Union badge of Norway and Sweden

Norway and Sweden were in a personal union from 1814 to 1905. According to the constitution of November 1814, Norway was to have its own merchant flag, but the war flag was to reflect the union. The present flag of Norway was introduced in 1821, but its use was restricted. The union war flag of 1815 was a Swedish flag defaced with a canton showing a white saltire on red, meant to represent Norway. Public opinion in Norway saw this situation as unsatifactory, and demanded a reform of flags and arms to reflect the equal status of the two states within the union.fact|date=May 2008

In 1844, the proposals of a joint committee were enacted for both countries by King Oscar I. [Bratbak, Bjørn (1993). "Det norsk-svenske unionsvåpenet og andre symbolstridigheter". In "Meddelande 53 från Armémuseum", Stockholm, p. 23–25.] A Union Badge was created, combining the flag colours of both countries, equally distributed. It was placed in the canton of each flag, including the merchant flags, which had until then been without any symbols of the union. The two countries received separate, but parallel flag systems, clearly manifesting their equality.

The union badge was at first popular in Norway as a sign of Norway's equal status in the union. In Sweden, it was always seen by some people as a desecration of their flag, and one of its adversaries called it the "herring salad" [This nickname was first used by the Swedish representative "C.O. Brakel" during a debate in the Riddarhuset in 1859. See Koht, Halvdan, "Norske Flagsange, Kristiania 1896, p. X.] (No.: "Sildesalaten", Sw.: "Sillsallaten") because of its resemblance to a popular dish of the Smorgasbord. It came to be popularly known under this name in both countries.

During the 1870s, the union became increasingly unpopular in Norway, and as a consequence the union badge was seen as a sign not of equality, but of a union forced upon the country against its will. Radicals made it their political goal to reintroduce the "pure" Norwegian flag as the first step toward the dissolution of the union. [Hofstad, Marius B. (2006). "Et splittelsens tegn. Flaggstriden i Norge på 1890-tallet". Universitetet i Oslo, pp. 21–24.] The parliamentary majority voted for the removal of the badge three times, but was defeated by royal veto twice. Finally, in 1898, the third royal veto was overruled and the union badge was removed from the national (merchant) [Kongelig Kundgjørelse (Royal announcement) 10 December 1898.] and the state flag. It remained in the war flag (naval ensign), as this was under the jurisdiction of the king. However, parliament introduced a new state flag for government buildings, similar to the war flag, but without the union badge. The "pure" Norwegian flag was hoisted again in 1899. After Norway's unilateral withdrawal from the union on 7 June 1905, the union badge disappeared from the naval ensign as well on 9 June. It remained in all Swedish flags until Sweden formally recognized the dissolution of the union. By a royal decree of 27 October, the union badge in the merchant flag and the naval ensign was to be replaced with a blue field on 1 November 1905.

The union badge on its own was used as the naval jack in both countries, and as the flag of the common diplomatic representations of both countries abroad. The diplomatic flag had the proportions 4:5 of the union badge as it appeared in Swedish flags, unlike the square shape of the Norwegian version.Anker, C.J. (1888). "Tegninger af Norges flag i dets forskjellige skikkelser gjennem tiden". Kristiania: P.T.Mallings boghandels forlag, pp. 11–12.] [Colour plate attached to "Cirkulär 18. Oktober 1899" from Kongl. Utrikes Departementet, Stockholm, to the consuls of the United Kingdoms.]

The blue in the union badge would be the same as in the rest of the flag, usually the dark blue of the Norwegian flag. Swedish flags before 1905 also had a darker shade of blue than present flags.

Flags

See also

* Nordic Cross Flag
* Union between Sweden and Norway

References