Flag of Norway: myths, meaning and attitude

In our country Norwegians are known as family people. This is true: family values prevail, in Norway even parental leave is common - both for mom and dad, and in the first months of a baby's life, the attention of the parents and their care are divided equally, for two. But the inhabitants of this northern country include not only their immediate family members. The whole country is a common and friendly home for them, and therefore they are treated with warmth and love for what is officially and primly called "state symbols".

Historical background

To begin with, probably, from the fact that Norway has repeated the way of many not too large European states. She recently received what is now proudly called autonomy. Accordingly, and the state symbols, among which the flag of Norway, not so many years. For many four centuries this country was in alliance, but rather, under the protectorate of Denmark. Then a century in this post Denmark was replaced by Sweden. So for a long period Norway's own flag could only dream. However, unlike many other states, Norway is not ashamed of its history and does not try to forget it. Despite the newly acquired independence, and this happened in 1905, this Scandinavian country does not want to ignore its long cooperation with Denmark.

A touching legend

It is said that the flag of Norway originated in its present form almost a century before the formation of an independent state. Ostensibly during the "transition under the arm of Sweden" the question arose of his own banner. And the little boy Gerhard Melzer during the game outlined the white background of the cross of the flag of Denmark with blue lines. Although the idea was useful only in the 20th century, she liked it already then. The father of the young artist proposed a general plan for the Norwegian banner in 1821, when Norway remained almost independent until independence. And since 1844 this flag also marks the equality of all countries of the then EU, which consisted only of Sweden and Norway.

Formation of the current type of banner

The young state needed the Norwegian flag only in the fifth year of the twentieth century. The Parliament of Norway at this time invited "to the kingdom" of Prince Charles from Denmark (by the way, in Norwegian, he became known as Khokon). The citizens of Norway clearly wanted their flag, but at the same time he had to emphasize the country's closeness to Denmark. It is not known for certain whether someone remembered the games of the young Gerhard Meltzer, or a similar idea came into one more head, but as a base the flag of Norway received the state cloth of Denmark. The blue cross became the symbol of a new ally, Sweden, and the entire flag already belonged entirely to Norway.

Paradoxes of the Norwegian flag

It's hard to say whether this is a joke or just a white-red-blue combination that is most popular and attractive for the symbols of different states, but some observant personalities (though perhaps jokers) see the banner of several other states on the banner . If you carefully study the flag of Norway, the photo can really show the gossips of Indonesia, the Netherlands, Poland, Finland, Thailand and France - of course, not all the whole cloth, but some of its fragments. There is a choice for the observer: to consider that the flag of Norway is so universal, or to consider these conclusions as the fruit of someone's imagination.

Meaning of parts

As already mentioned, the main colors in which the flag of Norway is painted symbolize its joint past with the other two Scandinavian countries. But this is not all the value invested by the creators in the main symbol of the state. The combination of these colors carries the same meaning as the coloration of the French flag, that is, the freedom of the country and the individual.

By the way, the distinction of the flag of the nineteenth century from its modern form is the absence on it of the coat of arms of the Swedish-Norwegian union, which was highly despised by the Norwegians for their variegatedness and lack of taste. They even called the emblem a salad of herring. So now the Norwegian flag has acquired a more noble and austere appearance than in the old days.

Both the flag and the coat of arms of Norway are highly respected by the inhabitants of the kingdom. The coat of arms, by the way, is not burdened by romantic stories connected with children's creativity. It came from the ancient coat of arms of the Norwegian kings, depicting the lion of St. Olaf. When the monarch ambitions leapt in the kings, the battle Varangian ax was added to the beast's front paws, and the head was crowned with a crown; The crown also got a heraldic shield, on which a lion is depicted, and this crown is with precious stones. In the full composition of the coat of arms there is also an ermine cloak-mantle, held by a crown on the shield, and the shield itself must be surrounded by the heraldic chain of the Order of the same Saint Olav.

We can say that the flag and the coat of arms of Norway differ from each other by the degree of simplicity: how democratic is the banner, the same coat of arms is ancient and polysemantic.

And the Norwegians are still proud of their country: practically above each house there is a flagstaff with a banner; The national banner is decorated with hats, jackets and cars; And even the little one, who barely learned to speak, willingly sings the hymn of his country.