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Bratislava region symbols (Slovakia)

Bratislavsky kraj

Last modified: 2006-03-04 by jarig bakker
Keywords: bratislava region |
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[Bratislava region flag] by Jarig Bakker, 11 Dec 2002
adopted 12 Dec 2001 See also:

Bratislava region flag

Today I recieved an answer from "Urad Bratislavskeho samospravneho kraja" regarding its flag. The attached image was made in Microsoft Excel (!) and  presented as hanging vertically. It is another example of "Kosice pattern".
Description ( from the hoist to the fly): quartered field with vertical line in 1/3 of the field (although we see it like a horizontal line :-); first and 4th fields are blue (i. e. upper left and lower right field), 2nd field (upper right one) is yellow and 3rd field (lower left) white. So probably the white field would be upper fly, if the flag were horizontally hung.
It really seems like try to introduce an official model for regional flags in Slovakia, however Trencín and Presov  Regions spoiled this "splendid unity" with striped fields.
Aleš Křížan, 4 Dec 2002

This site (at this time working - click "Symboly") shows it with yellow field in canton (upper hoist) and white field in lower fly. There is also bigger image of CoA (wavy bar represents rivers Danube, Morava and their confluence in Bratislava - Devin) and official seal.
Aleš Křížan, 11 Dec 2002

Bratislava region hanging flag

[Bratislava region vertical flag] by Jarig Bakker, 11 Dec 2002

Bratislava region President's flag

[Bratislava President's flag] by Jens Pattke, 28 Jan 2006

Bratislava region emblem

[Bratislava region emblem] by Jens Pattke, 28 Jan 2006

Yesterday I foud out newly adopted Coat of Arms of Bratislavsky samospravny kraj (Bratislava self- governed region) or rather Vyšší územný celok (Higher territorial unit) Bratislavský. The matter of Slovak subdivisions is more complicated that it seems to be. Nowadays on regional level there are State adminstrative offices called Krajske urady (sg. Krajsky úrad) with a Head called "prednosta" and Self- government entities called Vyššie územné celky (Higher territorial units, sg. Vyšší územný celok - VÚC). Elected representation of Self governning is led by Chairman of VUC ("predseda VÚC"). "Zupan" is unofficial title. "Prednosta" is an appointed officer, "predseda" is elected member of regional parliament. To make things more complicated (even I don´t understand the system) also VÚC has its own office called Úrad samosprávneho kraja or something. Nowadays both kind of Regions has the same territory, but self- government is fighting with state administration for buildings etc. and changes of number of VÚC are discussed. Nobody nows, how many VÚC will Slovakia have in the end of this year (and how many flags they will have: ). Maybe some more historical provincial symbols will be restored and some provinces too.
Bratislavský samosprávny kraj / Self-governing Bratislava region - Some excerpts from Slovak press, concerning this region:
From “stolice” through “counties/župy” to “samosprávne kraje” 21.12.2001 TA SR  (Press Agency of the Slovak Republic)
Bratislava December 21 (TASR) -
Approved Arms of Bratislavský samosprávny kraj will symbolise respect to almost 450 Years of Self - Government  in Bratislava region. This is also the reason (according to Higher Territorial Unit Chairman (”predseda Vyššieho územného celku/VÚC”) Lubo Roman),why is it so close to Coat of Arms of Hereditary Counts of Bratislava (of Pálffy. In contradiction to Pállfy Arms, (Azure on a Triple Mount Vert a Half Wheel Or (sometimes Gules) a Stag rising Or) in Arms of  VÚC was triple hill replaced by a wavy bar. The latter should point out historical and contemporary geopolitical meaning of Danubian City Bratislava. VÚC are today wrongly seen and compared with historical counties (“župy, sg. župa). Their development begun in post-revolution Years 1848 - 1849 and ended in 1928. ... they replaced self- governed “stolice” (Sedes in Latin, Stühle in German) of nobility. Origin of it we can find in the begin of 14. Cent.  ...
In fact the name of historical County and of the city before 1919 was Pozsony, in German  Presburg, in Slovakian Prešporok, which were the names of Bratislava before
So Bratislavský kraj has PROPOSAL for its Arms, modelled by historical Pozsony Province. We don´t know, if the Ministry of Intern (supreme heraldical authority in Slovakia) already granted these symbols.
Regional parliaments members pledge of representative 19.12.2001 SITA (whole name of this Press Agency unknown to me) Pledge of representative was taken by Chairman of Bratislavský samosprávny kraj Lubo Roman and by present representatives the regional parliament (altogether 46 members) on  today’s festival in Primaciálny palác in Bratislava. Bratislavský
samosprávny kraj will be characterised by yellow - blue - white flag, seal and Arms with depiction of a stag and Danube, which should remain family of hereditary Counts (župan, Ispán) Pálffy....
Aleš Křížan, 21 Mar 2002

The origin of the Coat of Arms of Bratislava Region:
The Coat of Arms of Pozsony county, Kingdom of Hungary.
See Ralf Hartemink's site:
Used ~1599-1920.
This CoA was originally the CoA of the Pálffy family. The Pálffy family became the Lord Lieutenant of Pozsony county after general Nicolaus Pálffy reoccupied Castle of Győr from the Turkish.
The origin of the Pálffy's Coa was the CoA of the Erdődy family formerly Bakócz family. The CoA relates to an accidents with a deer....
The former Pozsony county was 4370 km2. 4323 km2 was detached to Czechoslovakia by the Treaty of Trianon (1920), 43 km2 was detached to Czechoslovakia by the Treaty of Paris (1947). Now 4 km2 of the formerly Pozsony county is part of Hungary
István Molnár, 21 Mar 2002

The same deer rising from a wheel, is dispayed on the county CoA (and flag) of Varazdin County in Croatia, as well as in a number of other modern and historical CoAs (and flags) in Croatia. The Erdody and Palffy families were rather influential and earned a good deal of their fame in fighting against Turks.
Zeljko Heimer, 24 Mar 2002