Last modified: 2022-12-27 by martin karner
Keywords: eagle (black) | shackle | chain | sickle and hammer | crown: mural (yellow) | bindenschild | service flag | state flag |
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2:3, by Željko Heimer | 2:3, by Peter Diem |
The ratio shown here (2:3) was formally adopted
in 1984. The type of eagle on the flag drawn by Željko Heimer is that used by
the Western Austrian flag factory; the flag drawn by Peter Diem is that used by
the Eastern Austrian flag factory. The latter is heraldically better because
the constitution prescribes a sable (black) eagle. The former flag tends
to make the eagle appear grey on actual flags.
Peter Diem, 16 August 2002
The state flag is a triband with the coat of arms in the
middle. The size of the
coat of arms is prescribed by the location of two points on it. The lower edge of the hammer should be on
[or slightly above - Peter Diem] the upper edge of the
lower red stripe, white the "middle" of the beak should be on the lower edge of the upper red
stripe. Horizontally, the
coat of arms is in the middle, of course. This flag is called "Dienstflagge des
Bundes". Framing of the coat of arms in a shield is forbidden (although see
flag signalling government member on board a river boat!)
Željko Heimer, 20 February 2001
The red white red flag with the coat of arms is used as the Government flag and by the
army.
Željko Heimer, 18 November 1995
As you can see from http://www.peter-diem.at/bundeswappen.htm
the Landeshauptmann (Land prime minister) has the right to use the federal
coat-of-arms, but I have never seen him doing this. The prime
ministers elected by the nine Land parliaments are indeed, according to the
constitution, also organs of the Federal Administration, but only
"also". They draw their whole legitimation from the Land - they act more against
the Federation instead of for the Federation. Therefore I assume that a car flag used for official occasions would be only the
state flag/state service flag (Landesflagge/Landesdienstflagge).
As municipalities do not have federal functions, they have to show the plain national
flag.
Practice frequently does not follow the legal prescriptions, though. The flag manufacturer
Gärtner/Mittersill floods the country with federal
service flags with "grey" eagle, which are also used frequently for waving during sports
events.
Peter Diem, 18 August / 3 September 2003 (translated by Marcus
Schmöger)
The Austrian federal service flag *should* have the eagle without any surrounding
shield. However, even on pretty official occasions (sessions of the army reform
commission) a hanging flag with the eagle *in* a shield has been used. See
photos at http://www.bmlv.gv.at/facts/bh_2010/galerie.php?id=460
and http://www.bmlv.gv.at/facts/bh_2010/galerie.php?id=420
M. Schmöger, 15 June 2004
image by J. Patrick Fischer
Yesterday I saw a report of Austrian TV ORF about Federal President Fischer's visit in India. The eagle on the Austrian flag was on a shield
and turned on 90 degrees, perhaps to avoid the coat-of-arms laying on its side, when the flag hanging on a pole.
J. Patrick Fischer, 18 February 2005
The arms of Austria have been rotated 90 degrees on this flag, covering the coffin of the late Austrian
President. http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/040707/481/vie12707071159
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/040708/ids_photos_wl/r3438557200.jpg
(links broken in the meantime)
Zach Harden, 7 July 2004 / 8 July 2004
The really interesting stuff is the eagle itself. This eagle is totally different from the actual Austrian arms
(see above). I haven't ever seen this type of eagle. However, as in Germany, there
are several eagles around for different purposes. For instance, the eagle in the Austrian parliament is strikingly different from the
official arms as well.
M. Schmöger, 7 July 2004
As a matter of fact, years, if not decades, before the present Flag Act was passed by the Austrian parliament on 28th March, 1984 - probably on the
occasion of the death of Federal President Karl Renner in 1950 - the protocol department of the president's office or the chancellery must have
ordered a special "funeral flag". This flag has been in use at all state funerals since, covering the coffin of the deceased head of state or
chancellor. I submit three pictures of this flag taken at the funeral of Thomas Klestil in July 2004. From a heraldic point of view, nothing is wrong
with the eagle - it is just another artistic version, but there is no violation of its blazon. From a vexillological point of view the eagle
should of course rest in the center of a horizontally striped flag - but this was not stipulated in the early years of the Republic. It will be a
hard job to convince the authorities that the funeral flag should be changed so as to conform to the present Flag
Act.
Peter Diem, 31 December 2005
See also: