flag of Hungary

The tricolour flag of Hungary was officially adopted on October 12, 1957, after the abortive revolution in 1956. The colours are the same as those found in the traditional coat of arms of Hungary. The white is said to symbolize Hungary’s rivers, the green its mountains, and the red the blood shed in its many battles. The three colours were mentioned in a 1608 coronation ceremony, but their association with the monarchs of Hungary may go back to the 13th century. The coat of arms also displays a double cross and St. Stephen’s Crown, with its unique bent cross at the top. St. Stephen was Hungary’s first Christian king and is generally considered the founder of the Hungarian state.

Hungary spent much of its history under Turkish and then Austrian domination. A short-lived republic in 1848 restored the traditional arms and colours, by then usually displayed in tricolour form (possibly influenced by the French Tricolor). These became part of the Austrian merchant flag in 1869 after the two countries formed the dual monarchy of Austria-Hungary. In 1918, with the dissolution of Austria-Hungary, the tricolour became the national flag of an independent Hungary. The traditional coat of arms was displayed on some flags.

The coat of arms was replaced in 1949 with a more Soviet-style symbol that appeared on the white stripe in the centre of the flag. During the revolution of 1956, this coat of arms was dropped and the traditional arms restored, but the following year, after the suppression of the revolution, the coat of arms was removed from the flag. A new coat of arms was created that also incorporated the national colours, but it was not added to the flag. Ever since, the national flag of Hungary has officially been the plain tricolour. In 1990 Hungary’s National Assembly restored the traditional coat of arms but left the national flag as established in 1957.