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Historical Flags of Albania
Last modified: 1997-09-29 by vincent morley
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- Historical summary
- Autonomous Albania, 1911
- Provisional government, 1912
- Monarchy, 1913
- Korçë, 1917
- Mirditë, 1921
- Republic, 1925
- Kingdom, 1928
- Italian occupation, 1939
- Anti-fascist resistance
- People's Republic, 1946-92
Historical summary
During its history Albania has used several flags which are variations of the basic design, a black double-headed eagle on a red background.
- 1912
- Albania gained independence as a principality. In the flag the eagle had golden beak and claws and was holding golden arrows. Above its heads a white five-pointed star.
- 1920
- The (first) republic was proclaimed. The flag was changed to a plain black eagle on red.
- 1928
- The president and dictator Amet Zogu proclaimed himself king Zog I. Now the eagle in the flag is surmounted by Skanderbeg's helmet in gold, which served as the royal crown. (Skanderbeg is the national hero from the wars against the Turks in the middle ages, his helmet has two horns upon it.)
- 1939
- Albania was occupied by the Italians, officially it continued to be an independent kingdom under the Italian king Vittorio Emanuele III. The flag was changed to plain red with the arms: black eagle on a red shield. The shield was set between two black fasces, above it Skanderbeg's helmet in black. Below the shield a scroll with the motto "fert".
- 1944
- The provisional government formed by the partisans re-introduced the pre-war flag. In the upper corner near the hoist a golden star was added, later replaced by a hammer and sickle.
- 1946
- With the proclamation of the people's republic in 1946 the symbol in the corner was removed and a red five-pointed star with golden border was set above the heads of the eagle.
- 1992
- Albania again became a republic, and the star was removed from the flag. We are back at the basic design, black eagle on red.
Harald Mueller, 19-OCT-1995.
Autonomous Albania, 1911
Albania was a Turkish possession from the 15th century. In the
19th century independent circles of Albanians created a national
emblem with the black eagle of Skanderbeg (George Kastrioti) on a
red field. This flag was used by the Albanian chief Isa Boletin in
1910 when he rebelled against Turkey and by the autonomous government
proclaimed in June 1911. During the Balkan war (1912-1913) an
Albanian chief, Ismael Kemal, entered Durrës before the arrival
of the Serbs and from there advanced to Vlonë where a
national assembly representing all the regions of Albania proclaimed
independence on 28 November 1912.
Jaume Olle, 15-JUL-1996.
Provisional government, 1912
The Ottoman warlord Essad Baja constituted a provisional government
in Tirana, taking advantage of the Serbian and Montenegrin evacuation,
and used a similar flag with a white star. Kemal transferred power
to an International Commission (January 1914) and Essad also agreed to
dissolve his government and to be integrated in the government formed by
the powers.
Jaume Olle, 15-JUL-1996.
Monarchy, 1913
On 29 July 1913 the powers recognised Albania as an independent
state and decided to designate a sovereign. Essad's flag was adopted
as the national flag before 7 March 1914 when Prince Wilhelm of Wied,
the designated sovereign, made his entry to Durrës. Wied's
government was short-lived and he abandoned the country on 3 September
1914 after a revolt. A regency was established with the same flag.
Jaume Olle, 15-JUL-1996.
Korçë, 1917
In autumn of 1915 the Austro-Hungarians occupied north and central
Albania and liquidated the Albanian government of Tirana. Italy
controlled southern Albania and constituted an Albanian Republic
under Italian protection on 3 June 1917, adopting officially the red
flag with black eagle. This proclamation annoyed the French who
controlled the zone of Erseke and Korçë, and they
proclaimed the Republic of Korçë which was dissolved in
September 1917 after an agreement between the powers. The republic
under Italian protection was also abolished.
At the end of the war, Italy proposed to assume a mandate over
the country, relinquishing one region to Greece and another to Serbia,
but an Albanian revolt broke out which forced the Italians to
withdraw from most of the country and by the end of 1919 the
guerrillas of Bairam Tsuri controlled nearly all of Albania.
Jaume Olle, 15-JUL-1996.
Albania continued to be legally a monarchy and in February 1920 a
provisional regency gave way to a constitutional regency. This monarchy
used the red flag with the eagle and a white star; the eagle carried
arrows and certain parts were gilded or in yellow.
Jaume Olle, 12-JUL-1996.
Mirditë, 1921
The Serbs took advantage of the struggle between Albania and Italy to
occupy part of the country, establishing the Republic of Mirditë,
but Albanian forces expelled them.
Jaume Olle, 15-JUL-1996.
Republic, 1925
Albania was admitted to the League of Nations in January 1921.
Ahmed Zogu became prime minister in December 1922 but, accused of
favoring Yugoslavia, he resigned in February. With Yugoslav help,
Zogu returned to the country and took power by force (end of 1924).
On 25 January 1925 a national assembly proclaimed a republic and the
national flag was slightly modified. Zogu governed as a dictator,
first allied to Yugoslavia and later to Italy.
Jaume Olle, 15-JUL-1996.
Kingdom, 1928
A constituent assembly proclaimed Zogu as King Zog I on 1 September
1928. The new monarchic constitution was approved on 22 November 1928,
when the design of the national flag with the helmet of Skanderbeg was
presumably adopted.
Jaume Olle, 15-JUL-1996.
Italian occupation, 1939
On 7 April 1939 Italian forces disembarked in Albania and took control
of the country. An assembly gathered in Tirana deposed Zogu and offered
the crown of the country to the Italian king, Vittorio Emanuele III,
under form of a personal union. On 13 April 1939 the offer was accepted
and a new national or royal flag was adopted.
Jaume Olle, 15-JUL-1996.
Anti-fascist resistance
During World War II communist guerrillas were organized which began
to have a certain importance after 1941. After the defeat of Italy, on
14 September 1943 Enver Hoxha constituted a provisional autonomous
government for the freed zones which used a flag with a yellow star in
the upper corner.
Jaume Olle, 15-JUL-1996.
A German occupation replaced the Italians but the Germans withdrew
in the autumn of 1944 and on 10 October 1944 Enver Hoxha proclaimed the
constitution of the Democratic Government of Albania. The flag acquired
a hammer and sickle instead of the star, symbolising the dominant ideology.
Jaume Olle, 15-JUL-1996.
People's Republic, 1946-92
For recognition of Hoxha's government the allies required elections
which took place on 2 December 1945 when 80% voted for the National
Democratic Front coalition controlled by the communists. On 11 January
1946 King Zog I was declared deposed (the Italian occupation and
the proclamation of Vittorio Emanuele was considered an illegal act)
and the People's Republic of Albania was proclaimed. On 7 March 1946
a new constitution came into effect which established a new national
flag with the yellow-bordered red star.
Jaume Olle, 15-JUL-1996.
And considering proportions, the 1946 flag was 5:7, and ensigns 2:3.
All other gifs I have made 2:3, but I don't have any confirmation of
that.
Zeljko Heimer, 14-JUL-1996.