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• historical Flags
• Meaning/Origin of the Flag
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• historical Coats of Arms
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• Numbers and Facts
• History
• The states of Hesse
• Origin of the Country's Name
Flag of the country (colours),
Source, by: Wikipedia (D)
State flag,
Source, by: Wikipedia (D)
Electorate of Hesse(-Kassel),
1813–1866,
Flag of the country (colours),
Source, by: Flags of the World
Grand Duchy of Hesse(-Darmstadt),
1839–1918,
State flag,
Source, by: Flags of the World
People's Staate of Hesse,
1919–1934,
Flag of the country (colours),
Source, by: Flags of the World
Free City of Frankfurt,
to 1866,
Source, by: Flags of the World
Prussian province of Hesse-Nassau
1868–1934,
Flag of the country (colours),
Source, by: Flags of the World
The today's Hessen consists in the largest parts from territories of the following countries:
• Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel, since 1803 Electorate of Hesse, since 1866 to the Prussian province of Hesse-Nassau, 1945 to Greater Hesse
• Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt, since 1806 Grand Duchy of Hesse, 1923–1945 People's State of Hesse, 1945 to Greater Hesse
• Landgraviate of Hesse-Homburg, from 1596, since 1866 to the Prussian Province of Hesse-Nassau
• Duchy of Nassau, since 1866 to the Prussian Province of Hesse-Nassau, 1945 to Greater Hesse
• City of Frankfurt, since 1372 Free City, 1810–1813 Grand Duchy, since 1866 to the Prussian Province of Hesse-Nassau, 1945 to Greater Hesse
The flags of the Hessian landgraviates were always red and white or white and red bicolours. The colours go back to the lion in the coat of arms of the landgraviate of Thuringia in the 12th and 13th centuries, from which the state emerged, which was horizontally striped in white and red. In 1806, the Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt was elevated to the Grand Duchy of Hesse and a new flag was introduced in 1839. It was a three-striped bicolour, with three stripes in red, white and red in a ratio of 1:2:1, with the blue shield and the white and red striped lion in the centre. It was officially in use until 1903, when a crown was placed in each of the four corners of the flag. With the end of the monarchy and the Grand Duchy of Hesse, the use of this flag also came to an end. The subsequent 'People's State of Hesse' created a new red-white-red flag as the state flag, which could be used by anyone, but with stripes of the same width. The red-white-red flag with the stripes in 1:2:1, with the coat of arms of the state in the centre, is said to have continued to be used as the state flag or official flag, i.e. the official flag for offices and authorities of the state. This flag, without the coat of arms, was probably also recognised as the civil flag and was probably used by the population until 1934.
Another incident for the flag was the seizure of power by the National Socialists in the German Empire in 1933. All official non-swastika flags, that refered to federalism, regional references or the old German Empire were abolished between 1933 and 1935. For the National Socialists, the federal structure of the German Empire, its historically grown countries, was considered as outdated, as relics of a past to be overcome. In this sense, several laws were enacted, on 31st of March in 1933 the 'Provisional Law for the phasing of the countries with the Empire', on 7th of April 1933 the 'Second Law for the phasing of the countries with the Empire' and finally, on 30th January in 1934 the 'Law on the rebuilding of the empire'. Thus, the federal structure of the German Empire was replaced by the gau-structure of the NSDAP, the countries became meaningless. From now on, offices and authorities had to use the swastika flag as official flag, until September 15th in 1935, when by the flag-law was legislated a new created official flag for all the offices and authorities of the empire. The prime ministers of the countries, which latest in 1933 all came from the NSDAP – now mostly called Reichsstatthalter (maybe translated as 'governor') – however remained in office until 1945. The corresponding country colours continued, with restrictions, but definitly not in the form of flags. They were used, for example, occasionally on uniforms of the SA or in some ranks of the Hitler Youth in the breast cord.
After the Second World War, the administration within the German Empire was rebuilt, but locally, following the structure of the countries. These have been partly old countries, and some new countries were created. Sometimes they bethought the old country colours and reactivated them – or they created new ones – for limited sovereign duties, which were under the control of the Allies. With the founding of the FRG and the GDR, an internal country-structure was finalised for both entities and corresponding official flags were introduced for these countries. The Prussian province of Hesse-Nassau and the People's State of Hesse, with the exception of the region of Rhine Hesse (Rheinhessen), were merged by the Allies in 1945 to form 'Greater Hesse'. The flag of the old Landgraviate of Hesse was retained unchanged as a red and white bicolour. The coat of arms was also used again, slightly altered in shape on the lion and on the crown. The coat of arms and flag were retained in 1949, when the state of Hesse became a federal state of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Source:
Wikipedia (D),
Flags of the World,
Snamjena Germanii,
Jens Hild,
Volker Preuß,
Jürgen Kaltschmitt,
Uniform-Fibel,
Beflaggungsregelungen für Hessen
since 1948,
Coat of arms of Hesse,
Source, by:
Wikipedia (D)
1815–1866,
lesser coat of arms of Electorate of Hesse
1808–1918,
lesser coat of arms of Grand Duchy of Hesse,
Source, by: www.heraldique-europeenne.org, ca.2010
1923–1934,
Coat of arms of People's State of Hesse,
Source, by: Wikipedia (D)
1866–1934,
Coat of arms of the Prussian Province of Hesse-Nassau,
Source, by: Wikipedia (D)
The coats of arms of the Hessian Landgraviates showed a blue shield with a white and red striped lion. This golden armed, golden crowned, lion rampante is the Lion of the Ludowingers, an originally Thuringian symbol, which goes back to the end of the 12th century, to the Landgrave Hermann I. of the dynasty of the Ludowingers.
Originally, the lion was depicted with eight white and red striped bars, in the 15th Century, there arised nine stripes. There exist depictions of the lion with one or two tails. This is without heraldic significance.
Source:
Historischer Verein Ingelheim
After the extinction of the male line of Landgraves – the House of Ludowinger – in 1247, there was a succession war between the Margraves of Meissen (House Wettin) and the Duchy of Brabant (Sophie, Duchess of Brabant, House of Ludowinger). The war ended in 1264 and much parts in the east of the Landgraviate of Thuringia came to the House of Wettin. Those became later the Wettin-Ernestine duchies. The West came as Landgraviate of Hesse to the son of Sophie of Brabant. The Thuringian coat of arms (white-red striped lion on blue) was adopted by both dynasties. The as a result of the Hessian division of 1567 (and even later) arising lines of the Landgraves of Hesse, all continued the blue shield with the white-red striped with lion. Only the lion in the coat of arms of Hesse-Darmstadt became in 1808 pushed a drawn sword in the paw. It stands for the in the same year awarded title of the Grand Duke of Hesse: "Champion between Rhine and Weser rivers". After revolution and overthrow of the monarchy in the year 1918, was removed the crown on the shield and on the head of the lion in 1923, it became taken off the sword, and it was determined that the lion should consistently have one single tail, the shape of the shield was changed and a "people's crown" was placed on the shield.
The Prussian province of Hesse-Nassau and the People's State of Hesse, with the exception of the region of Rhine Hesse (Rheinhessen), were merged by the Allies in 1945 to form 'Greater Hesse'. The flag of the old Landgraviate of Hesse was retained unchanged as a red and white bicolour. The coat of arms was also used again, slightly altered in shape on the lion and on the crown. The coat of arms and flag were retained in 1949, when the state of Hesse became a federal state of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Source: Wikipedia (D),
Flags of the World
to 1919,
Cockade of the Grand Duchy of Hesse-Darmstadt
Read here:
Informations, history and facts about the theme "Cockades".
Cockade
FRG and its countries, clickable map:
Source: Freeware, University of Texas Libraries, modyfied by: Volker Preuß
Area: 8.152 square miles
Inhabitants: 6.087.000 (2011)
Density of Population: 747 inh./sq.mi. (2011)
Religions: 40% Protestant, 25% Roman Catholic
Capital: Wiesbaden, 276.000 inh.
official Language: German
Currency in Hessen-Kassel to 1866: 1 Taler = 30 Groschen = 360 Pfennige, from 1866 Prussian Currency
Currency in Frankfurt and Nassau to 1866: 1 Gulden = 60 Kreuzer = 240 Pfennige, from 1866 Prussian Currency
Currency in Hesse-Darmstadt to 1871: 1 Gulden = 60 Kreuzer = 240 Pfennige
Currency in Hesse-Darmstadt 1871–1924: 1 Mark = 100 Pfennige
Currency in People's State of Hesse 1924–1948: 1 Reichsmark (RM) = 100 Reichspfennige (Rpf.)
Source: Der Michel,
Wikipedia (D)
1145–1254 · Landgraviate of Thuringia
1254–1264 · heritage succession war, separation of Hesse from Thuringia
1264 · Landgraviate of Hesse
1567 · division of the ruling family in four different lines (1. Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel [since 1803 Electorate of Hesse, since 1866 to the Prussian Province of Hesse-Nassau], 2. Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt [1806–1918 Grand Duchy of Hesse, 1918–1945 People's State of Hesse], 3. Landgraviate of Hesse-Marburg [to 1604], 4. Landgraviate of Hesse-Rheinfels [to 1583])
1596 · formation of the Landgraviate of Hesse-Homburg [since 1866 to the Prussian Province of Hesse-Nassau], to 1866 under the suzerainty of Hesse-Darmstadt
1866 · Fratricidal War of Prussia against Austria, Hessen-Homburg and Hessen-Kassel expire
1918 · revolution in Hessen-Darmstadt, fall of the monarchy
1923 · declaraion of the "People's State of Hesse"
1918–1945 · country of the German Empire
1945 · Hesse is occupied by US-American troops
1945 · establish of Greater Hesse by merge of Hesse-Darmstadt with Hesse-Nassau under loss of Rhine Hesse
1946 · Country of Hesse
1949 · the Country of Hesse becomes a federal country of the FRG
Source: Atlas zur Geschichte,
World Statesmen,
HGIS Germany 1820-1914
1.) from 1567 Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel, since 1803 Electorate of Hesse, since 1866 to the Prussian Province of Hesse-Nassau
2.) from 1567 Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt, 1803–1918 Grand Duchy of Hesse, 1918–1945 Federal Country of Hesse
3.) from 1596 Landgraviate of Hesse-Homburg, since 1866 to the Prussian
Province of Hesse-Nassau
4.) 1567–1604 Landgraviate of Hesse-Marburg
5.) 1567–1583 Landgraviate of Hesse-Rheinfels
6.) 1648–1681 Landgraviate of Hesse-Bingenheim
Source, by: Wikipedia (D)
The name "Hesse" is based on a Germanic tribe with the same name who lived here during the time of the Romans. This tribes was called by the Romans "Chatti".
Source: Handbuch der geographischen Namen
