State symbols of the Independent State of Croatia

The state symbols of the Independent State of Croatia were determined after the establishment of the Independent State of Croatia (NDH) by the leader (Poglavnik) Ante Pavelić with a decree of April 28, 1941 (published on April 30, 1941). This regulated the appearance and use of the coat of arms, flags, flags and standards as well as the seals of the state and contained the official images of the same.

National coat of arms

The national coat of arms is shield-shaped and consists of 25 square white (silver) and red (blood-colored) fields. These are arranged alternately in five rows so that the first field is always a white (silver) one. Above this coat of arms there is a star-shaped ornament made of Croatian wickerwork in the same red. This ornament is formed by three red, white, parallel lines, which form small loops at the diagonal corners of the octagon. Surrounded by this ornament is a white field, which contains the capital letter U(for Ustasha ) in blue .

This rather simple coat of arms symbolized the unity of the state and was based on the same historical viewpoints that are based on the symbols of the Triune Kingdom of Croatia and Slavonia . The coat of arms of Croatia finally emerged from the coat of arms of the countries of the Hungarian crown . This coat of arms appeared for the first time in 1935 and 1936 during a meeting of the Hrvatski Domobran (Defenders of Croatia) in America.

State flag

State flag (2: 3)

The state flag consisted of three horizontal stripes of equal width, in the colors red-white-blue. In the center of the middle white stripe was the national coat of arms, without the star-shaped ornament made of Croatian wickerwork. The distance between the national coat of arms and the red and blue stripes had to be just as large as the width of the coat of arms fields. In the upper red stripe, on the top of the mast side, there was the ornament of the national coat of arms, enlarged almost the width of the stripe. The height of the state flag could have a ratio of 2: 3 or 2: 5 to the width.

Flag of the Croatian Navy or General War Flag

The flag of the Croatian Navy consisted of 25 white and blood-red rectangular fields, which were arranged alternately in five rows so that the top row was white. The ratio of the rectangles was height to width 2: 3. The flag was used by all offices, warships and units of the Croatian Navy.

This flag, originally intended only for the Croatian Navy, became the General War Flag in the later course of the war and was used in all parts of the army, army, air force and navy.

Standard of the leader

The head of state's standard ( poglavnik ), measuring 60 × 60 cm, was hoisted while Ante Pavelić was present at his office or residence, as well as by a bearer next to him on all festive occasions. The standard is dominated by 25 squares, which are held alternately in silver and blood red, in such an arrangement that the starting field in the top row on the left was silver. In this first field, next to the flagpole, in the middle is the braid ornament of the Ustasha on a white background, which was embroidered alternately with a silver and white thread. The letter Uitself is embroidered in dark blue. The 25 squares are surrounded by a narrow golden stripe, around the edge of which an outer hem can be seen, which in turn is divided into small squares and is diagonally striped in red, white and blue. Three small squares fall along the length of an inner diamond, which corresponds to 15 per side. So a total of 60 smaller squares plus four corner squares.

State seal

State seal (unofficial sketch)

The large state seal has a diameter of 70 mm and shows the state coat of arms in its center. Above the national coat of arms the words: NEZAVISNA DRŽAVA(INDEPENDENT STATE), below: HRVATSKA(CROATIA). Around it lies a closed wreath made of Croatian wickerwork , framed by a circle. All international agreements and similar documents were given the big state seal.

A small state seal with the same appearance was used to confirm laws, ordinances, etc. Ä. And was intended for stamping on paper. Both seals were kept by the incumbent Minister of Justice, who thereby always held the office and the title of the so-called protonotar (in the sense of the seal keeper ). All state and administrative offices as well as all Croatian authorities were entitled to use the state seal for their official purposes.

literature

Ottfried Neubecker : Technical report with a print of the law decree on the state coat of arms, state flag, standard of the Poglavnik, state seal, seal of the state and local government offices of April 28, 1941. In: Uniformen-Markt , year 1941, issue 15, p. 149.

Individual evidence

↑ Zakonska odredba o državnom grbu, državnoj zastavi, Poglavnikovoj zastavi, državnom pečatu, pečatima državnih i samoupravnih ureda of April 28, 1941. In: Narodne novine , No. 15 of April 30, 1941.
↑ § 1 of the Zakonska odredba o državnom grbu, državnoj zastavi, Poglavnikovoj zastavi, državnom pečatu, pečatima državnih i samoupravnih ureda (law decree on the state coat of arms, state flag, standard of the Poglavnik state seal, state seal). In: Narodne novine , No. 15 of April 30, 1941.
↑ ^a ^b Uniforms Market , year 1941, issue 11, p. 105.
↑ § 2 Paragraph 1 of the Act on State Coats of Arms, State Flag, Standarte des Poglavnik, State Seal, Seal of State and Self-Administration Offices of April 28, 1941. In: Uniformen-Markt , Jg. 1941, Issue 15, p. 149.
↑ § 2 Paragraph 2 of the Act on State Coats of Arms, State Flag, Standarte des Poglavnik, State Seal, Seal of State and Self-Administration Offices of April 28, 1941. In: Uniformen Markt , Jg. 1941, Issue 15, p. 149.
↑ § 3 of the Act on State Coats of Arms, State Flag, Standarte des Poglavnik, State Seal, Seal of State and Self-Administration Offices of April 28, 1941. In: Uniformen Markt , Jg. 1941, Issue 15, p. 149.
↑ § 4 of the Act on State Coats of Arms, State Flag, Standarte des Poglavnik, State Seal, Seal of State and Self-Administration Offices of April 28, 1941. In: Uniformen-Markt , Jg. 1941, Issue 15, p. 149.
↑ § 6 of the Act on State Coats of Arms, State Flag, Standarte des Poglavnik, State Seal, Seal of State and Self-Administration Offices of April 28, 1941. In: Uniformen-Markt , Jg. 1941, Issue 15, p. 149.

Web links

Zeljko Heimer: The Flags & Arms of the Modern Era (FAME): Croatia - Independent State, 1941–1945

[1] Zakonska odredba o državnom grbu, državnoj zastavi, Poglavnikovoj zastavi, državnom pečatu, pečatima državnih i samoupravnih ureda of April 28, 1941. In: Narodne novine , No. 15 of April 30, 1941.

[2] § 1 of the Zakonska odredba o državnom grbu, državnoj zastavi, Poglavnikovoj zastavi, državnom pečatu, pečatima državnih i samoupravnih ureda (law decree on the state coat of arms, state flag, standard of the Poglavnik state seal, state seal). In: Narodne novine , No. 15 of April 30, 1941.

[Uniformen-3] Uniforms Market , year 1941, issue 11, p. 105.

[4] § 2 Paragraph 1 of the Act on State Coats of Arms, State Flag, Standarte des Poglavnik, State Seal, Seal of State and Self-Administration Offices of April 28, 1941. In: Uniformen-Markt , Jg. 1941, Issue 15, p. 149.

[5] § 2 Paragraph 2 of the Act on State Coats of Arms, State Flag, Standarte des Poglavnik, State Seal, Seal of State and Self-Administration Offices of April 28, 1941. In: Uniformen Markt , Jg. 1941, Issue 15, p. 149.

[6] § 3 of the Act on State Coats of Arms, State Flag, Standarte des Poglavnik, State Seal, Seal of State and Self-Administration Offices of April 28, 1941. In: Uniformen Markt , Jg. 1941, Issue 15, p. 149.

[7] § 4 of the Act on State Coats of Arms, State Flag, Standarte des Poglavnik, State Seal, Seal of State and Self-Administration Offices of April 28, 1941. In: Uniformen-Markt , Jg. 1941, Issue 15, p. 149.

[8] § 6 of the Act on State Coats of Arms, State Flag, Standarte des Poglavnik, State Seal, Seal of State and Self-Administration Offices of April 28, 1941. In: Uniformen-Markt , Jg. 1941, Issue 15, p. 149.