List of Polish flags

This is a list of flags defined by current Polish national law, either through an act of parliament or a ministerial ordinance. Apart from the national flag, these are mostly military flags, used by one or all branches of the Polish Armed Forces, especially the Polish Navy. Flags flown by vessels of non-military uniformed services are also included in the list.

Most of the flags listed below feature white and red, the national colors of Poland. The national colors, officially adopted in 1831, are of heraldic origin and derive from the tinctures (colors) of the coats of arms of Poland (the White Eagle) and Lithuania (the Pursuer). Additionally, some flags incorporate the White Eagle itself, either identical with that of the national coat of arms or one of its variants, known as military eagles, used by the Armed Forces.

Both variants of the national flag of Poland were officially adopted in 1919, shortly after Poland re-emerged as an independent state in the aftermath of the First World War in 1918. Many of the flags listed below were adopted within three years afterwards.pl icon cite web
last = Kromer
first = Adam
title = Polskie flagi, chorągwie, bandery...
url = http://www.akromer.republika.pl/flagi_pl.html
accessdate = 2008-02-02] Actual designs of most flags were modified only to adjust to the changes in the official rendering of the national coat of arms. Major modifications included a change in the stylization of the eagle from Classicist to Baroque in 1927 and the removal of the crown from the eagle's head during the Communist rule from 1944 to 1990. Legal specification for the shades of the national colors also changed with time. The shade of red was first legally specified as vermillion by a presidential decree of 13 December 1928.pl icon cite book
last = Znamierowski
first = Alfred
title = Stworzony do chwały
publisher = Editions Spotkania
date = 1995
location = Warsaw
pages = 299
isbn = 83-71-15055-5] The verbal prescription was replaced with coördinates in the CIE 1976 color space by the Coat of Arms Act of 31 January 1980.pl icon [http://www.abc.com.pl/serwis/du/2005/2000.htm "Ustawa o godle, barwach i hymnie Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej oraz o pieczęciach państwowych"] ["Coat of Arms, Colors and Anthem of the Republic of Poland, and State Seals Act"] , Dz.U. 05.235.2000] See articles about individual flags for more about their histories.

National flags

The basic variant of the national flag is a plain white-and-red horizontal bicolor. A variant defaced with the coat of arms is restricted for official use abroad and at sea. Legal restrictions notwithstanding, the two variants are often treated as interchangeable in practice.

Navy

The war ensign and the naval jack symbolize traditions of the Polish Navy dating back to Polish privateer fleet of the 15th-17th centuries.pl icon cite web
title = Historia Marynarki Wojennej RP
publisher = Marynarka Wojenna RP
url = http://www.mw.mil.pl/index.php?akcja=historiamw
accessdate = 2007-11-10] They are also symbols of a navy ship crew's courage, honor, unbreakable fighting spirit and readiness to defend Poland and its maritime rights. Naval Service Regulations define when, where and how the flags should be raised and lowered on board a navy ship.

Air Force

Flags of other uniformed services

See also

* Flags of Polish voivodeships
* Flag terminology

References

External links

* cite web
title = Znaki Sił Zbrojnych RP. Odznaki tytułów honorowych oddziałów i pododdziałów wojskowych
work = Wortal Wojsko Polskie
publisher = Miniterstwo Obrony Narodowej (Ministry of National Defence)
url = http://www.wojsko-polskie.pl/wortal/document,,id,183,pageNo,1.html
* cite web
title = Poland
work = Flags of the World
url = http://www.atlasgeo.net/fotw/flags/pl.html