Czech Military Colors

Last modified: 2008-08-30 by jarig bakker
Keywords: military colors | lion |
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• Czech military color (obverse)
• Third mechanized brigade - 3. mechanovany brigada banner and badge
• 31. mechanovany prapor (31st mechanized batallion) banner and badge
• Standard of the Castle Guards of Hradčany obverse and reverse
• Czech Bohemia Lion Unit Battle Flag at EBay (wrong!)
• Armed Forces of the Czech Republic

• Czech Republic
• Czechoslovakian Arms

Czech military color (obverse)

A military color in Czech is a bojová zástava. It is square, the obverse a banner of the arms of the Czech Republic (quarterly, 1st and 4th Bohemia, 2nd Moravia, 3rd Silesia), all within a border of white, red, and blue "flames."  The blue of the flames is somewhat lighter than that of the field of the 2nd quarter.  I have not found a good image of the reverse, except to know that it is different.  The third reference below shows a dark blue field, with the name of the unit inscribed in yellow along the top. Presumably other devices are included.  The reverse as the same white, red, and blue border as the obverse.  In at least one photo, the staff is bamboo or some other kind of cane, to which the flag is fastened with ties.  Spearhead finial.  Decorations and distinctions attached below the spearhead as embroidered streamers. The arms are drawn from a scan of the coat of arms in Album 2000. I hope someone uncovers a clear image of the reverse of this flag.
Joseph McMillan, 18 Feb 2002

It's a simplified version of the Presidential banner.
Blas Delgado Ortiz, 18 Feb 2002

Third mechanized brigade - 3. mechanizovana  brigada

At this website are two military banners:
3. Mechanovany Brigada (third mechanized brigade)
31. Mechanovany Prapor (thirthyfirst mechanized batallion)
There are separate images of the central emblems; I don't know what the small CoAs are...
Jarig Bakker, 27 Jul 2002

I know these arms: these with three fields are Arms of Marianske Lazne (Marienbad), these with red over white are these of Velka Hledsebe, which is: Per fess Gules a Barrier Argent and Argent three Escalops Sable. Barrier represents community´s position on historical road to Bavaria and local toll-house, three shells are Prince Metternich´s Coat of Arms. Metternich´s Chateau Kynžvart (Königswarth) is located in neighourhood. BTW - the distance between Marianske Lazne and Velka Hledsebe is about 3 km. Brigade´s badge represents its name - since 1999 it is called "31. mechanizovana brigada Karla IV." ("Charles IV").
Aleš Křižan, 11 Apr 2003

Third mechanized brigade badge

31. mechanizovany prapor (31st mechanized batallion)

At this website are two military banners:
3. Mechanovany Brigada (third mechanized brigade)
31. Mechanovany Prapor (thirty-first mechanized battalion)
There are separate images of the central emblems; I don't know what the small coats of arms are...
Jarig Bakker, 27 Jul 2002

31st mechanized batallion badge

Standard of the Castle Guards of Hradčany (obverse)

It was adopted on 1 Jan 1993 and carries the name of Vaclav Havel and  the date "1993". Will the standards undergo change after the new president, Vačlav Klaus, takes office? Did the castle guard have a flag in the years 1990-1993? There was a coat of arms.
Sources: Milan Liška: Hradni stráž; Praha 2000 and
Bulletin of thr World Vexillological Research Institute "Flaggen, Wappen und Siegel" Nr.:56 ; Bonn 2002.
Jens Pattke, 29 Mar 2003

Standard of the Castle Guards of Hradčany (reverse)

Czech Bohemia Lion Unit Battle Flag at EBay (wrong!)

I don´t know what to think about that "Czechoslovakian bohemian etc." lion, but now I am sure - it is NOT our lion at all! How do I know it when it is impossible to say what kind of banner it is? I paid attention to the mysterious thing (which looks like rugby ball :) held by GOLDEN LION, which is furthermore looking backwards. In detail I saw "Bayerische Rauten" on a strange shaped escutcheon, not rugby ball. Well if we put the facts together - light blue field (like in Bavarian Flag), "Rauten" (like in Bavarian Arms),  golden Lion rampant, looking back and with double tail (like in Great Royal Bavarian Arms) - we can find a solution: this banner has nothing to do with Bohemia.
Aleš Křižan, 21 Mar 2002

The crowned lion regardant, however, is not the one that appears on the coat of arms proper but looks very much like the supporters used on the Bavarian royal arms from 1835 to 1918, as shown on this website. Given the size (20 x 24 inches) and the fact that the thing is made for hanging vertically, I wonder if this might not be a trumpet
banner of some kind, or perhaps the banner that hangs from a Schellenbaum. Also, assuming that the Rauten (or lozenges) on the little shield were once blue, the piece has obviously faded considerably, making me wonder what color the field was originally.
Joe McMillan, 21 Mar 2002

I also think that this is probably a Bavarian lion, indeed very probably one of the supporters from a greater Bavarian arms. Perhaps someone cut this out from a larger flag with the whole coat of arms and just put in on this piece? Quite a weird thing, actually.
Marcus Schmöger, 26 Mar 2002

Armed Forces of the Czech Republic

In this photo there is a flag of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic probably the flag is of the Airborne and Reconnaissance Troops. The photo was found in the defensa.com website.
Santiago Tazon, 12 Mar 2002