image by Željko Heimer, 6 September 2000
Last modified: 2006-01-14 by dov gutterman
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image by Željko Heimer, 6 September 2000
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Municipalities:
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The official flag of the Republika Srpska is the
red-blue-white flag in horizontal stripes of equal width. Ratio
1:2.
Pascal Vagnat, 20 September 1999
The official flag of RS is plain Serb tricolour The status of
RS is like this - it is one of the two entities fromtin the state
of Bosnia and Herzegovina. RS is unitary state (subdivided in
municipalities - obstine), presidential parlamentary democracy.
Regarding flags, the flag of B&H is used officially, together
with the flag of RS, and according to my observations (which
might be wrong) often together with one of the unofficial
variations (cross, eagle...). Municipalities have (right to)
flags, of which I believe we have see only the flag of Srpsko
Sarajevo and Bileca, and which follow the Serbian vexillologic
practice (square banners of arms).
Željko Heimer, 21 September 1999
Another variation of the
flag of the Republic of Srpska is presented at <www.srpska.com>.
Gvido Petersons, 17 March 2000
The flag is tricolour of red over blue over white. Ratio 1:2.
When hoisted vertical the red stripe should be on observer's left
(as it is usual).
This is the only official national flag of RS. All other
variants reported in vex-literature have no official status,
though indeed they have been reported used in official purposes
more then once. It seems that such variations are tollerated, but
sometimes also hoisted side by side with the pure flag, and with
several variations together.
The source for the image is a document named (translated):
"Original (ethalon) of the coat of arms and the flag of the
Republic of Srpska with graphical standards for use, illustrated
inset" issued by the official gazette and is not dated.
Original title: "Izvornik (etalon) grba i zastave Republike
Srpske sa grafie'kim standardima za primenu, ilustrovani
prilog", Sluzbeni glasnik Republike Srpske. I have to thank
to Pascal Vagnat for this document.
Željko Heimer, 6 September 2000
Znamierowsky 99 [zna99] show wrong
flag - Page 155: Serbian Republic - The unofficial flag
with its traditional Serbian arms is shown and described, rather
than the plain tricolour (it is, however, possible that official
information on this was not available prior to publication), and
the flag is illustrated at 3:5 whereas the correct proportions of
1:2 are given in the text.
Christopher Southworth, 19 September 2004
The pure undefacted serb tricolour was adopted in 1992, and
was not changed since. Ratio 1:2. The defaced flag is nothing but
fancy (though many such fancyful flags were used unofficially).
Regarding the exact date - unfortunately the indeed excelent
"etalon" issued in the official gazette in 1992 do not
bear any date except in the title of the gazette it stands that
it is a number that and that of 1992. I believe that the decision
(law or whatever) was made earlier, and the etalon was published
possibly some time afterwards, and he legislator felt that the
exact date was unnecesserily. In any case, January 1992 surely
seems as a reasonable date (quite possible it may be that itis
the date of the adoption of the Constitution of RS).
Željko Heimer, 19 September 2004
Znamierowsky gives 9 January 1992, and William Crampton
"January 1992" (although William also shows the cross
with its four C's).
Unfortunately I have the relevant text of the Constitution but no
date (only the year 1992). This reads:
"Article 8: The Republic shall have the flag, the coat
of arms and the anthem. The flag, the coat of arms and the
wording of the national anthem shall be determined by
constitutional law".
Christopher Southworth, 19 September 2004
![[Flag of Bosnian Serbs]](../images/b/ba_serbs.gif)
image by Željko Heimer
The flag with the Serbian (St. Sava) cross (by the way,
the cross has nothing to do with St. Sava, it was so named after
the saint patron of Serbia by heraldrists and vexillologists, for
convenience in similarity with British crosses) is unofficial,
but in early 1990's very often used. The official flag is the
simple tricolour.
Željko Heimer, 27 November 1995
The flag with "St. Sava cross" *) is often used, but
unofficially. However, according to some sources the flag with
cross is officially adopted by the Serb Orthodox Church as the
flag representing the Church.
*) note that this name is fabrication of the mailing list (or vex
community), although usefull, it is rarely called so by Serbs.
Željko Heimer, 24 September 1999
Shouldn't we better replace this with "Serbian
cross" (or perhaps even "Byzantine cross") before
we create the myth of a "St. Sava's cross"?
Santiago Dotor, 27 September 1999
I think that the most common term that is used does not even
mention cross - the Serbs call it "ocila" (c is read as
"ts"), which is term that describe the four curious
shapes (cyrillic S's). Another word in Serbian for the same thing
is "ognjila", but I do not think that this is ever used
for those devices in this sence. "Ocilo" is called in
english a fire- iron, a cup or plate used for holding the
"live coal" in religious service (or most usually under
icons), providing the fragnan smoke. Similar device is also known
in "western" heraldry, then most usualy with opening
above, often with fire bursting from it.
The devices and cross originate from Byzantine
"heraldry", where this was interpreted as four B's, So,
it would be in Serb "ocila" or "krst s
ocilima" (cross with fire-rons). Regarding the use of
"Serbian cross" (or "Serb cross") would do.
Željko Heimer, 28 September 1999
I have read something about the flag with the Serbian cross of
the Republika Srpska. According to it the four cyrillic
"S" are taken from the motto "Solamente los
Serbios Salvaran Serbia" (only the Serbian people will save
Serbia). I obtain this information from the italian magazine
"Rivista Militare" (issue 5/2001).
Santiago Tazon, 27 October 2001
"Samo Sloga Srbe Spasava (Only Unity can save the
Serbs)" is the correct interpretation of the four Cyrillic
S's. The C's more usually face outwards, that is, the C's on the
left-hand side are mirror-image, but I have seen them face inward
as well on occasion.
John C. Evosevic, 27 October 2001
I don`t think that four cyrillic "S" (looks like
latin C) are taken from the motto. More probably that different
patriotic mottos were taken from ancient CoA with four
"S". I know about two variants of motto:
Samo sloga Srbe Spasava (Only the Unity can save the Serbia), and
Svety Sava Srpska Slava (St.Sava - the glory of Serbia)
(note: I can make mistakes in latinized serbian texts because I
saw it in cyrillic alphabet only)
Victor Lomantsov, 27 October 2001
This is the most often quoted motto for this interpretation,
but the other one quoted by Victor (correctly latinized would be
"Sveti Sava - Srpska slava", note the capitalization)
is also sometimes find - in what might be called more
"clerical" sources.
In any case, both mottoes, and some other variations are rather
new, from 18th centruy (or some few hundered years earlier,
occasionally, in some arorial collections, I don't have any
reference by hand), while the cross with S's stems from much
earlier time of Bizantine Empire, where the elements surrounding
the cross were interpreted as B's (greek letter 'beta') reffering
to a motto if not similar in interpretation ("Basileus
Basileon Basileuon Basileusin" - "King of
kings, ruling over kings", the motto of Paleologus dinasty),
then certainly similar in idea of providing a motto to initials.
Heraldically speaking, the charges are nither B's nor S's, but
firestalks, fireirons - things that are hanged uner the orthodox
icons in which fragnant materials are incinerated.
Source: [mrd87]
Željko Heimer, 28 October 2001
This is indeed the most frequent interpretation. However, as
Victor Lomantsov and Željko Heimer already said, what
actually happens is that several mottoes were created 'post
facto' from the cross, not the other way round.
The four firesteel-like elements surrounding a cross already
appeared in the 14th century flag of the Byzantine
Paleologues dinasty.
Santiago Dotor, 29 October 2001
Ron Lahav reported this flag as appear at Air Srpska
wensite. This is not the company flag but an icon for the
Serbian version of this website. The RS flag is an undefaced Serb
blue-red-white tricolor. The "cross of St. Sava" flag
has - or had, as of the early 90's, a kind of informal status as
the flag of the Serb nation, irrespective of geopolitical
boundaries. This includes the Serbs of Macedonia, the Bosnian RS,
presumably what's left of the Serb minorities of Croatia and
Kosovo and in Serbia and Montenegro, of course. That flag has not
territorial meaning, it was/is used as a civil flag sometimes
(weddings, sport matches etc), but never been official.
Eugene Ipavec and Ivan Sarajcic, 25 November
2005
See also: Serbian Orthodox Church
According to the chart: "Flags of Aspirant Peoples"
, "Srpska Bosna Hercegovina (Serbian state of
Bosnia-Herzegovina) - War flag" is a Serbian tricolor,
charged with a white eagle.
This design is listed under number 40 at the chart "Flags of
Aspirant Peoples" [eba94].
Ivan Sache, 16 September 1999
serb.gif)
image by Željko Heimer, 6 September 2000
Coat of arms of RS - Gules, a Two-headed Eagle Argent
displayed, langued, beaked and membered Or, topped with a Crown
of the same bearing an escutcheon Gules, between a Cross Argent
four Fire Irons of the same adorsed (Serbia modern).
This Coat of Arms is virtually the same as the lesser Coat of
Arms of pre-WWI kingdom of Serbia. A construction detail, the
Coat of Arms apears to be in ratio 5:7, but is divided for
construction purposes in 8x9 sectors
Željko Heimer, 6 September 2000
When it comes to Srpska, it is using a royal crown in spite of
the fact that it is not a monarchy.
Elias Granqvist, 16 September 2000
The anwser would be, I guess, that RS adopted the coat of arms
of the Kingdom of Serbia of before the first World War. Actually,
there were, I believe several consequtive versions of Serbian
Coat of Arms before 1914, some including fleurs-de-lis, and I am
not sure if it was the latest version that was (re)adopted by RS.
The version with f-d-l's was not suitable, I guess as today those
have other conotations (Bosniaks).
In any case, the crown in the Coat of Arms is anachronic, but it
may be, and probably is, explained as a symbol of souvereignity,
just as are crowns in some other European republics. This crown,
even in being royal, is now here to represent the sovereignity
weather in reference to previous rolayity or not.
Željko Heimer, 17 September 2000
Last night I was watching the news on TV when they carried an
article on a rally of Bosnian Serbs in Sarajevo, and as you would
expect it was a veritable vex-fest with much flag-waving going
on.
However, I noticed that a number of the usual Serb tricolours
were adorned with an emblem I have not seen discussed here. It
was a small equi-dimensional cross in the centre extending
slightly more than the width of the central stripe, and in each
angle was a circle.
C. Veale, 30 November 1995
The other day on the news I saw some suburban Sarajevo Serbs
protesting that a unified Sarajevo will be granted to the
Muslim-Croat federation under the Dayton peace accords.
They were waving what I assumed to be a Serb flag: white stripe
on top, blue in the middle, red on the bottom. There was no arms
on the flag, as we have previously seen. How is this flag
different from the Russian Federation?
Josh Fruhlinger, 26 November 1995
In my humble opinion, what you saw was the red blue white flag
turned upside down. From my experience, some people in
ex-Yugoslavia don't give much attention to how the flags are
flown.
The cross and circles device must be the cross and 4 C's (fire
stalkers). More on this see on Republic of
Serb Krajina and Serbia pages.
Željko Heimer, 1 December 1995
I read that at first three serb republics existed in Bosnia :
The three republics where merged after 12 September 1993 after
the Banja Luka agreement. Is this correct?
Jaume Ollé, 13 November 1996
I am not sure any more of the exact names of these
'Republics'. In fact, I think they were not proclaimed as
republics but as authonomous regions, or something like that. I
am especially suspicious of the first name. In any case, I don't
think they used any official flags as states and even if they
did, they would probably have the same definition of the state
flag as did the Republic of Serbian Krajina
in Croatia that defined it's flag to be a tricolour of red over
blue over white, and nothing else.
All the designs you mention where in use, but they where not
territorially closed and where used as unofficial and official
(with that I mean in official purposes like parlamentary
sessions) flags in all areas where Serbs lived - Krajina, Western
and Eastern Slavonia, Bosnia, Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia.
Željko Heimer, 16 November 1966
I received info on the communities in the Republic of Srpska
in B&H. This is thanks to a visitor to my web site who goes
by as Goran from Srpsko Sarajevo.
The RS is divided currently into 62 communities. There are also
two cities: Banja Luka which coincides
teritorially with the community of Banja Luka, and Srpsko Sarajevo that encompases
seven communities: Pale, Rogatica, Sokolac, Srpska Ilidza, Srpski
Stari Grad, Srpsko Novo Sarajevo and Trnovo. (Therefore, writes
Goran, e.g. that the building of the community of Srpsko Novo
Sarajevo since recently flyes four flags - B&H, RS, Srpsko
Sarajevo and Srpsko Novo Sarajevo. I hope to get some more info
on the last one soon.)
The government of the RS lists the communities at <www.vladars.net>.
I prvide the list here, adding the "ASCII" version of
the name where diacritics are used, and I add some additional
comments:
As you can see, some of the communities are renamed for
"ideological" reasons, tyipically replacing the
attribute Bosanski with Srpski (and this is typically with those
cities that are on rivers, where on the other bank is Croatian
city of the same name attributed Hrvatski or Slavonski). With the
division of the country with Dayton agreement, the so called
Inter-Entity Boundary line did not match the of former
communities' boundaries, so parts of some communities were left
"on the other side" - new communities are formed by the
"leftovers" that are much smaller then the
"normal" communities and shall surely in future be
disbanded. Anyway, these are idneicated as "formerly part
of" community from the Federation.
Anyway, I hope we shall get some flag info on at least some of
those. Many of them do have Coat of Arms, that may be found
around the Web, ut they are typically very complicated. A number
of the communities got themselves the Coat of Arms of type
promoted by the Serb Heraldic Society, the flags of which are
square banners of arms (or similar).
Željko Heimer, 5 January 2003
On 26 March 2004, the Consitutional Court of Bosnia and
Herzegovina ordered the National Assembly of the Republika Srpska
to supress the prefix Srpski from the name of 13 communities.
Marco Tadic, President of the Court, said to the media:
"Since the Constitution of the state of Bosnia and
Herzegovina acknowledges the equal rights of all ethnical groups,
the Court has estimated that those names were discriminatory
againts the non-Serbian people." The National Assembly must
adopt new names or restore the former names of the communities
within three months. The initiative for the modification of the
names of the 13 communities was launched by Sejfudin Tokic,
former President of the Parliament of the Republic of Bosnia and
Herzegovina. Tokic found that the return rate [of non-Serbian
people] to those communities was extremely low.
The 13 municipalities whose name must be changed are:
Srpsko Sarajevo
Srpska Derventa
Srpski Mostar
Srpski Sanski Most
Srpsko Gorazde
Srbinje
Srpski Kljuc
Srpska Kostajnica
Srpski Brod
Srpska Ilidza
Srpsko Novo Sarajevo
Srpski Star Grad
Srpsko Orasje
Source: Courrier des Balkans <www.balkans.eu.org>
Ivan Sache, 17 April 2004
