Last modified: 2006-07-01 by ian macdonald
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image located at www.orchideensammlung.de by Ron Lahav, 30 October 2006
Ibrahim M Stwoda, the former Librarian of the University of Kabul, reports
that the banneret of the university is badly faded. According to Mr Stwoda, the
color of the flag is actually a light blue, but there was no real
standardization of colors so that he has personally seen the flag in everything
from the color of the United Nations flag to almost an
Air Force blue. The flag is, in his words, a 'standard rectangular shape', but
he doesn't provide actual dimensions. The seal of the university also appeared
in various formats; on the banneret the open book was dark blue, with the
surrounding decoration in a lighter color, and this version also appeared on the
flag. However, there was another version of the seal in which the entire
decoration of the seal was open. In both cases the seal was in white. This flag
was in use from at least 1946 until the overthrow of the monarchy. There were
also subsidiary flags used by various university officials - the Rector had a
personal standard which was square shaped, with a golden fringe and the seal in
gold; Mr Stwoda says that the Deans of the various faculties were likewise
authorized to display a similar standard except that the fringe and seal were in
silver, although he does not ever recall having seen one actually being flown.
The Cadet Corps, which all male students were required to join, had the
university seal superimposed on a saltire of crossed swords. He did not however
provide any description as to the shape of the swords.
Mr Stwoda states that he has no idea whether the university used any flags
during the period from the fall of the monarchy to the Taliban ascendancy as he
and his family fled the country immediately after the Soviet puppet regime was
installed. The university was for all practical purposes closed under the
Taliban, and since their overthrow the university authorities have been more
concerned with getting the University of Kabul into normal operations than in
considering any matters relating to flags.
Ron Lahav, 30 October 2005