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Dobrinj (The Coast-Gorski Kotar, Croatia)

Opc'ina Dobrinj

Last modified: 2007-09-15 by dov gutterman
Keywords: dobrinj | primorsko-goranska | sword | scales | klimno |
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image by Željko Heimer, 27 August 2003



See also:

Other Sites:

  • Collection of Croatian Local Flags at FAME

Overview

Dobrinj is a community with about 2000 inhabitants on eastern part Krk island opposing the city of Crikvenica on the coast. The Coat of Arms of Dobrinj: azure Justitia clead and blindfoled argent holding in the dexter arm an upright sword proper and in the sinister golden scales standing on a green mound.
I am not aware of the historical background for this coat of arms though I guess that there may be some.
There is little doubt that there is a flag to go with it, but unfortunately - no info.
Source: [osg02] Oštric Goroslav: Monumenta heraldica, izbor iz heraldicke baštine primorsko-goranske županije, Pomorski i povijesni muzej Hrvatskog primorja Rijeke, 2002.
Željko Heimer, 5 July 2003

I received mail from Robert Grubisa from Rijeka informing me on the flag. Here is translation sumarized:
Dobrinj - The flag is white with the coat of arms in the middle. The Coat of Arms is used on various information boards and similar in the community, but it seems that it is not yet approved by the Ministry. The flag is apparently not used (yet?).
Željko Heimer, 9 July 2003

The decision on adoption of the symbols for Dobrinj was published in the official gazette more then 5 years after adoption of the  descision, that I suppose may be explained that the community waited to get the approval from the Ministry before publishing the decision: Odluka o grbu i zastavi Opcine Dobrinj, 02.08.1996, Službene novine Primorsko-goranske županije, br. 20/01, 10. rujna 2001.
The flag is white with the coat of arms bordered golden in the middle. The vertical flag is in use also (though not mentioned explicitly in the decision), as proved by photos I received from Robert Grubisa.
The ceremonial flag is only menitoned in the text of the decision, but not described, and Robert also sent me photos of the table flag in use that looks by pattern like a ceremonial flag: bordered golden, with the coat of arms ornamented with vine and olive branches and ribbon containing the name of the community.
Željko Heimer, 27 August 2003


Vertical Flag


image by Željko Heimer, 27 August 2003


Ceremonial Flag


image by Željko Heimer, 27 August 2003


Coat of Arms


image by Željko Heimer, 5 July 2003


Klimno Local Board


flag
image from <klimno.net>


coat of arms
image from <klimno.net>

Former local communities (mjesne zajednice) in Croatia now are called "local boards" (mjesni odbori). The Local Board of Klimno is part of the Municipality of Dobrinj. Its flag (it is written it was project, I have no information if it was adopted) is presented at <klimno.net>. Although I don't know if the symbols are official, the coat of arms is on every page.
Valentin Poposki, 24 August 2007

The description claims that the saint shown on the coat of arms is St. Klement, the patron (and namesake) of Klimno. I guess that such coat of arms would hardly be acceptable to the State comission for approval, however, the local communities (boards) have no obligation to get their coat of arms approved...
On the other hand, the coat of arms and the flag looks suspiciously like the artwork by Heraldic-art of Rijeka - possibly the local artist used that as a template, or Rijeka company helped with final rendering of the coat of arms.
What bugs me is the depiction of the Saint. There are several "Klements" (Clement, Clementinus) in the list of saints of Catholic Church. The one shown on Klimno coat of arms holds three "apples" on a plate, and by looking at that I would suspect the picture represents St. Nicolas!? But, I may be wrong. The most well known St. Clement is Pope St. Clement I, the first pope to sucseed St. Peter, who is as a rule shown in art with an anchor.
So, who is St. Clement with "apples" or is the depiction indeed errorneous for St. Nicolas?
Željko Heimer, 26 August 2007

Good question. One of the traditional symbols for St. Nick is not three apples, but three bags of gold, often simplified to three gold balls. And the coat of arms in question sure looks like it has three gold balls. Also, while a bishop's mitre would be acceptable headgear for the image of a pope, the papal tiara would have seemed more likely imho.
On the other hand, it was traditional to give children presents of apples on St. Clements Day, at least in England - I don't know if the practice also occurred on the Continent (and, as said, the image on the coat of arms looks more like gold balls than apples) - and having the saint standing in the sea, as in the coat of arms, would seem more apporopriate for St. Clement than St. Nicholas. Clement was martyred by drowning and is patron saint of mariners (the anchor associated with him represents the one supposedly tied around his neck when he was drowned).
My guess is this was an attempt to depict Clement using an image of Nicholas as a template, but which was not sufficiently modified.
Ned Smith, 26 August 2007