* Estonian Flag: History