Vexillology

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Flag of the International Federation of Vexillological Societies (FIAV)

Vexillology ( Latin vexillum , 'flag' and logic ), also flag science or flag science, is the study of flags and flags. Vexillology is a very young science ; the term was coined in 1959 by Whitney Smith , founder of the Flag Research Center and editor of the Flag Bulletin .

basis

It originated from a branch of heraldry (heraldry) and deals with the history of flags, the design and production of flags , their meaning, statements and the emotions associated with them and their use. But it also extends into areas of sociology, mass communication, political science, art history, symbolism, aesthetics and others. Vexillology serves as an auxiliary science . It mainly uses the scientific methodology of history and political science.

Flag or banner

There are significant differences between the two terms in terms of use and meaning. The vexillologist describes a flag as a single piece, which is attached to a pole for carrying and functions as a troop flag. A flag can be replaced any number of times and is hoisted on a flagpole.

history

Flags were described as early as the 14th century, for example in travelogues such as the Libro do Conoscimiento (around 1350), or scrolls with heraldic banners and on maps. In the 17th century, reference books with picture boards appeared and, since the 19th century, admiralty flag books appeared. In 1858, Le Gras wrote the first important flag book, the Album des pavillons, guidons et flammes de toutes les puissances maritimes . In 1939 the flag book appeared, published by the High Command of the German Navy and edited by Ottfried Neubecker .

Around 1880, Anglo-Saxon-speaking countries began to look into the background of flags, according to A. Macgeorge in Flags, Some Accounts of Their History and Uses . Ottfried Neubecker finally established flag science as a science. His scientific work is spread across various specialist journals.

There are several national flag studies societies that are grouped under the umbrella organization FIAV ( Féderation Internationale des Associations Vexillologiques ). The German Society for Flagship has existed since 1995. A member of the FIAV is also Flags of the World , an international association of vexillologists on the Internet, which corresponds via a mailing list and operates the largest website on the subject. Every two years the FIAV organizes an international congress for flag science ( International Congress of Vexillology ICV ). In 2007 it took place in Berlin .

Trivia

In the US television series The Big Bang Theory , the character Dr. Sheldon Cooper ran a web show called Fun with flags . This recurring plot element made the term vexillology more widely known.

Vexillologists

  • Graham Bartram , Chief Vexillologist at the Flag Institute
  • William Crampton , Founder of the Flag Institute
  • Marc Leepson , author of Flag: An American Biography
  • Michel Lupant , President of the FIAV (Fédération internationale des associations vexillologiques)
  • Ottfried Neubecker , founder of German vexillology, a. a. Author of flags , in Staackmann Fibeln, Leipzig 1939
  • George H. Preble , author of History of the American Flag , 1872
  • Arnold Rabbow , co-founder of the German Vexillology and the German Society for Flag Studies
  • Jürgen Rimann , specialist in car flags
  • Rudolf Siegel, author of The Flag , Reimer, Berlin 1912
  • Whitney Smith , founder of the Flag Research Center, coined the term "vexillology" in 1959
  • Derkwillem Visser , founder (November 11, 1978) and director of the former Vlaggen Documentatie Centrum Nederland (VCDN) ( Flag Documentation Center Netherlands ) in Amsterdam, member of the FIAV until his death in 2001.

Vexillographs

See also

literature

  • Daniel Hohrath (Ed.): Colors of History. Flags and flags. [To the exhibition “Colors of History. Flags and flags. From the collections of the German Historical Museum ”in the IM Pei exhibition hall of the German Historical Museum, Berlin from April 27, 2007 to September 9, 2007] . German Historical Museum , Berlin 2007, ISBN 978-3-86102-145-2 .

Web links

Wiktionary: Vexillology  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Flags of the World: http://www.fotw.net/flags/xf-etym.html#vel
  2. ↑ a b German Society for Flagging: Flagging ( Memento of the original from November 15, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.flaggenkunde.de
  3. ↑ Vexillology - Overview and History Publication = December 31, 2012 | Access = January 28, 2013
  4. ^ Entry at the German National Library
  5. ↑ National Archives Norway: Archived copy ( memento of the original dated August 7, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.arkivverket.no
  6. ↑ ghanaweb: [1]
  7. ↑ Australian Gouverment: http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/symbols/otherflag.cfm#Australian
  8. ↑ City of Vancouver: Archived copy ( memento of the original from September 27, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.city.vancouver.bc.ca