Last modified: 2006-02-18 by dov gutterman
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There was on TV last night that there is a competition going
on for the new flag of Federation in Bosnia. I haven't seen it,
but I was told that it is probably going to be a combination of
Croatian checkered gules-argent, and Muslim fleur-de-lys or.
The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina has been created by the
so called Washington agreement (if I remember right some time a
year ago) among Bosnian Muslims and Bosnian Croats, consisting of
territories held by both Croatian Defence Council (HVO) and
Sarajevo government troops (Armija BiH). As is the
situation on the field now it is approximately 50% of Bosnia and
Herzegovina. The Federation is supposed to be one of the two
entities in Bosnia according to the plan of Holbrook's shuttle
diplomacy (the other would be Republic of Srpska). What would be
of it, we will see, but obviously they are trying to make a flag
for it.
Until now, two flags have been used. By the Sarajevo government
was made a Bosnian flag well known, with fleur-de-lys design, and
by the Croatian Republic of Herceg-Bosna
(HRHB) was used one very similar to the flag of Croatia.
I was trying to find any mention of that in newspaper, but I
didn't succeed.
Željko Heimer, 25 October 1995
image by Željko Heimer and Jorge Candeias , 27 Febuary 1999
image by Željko Heimer and Jorge Candeias , 27 Febuary 1999
On the news today, and in the newspapers, there has been shown
the proposal for the new flag of Federation of Bosnia and
Herzegovina.
As I understood, the proposal is quite serious, and will be
discussed on the next session of the Parliament. There are, in
fact, two proposals shown: two coats of arms, and two matching
flags. They both agree with what I reported some time ago that it
will be combination of checquy, and fleur-de-lys.
Both proposals mix those two elements in most simple way,
basically Checquy Gules and Argent, and Fleur-de-lys Or on Vert.
Both arms are just shield, of the 'Nordic' type, i.e. very simple
in shape.
The first proposal combines them in a way that the shield is
divided diagonally in zigzag, in the way that a row of white
fields is completely visible. In the upper part there is a
fleur-de-lys.
The maching flag have it in the middle in a way similar to the
Croatian flag, i.e. the shield comes across all the stripes. The
flag itself is horizontally red over white over green.
The second one is vertically divided. Left (heraldicaly) is Gules
chief checquy Gules and Argent, right Vert Fleur-de-lys Or. The
flag to go with this one was shown as a banner of the arms and in
vertical form approximately 3:2.
The fleur de lys is probably a bit bigger than I represented it
(I was trying to be fast with the info).
Željko Heimer, 7 March 1996
In the weekly magazine Tjednik of 1 March 1997 I found a picture of one of the flags in
use. The image is scanned from a small photo accompanying an
article, and is picturing Kresimir Zubak, the president of the
Federation, in front of a flag. The flag is obviously, a variant
(or maybe original, which I misinterpreted) of one of the flag
proposals that I posted. The notable differences are the chequy
fields that are in lower end, and the fleur-de-lys is white, not
gold. I have no idea when the photo was taken (I would guess
before the current flag was adopted, but maybe not), but it
obviously shows that such flag was used, even if not officially
adopted.
One should also note that in front of the President there is the
Bosnian coat of arms! I think that the photo was made in the
Parliament in Sarajevo, but I don't know for sure. (the caption
under the image doesn't help much, it tells that it is President
Zubak, and that I know without it, anyway).
Željko Heimer, 2 March 1997
image by Željko Heimer, 26 October 1998
On the TV news on HRT (Croatian TV) on 21-OCT-98 there was a
report on B&H issues, otherwise not much interesting for this
list, except for a document shown named "New proposal for
the coat of arms and flag of the Federation of B&H".
From what you will see, I believe that this is not a new
proposal, but rather was new when the talks about the flag
adoption were held, and I believe that it is one of the final
proposals - very similar to what was finally adopted.
The document was open on the table where the talks (if it were
talks) were held, focused by the camera so that much details were
visible. The papers were in the leater folder, looked like it
were prepaired for some ceremonial signing or something of such
importance, the paper and printing was looking of high quality.
The page that was opened consisted of several images of CoA and
flag in several sizes, and was titled "Novi prijedlog grba i
zastave Federacije Bosne i Hercegovine" (New proposal for
the coat of arms and flag of the Federation of B&H). The CoA
was per pall, dexter: vert fleur de lys argent; sinister: gules
in chief chequy gules and argent 5x5. The flag is RWV vertically
1:2:1, with CoA in the middle. Overall ratio 1:2.
Željko Heimer, 26 October 1998
A proposal of vertical shape was considered as a solution that
would resolve the question which colours should be above. This
variation had the symbols dynamically unbalanced in chief and
base.
Željko Heimer
Widening of the white stripe seemed the result of rejection of
"simple" tricolours that were mostly already taken by
other nations. Quartering of the central square was due to
symbolize equivalence of the two nations.
Željko Heimer
This vertical variant is similar to the one above. Even if the
proposal was rejected by the Parliament of Federation, this flag
was hoisted in the Parliament sessions almost since the debate on
the new flag was started, until the new flag was finally adopted,
so this flag may be considered de facto flag in use since
April 1996 till November 1996.
Željko Heimer