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Hungary - Military Flags

Last modified: 2004-07-31 by dov gutterman
Keywords: hungary | honved |
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Overview

HONVÉD means soldier this is patriotic word. The word "katona" = soldier is neutral. The word "honvéd" = soldier means "the soldier who save our country". HON = homeland VÉD = save. The new Hungarian Army in 1848 was the Magyar Honvédség. The name of the Hungarian army: between 1867-1949 Magyar Honvédség, 1949-1989 Magyar Néphadsereg (Hungarian People's Army), 1989-now Magyar Honvédség.
The Budapesti Honvéd was the football-club of the army 1949-1989. Now the name of the FC. is Kispest-Honvéd FC
Istvan Molnar, 25 November 2000

"VED" actually means to guard.  So, the term more correctly means "Home Guard". 
Georges Kovari, 27 November 2000

Marco Pribilla told me that the text of the law of year 2000 changes regulations regarding the naval ensign - instead of the flamullets used along the edges in 1995 law the 2000 text has triangles. The military unit flags (i.e. what would be called colors in US) are still prescribed to have flamullets, though.
- The Law LXXXIII of 1995, article 8, alinea 2, designates flamullets.
- Anex 2. of the HM (Ministry of Defence) regulation number 3/1996 where the naval ensigns are prescribed in details the trangular border is mentioned (at least it is so in the French translation I got from Pasca Vagnat.
- Law of 2000 has triangles also.
So, it may seem that the flamullets, even if they were according to the law from 1995-2000, were not used, at least not after 1996, and law of 2000 only recongized the practice.
If that is so, then the naval ensigns with flamullets are theoretical only, and those with trangles are ever used only.
Zeljko Heimer, 3 November 2001

Perhaps I expressed myself unclearly. Actually the triangles were prescribed in the 1995 law for the naval ensign, and nothing was changed about that in 2000. The 2000 law only concerned the permanent use of the tricolour at buildings and institutions of the state.
Marco Pribilla, 3 November 2001

I checked the laws and here is a free translation of the relevant parts:
Sec. 76§ of the Hungarian constitution states: "The flag of the Republic of Hungary consists of three equally wide horizontal stripes red white and green". No mentioning of the use, nor of any variations (e.g. for army and navy).
The 1995 law nr. LXXXIII fixes how and where to use the Hungarian CoA and the flag. Paragraphs 5 through 8 concern especially the flag. 7§ orders A TRICOLOUR FLAG IDENTICAL TO THE FLAG OF THE REPUBLIC (no mentioning about ratio) to be used on sea and river vessels, except for the military vessels.
Sec. 8§(1) prescribes the flag of the military units (on land) to be white with a red-and-green FLAMULLET border. The CoA is placed IN THE CENTER with an oak branch on its right and an olive branch on its left.
According to 8§(2) the war ships of the Hungarian Army are to hoist a white flag with a red-and-green SAW-TEETH ("ékek") border. The CoA with the oak and olive branches is OFFSET TOWARDS THE HOIST SO THAT ITS VERTICAL AXIS CORRESPONDS WITH THE AXIS THAT DIVIDES THE FLAG 1:2.
The XXXVIII law of 2000 is an amendment to the 1995 law. It does not change the military and naval flags in any way. Basically it only orders state institutions to keep the tricolour permanently hoisted. This law took effect on August 20th, 2000.
Marco Pribilla, 4 November 2001


War Ensigns

1)
4:5
by Zeljko Heimer, 5 November 2001

2)
3:4
by Zeljko Heimer, 5 November 2001

3)
31:40
by Zeljko Heimer, 5 November 2001

I recently received some material, thanks to Armand, relating Hungarian military flags."Honved Zaszlo" means Army Flag. As it would be seen from there, the hungarian army still (or again) uses flags of similar pattern. The details of the border certainly have been changed from time to time, and if I understood the matters properly, even today they are not quite uniform. The device in the middle has been even more drastically changed through time and space.
variant (1) is used by larger ships, (2) by smaller and (3) by commanding speed boats.
Adopted: 12 April 1996. Ratio: (1) 4:5 (80X100 cm.), (2) 3:4 (60X80 cm.), (3) 31:40 (31X40 cm.)
Zeljko Heimer, 15 March 1999

Concering the image at L'Album 2000 [pay00] (Fig 2. naval ensign): According to my data the ensign is used (prescribed) in ratio 3:4, 4:5 and 31:40 (the last one is not mentioned). Also, the leaves around the CoA is not (specifically) mentioned, though it may be that it is implied when it is stated that the CoA is set there. The shape of the corner pieces are not clearly described in the source.
Zeljko Heimer, 5 January 2001

It was made according to a photo and also acording to the law on military flags in Magyar.
Armand Noel du Payrat, 12 January 2001

According to Album 2000 [pay00] - Naval Ensign. (---/--W 3:4, 31:40 and 4:5) - White flag with CoA with olive and oak branches set along 1/3 and with red-green flammulets along borders. As is known, this flag gets in three sizes.
Zeljko Heimer, 2 November 2001


Seniority Pennant

Concering the image at L'Album 2000 [pay00] (Fig 6. Seniority pennant): There is not mention of the leaves around the shield, and the shape of corner peieces is unclear. Also, I don't remember seing anything defining the "wolf-teeth" along the outer edges not to be equilateral triangles.
Zeljko Heimer, 5 January 2001

The law states :"without tenants of branches.." , and the shape of corner peieces is unclear. the law states :"half-corners, green".
Armand Noel du Payrat, 12 January 2001


War Pennant


by Zeljko Heimer, 2 November 2001

Adopted 12 April 1996. Ratio: 21:200 (21X200 cm.)
Zeljko Heimer, 24 March 1998

Concering the image at L'Album 2000 [pay00] (Fig. 8. War pennant): I think (at least that's how I interpret it) that the tricolour is not "diminishing" towards the fly, but that the stripes are perpendiculat to hoist (so that the fly end is white only). I may be wrong here, also. prescribed ratio for the pennant is 21:200.
Zeljko Heimer, 5 January 2001

According to Album 2000 [pay00] - Masthead Pennant - Red-white-green triabgular long pennant, prescribed in size as 21 cm x 200 cm.
Zeljko Heimer, 2 November 2001


Military Unit Flag


by Zeljko Heimer, 3 November 2001

Adopted: 12-APR-1996. Ratio: 6:7 (120×140 cm)
Use: military units of level of a brigade, regiment, detached bataillon (group), Military River Fleet and others.
Zeljko Heimer

Here is a photo of Hungarian Military Unit Flag.
Istvan Molnar, 6 September 2001

5th Bocskai István Motorized Rifleman's Brigade


reverse side
by Istvan Molnar, 21 October 2001

The symbol and the flag of the "Magyar Honvédség 5. Bocskai István Gépesített Lövészdandár 1. Harckocsi Zászlóalj" ("Hungarian Army 5th Bocskai István Motorized Rifleman's Brigade 1st Tank Battalion"). The flag was given by the Pro Patria Foundation of Debrecen City. One side of the flag is blue on the center there is the CoA of Debrecen, the other side is the military unit flag with the unit emblem.
Photos can be seen at here, here and here (with the unit emblem). Bigger emblem can be seen here.
Istvan Molnar, 4 August 2001