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Latvia

Latvijas Republika

by Zeljko Heimer, 1996-01-04

Cities:

Kuldiga

Colors of the Flag

According to the Constitution the flags is "red with a white stripe". In fact it is not really red but almost brown.
Giuseppe Bottasini

Dr. Karlis Ulmanis, first Prime Minister and last President of Latvia before the Soviet invasion in 1940 described the meaning of the colors thus:

"Our red-white-red colors! What do they tell him who loves his native country ardently? White stands for right and truth, the honor of free citizens and trustworthiness. But the red reminds us of the blood that has been shed in the recent past. It has been shed at all times in the remote past and we are ready to offer it again for freedom and independence, for our nation and country."

The Flag Bulletin VIII:3, Published by the Flag Research Center, Box 580, Winchester, Mass 01890 USA, Summer 1969, ISSN 0015-3370
Dave Martucci, 1996-09-02

According to "Flags of All Nations" by Cleveland H. Smith and Gertrude R. Taylor (Thomas Y. Crowell Co., New York, 1946; pg.101):

"The Letts used the juice of berries to make the crimson for their original flag. Latvian poets say that the red in the flag indicates the readiness of the Latvians to give blood of their hearts for their freedom, which was represented by the white in the flag."

Dave Martucci, 1996-09-06

History of the flag

The Latvian flag is reputed to date from 1279, which would make it one of the oldest national flags.
Stuart Notholt, 1995-10-05

The earliest extant reference to the Latvian flag is in a volume called the Livländische Reimchronik which dates from the 14th century. It describes a banner 'red in colour, cut through with a white strip' used by a Latvian military unit in 1279. The reference was unearthed by a scholar, Janis Grinsbergs, in the 19th century and was popularized as an ethnic flag for the Latvian people by students at the University of Tartu in 1870.
     The current colours and proportions were adopted on 18 November 1918 when Latvia became independent, having previously been established in this form in May 1917. It was recognized by law on 20 January 1923.
     When the Communists annexed Latvia in June 1940 the flag became illegal within Latvia itself. However, the west never recognized the Soviet annexation of the Baltic states and Latvian legations continued to operate in western capitals. These continued to use the Latvian flag, as did Latvian emigr�s worldwide. The Latvian flag began to be used again in Latvia in 1988, and was legalized on 29 September 1988, replacing the Soviet Latvian flag on 27 February 1990. Latvia formally regained its independence on 21 August 1991.
     Principal source for the above: "The Flag Bulletin" XXXI:6/149, Published by the Flag Research Center, Box 580, Winchester, Mass 01890 USA, November/December 1992, ISSN 0015-3370
Stuart Notholt, 1995-12-12

According to "Flags" by Carol P. Shaw, there are conflicting stories about the origin of the Lativan flag. It was first mentioned in a Latvian chronicle of a battle in 1280, where a battalion from Cesis, a northern region, bore a red flag with a white stripe which was also the banner of a castle there. Another legend refers to the leader of a Latvian tribe who was wounded in battle and wrapped in a white sheet. The part of the sheet on which he was lying remained white, but the two edges which were folded over him were stained by his blood.
Bruce Tindall, 1995-12-13

The Constituent Assembly of Latvia declared the official flags by a law passed 1922-02-15, signed by the President 1923-01-23. The law also provided for flags and pennants to used by the President, Prime Minister, other military and civil officials, warships, fortresses, etc. -- in all a total of seventeen different flags.
Source: "The Flag Bulletin" VIII:3, Published by the Flag Research Center, Box 580, Winchester, Mass 01890 USA, Summer 1969, ISSN 0015-3370
Dave Martucci, 1996-09-07

Reintroduction of the modern flag

A Latvian friend of mine, who subscribes to many Latvian journals, says that the way they achieved independence in 1990 was by "nullifying" or cancelling all Soviet legislation between 1940 and 1990. It was in this way that they reverted to their own national flag and probably to all 17 of the flags adopted in 1923.

To confirm this, I found the following on the Latvian Government Information WWW pages:

Declaration of the Supreme Soviet of the Latvian SSR on the Renewal of the Independence of the Republic of Latvia (Adopted: 4 May 1990)

(excerpt) Being determined to restore de facto the free, democratic, and independent Republic of Latvia, The Supreme Soviet of the Latvian SSR decides:

Section 2
To declare null and void from the moment of inception the decision of 21 July 1940, by the Parliament of Latvia: "On the Republic of Latvia's Joining the USSR".

Section 3
To re-establish the authority of the Constitution of the Republic of Latvia, adopted by the Constituent Assembly on 15 February 1922, in the entire territory of Latvia. ...

Dave Martucci, 1996-09-05