The Bavarian Flag: A Guide To Its Unique Design And Colors

The flag of Bavaria, officially the Free State of Bavaria, is a state in the southeast of Germany. Bavaria has two official flags of equal status: one with a white and blue stripe, and the other with white and blue diamond-shaped lozenges. Both flags are historically associated with the royal Bavarian Wittelsbach family, which ruled Bavaria from 1180 to 1918. The exact shade of blue has never been codified, but most flags used by the public are approximately RGB 0-204-255, while officials use something closer to RGB 0-128-255. The white and blue colours are believed to represent the lakes and rivers of Bavaria, or perhaps the sky, as referenced in the Bavarian anthem.

The striped flag

The exact shade of blue on the flag has never been codified, but flags used by the public tend to be approximately RGB 0-204-255, while officials use something closer to RGB 0-128-255.

The lozenge flag

In vexillology, flags are usually described and displayed from the front (obverse). However, in Bavaria, the description of the flag is based on heraldic rules, which means it is described from the point of view of a shield-bearer standing behind the coat of arms and the flag. Therefore, the right upper corner, reserved for a truncated white lozenge, is on the top left (adjacent to the flagpole) for the viewer.

The white and blue lozenges on the flag also appear in the coat of arms, symbolising the unity of the territories within the Bavarian kingdom. The coat of arms features various heraldic symbols, including the Golden Lion, the "Franconian Rake", the Blue "Pantier", the Three Lions, the White-and-Blue inescutcheon, and the People's Crown. The modern coat of arms of Bavaria was designed by Eduard Ege in 1946, following heraldic traditions.

The exact shade of blue is not codified

The exact shade of blue used in the Bavarian flag has never been codified. However, this does not mean that there is no consensus on the colour. Most flags used by the public are approximately RGB 0-204-255, while officials tend to use a colour closer to RGB 0-128-255. The flags shown above use #0099D5.

The colours of the flag are derived from the lozengy arms of the Wittelsbach family, who ruled Bavaria from 1180 to 1918. The colours have remained unchanged since 1330, but the exact shade of blue has likely varied over time. The Bavarian anthem mentions "the colours of the sky, white and blue", and sky blue is generally considered the more correct shade.

The striped and lozenge styles of the Bavarian flag have equal status, and offices or users are free to choose between them. The striped flag consists of one white and one blue horizontal stripe of the same width, with the white stripe on top. The lozenge flag consists of at least 21 rhombuses, which are white or blue, and the first rhombus on the top left of the flag, as viewed from the front, is always white.

The flag's historical association with the Bavarian Wittelsbach family

The flag of Bavaria is historically associated with the royal Bavarian Wittelsbach family, which ruled Bavaria from 1180 to 1918. The flag comes in two official variants: the striped type and the lozenge type, both of which feature blue and white colours. The lozenge design is derived from the heraldry of the Counts of Bogen, which was adopted by the Wittelsbachers in 1242. The exact number of lozenges is not fixed, but there must be at least 21, including a truncated white lozenge in the top right corner. The striped variant was formally introduced in 1878, while the lozenge variant was designated as the state flag in 1953.

The blue and white colours of the flag are referenced in the Bavarian anthem, which mentions "the colours of His sky/heaven, white and blue". The colours are also said to represent the lakes and rivers of Bavaria. The white and blue lozenges were also used to symbolise the unity of the territories within the Bavarian kingdom when Elector Maximilian IV Joseph was crowned king of Bavaria.

The Wittelsbach family acquired Bavaria as a fief in 1180 when Henry the Lion was deposed as Duke of Saxony and Bavaria by his cousin, Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor. The family ruled for 738 years until 1918, and their coat of arms, featuring the white and blue lozenges, became the emblem of Bavaria. The coat of arms was modified over time as territories were acquired and ceded, but the white and blue lozenges remained a prominent feature.

The Wittelsbach family's long rule over Bavaria left a significant impact on the region, influencing its culture, traditions, and heritage. The family's coat of arms and its association with the Bavarian flag contributed to the distinct identity that Bavarians hold today. Even after the fall of the monarchy in 1918, the flag continued to be a symbol of Bavaria, with a small anti-Nazi resistance group, the FAB (Freiheitsaktion Bayern or Freedom Action Bavaria), hoisting the Bavarian flag instead of the swastika flag during World War II.

The flag's use by civilians and the government

The Free State of Bavaria has two flags, both of which have been coequally used since 1953. Both flags are historically associated with the royal Bavarian Wittelsbach family, which ruled Bavaria from 1180 to 1918. The two flags are the striped flag and the rhombus flag. Both flags are equal in status, and offices or users are free to choose between them.

The striped flag consists of one white and one blue horizontal stripe of the same width, with the white stripe on top and the blue on the bottom. The rhombus flag, on the other hand, consists of at least 21 rhombuses, also called "Wecken", in white or blue. The truncated rhombuses are also counted. When viewed from the front, the first rhombus on the top left of the flag is always white. The exact shade of blue has never been codified, but flags used by the public typically use RGB 0-204-255, while officials use RGB 0-128-255.

The variants of the flag that feature a coat of arms are not only unofficial but also strictly speaking, illegal. However, the de facto civil flag used by civilians is often a lozenge-style flag with the arms.

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