Flag of Luxembourg
The flag of Luxembourg consists of three horizontal stripes, red, white and blue, and can be in 1:2 or 3:5 ratio. It was first used between 1845 and 1848 and officially adopted on June 23 1972.
Description
According to the Règlement Grand-Ducal from July 27 1993, the proper colours are:
- Red: Pantone 032 c or CMYK: C 0% M 90% Y 85% - K 0%
- White:
- Blue: Pantone 299 c or CMYK: C 85% M 20% Y 0% K 0%
History
The colours of the Flag of Luxembourg were first adopted around 1830 during the Belgian Revolution. They were probably taken from the shield of the Province of Limbourg, the only difference being the background which was changed into silver with blue stripes. The three-coloured horizontal design was fixed on June 12 1845.
It took until June 23 1972 before a law was passed regulating the flag of Luxembourg. The same law also prescribed ensign and roundel for aircraft and ships registered in Luxembourg.
One important clarification brought by this law was that the colour blue was defined as being a very bright blue, in contrast to the flag of the Netherlands (exactly the same design, but the Dutch flag uses dark blue and a less oblong shape).
The heraldric blazon for the flag is per fess Gules and Azure, a fess Argent.
Ensign
The red lion is the official ensign for ships registered in Luxembourg. It is used for river and sea shipping, as for aviation. This flag is based on the Coat of arms of Luxembourg and is used as the ensign to avoid the possibility of Luxembourg's ensign being confused for that of the Netherlands. Ten white and blue stripes serve as the field for a red lion with a yellow tongue and crown. The proper ratio for this ensign is 5:7.
The Réglement Grand-Ducal of July 27, 1993 defined the ensign's colours as:
- Red: Pantone 032 c or CMYK: C 0% M 90% Y 85% - K 0%
- White:
- Blue: Pantone 299 c or CMYK: C 85% M 20% Y 0% K 0%
- Yellow: Pantone 116c or CMYK: C 0% M 15% Y 95% K 0%
Roundel
The roundel of Luxembourg is seen on the AWACS aircraft used by NATO.
Flag Discussion
On October 5 2006, MP Michel Wolter introduced a legislative proposition [1] to replace the current red-white-blue national flag with the red lion ensign. He argued that the current flag was commonly confused with that of the Netherlands and that the red lion on the other hand was more popular, more aesthetic and of greater historic value. Wolter also claimed he had personally discussed the matter with some three hundred people, most of whom expressed their support for his initiative.
On the other hand, many national politicians (including leading members of Wolter's own CSV) and VIPs have expressed astonishment in the local media concerning both the timing and necessity for such a change. The only political party to express support for Wolter's initiative was the nationalist and populist ADR. On October 24 2006 a local initiative called Initiativ Roude Léiw (Initiative Red Lion) held a press conference explaining their intention to support Wolter's project on a non-partisan basis. Their first actions would include distribution of red lion bumper stickers, a petition and a poll.
A formal obstacle for replacing the flag could be that the neighbouring Belgian province of Luxembourg also uses a flag similar to the red lion flag.
External links
- (English) Luxembourg at Flags of the World
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