History of the national flag of Liechtenstein

Last modified: 2024-08-10 by martin karner
Keywords: liechtenstein | bonnet |
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• Yellow over red flag (< 1921)
• Vertically divided variant (1852–1921)
• Blue over red flag (1921–1937)
• Crown added (1937–1957)
• National flag as of 1939
• Crown modified (1957–1982)
• Crown modified (> 1982)

• Liechtenstein

Yellow over red flag (< 1921)

It is said that until 1921 the flag of Liechtenstein was horizontally divided yellow-red. This flag is still used locally during festivities.
Ivan Sache, 1 March 2001, translating and adapting Roger Baert in [bat00]

• Princely flag as of 1957
• Standard of the other members of the princely House

Vertically divided variant (1852–1921)

Blue and red have been used as national colours since 1852, either in vertical or horizontal stripes. The Journal of Election and Coronation of Emperor Josef II (1764) confirms that blue and red were the livery colours of the prince’s servants. The ribbons attaching the seals onto official acts were also blue and red.
Ivan Sache, 1 March 2001, translating and adapting Roger Baert in [bat00]

In the Grand Larousse Encyclopedique du XX^ème siècle (1929), the flag of Liechtenstein is shown as a vertically divided red/blue.
Ivan Sache, 22 December 1998

Blue over red flag (1921–1937)

The fundamental law of 5 October 1921 definitively prescribed the blue and red horizontal stripes.
Ivan Sache, 1 March 2001, translating and adapting Roger Baert in [bat00]

Crown added (1937–1957)

On 24 June 1937, a yellow bonnet de prince was added in the blue stripe near the hoist, following the well-known confusion with the Haitian flag in Berlin Olympic Games in 1936.
Ivan Sache, 1 March 2001, translating and adapting Roger Baert in [bat00]

Interestingly, Baert [bat00] calls the crown “bonnet de prince” and not couronne.
Ivan Sache, 1 March 2001

National flag as of 1939

Neubecker’s Flaggenbuch 1939 [neu92] shows Land (i.e. National) Flag, 1,5×6 m; it’s vertically hoisted (from a cross bar). The order of stripes is just the opposite to what we would expect – in which red is on viewer’s (reader’s) left and blue is on the right. I believe that today opposite would be usual setting … Different custom in 1930’s? Error? Different “norm” of representation? The size of the bonnet is given as 40×50 cm, and the distance from top to the top of the bonnet is 55 cm. Of course, the bonnet’s vertical axis is centered on the blue stripe.
Željko Heimer, 12 May / 7 December 2002

The crown in Flaggenbuch [neu92] is indeed drawn with no vertical hatching on the cap (the “bonnet”). This is as faithful representation as humanly possible.
Željko Heimer, 30 January 2003

Crown modified (1957–1982)

The bonnet was slightly modified on 4 June 1957.
Ivan Sache, 1 March 2001, translating and adapting Roger Baert in [bat00]

Crown modified (> 1982)

Current flag: The bonnet was modernized by law of 30 June 1982.
Ivan Sache, 1 March 2001, translating and adapting Roger Baert in [bat00]