Switzerland

Information about the Swiss Flag: Colors and Meaning of the Flag of Switzerland

:: Meaning of the Switzerland Flag ::

Switzerland comprises 26 cantons or federal states or localities. Each of these cantons has its own coat of arms or their own canton flag. In the olden times when the confederation of states was still loose, each canton will use its own coat of arms for identification when they fought several wars during the expansion of territory. However, a national flag was officially adopted in 1889, with a 1:1 proportion, bearing a white cross, identified as a Greek cross in the middle of a bright red field.

There is a bit of history attached to the national flag of Switzerland. When the regions that formed the old Swiss confederation went to war, each region will carry their own coat of arms. They fought several wars to keep their nation at peace and prevent invasion. The confederation particularly wanted to drive away the counts of Habsburg that were trying to exert more influence in the country. Switzerland was still under the German Empire until 1648 and the German Emperor usually carried two flags. One was a red flag, signifying power over life and death flag and another flag with a cross, to identify himself as Christianity’s protector. The Emperor sometimes granted the right to carry those flags to cities or regions as a special honor, such as direct immediacy or being directly under the jurisdiction of the Emperor and not through the counts.

Schwyz was granted immediacy in 1240 and used a red flag. When they supported Habsburg’s King Rudolf in his war against Burgundy, it gained recognition and was given the right to use a representation of Christ’s crucifixion and the torture tools used on Him on the top right canton of their own flag. As the membership of the confederacy increased, the more confusing it became for the different armies to recognize allies and foes. Starting in 1339, in the battle of Laupen, the confederate troops started placing white crosses on the visible areas of their uniforms as well as on their weapons and their hats and by the middle of the 15th century, the white cross was incorporated in the flag that the member states carried. Initially the white cross spanned the length and width of the red field.

The use of the white cross on the flag and troop uniforms did not sit well with some of the nation’s inhabitants however and the white cross on the troop uniforms disappeared, to be replaced by red armbands depicting a white cross is in the middle and were used until 1914 or the start of the First World War.

To resolve the issue of the crosses on the uniforms and the idea of having a single flag for the nation, the white cross, now called the Swiss cross was introduced in 1840 and supported by General Dufour, with the view of having a single national identity.

The flag used by the Red Cross is very similar to the flag of Switzerland, only in reverse. The Red Cross is a neutral institution, just like Switzerland is a neutral country. It was founded in 1864 by a merchant from Geneva, Henri Durant and General Dufour to provide medical assistance to military personnel and civilians imprisoned or wounded in wars. General Dufour proposed that the reverse of the Swiss flag be used as the emblem of the Red Cross and re-use the arm bands initially used by the Swiss troops. It gave birth to the Red Cross emblem of white field with a red cross in the middle, as the inclusion of the right to humanitarian treatment of war victims in the Geneva Conventions.

Initially the Swiss flag is meant to symbolize fidelity, honor and freedom with the white cross indicative of the Christian faith. In modern times, the flag of Switzerland became a symbol of a safe haven, peace, democracy and neutrality.