Last modified: 2004-12-29 by santiago dotor
Keywords: bavaria | munich | münchen | landeshauptstadt münchen | muenchen | munchen | lozengy (white-blue) |
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5:2 by Stefan Schwoon |
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The banner [hanging flag] version is probably the flag that is seen most throughout the city.
Stefan Schwoon, 8 March 2001
The city flag of the Bavarian capital Munich has, like Bavaria, two flags tracing back to the middle ages with no known date of adoption. Variant no.1 shows two horizontal stripes of black over yellow (a real yellow, not a golden yellow like in the German national flag). Variant no.2 has black and yellow lozenges arranged like in the Bavarian flag. Once again the number of lozenges is not fixed.
The colours derive from the Greater City Arms: on a silver ground a black-dressed monk within a red city archway, crowned by two black-yellow zigzagged roofs (= origin of the city colours), a yellow lion emerging between. The rather more known Lesser City Arms show only the black monk in a silver shield. Remarkably the flag derives from the Greater City Arms, not from the Lesser ones.
Dieter Linder, 25 March 1997 and 13 January 1998
Both flag variants are totally equal in their rights, which means a citizen or state official is free in his choice. The more popular one is the lozenge variant, since it underlines the so-called peculiar character of the Bavarian statehood (Bavaria is the German state with the longest historical roots). However the lozenge variant is also more expensive in production and acquisition.
For your additional information I add the replies received from Dr. Stahleder, director of the Munich archives an expert in these things, I presume in the office of the Munich City Mayor to questions asked by me. The letter of the city office is dated 24th March 1997:
Q: Since which date are the city colours used and is there an official grant?Addendum to the first question: The Bavarian guidelines for flags and arms provide an official grant except for historical symbols. These are symbols used before the enforcement of the respective guidelines, which took effect in the middle of our century. That is the reason why the city flags of Munich were not to be granted.
A: They are used since the second half of the 16th century and may be traced backed by illustrations. An official grant does not exist.Q: Are the striped and the lozenge variants equal in rights or are there any differences?
A: Both are totally equal in rights. There is no difference in their use or meaning.Q: Are there any regulations for the dimensions, the proportions, the colour shades or the number of lozenges?
A: No, there are not.Q: Does the City Mayor use a special office flag or car standard?
A: No, he does not.
Dieter Linder, 19 November 1998
Oktoberfest 2000 no.1 | Oktoberfest 2000 no.2 |
3:1 | 6:1 |
both by Marcus Schmöger |
Some vexillological observations during the 2000 Oktoberfest:
Marcus Schmöger, 6 October 2000