Last modified: 2006-10-21 by jarig bakker
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image by Marcus Schmöger, 12 Mar 2001
Flag adopted 1863, readopted 1919, abolished
1935,
used unofficially 1990
After 1818, was down to three duchies:
- Anhalt-Dessau (-1918)
- Anhalt-Bernburg (-1863)
- Anhalt-Köthen (1818-47),
which combined in 1847 and 1863, into the Dessau
branch which thereafter was simply called Anhalt. It became a republic
after World War One.
Norman Martin, 7 Feb 2001
Duke Joachim Ernst abdicated on 12 November 1918, after which Anhalt
became a republic.
Jarig Bakker, 9 Feb 2001
Anhalt was united in 1863 from the three former duchies Anhalt-Köthen,
Anhalt-Bernburg and Anhalt-Dessau. Sometime after 1815 already the colours
red - green - white became the colours of Anhalt-Dessau (first used as
an ribbon of an order). These continued to be the colours of the united
duchy Anhalt from 1863-1918. The constitution of the Freistaat
Anhalt of 18th July 1919 confirmed the colours red-green-white,
that were used until 1935.
Sources: Günther 1995/96, Arndt
1979, Znamierowski 1999.
Marcus Schmöger, 12 Mar 2001
Horizontal tricolor red-green-white. In use until 1935.
Norman Martin, Mar 1998
Flag of the duke and the ducal house of Anhalt, in use until 1918, when
the republic was proclaimed in Anhalt.
Jaume Ollé, 6 Jun 1996
Landesfarben with crowned small arms at center. In use until
1918.
Norman Martin, Mar 1998
The flag of the duke and the ducal house was red-green-white with the
crowned ducal arms.
Marcus Schmöger, 12 Mar 2001
Information provided by Lucien Philippe.
Jaume Ollé, 29 Aug 1998
I have a reference to the flag of the Anhalt Batallion (i.e. the joint
force of the three Anhalt duchies) in the Rheinbund [Confederation
of the Rhine, pre-1815] army. This consisted of a white flag with the crowned
arms of Anhalt (left Brandenburg, right Saxony). I do not know if this
was considered to be a national flag, I think it is merely the flag
of the batallion.
Norman Martin, 8 Feb 2001
In an interesting article about Ethiopian-German relations there is
a flag-related passage about a flag from Anhalt (in the 7th paragraph):
"According to his biography, which depended on his letters sent from
Ethiopia, Zander became the military instructor of Wubé and introduced
a flag to be carried by his troops, which was an almost exact copy of the
flag of his fatherland, the Dukedom of Anhalt, one of the German states
- and strikingly similar to the flag carried
later by the troops of unified Ethiopia."
All we have on FOTW about Ethiopian military flags is a page about
roundels.
Source: this
webpage.
Martin Karner, 8 Oct 2004
"Flags carried at this time (by the members of the Confederation of
the Rhine or Rheinbund during 1807-1808) were two by Gotha-Altenburg, one
by Coburg-Saalfeld and one by Anhalt-Dessau. After several years of depletion
through hard campaigning the regiments were reconstituted in 1812 for the
Russian campaign. Two flags were carried at this time, one of the Anhalt
bataillon (presented in 1811) and that of the Lippe batallion (presented
in 1812), both being carried by the 5th regiment. The first measured 80
cm by 70 cm and the staff was white. The flag itself was white and bore
in the centre the arms of Anhalt. These were to the viewer's right the
arms of Saxony, green curved diagonal over black and yellow (gold) bands,
to the left a red eagle displayed on a white background. Surround to oval
was gold, as was the crown which also had a red lining. On the reverse
was the word ANHALT in the centre. In 1811 a new flag was issued which
was similar to the above described 1807 edition with following difference
- a ribbon of white with black lettering, bearing the word ANHALT, was
draped across the
escutcheon. The flag was the same on both sides.
After the defection of the German troops to the allies in 1813 new
units were raised and took part in the 1814 campaign against Napoleon.
It is known that Anhalt-Dessau had one flag."
Source: "Flags and Standards of the Napoleonic Wars". Compiled
and drawn by Keith Over, Bivouac Books Ltd., London (also Sky Books Press
Ltd., New York). Page 7-8.
Text accompanying ill. 6 on p. 6: "Anhalt contingent flag 1811. The bear in the castle tower here shown on the flagstaff was originally the tip of the staff on an earlier vexillum type standard (the chains for which were held in the bear's extended paw). According to some authorities this was used on the new flag as illustrated but the 1807 pattern certainly had a plain spear tip."
So these were military flags, not dynastic or national ones.
Jan Mertens, 28 Oct 2004
This confirms the informations from Norman Martin and answers his question
if this Anhalt flag was also a national or merely a battalion flag. It
was definitely a mere battalion flag. It rests now to clear up what the
biographer of Eduard Zander meant with "almost exact copy of the flag of
his fatherland": did he write about the
national/dynastic or military flag? Unfortunately he didn't describe
the flag further. We will be able to answer it if we find something about
early Ethiopian military flags or the origins of the Ethiopian national
flag.
Martin Karner, 28 Oct 2004
Here
are some pictures and additional information: "(the flag of) the 1st Battalion
5th Regiment (...) was presented in 1807 and measured 80 x 70cm on a white
flag staff with a gilt finial. This flag was destroyed at the combat of
La Bisbal in Spain in September 1810. A new pattern flag was issued on
the 14th May 1811. The Anhalt battalion capitulated at Danzig in 1813,
but was allowed to keep its colours. Thereafter Anhalt joined the Allies."
Text from Alan Pendlebury's site, "Flags of the Napoleonic Wars".
Jan Mertens, 11 Dec 2004