Last modified: 2018-08-04 by ivan sache
Keywords: yugoslavia people's army |
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Flags of military units were prescribed in 1954 by Regulation Pravilnik o vojničkim zastavama Jugoslovenske narodne armije, adopted on 2 March 1954 and published on 1 April 1954 in the Army offifcial gazette Službeni vojni list, No. 6. A minor update, Regulation Pravilnik o izmenama i dopunama Pravilnika o vojničkim zastavama Jugoslovenske narodne armije, adopted on 10 January 1958 and published on 21 January 1958 in Službeni vojni list, No. 2, includes only procedure issues. An other update, Regulation Pravilnik o izmenama i dopunama Pravilnika o vojničkim zastavama Jugoslovenske narodne armije, adopted on 3 april 1959 and published on 21 April 1959 in Službeni vojni list, No. 9, introduces a color for paratrooper units and also formally changes the name of the Regulations to Pravilnik o vojnim zastavama Jugoslovenske narodne armije.
These Regulations remained valid until the dissolution of the country.
However, while there are many examples of unit flags following these
regulations, there are just as much those that differ - more or less
varying the inscriptions and elements, but retaining the general
overall design. Some of these predate the regulations, while other
were clearly made more recently. Here are presented only the
prescribed versions.
These regulations were explicitly meant for Infantry, Cavalry, Armor
and Air Force regiments and brigades (Article 1, 1954 Regulation). Possibly the other kind of flags belonged to higher and/or lower level units, commands and institutions (as well
as predating the regulations).
Yugoslav People's Army units with certain elite status (higher level
of readiness and equipment) were designated "Guard", and among them
some were yet titled "Proletarian".
The regulations name the flags literary "soldier's flags" in 1954,
changing the term to "military flags" in 1959.
The flag field was made of double layered silk, either red, sky blue
or tricolour blue-white-red. All of the flags had the same prescribed
size of the flag field of 78×107 cm, except for the Air Force
regiments, with the field of 70×102 cm. All the flag fields were edged
with a golden ribbon 1 cm wide all around, and with 5 cm wide golden
fringe along the three outer edges. The obverse of all flags included
inscriptions in Latin and the reverse in Cyrillic script.
These flags are fairly well-known from the illustrations in the Military
Encyclopedia (Belgrade, 1975), showing only one side of the flag,
which are mostly only perpetuated in other sources. Thus reverses
of these flags are mostly left to speculation.
As usual for military colors, not only the flag fields were
prescribed, but also all other paraphernalia. These are the same for
all types of these flags, only the flag field and the streamer field
design vary.
The spear in total length 2470 mm had a wooden pole 2140 mm long with
diameter of 30 mm, consisting of two halves fastened together with a
metal joint. The gilded finial 234 mm long consists of a base, neck,
pomme and spear. The spear base consists of a metal foot 95 mm in
length.
A streamer and a cord are tied for the finial neck. The streamer is a
silk 120×15 cm of varying design, edged along the shorter edges with 1
cm golden edge and 5 cm golden fringe. The cord is of golden string with diameter 8-9 mm and with a tassel at each end. The entire cord with tassels is 202 cm long, the tassel
diameter is 45 mm and its fringe is 50 mm.
Additionally, units awarded national orders of merit, have streamers
in design prescribed for the appropriate order, 170 cm long and 45 mm
wide, amended in 1959 to 39 mm wide. The order streamers are folded in
triangles at each end 18 mm high. These regulations do not list the
orders and their streamers design, leaving it for the individual
regulations of each order.
Each flag is also equipped with a leather case. Also, the flags were
displayed in standardized wooden showcases with a glass window, set in
its with the staff divided, its top part along the case top edge, the
flag and its streamers and cords hanging freely in the case, and the
other end of the staff and the leather casing laid down in the bottom
of the showcase. This was kept in commander's office or another
appropriate hall in the unit barracks.
Željko Heimer, 12 May 2018
![[Flag]](../images/y/yu^1954p.gif)
Color of Proletarian Units - Image by Željko Heimer, 12 May 2018
The color of Proletarian Units is a red flag with a golden embroidered five-pointed red star (width of the fimbriation 13 mm) with a hammer and sickle in the center of it.
On the obverse (image) above, along the top edge the motto "Worker of the
World Unite!" (Proleteri svih zemalja ujedinite se!). Beneath it, in
an arch above and below the star the unit name.
On the reverse (image) around
the star in arches above and below it the motto "For Freedom and
Independence of the Socialist Fatherland".
The streamer is tricolor, at one end, on both its sides, the state
coat of arms is embroidered with red background.
Željko Heimer, 12 May 2018
![[Flag]](../images/y/yu^1954g.gif)
Color of Guard Units - Image by Željko Heimer, 13 May 2018
The color of Guard Units is a red flag with a golden embroidered five-pointed red star (width of the fimbriation 13 mm) with a hammer and sickle in the center of it.
On the obverse (image) in an arch above and below the star the unit name.
On the reverse (image) around the star in arches above and below it the motto "For Freedom and Independence of the Socialist Fatherland". The state coat of arms embroidered in canton on both sides.
The streamer is tricolor, at one end, on both its sides, the state
coat of arms is embroidered with red background.
Željko Heimer, 13 May 2018
![[Flag]](../images/y/yu^1954o.gif)
Color of other Units - Image by Željko Heimer, 15 May 2018
The color of other Units ("the other infantry, cavalry and armor units", that is, those not being titled Proletarian or Guard) is a tricolor flag with a golden embroidered five-pointed red star (width of the fimbriation 13 mm) (without a hammer and sickle) in the center of it.
On the obverse (image) in an arch above and below the star the motto "For Freedom and Independence of the Socialist Fatherland" in Latin script.
On the reverse (image) the same in Cyrillic script.
The streamer is red, at one end there is embroidered the state coat of
arms and on the opposite the unit name golden in Cyrillic scipt. The
reverse has the arms and the inscription on opposite ends, here
inscribed in Latin.
Željko Heimer, 15 May 2018
![[Flag]](../images/y/yu^1954m.gif)
Color of Marine Infantry Units - Image by Željko Heimer, 18 May 2018
The color of Marine Infantry Units is a tricolor flag with a golden embroidered five-pointed red star (width of the fimbriation 13 mm) with a golden fouled anchor in the center of
it.
On the obverse (image) in an arch above and below the star the motto "For Freedom and Independence of the Socialist Fatherland" in Latin script.
On the reverse (image) the same in Cyrillic script.
The streamer is red, at one end there is embroidered the state coat of
arms and on the opposite the unit name golden in Cyrillic scipt. The
reverse has the arms and the inscription on opppsite ends, here
inscribed in Latin.
Željko Heimer, 18 May 2018
![[Flag]](../images/y/yu^1959p.gif)
Color of Paratrooper Units - Image by Željko Heimer, 23 June 2018
The color of Paratrooper Units is tricolor flag with a golden embroidered five-pointed red star (width of the fimbriation 13 mm) with a white embroidered parachute dome with
strings and a parachutist figure in the center of it.
On the obverse (image) in an arch above and below the star the motto "For Freedom and Independence of the Socialist Fatherland" in Latin script.
On the reverse (image) the same in Cyrillic script.
The streamer is red, at one end there is embroidered the state coat of
arms and on the opposite the unit name golden in Cyrillic scipt. The
reverse has the arms and the inscription on opppsite ends, here
inscribed in Latin.
Željko Heimer, 26 June 2018
